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 
As a leader in international electronics, we stock a variety of electronics inventory from some of the top name brands. This includes high-end performance brands such as Oppo, Denon, Harmon-Kardon and Marantz. While these brands' models are much more costly than some of the more common brands, they're worth each and every penny. It's kind of like the old saying - "You get what you pay for".
When you're seeking out the ultimate in home theater performance, you can expect to pay for it. While some may assume you're only paying for the brand, well that's just not true. If anything, 'paying for the name' is going to be a more valid statement when speaking of purchasing $100 - $200 Blu-ray units than when purchasing a player that's upwards of $500.
If all you're looking for is something to play a Blu-ray disc and you're not worried about additional features and functionality, than your best bet would be to purchase the absolute cheapest player you could get your hands on - there's really no reason to spend an extra $200 to get a player with more options if they'll go unused, right? And the same is said for the high-end players.
For the average joe who's looking to watch movies in the stunning quality of Blu-ray, a typical brand name such as LG, Sharp or Sony will do just fine. In fact, many of these brands have some amazing features and deliver excellent picture and sound quality. However, the most serious of movie fans or even connoisseurs might choose to opt for the ultimate in audio/video performance. These people are going to seek out the finest electronics equipment available as they appreciate and see value in the enhanced performance capabilities.
What will they get? Well, to summarize they're going to get a player that performs more efficiently, delivers video and audio more clearly, operates faster and cooler, equipped with a more sturdy chassis and made with the best part available.
From the frame rate of the picture to the clarity, you're not going to find a cheaper player that produces a better picture. The 
