MSE News: Watching BBC iPlayer on catch-up to require a TV licence 'soon'

chattychappy

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

Why should the shop assistant know whether a DVD sold in the UK would work in various regions outside of the UK?

I told him where I was taking them. He sold them to me. Fitness for purpose.

But that wasn't my point. Just that I stopped buying DVDs from the BBC shop because they couldn't sell DVDs that I could easily use... lost revenue for the BBC.

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

To be honest, I'm not sure this has anything to do with the BBC or the topic of this thread...

Because it's all about how the BBC finances itself in a world of global communications, TV on demand, increased competition and indeed threats from piracy/copyright theft.

I am saying I am happy to pay for content, including content that I currently get free (eg iPlayer). But I do expect to access that content in a way and in a place that suits me. Else I won't pay because I have other choices.

jrawle

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

I think the main change is that it will no longer be perfectly legal and above board to view the Catch Up TV service without a TV license.
Regardless of whether this is circumvented, it will still be unlawful.

It will presumably actually be illegal, i.e. a criminal offence. You will risk a criminal record, and in theory a prison sentence, for not having a TV Licence.

In contrast, downloading BBC shows from a filesharing network is unlawful, but not a criminal offence unless you plan to burn DVDs and sell them down the market.

custardy

chattychappy wrote: »

Ha ha ha. I wouldn't hate that. But I would hate it if having received the signal there was something in the signal to prevent me watching it.

ANYWAY, I was being a bit facetious. I agree that the term "loophole" is overused. If the BBC is going to start charging for catchup etc., then I think some sort of portable subscription that works wherever you are using a device would be great.

Some years ago, whilst working in Taiwan I made a short trip back to London, I went into the BBC shop and bought some DVDs. Must have spent £100 or so. Told the bloke I was taking them back to Taiwan with me. All rather expensive, nothing discounted. Got back home, and none of the DVDs worked because of region coding. Hadn't worried because on a previous trip to Japan, a DVD I had with me worked there. Turned out that Japan is in the same "region" as the UK. Eventually I got a local to make region-free copies of the discs. Never bought anything from a BBC Shop since.

As it is, there are torrent groups and proxy servers for getting around restrictions. Just hope that whatever scheme the BBC devise, they come up with a method which enables people to pay a subscription/buy a licence and do what they reasonably want to do (eg watch a bit of the BBC whilst they are away).

So the BBC should be aware that you weren't using a region 2 player?
Your lack of knowledge of DVD region coding is the fault here.
Had you asked if it would work on a Taiwan DVD player then yes thats a different matter.

jrawle

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

Perhaps you are also confusing this with multi-region enabled DVD/Blu-Ray players? These play worldwide regardless of NTSC or PAL encoding.

NTSC and PAL were methods of reproducing colour in analogue TV broadcasts. The standards also had a different number of lines and different frame rates. These latter two parameters later became standards on DVD, and thus DVDs were referred to as PAL or NTSC. However, the actual PAL and NTSC techologies are irrelevant to any form of digital broadcasting or recording, including DVDs, and DVD players will happily play "NTSC" or "PAL" DVDs, just as they will play widescreen or 4:3 DVDs.

Region coding is a different kettle of fish. It's a code that's deliberately put on DVDs to stop them playing in certain parts of the world. Many players can be set to ignore it, though, plus DVD encryption was broken many moons ago, so if you can't play a DVD in your machine, it's trivial to rip it in your PC and burn a new region-free DVD.

Cornucopia

jrawle wrote: »

It will presumably actually be illegal, i.e. a criminal offence. You will risk a criminal record, and in theory a prison sentence, for not having a TV Licence.

Not prison, it is not within the range of penalties available to Magistrates for this offence.

The very small numbers who do end up in prison are there for non-payment of fines associated with Licence evasion. i.e. they have committed a further misdemeanour by not paying their fine.

callum9999

Cornucopia wrote: »

Problem is, that's a really bad argument for the BBC. You're basically saying it can only survive if people are forced to pay for it, and if they had a choice, they wouldn't.

Or in other words, they are being forced to pay for something they don't want, whilst at the same time the democratic process is failing to address the issue.

It wasn't an argument for the BBC though - I was just presenting a fact (well, supposition really).

People are forced to pay for many things they don't want, it's part and parcel of living in a society. And don't get me started on the democratic process!

I'd personally prefer it to be funded by general taxation and ad-supported.

VisionMan

With the evolution of TV from pure Freeview to Hybrid (internet on demand plus Freeview) this was a change that was always going to happen. I for one support it.

Cornucopia

callum9999 wrote: »

People are forced to pay for many things they don't want, it's part and parcel of living in a society.

I'm not sure it's a question of things we do or don't want, but more the notion that what is publicly funded is sufficiently important to require it.

In the case of the BBC, there are various further complications like the effect on the commercial industry, the presence of free-to-view competitors, the unnecessary connection between the Fee and the Licence, issues with Licence enforcement and questions around independence and impartiality.

VisionMan

My general feeling is that unlike a TV licence which is required for watching live TV (any live TV via TV or internet), watching the BBC iPlayer isn't a requirement, its a choice.

jrawle

Cornucopia wrote: »

Not prison, it is not within the range of penalties available to Magistrates for this offence.

The very small numbers who do end up in prison are there for non-payment of fines associated with Licence evasion. i.e. they have committed a further misdemeanour by not paying their fine.

Thinking about it, they were also planning to decriminalise TV Licence evasion. What is the latest on that? Is it still going to happen?