TV licence query

cajef

birkee wrote: »

So the documentary I watched showing them doing this was fiction?

You really do not know when to give up do you, the more you post the deeper you drop yourself in it and the more you make yourself look foolish.

Try reading this blogg you may learn something:-

http://www.bbctvlicence.com/

lucylucky

birkee wrote: »

So the documentary I watched showing them doing this was fiction?

When you are in a hole it is advisable to stop digging.;)

Kurtis_Blue

birkee wrote: »

So the documentary I watched showing them doing this was fiction?

Yes, yes it was.

Even if it was technically possible (it is not) it would be on very shaky ground legally to snoop into peoples houses without some form of warrant.

Not ONE case has come to court using evidence or even mention of these vans.

RoboDog

Thanks for all the replies guys!! This thread turned out to be very informative!! Much appreciated!!

Buzby

For info, when the detector vans were running (and operated by GPO/PO/BT) there were several decoy with no equipment, but a few DID work. They found unlicenced viewers by triangulation so it required a minimum of three 'fixes' to identify the property. Anything over 2 stores was therefore impossible due to likelyhood of multiple occupancy.

And yes, they could easily tell which channel was being watched by detecting which IF (intermediate frequency) was being generated by the CRT, this would identify any of the main terrestrial channels. This doesn't work for FreeView, VCRs & PVRs, so the replacement hand-held devices neither have the range or surety of use.

The bulk of those prosecuted these days are those at unlicenced premises that the computer throws up for an inspection. No need for 'detectors'.

caela_2

birkee wrote: »

Says it all! No wonder they use detector vans.
also,
what happens if a previous tennant asks for his unexpired licence to be transferred to their new address?

I DO NOT WATCH TV. *rubs head*. I thought I'd made that clear in my previous posts. I didn't register the TV to my address because I didn't want them hounding me, also cos it's none of their frikkin' business lol. You do know the detector vans are fake, right? Why do you think they won't divulge any information about them, even under the freedom of information act? If their equipment was so spot on, tell us what it is we'll be more scared if anything, but no, it probably doesn't exist so if they told us they were using a hair drier or microwave on those vans to find out if you have a TV in use then people wouldn't care. In my opinion, those vans (not that I've ever seen one, EVER) are a scare tactic to make people think TV licensing have the power to tell if you're watching TV or not. Think about it, if the vans were real, why do they need to keep asking you if you're watching TV, surely just send a van down and have a look, they could scout the whole street, hell, even a whole town in under an hour or so and catch pretty much everyone. Doesn't make any sense to me.

I'm not trying to have a go at you, just think outside of the box (excuse the pun) and stand up for yourself against what is essentially harassment. I didn't shop at ASDA today, do you think they have the right to write to me to ask if I came in anyway and stole something? To say we notice you don't have a receipt for shopping at our store yesterday, so we are very suspicious that you have come in and stolen something. Not that we have any evidence you even came in the store. Or stole anything. But you could face jail and a fine. That is exactly what TV licensing are doing but it reads: We notice you don't have a TV license at this property. We are going to send an officer round to make sure you're not watching TV as you would be committing a crime and face jail and a fine. You can buy a TV license these ways... It's the same as just plain assuming someone is using your service and not paying for it with absolutely NO grounds to back it up. They don't even know if you HAVE a TV and it's none of their business if you do either, they have no right to ask. In fact, they have no right to ask if you're stealing from them until they believe you are- with some evidence- for example a neighbour reported you, they personally saw you, or they detected you with one of their 'vans' haha.

It's outrageous. I hate TV for the advertising, brainwashing and bull-s. And they think they have the right to write to someone they don't know, who has no interest in their product and hound them for it like they've committed a crime? Of course people are angry and should stand up against this kind of thing!

Niv

caela wrote: »

I hate TV for the advertising, brainwashing and bull-s.

If you hate advertising you could record the programmes you want and watch back, avoiding the ad's. Also ad's are everywhere so I can only assume you dont read any form of magazene, newspaper or look around your surroundings while youwalk around doing whatever it is you do.

Brainwashing - not quite sure what your getting at here, I assume it's linked to the adverts?

The BS, well welcome to life mate, its not just tv thats full of it. These forums have quite a bit (some may even suggest this post - the cheek!), work is full of it, the laws are full of it , I could go on.

Nothing else I can add really, but I found the quoted comment interesting as you seem to blame tv for all the worlds ills.

davidlizard

Re TV detector vans: Its unknown what is inside them for certain. The BBC refuse to answer FOI (freedom of information requests) as they claim it will impede crime prevention/detection. However the technology certainly was able to detect CRT type TVs (detecting emissions from a local oscillator I do believe), whether this works with plasma/LCD types is open to debate. Furthermore whether any vans are equipped with such equipment is also open to debate. Additionally, they cannot prosecute anyone detected in such a manner, as they would have to make the detection technology available to the defence (and therefore made public) to scrutinise, which they are not prepared to do. The vans are widely assumed to be a "scare tactic" - simply turn up where there are are a high number of unlicenced households and frighten people into buying a licence.

The BBCs main tactic is to get people to self-incriminate themselves - e.g. get them to admit they only watch ITV. There have been cases on here where people have invited them in to see for themselves they have no requirement for a licence, and have ended up being talked into believing they require one, and then finding a court summons.

So the recommended course of action when dealing with the BBC or Capita is to simply close the door, and not enter any dialogue with them. You are under no obligation to talk to them, or even tell them you do not require a licence. They will send monthly letters warning of courts, bailiffs, caution under PACE, famine and all other nasties, but these are simply junk mail circulars, which can be safely ignored.

Still, the more money of the BBCs that can be wasted in chasing licence fees can only be a good thing in the long term.

OldGreyFox

Worth a read: http://www.bbctvlicence.com/Detect%20the%20Detector%20vans.htm

caela_2

Niv wrote: »

If you hate advertising you could record the programmes you want and watch back, avoiding the ad's. Also ad's are everywhere so I can only assume you dont read any form of magazene, newspaper or look around your surroundings while youwalk around doing whatever it is you do.

Brainwashing - not quite sure what your getting at here, I assume it's linked to the adverts?

The BS, well welcome to life mate, its not just tv thats full of it. These forums have quite a bit (some may even suggest this post - the cheek!), work is full of it, the laws are full of it , I could go on.

Nothing else I can add really, but I found the quoted comment interesting as you seem to blame tv for all the worlds ills.

Not sure where I blamed TV for all the world's ills, must have put that in invisible ink because I don't read it in my post. To answer your questions, no, I don't read newspapers, like I said, I try to avoid as much brain washing as possible and whilst I can't help but see adverts which are purposely thrown into my line of vision, I try my best to avoid them. Also, I have no need to record programs and watch them later (which would require a TV license) when I could see them online using 4od or similar catchup services for free.

And yeah, there is a lot of BS out there, but avoid it as you wish and I do.