Electrical Outlet Plugs

cpcgirl
New Member



Joined: 24 Oct 2007
Posts: 5
Location: Toronto

Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:31 am

 

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Hey everyone,

I plan on doing my masters next year in the UK and I have a question about electrical outlet plugs. My lap top is North American, and I plan on using it there. I am just wondering how people have found using North American computers in the UK, especially with adapters for the plugs. Are there any adaptability issues I should be aware of (with the adapter plugs, between software, with the different keyboards, etc)? Thanks for any information you may be able to provide!

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CanuckAbroad
Site Admin


Back in Victoria after living in Budapest

Joined: 04 Mar 2003
Posts: 482
Location: Victoria

Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 10:18 am

 

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Heya,

Pretty much all laptops will work internationally. All you need is the UK adaptor plug (you don't need a converter, just an adaptor).

I've never had issues with software or anything either.Laptops are pretty good for traveling internationally. I'm not sure about desktop computer though (but it sounds like thats not an issue for you).

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mari-mac
Senior Member



Joined: 01 Sep 2006
Posts: 94
Location: U.K.

Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 12:37 pm

 

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As CanuckAbroad says, you just need an adaptor plug for a laptop and you'll be fine. Everything else should be fine - like wifi and broadband connections. If you want to use a modem, you will need to buy a new phone cable here - the end on your computer is fine, but the end that plugs into the wall here is different.

Software should all work. If you want to watch DVDs on your computer, be aware that they have region codes on them (North America = region 1, UK = region 2) and you can only switch the code on your computer 5 times before it will get stuck. If you're only coming for the year, I'd recommend bringing a few favourite DVDs with you and stick with region 1. But software doesn't have the region code on it, so other types of CDs and DVDs will work fine.

Keyboard are slightly different here - but if you're using your own laptop, that won't matter. The main difference that's confusing is the quotation mark and the @ symbol are swapped - makes it confusing when typing an email address but you get used to it. (try using a keyboard in france - that really confused me!)

Oh, and don't forget to switch your spell checker to British English - I got caught out a couple times for spelling things in a Canadian way!
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cpcgirl
New Member



Joined: 24 Oct 2007
Posts: 5
Location: Toronto

Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:01 pm

 

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Thanks for the information! I can't wait to get over there .

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Steven
CanuckAbroad VIP



Joined: 28 Sep 2007
Posts: 1368
Location: Calgary

Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:24 pm

 

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Speaking as someone who works in IT and supports a lot of international users, it depends on the PSU you have for your laptop. Nowadays most (but not all) laptops will switch automatically to the correct current, so check on the PSU and it will say something like: INPUT 100-240V. If it does, all you need is an adapter plug that you can buy at the airport. If however it says something like: INPUT 110V on it, then you need the correct PSU for your laptop. If you're in the UK, try PC World but check on the web before you go to see where to get the PSU from.

I had this problem once when I was in Belgium and I spent bloody ages hunting around for a shop that had a PSU that would work with my laptop!
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Steve.

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bethlee77
CanuckAbroad Regular



Joined: 03 May 2007
Posts: 39
Location: Edinburgh

Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 10:49 am

 

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I actually have a North American laptop and have been using it with an UK adaptor for the last couple of months or so and have found my battery will wear down faster so i ended up forking over the money to buy a UK battery and a UK AC adaptor for when i'm in the UK and will just switch it to North America when i'm visiting my family.

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