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Buying television in Japan 2011/2/28 22:59
Hi, I'm an exchange student in Japan and am looking to buy a television. I'm not here for much longer so I'm looking to buy something cheap, possibly second-hand online because I hear it's the cheapest way. I've checked stores in Akihabara, the big ones like Yodobashi and Sofmap and even with discounts it's too expensive for me considering I'm only here for about half a year longer. But I think watching TV really helps to improve your Japanese so even with not much time left I still want to buy one.

However the main problem is I'm so confused about the television system in Japan. Can anyone explain to me about the difference between Analog and Digital (’nƒfƒW?) in Japan? I can read Japanese but I have no sense for electronics and TV specifications that even reading the guides and terms I get confused! Apparently I read that Analog TV signal will not be received after July this year so does that mean I have to get a Digital TV? And what is a BS Card or CS?@ƒuƒ‰ƒEƒ“ŠÇ and ‰t» telvisions? And then there's something about eco-points as well. Please if someone knows about this, I could really use some advice! I'm afraid to buy something and then have it not working when I get it (assuming I buy online through Yahoo!Auctions).

I've also tried borrowing a USB thing (it's a 2007 product - not sure of the exact term for it, a tuner?) which can watch TV on your computer monitor from a Japanese friend. However I can't get any reception from my place because I live on the 2nd floor but when I brought my computer to my friend's place in their apartment it worked because he lived on the 15th floor. So does this mean even if I buy a TV it won't receive anything unless it's the newest technology, the ’nƒfƒW??

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!!
by tokyo-berry (guest)  

.... 2011/3/1 11:59
people give away free tvs on metropolis.co.jp classifeds,

and craigslist.org tokyo

check the 'free' category.

usually these are small or large CRT types, no really flat panel one.


also, you dont need a tuner to watch anything on your computer.


how about watching japanese movies and dramas on mysoju.com


you can also download a legal program that the ministry was testing out.

It has most major television stations on there. Its called, 'Keyhole TV' , you can google that for an official website or links, and they are broadcasting live television.
by Reina Jess rate this post as useful

also 2011/3/1 12:05
watch random recent videos in japanese at:

http://www.stickam.jp
by Reina Jess rate this post as useful

get a digital tuner 2011/3/2 00:03
analog broadcast will end 24 Jul 2011, and all TV program will be broadcast in DIGITAL ..
if you're looking just to watch Free To Air TV program, no NHK BS, you could just get yourself a cheap analog TV with a simple Digital Tuner, cost from 3000yen onwards

http://kakaku.com/kaden/digital-tv-tuner/ma_0/?price=4999
by gulagz (guest) rate this post as useful

thanks for the help so far! 2011/3/2 00:39
@Reina

Thanks for the advice. About the free TVs, I've heard about it but with the switch to digital does it mean that they won't work without a tuner? And if I have to buy a tuner then I was thinking it'll be easier to just buy a tv. Oh about movies and dramas I'm not looking to just watch those. I love variety and some of the weird stuff that doesn't really get put online. Like the other day I saw a program with Japanese extras playing out Victoria and David's Beckham relationship. Some seriously funny stuff out there besides dramas really.

@gulagz
Thanks for the confirmation about digital transfer! But could you explain what you meant by Free to Air TV programs? I thought TV-Tokyo and other big stations are all free?
by tokyo-berry (guest) rate this post as useful

Keyhole TV 2011/3/2 00:44
About Keyhole TV, I actually used to use this back when I was still overseas but now that I'm actually in Japan I thought it would be better to watch it for real (like through a TV monitor). ^^

By the way what kind of site is stickam? Is it like niconico douga?
by tokyo-berry (guest) rate this post as useful

Options to watch TV / past TV contents 2011/3/2 02:48
Do you already have a set for analog TV broadcastings, or are you living without one?

Apparently I read that Analog TV signal will not be received after July this year so does that mean I have to get a Digital TV?

