Hello to our new friends!
My wife and I are likely moving to Oslo soon and would appreciate it if anyone can answer a question regarding appliances. We have a new flat-screen HD television and are wondering if it will work in Norway? It's new so we'd like to bring it with us if it would work. Similarly we have a new Blue Ray disk player that we'd bring if it worked. I understand that the voltage is 220V/50Hz vs the US 110V/60Hz, but I can use a transformer to get around that. Just don't know if the output from the cable/antenna systems is compatible with A/V equipment built for the US market?
Is anyone aware of other devices from the US that don't work or can't be made to work in Norway? We certainly don't want to bring useless junk with us if we can avoid it!
Also, somewhat off topic, but I understand meat is very expensive in Norway...how about fish? And since the meat is so expensive I have seen postings indicating that people go to Finland or Sweden to buy meat in bulk and bring it back...is that legal, or is it skirting the system? I wouldn't want to get in trouble about that, but anything I can do to help hold down the cost of living would be a good thing. Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!
Jay and Susan
Question regarding North American televisions and appliances
As I'm sure you know already, most of the Americas use NTSC for analogue programming, while most of Europe uses PAL. For digital programming, North America uses ATSC, and Europe used DVB-T. ATSC televisions are compatible with PAL (and SECAM) analogue broadcasts. However, Norway switched to DVB-T last year, and, as far as I am aware, the two standards are not entirely compatible (have you ever watched a PAL video on an NTSC player or vice-versa?). However, most signal decoders these days are software-based, so your particular television may be able to receive and decode DVB-T signals. Check either the television itself, or the manual for the keyword DVB-T.
As for the off-topic topic, I would point out that in fact everything in Norway is more expensive than it is in Sweden, and undoubtedly would be more expensive than in the US. That doesn't mean, however, that you can't spend less. I could buy two chicken breasts for 55kr, or I could buy a whole roast chicken for 27kr. Fish is generally cheaper than beef (but not as cheap as pork, IIRC), and yes you can hop over the border and buy meat quite legally (Norway is in the EEA, a free-trade zone comprising of Norway, the EU, Iceland, and Liechtenstein).
Thanks for your kind help SCTLD. I will check with the television manufacturer's website and see if the signal decoder is software-based (I hope, I hope, I hope).
I'm looking forward to learning new recipes and cooking styles, particularly with the fish. Where we live currently is far from the ocean, so the fish we get is variable at best in quality. I'm hoping fresh fish there will inspire me!
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