As most know we're emigrating in a month or so and we're trying to sort out what we need to take. I want to take my canon printer but I seem to remember reading somewhere that printers and their cartridges are chipped to only work in the country of purchase. i don't want to box up my printer out there and then find out it wont work. Does anyone know anything about this?
No idea Stu, but very unlikely that it would know if your country code on you Operating System had changed, you won't change that so it would never know. Only issue might be from the slight voltage difference, however all my computer kit has always worked perfectly. Printers are not one of the really expensive things over there, unless your Canon printer is a very special one I would not bother with the expense of shipping it.
Cheap devices like digital clock-radios fail over there because the mains frequency is fractionally different from here, they simply don't keep time, really good ones designed for travel will probably still work but the normal cheap device won't, most computer hardware that is portable will be fine but less portable items might have been built with certain market assumptions built in and you won't know until you try it. Computer motherboards, memory, processors and drives work fine, I have taken all of these out there and constructed PC's with a locally bought case and power supply. Electric toothbrushes are fine, kitchen gadgets like food processors are fine, hairdryers and so on, never taken a TV or a monitor so no idea about them really, never taken a DVD player or VHS so again no idea, some things will work some won't but the stuff mentioned above that worked for me should work for you.
VHS!!!! lol Thanks for the tips, I was just thinking about it as we'll be sending a balikbayon box with kitchen stuff (food processor, juicer, bread maker etc) and some other stuff out there. Mainly to keep the costs down as we already have most of this stuff in the province and don't really want to be doubling up on items in our main place whilst over there. I think I'll stock up on printer cartridges just in case and give it a go. Good to know that those items you've mentioned work ok as well.
We have printers at work that have an IP address. They are network devices. Maybe thats where somebody could run into trouble with printers abroad? Not sure, just thinking outloud.
You shouldn't have much problem getting spare cartridges for a Canon printer, they are very common here; there are also places that will fit "bulk ink kits" to those printers - initial outlay is a bit high however the cost per page is but a fraction. I wouldn't bring any appliance that definitely requires an earth connection. I note you're planning to bring your bread-maker. The only flour available is soft cake flour, the hard winter wheat flour used for bread-making is not imported for some reason. You'll also have a problem finding yeast: the only store I know that sells it regularly is Rustans (in Cebu also in Manila) but it's for brewing rather than baking. You may want to pack a supply of the sealed foil packets from your local supermarket. Other things you may regret not packing are Oxo cubes, Bisto Gravy powder (do NOT bring granules), marmalade, jams and jellies, Marmite, dried mint, horseradish, English mustard, decent curry mixes, shoe polish ...
Bread is problem for me out there (don't get me started on bacon and sausages!). The nearest I find that is reasonable is the diabetic stuff with reduced sugar. That's why i was going to take the breadmaker but I may have to re-think. Good tip about the yeast. I'm sure i've seen colemans english mustard out there before though.
Stu, if you are heading to Subic Bay one can get quite a variety of English/European foodstuffs either in the small shops in Barretto or in Subic itself - there is an excellent but expensive delicatessen called iirc the Food Garage next door to the Starbucks "on base" near the Ford dealership which even has Cadbury's Drinking Chocolate!
A voltage stabiliser can also be connected between the mains and the computers (for example) to limit any problem with spikes on the line.
He'd have enough trouble getting broadband installed wherever he ends up John never mind getting the WiFi in the router to work, certainly if it was connected to the WiFi then it could call home but I'd be really surprised if things like printers were restricted that way.
Swiss Deli - a nationwide chain - do make a variety of various beef and pork "sausages" but none of them come close to being a British Banger, so you may have to experiment. They do make a decent Kielbasa hoewever and reasonable Mortadella and various Salamis. For bacon, the closest you'll get is their smoked ham but you'll need to dry it a bit before cooking. I have seen Colemans Mustard but at almost a tenner for a pot - hence my recommendation that you pack a few jars or tubes (tubes last longer once opened). I think there is a S & R close to Olongapo where you will be able to buy Cod and Halibut at a not too expensive price. S & R also sell Strawberry Jam imported from the US at a better price than you will find elsewhere BUT beware, the primary ingredient is .... sugar! They also sell New Zealand lamb but at a price that will scare you.
As per colman's Mustard goes, I would recommend to pop around one of those cash and carry outlets, and buy a tin or two of the powdered stuff...... You can mix the amount required with some water as and when you need it.. And the sealed tins will last forever, selll by date or not...........
Stu will be in Olongapo/Subic and will have a good selection of providers to choose from including (soon) PLDT's new fibre-optic service at 100 Mbit.
Unfortunately not, the tins aren't air-tight enough as I discovered and the contents quickly become a greeny-brown toxic mass. Transfer the contents of a newly-opened tin to a Lock&Lock box and store in the bottom of the fridge and it will last longer.
Cool, good to know, but what I meant was the bureaucracy of the application via PLDT or anyone else and their engineering team's response, we had a nightmare getting broadband from PLDT just because we moved house in 2008, the previous place we got it put in quick because we got lucky and talked to the guy in charge of the installation team who happened to be around our condo at the time.
UK is 50Hz and Philippines is 60Hz. That can make a difference on some electrical products even if the voltage is roughly the same in the Philippines as the UK. Check the printer and see if it is also 60Hz compatible - there should be a label or embossing (can be hard to see at first glance) near the mains input. I just checked my new HP Photosmart printer (cost £55) and it will work 100-240v and also 50Hz/60Hz. My now old Minolta printer works 220-240v and 50Hz/60Hz. Devices with switched mode power supplies are generally the ones that are universal (100v-240v 50/60Hz). That means most mobile phone and laptops should be ok in the Philippines too. The real problem is using products with 60Hz only transformers, on the 50Hz mains supply in the UK. They will almost invariably burn out.
I think you are right. My old employer used to run printers off various power supplies. Rig power was often a problem. And the frequency of supply was an issue. Trouble is I have forgotten much of it. I seem to recall Laserjets didn't like the "wrong" frequency. This was about 4 or 5 years ago now.
Most things with western style external power blocks will automatically deal with the regulation and frequency issues, you are quite right Howerd.
