Have you thought about how you’ll keep yourself entertained at home overseas? If music and movies rank high on your list, you’ll need to consider that your current home theater system probably won’t work abroad.
Expat Home Theater Systems Combat World Conversion Conflicts Abroad
Welcome to the confusing world of voltage conversion, foreign video conversion, DVD region codes and Blu-Ray region codes. Click on these links to understand how this world coding system can impact your ability to play your favorite media. For example, a DVD disc from Region 1 (USA and Canada) won’t play on a DVD player from Region 2 (Europe and Japan.) And there are a total of 6 regions worldwide. The good new is, there’s a simple solution to all the confusion.Multisystem, Region-Free Home Theater Systems Solve The Problem
The best home theater systems for expat living are multisystem and region-free for use worldwide. They’re manufactured by top brands like Panasonic, Pioneer, Yamaha, Sony, Samsung, Klipsch, LG and Bose. But they’re not available through most retailers. The model choices and brand selections may be limited (if you can find them at all) in your foreign expat destination. Specialty retailers’ online stores typically ship worldwide. And in many cases, shipping may be free. Modern home theater systems require at least one display device and a sound system. Sounds simple, right? But CEPro, a leading trade publication for professionals involved in the custom electronics business, cites these 6 Hot Home Theater Trends for 2016:6 Hot Home Theater Trends
1. Multiple Screens: Gives you more than one viewing option in a media room. 2. Hybrid Space: Includes family room, game room, media room in a single space. 3. Social Networking: Post social network updates while watching television. 4. Networking Media: Internet-connected Blu-Ray Players, Gaming Consoles, Apple TV and other. 5. Floor Standing Soundbar Speakers: Fills your room with the clearest audio. 6. Value: Get high performance, feature-rich components at a lower cost.
The typical expat living scenario may not call for multiple screens. But the trend for creating a "hybrid space" seems pretty spot on, wouldn't you say? And free-standing speakers and soundbars accommodate your flex space better than built-ins. Not to mention you get much higher quality sound from your speakers when they're not enclosed. Once you've agreed how to configure your media room, you can focus on how to configure your home theater. Regardless of the sizes and numbers of screens and speakers you choose, there are a few standard features you should make sure you include for the best electronic experience abroad.5 Top Standard Features In Home Theater Systems For Expats
1. Region Free Coding: Plays Blu-Ray DVDs, Standard DVDs and CDs from anywhere in the world.
2. Multisystem support. (Supports NTSC, PAL, SECAM) 3. 110-240 volts 50-60 hertz 4. USB input (Play media from external devices, like your phone or camera.) 5. HDMI Output (Connect HDMI compatible devices, like a Blu-ray player.)Add Smart Features For The "Most Flexible" Media Experience
- 3D Blu-ray Playback: View 3D movies with special 3D glasses.
- Wifi Built-in: Avoid the cable clutter with wireless connectivity.
- Internet Streaming capabilities: Stream from Youtube, Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, Picasa, Pandora and a multitude more apps.
- Bluetooth capabilities: Stream audio wirelessly from your cellular phone, tablet, computer or any other Bluetooth compatible device.
- Networking Capabilities: Connect external streaming devices like Apple TV or Fire TV. Or gaming consoles like Xbox or PlayStation
"By 2019, more than 50% of TV households in Japan, the US, the UK, France and Germany will have smart TVs [ according to IHS]," writes a Broadband TV news correspondent.
The human race has made some truly remarkable steps forward from a technological perspective over a relatively short period of time. We can look back at what life was like 100 years ago and it's almost unimaginable. We can even take a look at we have today from just a mere 30 years ago and it seems like it'd be impossible to survive on a daily basis without the convenient (and often necessary) technology we have today.
Thanks to computers and communication, especially the internet, the world is connected in a much different fashion than it was just 20 years ago. Information is available at our fingertips, we can purchase products from practically anywhere on earth at any given time thanks to mobile technology, and we can communicate with others with ease, on seemingly endless platforms. It doesn't seem that impressive when you're living it unless you take a minute to remember what life was like before the internet boom. It'll often leave you wondering how we were able to complete simple tasks without specific technologies that we have today, and it might leave you feeling a bit nostalgic. However, there seems to be some things that will never change.
For example, the ability to watch a blu-ray disc. We have this fascinating technology which allows us to enjoy cinema in high-definition from the comfort of our own homes, yet we can only watch Blu-ray discs from our home country - foreign discs won't work. Additionally, we can't take our Blu-ray player overseas when we travel and expect it to work with either the foreign discs or with the foreign TVs. Of course, the reasons behind this are complicated; they are the cause of both political and financial interests and we won't get too deep into that right now. What we will say, is that although our technology is something to be revered, it can also be very limiting. For example, certain capabilities or features that should come naturally with a certain product or device don't, and for no other reason than because there is more money to be made by excluding the capabilities altogether. It's kind of a bummer that what is so great can equally be so limited when it doesn't really have to be.
Why aren't Blu-ray Players and Blu-ray discs utilizing a global format, along with TVs, so that any player can read a disc from anywhere else and be played on a TV from anywhere else? Why should we have to pay for technology that is self-limiting?! We don't like that idea, and we feel like it's not fair.
There is, however, another side to the story. Thanks to technology - yes, the same technology that limits our technology - we have the ability to circumvent the issues we see as being problematic with the technology in the first place. Sound confusing? It doesn't have to be. Back to the Blu-ray players. We've utilized technology that fixes the problem with Blu-ray technology, and our technology DOES allow you to play discs from anywhere in the world, on any TV in the world; and, the player will work at any voltage! Problem solved, no? Of course it is. But you might ask "how?". It's quite simple actually.