That's basically correct. There are also some services in which ƒfƒWƒAƒi•ÏŠ· (digital-to-analog conversion) is offered for a while, to enable customers to watch digital TV broadcastings on a monitor designed for analog TV, though the qualities may be downgraded.

even with discounts it's too expensive for me considering I'm only here for about half a year longer.
But I think watching TV really helps to improve your Japanese so even with not much time left I still want to buy one.

There are various ways to watch TV broadcastings in real time or some TV contents which went on the air in the past.

[[Video delivery via Internet]]

As far as I know, laws of Japan now do not expect real-time TV broadcastings via Internet. However, some TV companies are offering video delivery, using past contents.

NHK, Nippon Television, Fuji Television and TV Asahi are giving VOD (= video-on-demand) services.
-- In NHK On Demand, fixed-rate packages of selected programs are available. Recent news programs are included in a package named " Œ©“¦‚µŒ©•ú‘èƒpƒbƒN Minogashi-mihoudai pakku." As for now, you can not hear a second voice (e.g. a voice in another language for a movie) in this service.
NHK On Demand: guide for newcomers (in Japanese):
http://www.nhk-ondemand.jp/share/enjoy/

[[TV set]]

You can make a TV set by connecting a tuner (for digital TV) and a monitor. That's often cost-saving compared to a ready-made high-spec TV set.
-- A TV tuner of the simplest type, available at around 10,000 yen or maybe less, is designed to receive only the main wave of terrestrial (i.e. ground-based) broadcastings. With a tuner of this type, you can not enjoy satellite-based channels or utilize subordinate data broadcasting services.
-- Of course a monitor for analog TV could be used, but if that's an old one, I recommend getting a new monitor. Now I am using a monitor which was explained as good for digital TV by a salesperson of a big electric goods shop. It's working also as a PC monitor. The same model is now on sale at less than 20,000 yen. Prices depend on sizes and specs of a display.

[[TV transfer on optical network]]

I've also tried borrowing a USB thing
However I can't get any reception from my place because I live on the 2nd floor

I see. It seems that devices designed to directly receive TV wave (including those in mobile phones for one-segment channels) often fail to catch it when placed, for example, amid tall buildings.

If you feel that having a long TV cable on the floor is troublesome, then it's worth checking whether an optional service of TV transfer on an optical network is available, in addition to broadband connection. For such a service, usually an optical fiber cable needs to come to your house, not just to the entrance of your apartment.
-- Probably you will be given a discount like "Free for the first two months!" by a major telecommunication company for a service of this kind.
-- And, I know NTT East will introduce in the coming June a sliding rate, with which a fee depends on the amount of data, to its optical broadband connection services.
-- However, the extra cost may be high if you are now satisfied with narrowband connection for Internet.
NTT East: Video Service:
http://flets.com/english/ftv/index.html
ƒfƒWƒAƒi•ÏŠ· (digital-to-analog conversion) mentioned above will be offered in this service until March 2015.

by omotenashi rate this post as useful

digital tuner 2011/3/2 08:10
@tokyo-berry
those free to air tv program are wht you're seeing on your analog TV right now, which can be watch if you have antenna, and you'll still be able to watch it once Japan turn Digital as long as you have digital tuner hooked to old analog TV or buy new digital TV..those like BS CS are paid program which you need to install a parabolic sat dish..since you'll be in Japan for less than 1/2 years, should get yourself a free/cheap analog TV and a digital tuner, and save those extra money for others..
by gulagz (guest) rate this post as useful

. 2011/3/2 10:00
also, check in the electronics section on craigslist (and metropolis).

people are saleing flat screens/LCD digital kinds for 5000, 8000, etc.

so that way you wont need to buy extra tuners and stuff like that. and its easier to transport a flat screen in a thick cloth bag, big backpack, or duffle.

also you should google sayonara sale 2011 for most recent posts, and many different links can pop up maybe you can check out tokyo notice board or gaijin pot as well... people give good stuff away almost free when they are moving away and in a rush to get rid of it.

saw a few tvs on this site too.

http://www.sayonarasale.com/
by Reina Jess rate this post as useful

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