Moving to and living in...Argentina

Missing American TV in Buenos Aires?

So now that Cablevision is making a mess of TV viewing for expats in Buenos Aires, Slingbox and all of the various services that have popped up are becoming quite handy.

A great service that takes advantage of Slingbox technology is a2bTV. With this service you can access all your favorite TV programs instead of being stuck watching programs from one or two seasons before.

Definately worth a look if you're tired of messing around with all the changes Cablevision is going through.

Direct TV better than Cablevision now?

Cablevision used to be okay. Notice I said USED TO. Starting back in January they began to go through some major changes after being bought out by Grupo Clarin. The channel lineup changed with no advance notice. The guide also didn't have the new channel numbers listed by the major programming so you had to guess at channels. The TV guide was also off by 1-2 hours when compared to on air programs.

Now, the latest thing is the loss of several major expat channels: CNN, BBC, TV5 among others, and the addition of a decoder box at $100.00 pesos and $10.00 pesos per month to rent it.

Direct TV never looked so good!

psst ... wanna watch your American TV shows in Argentina?

If you're missing your favorite current season shows or sports, then  you need to check out Slingbox.  A friend is the one who introduced it to me and it really is a great addition to the world of technology. Basically the technology uses a box to transmit TV programs from your TV in your home country to your computer, wherever in the world you might be.  Your main TV doesn't need to be set to the program you want to watch, or for that matter the TV doesn't even need to be on.  If you don't keep a residence in your home country, then you could set it up at your family's home.

The only thing you need to be aware of is that there are no allotments for time differences. Thus, if your favorite show is on at 10 in California, then you'll be up in the middle of the night here in BA.   

Technology really is making a difference in how expats are able to keep a little bit of home in more than just their hearts.

Cable and HBO in Buenos Aires

I got my wish yesterday when I got to add the premium programming of HBO, HBO Plus, and Cinemax, as well as an additional sports channel, to our cablevision lineup. It's amazing what you can get when you barter with the husband - I wanted HBO for those yucky pregnant days when I just feel like sitting in front of the the TV watching movies, and the hubby wanted to pick up an additional channel to try and get a few extra World Cup matches with the French team.  So we both win, but I think I made out better! The cost of this extra programming? Well with the HBO package we got the cost of the decodificador included (normally approx 7.50 pesos/month) and the packages is costing us approximately 25 pesos/month.

This brings me to some questions I've received from readers. A lot of people ask about the programming here. Is it available in English? Is it subtitled? Are there any popular American programs being shown? The answer is yes, yes, and yes. Not only are there plenty of programs in English - both from the States and the U.K., but most programs that were originally in English are also subtitled in Spanish with a few dubbed in Spanish, and popular programs such as Lost are being shown here in English as well. Some of the channels that run English language programming are the: WB, Fox, E! Entertainment, Bloomberg, CNN, BBC World, Animal Planet, and National Geographic among others.

So not only can you see some of your favorite programs, but it's a great way to pick up some Spanish as well with all of the subtitles. And, as your Spanish improves, you'll be able to see if the subtitles are really accurate or not.

One last note, in addition to English and Spanish language programming, the typical Cablevision package also includes the French channel TV5, German Deutsche Welle, and Italian RAI. It's amazing though because in the States we had to pay for an additional package to receive TV5 and it was only available with one satellite company, whereas here it comes as part of your Cablevision or DirectTV packages.

 

Internet and Cable Services in Buenos Aires for expats

I had been planning to get a post out with more details about the Internet and cable services, but Yanqui Mike beat me to it. Bless his heart he saved me the headache of translating the information! Be sure to check out his fun blog... Incidentally, I have Fibertel at 2.5 Megs, and Cablevision. I got one of the packages and only pay 40 pesos for the first three months, and after that it will increase but I will still have the discounts for having both. I've been happy for the most part with my Internet connection, and I brought a wireless router from the States. The Cablevision is pretty good, many channels are subtitled and I think they have a pretty good selection of movies. There are less channels overall than I had in the U.S., but I find that the ones they have are sufficient. I've been able to keep up with Lost and Invasion episodes, even if they're not exactly concurrent with the U.S., and they have a lot of the American TV shows that are subtitled. If you want a lot of news about the States though, you'll have to turn to the Internet, which should be more than sufficient with all of the streaming newscasts now available. 

Enjoy Mike's translation...

From Yanqui Mike's blog... "A guide for getting to know what the local ISPs offer in order to get your house connected to the web with a faster connection than conventional dial-up. The prices, the promotions and what you have to have up-front to get the best plan according to your needs:

Wide-band providers in Buenos Aires:'

yanqui mike: Banda Ancha...o Banda Chancha? read the full article at his blog.

