Question about importing

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Flame-returns

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As a UK resident I am expected to pay upwards of £420 (around $850) for the PS3 and as a result I'm seriously considering buying one in Japan (I leave on monday whatever I decide). I searched this topic and found the results to mostly consist of a debate about the definition of importing, I know the definition of importing and see no reason to get into a fight over it. What I wanted to know from PS3 owners is this; are there any issues that are going to arise as a result of getting a Japanese PS3?

Is the operating system available in a choice of languages?
Is there an internal voltage converter for running it on the 240v UK system?
Will PSN work?
Are games really region free?
Since the UK and Japan are in the same region for DVDs does this mean that DVDs and PS2 games will be compatable wheras Bluray films will not be?

I know I will have to pay VAT at 17.5% but it is still a huge price difference ($300 to be exact) so I want to know if I'll be saving $300 or wasting $500.

Even better if somone who has actually imported a foreign PS3 could advise me (preferably somone from a non-NTSC-J region) and there is always a chance that this thread could become a useful guide for anyone considering importing a Playstation 3.

Note to mods: If you deem this thread pointless waste no time in closing it, I'll just ask in the general discussion thread. I simply thought this matter a bit too specific for the general discussion thread.
 
First of all I have a lot of japanese consoles, from Super Famicom to Xbox360, but no PS3. Why ?

First of all you have no warranty/guarantee in the UK. A piece of hightech can always break ( I have my third PAL Xbox360 for example ) and if that is the case you a pretty much screwed. All you can do then is sending it over to Japan ( within the first year). MAYBE Sony CE UK helps you out nevertheless, but they stated they won't (afaik I can remember), so...

You know, as long as the PS3 is running you made a good deal, especially since you can play US Blu-rays which means greater variety for less money.


Is the operating system available in a choice of languages?
Is there an internal voltage converter for running it on the 240v UK system?
Will PSN work?
Are games really region free?
Click to expand...

Yes, yes, yes, yes ( not including PSX and PS2 games and PS3 MIGHT get some rc locked games, the Def Jam demo from the US store does not work on PAL systems for example...)


DVD playback of the PS3 is not really that great atm, but I doubt you can play UK DVD's, yes same region, but there might still be the NTSC/PAL Problem. My japanese PS2 did not play PAL DVD's as far as I can remember.
You can not play European Blu-rays unless they are region code free.


Bottom line :

I wouldn't import a PS3. Those times are over. My NES is still running, but Xbox360, PS2 etc had so many problems...
 
As to the first 'yes', is one of the available languages Japanese?

I had a look at the languages on my English Ps2 and all I can find are European languages that use Roman letters (English, French, German, Dutch etc), do the available languages on the PS3 include those with special charecters? If so, is it safe to assume that since a PS3 bought in the UK includes Japanese, a PS3 bought in Japan will include English?
 

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