Hi, I have searched the forum for answers but have not been able to find any. I would really appreciate any help.

I am bringing over a TV from the US to use here in Switzerland but will need a power transformer to be able to do this. I have looked at inter discount and fust. They only have the 2 prong transformers. Does anyone know where I can buy a 3 prong transformer for US to Switzerland?

Thanks,
Kevin

I don't believe that american TVs are capable of using the type of cable signal that is used in Switzerland. It would probably be in your best interest to sell your TV in the US and buy one here.

Your TV is unlikely to be any use here unless you bought an unusual (and expensive) set in the USA that was capable of receiving different signals. Some people have US TVs and DVDs/VCRs simply to be able to watch their DVD collection from the US. If this is not the reason, I suggest you sell/give it away and buy another one here. Thaey are easy to find. I just got a Sony 32" for $750 (new model is about $1500).

Most brand name TVs are made for the international market nowadays, so it might work. It needs to support PAL, quick way to check is to access the setup menu and see if switzerland is listed in your choice of countries.

Search the forum again for transformers, I'm pretty sure it's been covered in full.

your TV is NTSC format , European standard is PAL , different resolution , different frame time . buy a TV here , not only will it be better viewing quality - it will actually work

Didn't know that .......

Also, there is no reason to bring a US TV or US DVD player just to watch American zone 1 movies. A multi-region DVD player can be bought at pretty much any electronics store and the one my old roommate had worked perfectly the entire time we had it and she only paid CHF 100 for it.

I appreciate all of the comments, I am not sure whether it will use the PAL but I am not concerned with that as I do not understand German. I will be hooking it up to my DVD player, Nintendo Wii, and computer (with slingbox). I am more concerned about blowing out the TV. Unfortunately it has already been shipped and is in Switzerland but I will not have the TV to look at any settings until 1 August. It is a brand name TV that was purchased new in December of 2007. It has HDMI and all of that jazz so it might be okay to just use a plug converter.

But my bigger question is do they have transformers for a 3 prong US socket or just 2 prong.

Thanks everyone

Yes, you should be able to find a transformer for a US 3 prong socket.

All you need is a step down converter that can handle the Wattage that your TV requires. They turn 220V into 110V and are usually pretty cheap (unless you need something that can handle more than 1000 W). Check www.pusterla.ch its a good store in Zurich that will definitely have what you need.

If you are going to be using plug adapters, bring plenty of these with you. That way you only need 1 adapter for multiple appliances.
(American equivilent of course)

This is a thread regarding such step down converters.

Slightly off topic, but imho "the-better-TV" in Switzerland is completely free and of higher quality:
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en.cfm/travel

Don't wast your time while being over here!

We will definitely be traveling and going out a lot, which is why I am reluctant to buy another TV if I can use the one in the US. More for night time and Sundays in the winter when not skiing

Thank you again everyone for your tips and advice, I feel better now know that I can get some 3 prong step down converters. And I have plenty of power strips

Have a great weekend and Happy 4th of July to all you Americans

Kevin

Ummm. . . . I don't think the OP was asking to be judged on whether or not he should watch movies or TV when in Switzerland.

Besides, what else is there to do in Switzerland on a miserable rainy depressing Sunday when you can't go grocery shopping or even do laundry?

Sounds like you are trying to make leaving this place easier on yourself. There are many fun things to do in the rain

Salsalover?

A 2007 vintage flat panel TV is extremely likely to accept 100-240V input, and also to not really need to have the ground pin on the power cord connected, so you can just use a 2-prong plug adapter. If it uses a standard IEC power cord (common on larger sets), you can buy a Swiss IEC cord (costs 6-7 CHF), or change the plug on the existing cord (costs 1 CHF + you need wire strippers and a screwdriver).

Watch out when using US power strips in Switzerland... you must open them up and clip out the MOV (blue disk shaped component), otherwise when you connect them to 220V, it will explode in a cloud of bad smelling brown dust.

I'd suggest doing this even if you're using it at the output of a stepdown transformer, just to avoid accidents.

The only problem with stepdown transformers is they seem to use a lot of power when plugged in, even if the appliances are not running. I brought my wifi router US phone and Vonage modem from the US, and plugged them into 3 separate step down transformers.

After speaking with my neighbors, we determined that my power bills were a LOT higher than theirs, with somewhat similar usage patterns. The power company actually came out to take some measurements and determined that my stepdown transformers were probably costing me about 40% extra per year. I was surprised and skeptical, but it seems that they were right. I could have bought a wifi router and phone here and gone with just one transformer and would have saved plenty of money. Maybe i had bad transformers, but they seem to always be a fairly warm, so I figure that means they are consuming power.

fduvall