 

S'expatrier en Argentine

For all you French readers out there, my husband has been keeping a blog as well, S'expatrier en Argentine, but in French. Unfortunately he doesn't get the opportunity to post as often as I do, but it is sort of interesting to read a different point of view. So, if you can read French, then have fun...

chau

Our TV works great

Our TV that we brought in with us works great! Since it changes the power supply internally, all we had to do was put add a plug adaptor for the wall socket. The signal is perfect and we paid so much less by buying in U.S. and bringing here, and if we decide to go back during the life of the TV we can still use it in the U.S.

Although this may not be the best option for everyone, it certainly has been a wonderful option for us.

chau

Volts and Watts for expats in Argentina

We're not bringing a lot of electronics with us, and we've made sure that most of the them work on both 110 and 220 voltages (voltaje). However, for the ones that only work on 110V I've bought a couple of transformers (transformadors).

What do you need to know when buying a converter/transformer?

First you’ll need to think about the fact that Argentina runs on 220 V (voltio) so for things that run on 110 V it will need something that converts the current down so you don’t blow something out. Next, you need to determine whether what you’re using is an electronic or a heat generating applicance. Electronics are things such as your electric shaver or can opener.  Heat generating applicances are items such as your toaster, hairdryer, coffee maker, microwave, etc. The wattage of an appliance will determine the wattage of the converter/transformer.

WATTAGES (voltaje):
Transformers are available in a couple of different wattages (vataje) While you can buy one that is just for 50 watt (vatio) electronics, it is just as easy to purchase one that can handle 50 watts and up to 1600 watt. If you’re not sure what your product uses then take a look at the case or your manual. Typically coffee makers have the information on the bottom, TV’s have the information on the back of the case, DVD’s have it on the back of the case as well, etc. etc.  If you’re not sure, I would recommend you choose a transformer that will handle up to 1600 watts – that way you’re covered no matter what.

WHERE TO PURCHASE:
--Outside of Argentina: Transformers can be purchased in any travel supply shop, on-line travel supply merchant, Ebay, or in Argentina. I have bought most of mine on Ebay for about $15.00 U.S. plus shipping. We have a variety of different ones now, but they are all of excellent quality and include the adaptor plugs (adaptador) as well. Remember, that the plugs used in Argentina are different than those used in the U.S. but are the same as those in France.

--In and around Buenos Aires:
    Capital:
        Alamtec – La Casa del Transformador
        Parana, 220 (between Peron and Sarmiento)
        Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 7pm, Saturdays from 9am to 12:30 pm
        Tel: 4371-1023 Fax: 4373-4654
    Zona Norte:
        Digofat
        (1640) Martinez Hipolito Yrigoven 581
        4792 - 1653

COST: 
If you buy your converters/transformers in the U.S., you could pay anywhere from $10.00 – $15.00 on Ebay up to $40.00 in an airport shop. This is for tranformers that are good quality and include all of the varieties of plugs you might encounter.

Although it’s pretty easy to buy converters/transformers, I would still recommend leaving the majority of your appliances at home. Coffee makers, blenders, microwaves, mixers, etc. can be bought easily at places such as Carrefour, Fallabella, Jumbo, or Easy.

ForTVs and DVD players, you have to make sure it’s really cost effective to bring them, although for the DVD, if you can find a region free player that accepts 110/220, then I’m all for buying one and bringing it with you - but that's a personal thing.

I recently posted about the difference between TVS in Argentina and the U.S., so make sure you read up on that as well.

I would also recommend utilizing a surge protector with multiple plugs to protect your electronics (prolongador multinorma con proteccion termica), particularly on your computer, TV, DVD, etc. You can find them at Carrefour, Jumbo, Falabella or Easy.

For a quick recap, remember, if you want to bring appliances or electronics with you, make sure you are clear on what the volts and wattages are. If you're unsure about anything, check with your local electronics shop or call the manufacturer.

English Language Movies and DVD s in Buenos Aires

Today's headlines are blanketed with photos and stories about the 78th Annual Academy Awards, and if you didn't see any of them yet, you might be in for a surprise as Crash took home the Best Picture in a huge upset over Brokeback Mountain.

So, I thought with all this movie madness and talk of Oscar wins buzzing in the air, that this would be an appropriate time to do this post and calm any fears that you might not be able to see your favorite Hollywood films, in English, in Buenos Aires.

