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Maritsa

Oct 21, 2009, 5:00 AM

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Shipping belongings via USPS

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My boyfriend is going back to Mexico for good in Nov. He wants to send his belongings to his daughter in Chalco, and just take a muchila on the plane with the last few items. He has over 100 DVD's and CD's. If he sends them vis USPS will they be opened, inspected and will his daughter be charged a lot when she picks the box up?

He's also trying to decide whether to purchase a DVD player here or in Mexico. When we were there 3 years ago, I took a DVD player from the US. However, certain Mexican DVD's did not play on an American DVD player. He purchased all of his movies and CD's here in the states, so would they play on a Mexican DVD player?

Rolly

Oct 21, 2009, 5:16 AM

Post #2 of 12 (2232 views)

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Re: [Maritsa] Shipping belongings via USPS

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He has over 100 DVD's and CD's. If he sends them vis USPS will they be opened, inspected and will his daughter be charged a lot when she picks the box up?
Very likely, yes. And the UPS shipping cost will be a killer.

Bring a Region 1 (USA) DVD player. You can find them in México, but they will cost more.

Rolly Pirate

E-visit me http://Rollybrook.com
On Facebook as Rolly Brook

Maritsa

Oct 21, 2009, 6:27 AM

Post #3 of 12 (2224 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Shipping belongings via USPS

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Rolly: I was talking about the USPS, not UPS, although the result may be the same. Do you have any other suggestions? From everything I've read on the forums, the answer usually ends up costing a lot of money. Nothing concerning Mexico seems to be easy!

As an aside, I have been wanting to write and tell you how much I enjoy reading your posts. I have gone into your website and love your pictures and stories. I have started writing my stories of Mexico from the daily diary I kept when I went 3 years ago. I'm so glad I did, because I realize how much I've forgotten. And I am trying to learn Windows Movie Maker so I can put my videos together.

When I move back to NJ next month I am going to take a Spanish course at the local college so I can learn proper Spanish tenses, etc and prepare to hopefully follow Timoteo to Mexico next year. (Have to work and save some money, which I should be able to do living with my mother). I'm thinking about selling my truck if I do go, and taking the bus to Chiapas. I like riding the bus because I can watch everything, talk with other people, and not worry about driving alone. My Spanish is good enough now that I can negotiate pretty well on my own. Also, I'd like to simplify my life by getting rid of payments, car insurance and the hassle of how to pay them, and any problems with permits, etc. I would like to take my dog, Maritsa, with me, but don't know how to do that yet. I can't see myself leaving her behind. Her mother was black lab and beagle, and her father was black lab and pitbull, so she is a black lab with brown pitbull brindle on her legs and face, and she barks like a beagle!

I would appreciate any advice you can give me. And the best of luck with your book!

Barbara

Papirex

Oct 21, 2009, 3:01 PM

Post #4 of 12 (2161 views)

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Re: [Maritsa] Shipping belongings via USPS

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The reason that US formatted DVDs will not play in most Mexican DVD players is that there are several regions in the world that DVDs are recorded for. Read about them here: http://www.hometheaterinfo.com/dvd3.htm

DVDs in the US are formatted for region 1. DVDs in México are region 4. A region 4 DVD will not play in a region 1 player and a region 1 DVD will not play in a region 4 player.

There are some hacks available to make a DVD player multi-region here: http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks
You will need to know the make and model # of the DVD player and search for it to find out if a hack exists for it.

The simplest solution we found for playing our US region 1 DVDs here in México as well as region 4 disks bought here, was to buy a multi-region player, we bought an LG brand, model DV250 at Costco here for the Peso equivalent of $62 US Dollars 3 or 4 years ago, it will play DVDs formatted for any region in the world.

We are no longer concerned about which region a DVD is formatted in, we just look to see the languages the DVD will play in. We want English and Spanish. One time, before we bought the multi-region player, I saw an interesting looking DVD, it was multi-region for regions 1 and 4. I bought it without reading the label carefully, the labels are always in Spanish here of course. When I got home, I discovered that the only two languages and subtitles available on it was German and Spanish. I watched it in Spanish, but it would have been more comfortable for me to enjoy it in English. There are other brands of multi-region DVD players available too.

There are a few multi-region DVDs available here, most of them are for regions 1 and 4. They will play in a US or a Mexican DVD player. I do have one DVD that is simply marked “multi region”. It will play on any DVD player. The place where I buy most of our DVDs will have about 3 aisles of DVDs for sale, but only a small display of multi-region DVDs. They are few and far between down here.

If you bring a DVD player down here that you bought in The US, you will be severely limited in the DVDs that will play in it if you want to buy any more of them in México. There are 2 Blockbuster DVD rental stores where we live. They have very, very few region 1 and 4 DVDs available.

