Gripe- TV licensing & digital changeover

vyle

But why should I have to replace perfectly good appliances before I actually have to ? The DSO was actually known about prior to 2000 which was when I replaced the VHS recorder as I remember discussing it with the Curry's salesman.

There were no digital one available then though - at least not affordable and if I' d bought a digital flat screen in plenty of time it would have cost me an awful lot more than now given how they have come down in price.

Indeed, that's true, but the digiboxes around 2005 (and presumably prior to that, too) to about 2008 largely supported RF modulation (i.e. sending the signal through the aerial cable rather than scart), a feature that's absent in most of the newer ones.

Granted you couldn't have known that RF modulation would be removed in the current range of boxes, but again, it's not like you haven't had plenty of notice to get one.

It's one of those odd phenomena, where the vast majority of my customers around the DSO in my area came in, completely ill prepared, with no idea about anything concerning the DSO, resented "having" to spend a !!!!tonne of money on changing their recorder, TV, recording media, cabling, etc all in one go, when a bit of planning would have meant they could have spread the cost and looked for bargains over the YEARS they've known about it.

I've seen awesome hard drive/dvd recorders with freevie tuners in sales going for anything from £25 just to clear them, and they're only that low because of being superceded. If one knew they would have to eventually change their recorder, then such a purchase would be a wise investment, rather than leaving it until a week before the DSO and being bemused that the only examples of recorders left cost £200+

Katiehound

Help.....I'm still hoping someone will help me out for suggestions about the 2 months licence fee that has been retained. I would like to write to 'someone'. Was told by the licensing department that the upgraded system wasn't done by them! No but they collect the money! in other words no point writing to them.
I can live without the TV- always used to until I did studied with OU and then I needed one.
If I really want to watch BBC i-player on broadband (which I might) I will not need a licence since you only need one if you are watching on any device as it is broadcast live.
I am not griping about the changeover itself just my money being withheld!!

dizziblonde

Esqui wrote: »

Ah yes, I remember analog TV giving us a 100-odd channels and high-graphic interactive services...

And wall to wall repeats of Top Gear across about 10 channels... and Quincy on the rest...

System

Katiehound wrote: »

Help.....I'm still hoping someone will help me out for suggestions about the 2 months licence fee that has been retained. I would like to write to 'someone'. Was told by the licensing department that the upgraded system wasn't done by them! No but they collect the money! in other words no point writing to them.
I can live without the TV- always used to until I did studied with OU and then I needed one.
If I really want to watch BBC i-player on broadband (which I might) I will not need a licence since you only need one if you are watching on any device as it is broadcast live.
I am not griping about the changeover itself just my money being withheld!!

I doubt there is much you can do about the refund. It's annoying but as you're dealing with a government agency and not a commercial company they really don't care about customer satisfaction. Therefore I think you may be disappointed.