Retro gameshops

[Waffenak]

I'm making trip to Berlin in few weeks and I was wondering if there is any retro gameshops in Berlin? I also gladly hear names of modern gameshops if someone can give directions. I also need voltage converter or spannungswandler in german, know any good electronic stores that sell those?

[Jodwin]

Waffenak said:

I'm making trip to Berlin in few weeks and I was wondering if there is any retro gameshops in Berlin? I also gladly hear names of modern gameshops if someone can give directions. I also need voltage converter or spannungswandler in german, know any good electronic stores that sell those?

If you're Finnish as you claim to be, you don't need any voltage converters nor plug adapters.

[Maes]

Schuko plugs, FTW.

[Waffenak]

Jodwin said:

If you're Finnish as you claim to be, you don't need any voltage converters nor plug adapters.

Heh you got the wrong idea. I meant to get voltage converter for my ntsc consoles because finding 2000-3000w voltage converter with many plugins from Finland next is impossible unless you know some nifty store that sells them for sure and those machines are heavy so bringing it to Finland in a suitcase saves in shippingcost.

[Maes]

Waffenak said:

Heh you got the wrong idea. I meant to get voltage converter for my ntsc consoles because finding 2000-3000w voltage converter with many plugins from Finland next is impossible unless you know some nifty store that sells them for sure and those machines are heavy so bringing it to Finland in a suitcase saves in shippingcost.

Why do you even need such a beast? A voltage converter adapter capable of handling 2-3 kW is not cheap, and is probably uneeded unless you have an entire host of US 110V devices. Also, a voltage converter alone is not enough if you have devices which also depend on US mains frequency (60 Hz) to operate at correct speed or synchronicity (e.g. motors, CRT TVs, clocks, etc.)

Even if you do find a NTSC console, most of the time you'll just need to find a compatible generic external DC adapter or an original power adapter from a similar EU/PAL/220V model, no need to have a 110V voltage adapter.

Now, if you are so unlucky as to get one of those consoles with a built-in PSU and no automatic/selectable voltage adjustment, you can still get a small 220V/110V transformer (up to a few 10s of Watts), which however might not be enough for consoles pulling > 50W of power (anything post-PS1 is guilty of that).

[Waffenak]

Maes said:

Why do you even need such a beast? A voltage converter adapter capable of handling 2-3 kW is not cheap, and is probably uneeded unless you have an entire host of US 110V devices. Also, a voltage converter alone is not enough if you have devices which also depend on US mains frequency (60 Hz) to operate at correct speed or synchronicity (e.g. motors, CRT TVs, clocks, etc.)

Even if you do find a NTSC console, most of the time you'll just need to find a compatible generic external DC adapter or an original power adapter from a similar EU/PAL/220V model, no need to have a 110V voltage adapter.

Now, if you are so unlucky as to get one of those consoles with a built-in PSU and no automatic/selectable voltage adjustment, you can still get a small 220V/110V transformer (up to a few 10s of Watts), which however might not be enough for consoles pulling > 50W of power (anything post-PS1 is guilty of that).

I have made few searches on internet and on ebay that 3 socket 2000-3000w converters are about 90€ to 170€ so not too hefty investment. I got panasonic 3do with built-in psu so I need it for that and I'm planning to buy more ntsc consoles soon and I'm also organizer freak so in my mind it would be neat that converter would reduce the wire jungle behind my tv. Aren't modern tvs capable to operate at any frequency and select it automatically?

[geo]

In the US, Chicago, around here we have a lot of used media places, used CDs and DVDs. They tend to have used games including some old games SNES and so on.

[Waffenak]

geo said:

Around here we have a lot of used media places, used CDs and DVDs. They tend to have used games including some old games SNES and so on.

Can you give any names or addresses?

[Jodwin]

geo said:

Around here we have a lot of used media places, used CDs and DVDs. They tend to have used games including some old games SNES and so on.

Weren't you in the US, not Germany? :P

[schwerpunk]

ITT: Everyone is secretly suspected of being an American pretending to be from somewhere more worldly.

