Iam considering buying a headunit for the car- as I am going abroad - will buy from there (cheaper as always!).
The question is - will it pick up uk radio frequency - different uk stations - including using the search function?
Or will it have to be modified/ tuned to do this?
I suppose anyone who has imported a japanese car will know this?
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Hi,
Probably depends where abroad you are going.
In the US most radios don't have RDS, and also they use a different granularity for FM tuning. (Can't remember whether it's twice as granular or half, but it's different.)
Cheers,
Mark
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There are different channel spacings for various parts of the world, and the frequency bands vary in scope. Its called ITU specifications.
From memory without looking it up, All europe is ok both channel spacing and frequency bands, The states is different both spacing and bands, Japan is ok with spacing but the band is narrower.
So car radio sourced in europe for the europe market is fine. Avoid US radios like the plague, and a frequency shifter may be required for Japaneese domestic radios.
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So I guess a head unit from Asia or Middle East is out of the question??
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Ok if its made for export to Europe (or Australia / NZ)
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Of little help for Shaz I suspect, but for anyone with a Volvo HU-8xx or HU-6xx series head unit who moves region and takes their car with them, there's a hidden menu system, one of the parameters of which is to change exactly the FM settings being described here.
www3.sympatico.ca/p_bruno/volvo/AudioSystemHU803Hi...f
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www.edl.co.nz/ConvertersHP/selectionguidetips.htm
just an example of possible problems depending on where bought
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Would be wary about these things always being cheaper abroad. Some good deals available here especially if you shop around. Try a local car electrical place that takes trade ins for example.
Even if you do get it cheaper abroad, is the money saving worth it when it stops working and you can't just pop down to your local dealer to get it fixed?
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Point noted Bobby, but I thought I'd take advantage of the significantly better deals abroad if possible!!
I was thinking that my money would go further as I could by a higher spec model (although admittedly I don't need this!).
I'll be buying new - and will have a manufacturer's warranty - which would be the case if I bought here also. Unless there the fault develops in first month - most retailers send it back to manufacturer for replacment/fix.
Thanks fo the links guys- will be looking into this to see if I there are any manufacturers (Pioneer/Kenwood/Alpine etc) - that have the are change feature like the volvo - (although most probably not - protecting regional markets etc).
Oe more consideration - does this affect FM only? Or is AM also affected - as the convertors seem to be all FM based.
Will update if I find an answer
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Affects AM as well Im afraid. Am stations are on different offsets in diffrent countries. Wasnt a problem with old analogue twiddle the button tuners, but is with digital ones.
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