The last time I looked it up, 20 CDs or DVDs may be brought into México tax free. It might be a good idea for your husband to carry 20 of them with him when he comes home, and to send the others 20 at a time. Who knows? Maybe he will get lucky and pay no import taxes on them.

Most people (including me) never even heard about DVD regions before moving to México.

Bringing a dog across the border is easier than bringing a human being across. She will need a certificate from a veterinarian that she is in good health and her shots are up to date, but within a couple of days before you cross with her. If your vet at home won't give you that certificate with the dates blank so you can fill them in just before you cross the border, you may have to take her to a vet in a border town to get the certificate just before you cross.

Good luck, Rex

"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo

mazatlanlee

Oct 21, 2009, 10:07 PM

Post #5 of 12 (2111 views)

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Re: [Maritsa] Shipping belongings via USPS

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I just bought a Sony DVD player at Soriana ($711. MN) that plays regions 1 and 4. I can play DVDs made for both the US and MX. It's a Sony model DVP-SR-200P. Works great! Lee
Lee's Photos: Beyond the Guardrails

Maritsa

Oct 22, 2009, 3:36 AM

Post #6 of 12 (2086 views)

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Re: [mazatlanlee] Shipping belongings via USPS

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Thanks for the info. I googled region free DVD players and found a big blow out sale! Now I have so many choices I don't know which one to choose! I hate when that happens!! Barbara

Maritsa

Oct 22, 2009, 3:54 AM

Post #7 of 12 (2084 views)

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Re: [Papirex] Shipping belongings via USPS

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I also didn't know about the regions until I went to Mexico. At the time "The DaVinci Code" had just come out. I bought a copy and then found out that it wouldn't play. Of course, once it's opened they will not take it back.

I like the idea of sending 20 DVD's at a time. If I put them in separate sleeves and make the packge small enough, Timo's daughter won't have to take a taxi to pick it up. Maybe the postman will even deliver it.

yucatandreamer

Oct 22, 2009, 6:54 AM

Post #8 of 12 (2064 views)

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Re: [Maritsa] Shipping belongings via USPS

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Just a note of caution, do not send anything by regular post to Mexico that you cannot afford to lose. I have friends who have never received their Christmas presents from family and I had a load of books from Powell's books never arrive. We get a magazine and regular mail without problems but packages have all been inspected. Of course the inspection is fine but sometimes along the way stuff goes missing.

gpkgto

Oct 22, 2009, 10:51 AM

Post #9 of 12 (2020 views)

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Re: [yucatandreamer] Shipping belongings via USPS

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There was a recent news story about a gang working at the Mexico PO that had pre-printed address stickers with the addresses of friends/family. When something they wanted passed through their hands, they just pasted one of the stickers over the original address and then the package was delivered to an accomplice.

MazDee

Oct 22, 2009, 12:13 PM

Post #10 of 12 (2008 views)

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Re: [Maritsa] Shipping belongings via USPS

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Barbara, you have received advice about the DVDs. But, I am concerned that you want to bring your dog down by bus. I believe that might be a big problem. I don't think most buses will take dogs. Perhaps others will speak to that.

Maritsa

Oct 22, 2009, 3:26 PM

Post #11 of 12 (1981 views)

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Re: [MazDee] Shipping belongings via USPS

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Yeah, I don't know if they will let me do that either. I spoke to a guy at the Mexican bus line here in NC. He didn't know if it could be done or not, but said maybe she could go in the luggage compartment. I immediately thought "no way!". How would she breathe? And she would probably freak out under there. Then I remembered when I took the bus from Tijuana to Guadalajara, there were two bus drivers who took turns driving. I only saw one at a time though, and since I was toward the back of the bus and sleeping during the night (or trying to) I didn't pay much attention. Then, at one stop I saw the driver open the luggage compartment under the bus, and out popped the second driver. He had a "bed" under there and slept all night while the first guy drove! It still would bother me though to put my dog under there.

But I have time to figure it out. Maybe by next year I can find someone who is driving to Mexico and would like some company and help with expenses. I won't be taking much. Probably just Maritsa and a suitcase!

Vichil

Oct 23, 2009, 11:27 PM

Post #12 of 12 (1917 views)

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Re: [Maritsa] Shipping belongings via USPS

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In Chiapas you can buy a LG all zones all regions PAL and whatever the US system is called at Radio Shak or Coppel in the mall next to Chedrau in San Cristobal or at Liverpool and other stores in the mall Crytal Plaza in Tuxtla. I am not familiar wit the stores in Comitan but you probably can do the same thing.