[Maes]

Waffenak said:

I have made few searches on internet and on ebay that 3 socket 2000-3000w converters are about 90€ to 170€ so not too hefty investment.

Can you post a link to those converters? There's a specific type of high-power converter which may appear compact, cheap and lightweight, but is only suitable for heaters/lamps/hair driers and the such, and is actually DAMAGING to electronics. A real transformer able to handle powers of the order of one kW or greater is bulky, heavy, and usually only 50% efficent (1 kW in for 500 W out). Make sure you're actually getting the right thing for your gear, or you risk sending everything up in smoke.

Waffenak said:

Aren't modern tvs capable to operate at any frequency and select it automatically?

Depends on the type of input, but in general they have much better multisync capabilities than an old fixed-frequency CRT TV. They may sync up better with VGA/RGB inputs (if they have them) and handle 50/60 Hz over composite. The power frequency is another story though. Modern TVs are essentially a small computer dedicated to sampling and processing video signals, and have PSUs similar to those of computers, and can handle almost anything (80-250V, 50-60 Hz and beyond) independently of what video input they have selected. Some older CRT monitor may be sensitive to their mains frequency however, especially if they derive their sync signals from it.

[Waffenak]

Maes said:

Can you post a link to those converters? There's a specific type of high-power converter which may appear compact, cheap and lightweight, but is only suitable for heaters/lamps/hair driers and the such, and is actually DAMAGING to electronics. A real transformer able to handle powers of the order of one kW or greater is bulky, heavy, and usually only 50% efficent (1 kW in for 500 W out). Make sure you're actually getting the right thing for your gear, or you risk sending everything up in smoke.

I was mainly looking for this: http://www.ebay.de/itm/3000W-SPANNUNGSWANDLER-230-110-Volt-Converter-USA-Wandler-Step-up-Step-down-NEU-/370644409823?pt=Bauteile&hash=item564c20dddf
It is one the most sold converters on ebay.de and it has multiple sockets. Are you from germany? Most of the info is in german language and I only understand it partially thanks to school germany.

[Maes]

Yes, I can partially read it too. Here's a more detailed webpage about it:

http://shop.afterbuy.de/Spannungswandler---Netzgeraete-USA-Wandler-230-110V-EL651210-Spannungswandler-230-110V-3000W/a38101025_u1159/

It looks legitimate -and heavy, with 12 kg weight-. For such items, shipping may be a significant if not the dominant part of the cost.

[geo]

That's my bad for not saying in my area. But anyway, moral of the sotry is look for used media places. They might sell old video games.

[Waffenak]

Maes said:

Yes, I can partially read it too. Here's a more detailed webpage about it:

http://shop.afterbuy.de/Spannungswandler---Netzgeraete-USA-Wandler-230-110V-EL651210-Spannungswandler-230-110V-3000W/a38101025_u1159/

It looks legitimate -and heavy, with 12 kg weight-. For such items, shipping may be a significant if not the dominant part of the cost.

Thats why it would be nice if I could locate one in Berlin and bring it back in my suitcase :). No money for DHL that day

[Maes]

Come think of it, do you REALLY need a 3kW adapter? That's as much power as you have probably installed at home, anyway, and at the limit of what you can pull from a single socket.

There are few reasons to get such a beast, unless you're going to permanently run a significant number of 110V devices at once (practically, your entire household) for which you can't find local alternatives/replacement AC adaptors. That same company also had 300, 500 and 1000W transformers -maybe they are worth a look-.

[Waffenak]

Maes said:

Come think of it, do you REALLY need a 3kW adapter? That's as much power as you have probably installed at home, anyway, and at the limit of what you can pull from a single socket.

There are few reasons to get such a beast, unless you're going to permanently run a significant number of 110V devices at once (practically, your entire household) for which you can't find local alternatives/replacement AC adaptors. That same company also had 300, 500 and 1000W transformers -maybe they are worth a look-.

Well I try hook up all my electronics for long periods so I don't have to swap constantly between diffrent sockets If there isn't enough of them. And speaking of 3000w converter, better to prepare steadily for big need but if I dont find one of those big ones abroad but find smaller, in that case I might go for smaller converter.