A few practical questions

[Mrman]

After a small increase in housing/schools, we decided to take the offer. We'll be poor compared to here, but this oportunty was never about $$ to us.

We intend to arrive sometime in October.

Coming from the US, I have a few practical questions.

US TV's. Can I use them? I understand the voltage issue, but not about the PAL/NTSC issue. They are both newer HDTV's with wide screen. Switchable?

NFL Football. Is it available to see there even if in a public venue? Particularly Dallas Cowboys (yes, we are coming from Dallas ).

DVR's (Tivo). Are they available there in some fashion? Family has become addicted to these.

PS2, Nintendo DS, DVD players. Country specific? Would US games/movies etc be available there?

Internet. What is typical speed rating? We have fiber here so I get 5Mb/2Mb speed rather cheaply. Any blocking of sites? This is important because I will most likely attempting to download US TV shows, etc.

Internet banking? I pay all bills online here. Available there?

Clothes Dryer. I see apartments with clothes washers in the kitchen , but what about dryers? Are they in another room?

Internet shopping. I rarely buy things at the store these days. Is internet shopping something normal there or still a novelty?

Credit cards. Easy to get and use? I rarely use cash since I get flight miles with my present CC. Any good cards with good rewards?


thanks for indulging me these questions.


Mr. Man

[Longhorn]

Mr.Man,

I am in Dubai right now looking for an apartment, man is that a chore. They go about as fast as they are listed and the one I really want in Marian promenade went up from last week to this by 10,000 aed, the market here is insane!

I'll try to answer some of your questions from what I have learned here:


1. I still haven't gotten to the bottom of the ntsc/pal thing, I will try to find someone that knows before the end of this week! I think that if you get a Denon Receiver to do the processing it will output in either NTSC or PAL no matter what the input. But don't quote me on that

NFL Football. Dear God lets hope so! There is a fairly good selection of bars to watch sporting events but with the time difference we will be watching games at 3 in the morning.

DVR's (Tivo). Another thing I haven't seen here, I will call Showtime and Etisalat today and ask them

PS2, Nintendo DS, DVD players. Nope, they are all region 2/PAL here that I have seen. Since I am only going to be here a short time I am going to buy all my movies and PS3 games from the US and have someone mail them too me. Perhaps we share?

Internet. What is typical speed rating?

Yeah, internet is dreadfully slow at my work and my company villa. I did read that Etisalat has 4mb connection for $122 (US) per month, well worth it to me if its faster than what I have here now! Blocking of sites happens yes but there is a way around that with a VPN...Contact me via PM and I will give you the one I am using. Works fantastic and nothing has been blocked.

Internet banking? HSBC works well and there are local branches and easy bill pay online with them

Clothes Dryer. They are typically combo washer and dryers from the apartments I have looked at. Weird I know but I guess they work

Internet shopping. I think the shipping from the US is going to be the problem.

Credit cards. All of my US credit cards have worked here, AMEX and BofA Visa without a problem


PM me for my email and I will help you out as much as I can. It will be nice to know another American and esp. Texan here in Dubai. I have yet to meet anyone from the states, most are from the UK.

[Mrman]

thanks for replying.

I'll start googling about the ntsc/pal thing.

Crossing my fingers on someway to watch the Cowboys. Expecting great things this year.

Most of my game/movie buying is for my boys. Agree that I want to stay US version.

US credit will work, but my AAdvantage MC charged a foreign transaction fee on my visit. Obviously can't use it regularly there. Don't know about my Amex Blue Sky card though.

Crazy about that dryer. We thought that might be what it was, but never seen one here.

Thanks for replying. I'll PM you when I know I'm heading out there. Probably in October.

Mr. man

[Smiles:-)]

Ok I'll help with what I can. I too just moved from the US to Dubai.

We got our Appt and we have a seperate washer and a dryer in our Laurndry room. I too thought I was going to have to get one of those combo units but you can get them seperate here also.

Internet. I don't know what we have but it was connected yesterday and works great! FAST! It's though DU and the cable, home phone, and internet are about 150 usd a month.

Oh also no probelms with our US credit cards. Just make sure and call them before you move and tell them that your moving.

That's all I can help with.

Thanks

[Longhorn]

Here are some links to the local internet and television providers.

du

eVision

Welcome to Etisalat

I see they have Fox sports listed so perhaps we can get the games. I am doubting I can get my longhorns here but I am hoping I can find a way to watch over the internet in the middle of the night. The villa I am staying at has Showtime and it is a pain, the channels are not very good and there is always arabic subtitles on whatever channel I am watching. I hope that I can get that shut off on whatever service I end up with.

As for a DVR or Tivo, one of the guys I work with just bought a unit and says it is working ok but he hasn't been able to schedule anything and have it change the cable box yet. Supposedly it will though so we may be in good shape there. I hope so...stay tuned, I move here around September 1st providing I have an apartment by then and I am thinking of writing a blog of my trials here...I'll keep ya posted

[Pasanada]

Originally Posted by Longhorn

I am thinking of writing a blog of my trials here...I'll keep ya posted

An excellent idea!! I did this for a Spanish forum I belong to (I lived for 5 years in Spain before moving to Dubai) and my friends found my blog very informative! Also include photos or you'll get nagged for them! haha!

Good luck with your move to Dubai!

[Longhorn]

Yes, I have found blogs to be very useful and I keep RSS feeds to several popular ones for expats here in Dubai. I'm not sure I can be as creative in my writing as some of them but I can sure give it a shot

[qwert97]

I will try and fill in some of the gaps since I will be moving to Dubai from Canada.

1. TV/ Video- YOu have an option of buying a multisystem TV in UAE. It might be a little bit more expensive but will solve all your problems. Buying a multisystem DVD may be a better option. I have been told that AV mode/ HDMI mode of the TV may play the NTSC DVD. I will do some research on that since I am in the same situation.
2. WII- Get your WII modded and ask the guy to remove the region code. That will make sure that it will play both NTSC and PAL games.
3. Not only the credit cards work in Dubai, I have used my Debit card from Canada as well to withdraw money from Bank of America. There is a $3 charge foreign ABM charge per transaction, and I am pretty sure they adjust the exchange rate by 2% but I have found that to be a better option than carrying cash or paying hight interest rates on cash advances (Credit cards)

[Mrman]

Thanks QWERTY. Concerning the PAL/NTSC, I am more concerned with whether the TV's I have now will work. I prefer to bring them instead of selling/buying again.

I'll be bringing a few voltage converters for the whole 120/220 thing, but if there is a format issue, then that would be moot.

Are apts typically wired for cable in the bedrooms as well as the living area? I have 3 TV's running cable in my house today and was planning on the same.

I guess the buy/mail from the US solution will work for DVD's or games. Not planning on modding my son's PS2. (He's 9 so he's not hardcore yet).

the blog sounds cool. I'll look into one myself.

[Mrman]

Started a blog. Not much there obviously, but its a start.

My Blog