We have developed a professional modification procedure for Blu-ray players that allows them to play discs from anywhere, to work with any TV regardless of its color format and to work safely and properly at any voltage. It's a universal player, and there are names for it such as region-free, code-free, and zone-free. Best of all, it remains under warranty and still retains all the options and functionality that it would if you purchased it directly from your local electronics store. We're not talking about some special unknown brand of Blu-ray player here, either. We're talking about practically any player you'd like, from the top brand names. We have them, region-free and ready to ship.
The moral of the story is that technology isn't so bad after all, because wherever it's been limited, there's an alternate technology to make it limitless. For more information about purchasing your own 
December is just around the corner, and if it's anything like a usual December it'll include cold weather, Christmas parties at work, kids home for the holidays and a lot of time spent generally lounging around the house. If you're lucky enough you might even get to enjoy some extended time off work. All in all, December tends to be the one time a year where everything gets put on hold until January - but not for Blu-ray releases! This holiday season (just like any other) is loaded with new titles coming out on Blu-ray disc for your own home enjoyment. 
In the electronics world, devices are manufactured specifically for the area in which they're to be sold. From the device's labels and packaging to the default language and even retail price, there are many variations from country to country on what is essentially the exact same product. Additionally, these devices are manufactured to meet the specific requirements or regulations of these various countries, with one of the major factors being voltage compliance. Since different countries have different voltage standards (ranging from 110 volts to 240 volts) the electronics sold in any given country must be compatible with that country's voltage.
The last few months have been quite impressive to say the least, with literally tons of new and awesome Blu-ray releases being released. September is no different and thankfully there are some excellent titles to add to your collection. We see some interesting oldies as well as some 80's classics hitting the shelves this month such as 'Teen Wolf', 'The Invisible Man', 'Little House on the Prarie', 'Salvador' and 'La Bamba'. Also, some pretty cool horror titles too, like 'Misery', 'Return of the Living Dead', 'Carrie' and 'The Amityville Horror. September is definitely not a month to miss out on!
If you own a Sony Blu-ray Player or are in the market for a region-free Blu-ray system, there's no better value right now than Sony. Not only do they deliver top of the line audio/video performance, they've also put together the Sony Entertainment Network - an amazing lineup of free apps and streaming media that are available to enhance your home theater experience.
From games and news to humor and cult movie channels, there's a wide variety to choose from and best of all, many apps are free! Packed with both video and music applications, The Sony Entertainment Network allows you to log in with one account to access your favorite apps both at home and on the go. Once you've signed up for a free account, you can also access Sony's Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited services.
Video Unlimited operates similar to an On-Demand cable service, allowing you to purchase or rent downloadable content from a huge list of movies, tv shows and specialty programs. If you have a Sony Blu-ray Player, the Video Unlimited Service is a streaming product
The Music Unlimited provides access to millions of songs in their global catalog and dozens of add-free channels to stream your favorite tunes with no annoying ads. There are two levels of Music Unlimited Service - Basic ($3.99) and Premium ($9.99). Both offer a feature similar to many of the most popular streaming audio platforms that delivers music catered to your specific tastes. Additionally, the service has the ability to scan existing audio files from your devices to determine similar music that suites your tastes. Premium users have the ability to create and manage playlists, plus access even more premium audio channels.
If you're curious about flexibility, have no worries - the Music Unlimited Service is available on the SOny Tablet, Android tablets and Android mobile phones, Sony PS3, Bravia Televisions, Sony internet TV, and PCs. No matter where you are or what device your using, you can quickly and easily access, modify and listen to your favorite music with ease.
Want to get our feet wet? Then you should 
It's a new week, and for all of you movie fanatics out there this means brand new Blu-ray releases! The month of February has a lot of new titles being released on Region A Blu-ray Disc and this week is a busy one! There are some great new films arriving specifically for your viewing pleasure, as well as some amazing classics we've all been waiting for - not to mention and a handful of rarities too! There's even a few TV Series which are up for release. If you've been slacking on your Blu-ray collection lately, this list should definitely motivate you to catch up.
If you're from outside of North America (region code A), this week's releases are going to be even better news for you since you'll have the chance to order the Blu-ray before most people have even seen the movie. That is, assuming that you own a Player that's capable of playing Region A Blu-ray Discs. If you're in regions B or C, we guess you'll just have to wait until later to see all the good stuff. Alternatively, you always have the option to buy a 
Are you an obsessive compulsive Blu-Ray Disc collector who just can't seem to get enough? Maybe you're a hardcore movie junkie with an international knack for good films who just happens to own a Blu-Ray Player? In either case, we have some excellent news for you; for the both of you.
For the OCD Blu-Ray Disc Detective: While you may think you've purchased every Blu-Ray Disc available today in North America; while you've scoured the local store shelves and relentlessly searched the internet looking for the lates release or that "oldie but goodie" to supplement your pristine collection - there's likely something you're forgetting.
For the Sofa-Ridden Film Afficianado: Although your impeccable tastes for quality filmography and rare cinema have led you to the deepest darkest corners of the internet in search of new downloads; Even though you thought you've attained a new level of acheivement by discovering an underground streaming video network where you watched the very first episode (and only copy in the world) of The Three Stooges that have been dubbed with Korean voice-overs... There's likely something you're forgetting as well.
"What is it?", you ask.
It's called a 
