Help, moving UK Philips widescreen to US

I have just won/earned through work a Philips 32" pure flatscreen Dolby TV and dbx hi-fi stereo TV for FREE! I'm really excited, but I'm moving to the US in 3 months. I can have it shipped directly there so that solves the cost of shipping problem, but now I'm worried it won't work with the NTSC standards there. Am I screwed or are there options? In reading reviews of various Philips widescreens i have noticed most say "NTSC playback" in the features. Do they all have this and what does that exactly mean for me? I'm assuming using the tuner in a US NTSC VCR doesn't help me at all, correct? I would love to take advantage of this TV, but worried its going to be useless over there so please let me know if anyone has any incite into this issue.

Thanks for the help.

[manc]

In my experience you will have no problems whatsoever. I have played japanese and american consoles and ntsc dvds on mine.

Make sure you can switch voltage from 230 - 110 tho ?

Your correct in that the tuner on your TV will not be able to tune either off air transmissions or (more commonly in the USA) cable.

Your TV is capable of receiving a NTSC signal on the scart so you have two options.

1) Use a US VCR as the tuner (you can get these in WAL-MART for as little as $50) and connect to the scart.

2) Use a Satellite receiver - either DIRECT TV or DISH Network (my favourite). I think this is the best option for picture quality. You can connect via S video. Dish network sell a combned PVR/receiver for about $200. You will also be able to get BBC AMERICA on this system (I think its also on Direct TV these days).

I have used both 1 and 2 while I lived in the USA. Off course you'll need a transformer. I bought mine at
http://www.action-electronics.com/trnsupdn.htm

One piece of advice - buy a SCART to S video/phono plug in the UK before you go. SCART is not in use in the USA.

That sounds great. I'm actually american so have the VCR sitting at home already and am planning on buying a DirectTV/Dish Network system at some point.

2 more questions: Is this plan contingent on the TV having that "NTSC playback"? I don't know the model I'm getting so I'm not sure if it does, hence my question about whether they all come with it now.

The other question is there any drawback to me having a UK TV in the US longterm?

Thanks so much for the help, It sounds like I should go for it from what you guys are saying which I'm really psyched about.

Hi,all recent European TVs (i.e. less than about 5 years old) will play pack an NTSC signal presented either throught the SCART on composite or S video (RGB is non existant in the US).

I can't think of any long term problem with a UK TV other than support if it goes wrong.

The other thing that won't work is automatic widescreen switching.

A useful thing to do if your building a house from scratch is to put in a 240V supply in the basement (i.e same as you need for a clothes dryer) - that way you can route this to the TV under the floor and do away with the transformer. I did this (and also put one upstairs for my UK vacuum cleaner).

David