Cinemas
If you're worried that your friends will rave about the latest releases back home in the States, and you'll be stuck waiting for months to catch up, don't be. On our last trip to Buenos Aires, we saw billboards splashed with advertisements for Memoirs of a Geisha, Brokeback Mountain, and Syriana; we had just seen the same ads back home in Miami.

The latest movies are usually available in English with Spanish subtitles; you'll just have to check the cinema listings and look for the ones that say "In English" (or you might end up with the version dubbed in Spanish) For current cinema listings and showtimes, try the Cinema listings in the Buenos Aires Herald. Or if you're feeling brave and are up to practicing your Spanish, Cines Argentinos lists movie theater showings across Argentina, reviews from the Argentine media and critics, as well as cinema promociones.

p.s. If you're worried that the the movie theaters are old and antiquated, think again. Most have comfortable seating, great digital sound, and nice big screens. And I even found several Hoyts cinemas, a theater found across the United States.

DVDs
Times have changed. The days of waiting months for Hollywood movies to be released in Buenos Aires, and Argentina, are gone...at least for most of the movies. Many of the hottest films are now released, at the same time as in the States.

If you're used to visiting Blockbuster for your movie fix, you'll find them in Argentina as well. There are several locations in Buenos Aires, and I saw one in Mendoza as well. To check locations, both in Buenos Aires, and in the rest of the country, simply go to the Blockbuster Argentina link above, and click on Catalogo por Local in the left hand column.

DVDs and Region Coding
A quick note about DVDs and regions. DVDs are usually released with a "region" coding. This was one way that the big studios originally tried to keep movies from being released in other countries before they were released in the United States. Unfortunately, even though movies are beginning to be released simultaneously worldwide, the region coding still exists.

Here are the worldwide region codings:

United States and Canada - Region 1
Japan, Europe, Middle East and South Africa - Region 2
South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan - Region 3
New Zealand, Australia, Mexico and South America - Region 4
Former U.S.S.R., Africa, and the Indian Sub-Continent - Region 5
China - Region 6

All this coding stuff, means that unless you have a "region free" dvd player, or know how to program your dvd player to play all regions, it's possible that you may not be able to play Argentine DVDs on your U.S. DVD player, and vice versa your favorite American DVDs on your Argentine DVD player. Of course, most laptops can play all regions with WinDVD player - but then it's kind of tough to get the whole family around hunkered down around the laptop screen.

Since we sometimes get movies from my mother-in-law in France, we kept running into this problem even in the States and got tired of watching DVDs on the laptop. So we finally broke down and bought a region free DVD player on Ebay for less than a hundred dollars which has allowed us to watch whatever DVD we want, no matter what region it's coded as.  Although we'll have to use a transformer to change the power to 220V and 50 Hz, and a converter to change the outlet plug, this seems to be the best solution for our situation.

One final note: I hope that all of you future Argentina expat and visitors will take the time to watch Argentina movies, even if you have to watch them with the subtitles on. Doing this will help you work on your language skills as well as see some Argentine filmmakers at work. One that's currently available from Blockbuster is Alma Mia, with subtitles in English. Check it out if you get a chance.

NTSC vs PALN TV for expat to Argentina

If you're going to expat to Argentina then you need to be aware that Argentina doesn't work on the same TV video signal as the United States or Europe. Argentina uses PAL-N, the U.S. uses NTSC, and Europe uses SECAM.

What does all this stuff about signals mean to you? It means that if you take your TV from the U.S. or Europe down to Argentina and it doesn't have the capacity to read the video signal, even if they are very similar. Since I'm not an expert on this type of thing, I'm adding a link to Wikipedia that explains more about PAL-N and you can go to the NTSC site as well.

While there are a few TV's out there, namely the Sharp Aquos 22" and smaller, and a couple of Philips LCD's that work in the U.S., Canada, and Argentina, that can read both PAL-N and NTSC signals (not sure about one for the SECAM), most TVs will only work with one or the other.

So, there are a couple of choices. You can change your TV before you move and find one (try Ebay) that will work; you could take your old TV and have someone in Argentina try to convert it for you; you could try to find a converter to change the signal (not sure how well they work);  you could get rid of your TV altogether and buy one there (hopefully used because electronics are so expensive); or simply live TV-less altogether.

By the way, don't forget that if you're bringing in a container full of your belongings, customs will require you to take insurance from a special company and the value will be based on Argentina's value on your belongings. You will then pay that every year that you're there, but not a resident. This is their way of making sure you take back what you brought in and don't try to sell it there.

Any questions or comments? Love to hear them...

Chau!