tv license required if u watch tv using broadband!

JohalaReewi

Alfie_E wrote: »

The problem is that it goes much further. The true situation is much more general than the TV Licensing spokeswoman’s quote. She should have said, “If you are watching TV at the same time as it is being broadcast anywhere in the world, you need to be covered by a valid licence.” This is part of the recent amendments, due to people watching foreign satellite TV, where the broadcast originates from outside the UK, and claiming they therefore didn’t need a license.

True.

So, that’s a license needed for any Internet TV.

Obviously, TVL are going to say you need a licence but, OFCOM say it is a grey area and the Government refuse to comment. There have been no test cases in court and TVL will have to prove you were watching live TV over the internet to make the charge stick. Not an easy job (unless you confess).

If you are watching on your laptop (battery powered) and have a TV licence at home, you are covered anyway. Just stop watching TV while you recharge your laptop batteries

steady__eddie

"steady_eddie, I assume from what you have written that you have a licence at the moment."

I don't have a licence but there is one for the premises barely 2 months old in OH's name.

"Have the TV Licensing people actually asked you to stump up the money for a new licence? "

It's their standard demanded money with menaces letter, "We have been advised that you bought television receiving eaquipment in August 2007 from Aldi Stores Limited. However, we have no record of a TV Licence in your name for the above address."

"If so and you are bored you should write back asking them why?"

I like a challenge and I am currently weighing up my options. Their letter goes on to say, "Using TV equipment to watch or record television programme services without a valid licence is against the law". I think that I'll start off by saying that I am not going to use the laptop to watch or record television programmes and even if I was, I would be unable to because the manufacturers have informed me that, "the notebook does not have the capability to receive analogue or digital TV." As a footnote, I will express a concern that as I have not purchased anything else from Aldi Stores Limited in the previous 3 months, I could be the victim of identity theft and ask them to enlighten me as to what television receiving equipment I am alleged to have purchased.
I will obviously my secret weapon (the valid licence) as my trump card, only to be used as the coup de grace. :rotfl:

scrooge_by_necessity

I have recently stopped watching tv, and have not purchased a licence due to the fact that the quality of my relationship with my daughter was diminishing rapidly only having conversation during ad breaks.

To be honest I only miss QI and my daughter only misses Hollyoaks, which is not good value for money the cost of the licence.

I can not find how to legally keep my 2 tellys for watching dvd, and playstation etc but without nackering the arial inlet or outlet so I am unable to receive the tv signal.

I am led to believe it is on my onus to prove that I was not watching tv should they men in grey suits arrive at my door.

Can anyone help me how to safeguard myself and not receive the fine when I will not watch tv as I can not afford the licence for one thing, so can no way afford a fine, and the other is I prefer to live within the law.

I have looked at the tv licence web site but can not get to grips with how THEY mean not watching live tv as it is being broadcast. (someone got done near to here when they had a tv, on, watching a video, aparently the video sent a signal, because it was switched on, (and it is a receiver)but I dont understand this at all)

olly300

without nackering the arial inlet or outlet so I am unable to receive the tv signal.

(someone got done near to here when they had a tv, on, watching a video, aparently the video sent a signal, because it was switched on, (and it is a receiver)but I dont understand this at all)

If you can't disable the equipment then you are going to have to buy a license. See if you can find a second hand tv of a friend or freecycle a, and break the aerial inlet so you can't receive a tv signal. Then put the rest of your tvs in storage somewhere i.e. loft.

The wording was changed sometime on the bill to imply that if you can receive a tv signal on your equipment be it a video, tv, computer or whatever then you need to buy a license.

Read this news story:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/13/tv_licensing_abandons_case/

scrooge_by_necessity wrote: »

I am led to believe it is on my onus to prove that I was not watching tv should they men in grey suits arrive at my door.

Whether you tell them or not that you don't have a tv, when you don't use one they will still hassle you because TV licensing thinks every property in this country has a tv.

I remember being a student in halls and they use to automatically send out a letter to every single room in halls every term telling us that we must have licenses, and they would come and check. While lots of students wanted to have their individual tv in their room, others in some flats shared one tv in a communal area. I was told by halls management they checked something like once every 3 years and they usually came in the day.

TV licensing people have no legally right to enter your property unless you invite them in. The best thing to do is to tell them to sod off politely and tell them to get their feet off your property.

Also make sure your any screens aren't in direct view of any windows and keep the door closed on the living room. That way they can't try any tricks to enter the property and examine your equipment.

I use to watch dvds on my computer (large monitor) when I didn't have a tv, and used to get hassled for a license. I ignored them because I knew this.

They use so many intimidation techniques that some people get fed up and wrongly buy or renew a license just to get rid of them. The letters they send make it look like you will go immediately to prison and they will be immediately round to check up on you.

More information on tv licensing here:
http://www.marmalade.net/lime/philip_dean.html
http://www.marmalade.net/lime/dr_steven_taylor/st.html

ricktate

I pay for Sky and also a Tv Licence. As i watch bbc through sky should they not be paying the bbc for the rights to distribute there channels.

? ? ?
please pm any answers

Thanks

Rick.

roddydogs

whilst were on this-say i live in an area where the analogue signal is being switched off, and i only have an analogue tv plus a VHS video recorder, when its switched off i wont need a license? Right or wrong?
Say i the live on the edge of the area being switched off, but by upgrading my aerial can still get the analogue signal.........do i still need a license then?
just wondered.

Badger_Lady

scrooge_by_necessity wrote: »

I can not find how to legally keep my 2 tellys for watching dvd, and playstation etc but without nackering the arial inlet or outlet so I am unable to receive the tv signal.

Can anyone help me how to safeguard myself and not receive the fine when I will not watch tv as I can not afford the licence for one thing, so can no way afford a fine, and the other is I prefer to live within the law.

I have looked at the tv licence web site but can not get to grips with how THEY mean not watching live tv as it is being broadcast.

From http://www.tvlicensing.biz/:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]When you only use a TV for:
- playing video games
- watch pre-recorded videos [VCR/DVD]*
- closed circuit monitoring [CCD]
- displaying -for example- presentations using your PC [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
Then -again- you do NOT need a TV licence.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]All of the above are isolated set-ups as they are not connected to an aerial. Make sure, however, to detune TV receiving equipment as such that it only displays noise whatever channel chosen. Note: some of the older types of VCR's don't have a video output [SCART or RGB]. In that case the TV must be tuned to channel 3 and/or 4 in order to allow viewing over coax cable.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]* also recordings of broadcasts received by a friend's licensed TV [you may be breaking copyright laws though][/FONT]

olly300

ricktate wrote: »

I pay for Sky and also a Tv Licence. As i watch bbc through sky should they not be paying the bbc for the rights to distribute there channels.

? ? ?
please pm any answers

Thanks

Rick.

Look at the link badger_lady provided.

One of the pages states clearly if you receive tv through cable or satellite you need a license. It doesn't even matter if the tv signals through satellite are coming from aboard.