No TV Licence - what can I watch?

jasser1492

Apologies, I’m struggling to understand what I could watch if I gave up the TV Licence. Is the following correct:

- I cannot watch iPlayer

- i cannot watch programmes as they are broadcast (all channels including YouTube and Amazon Prime). 

- presumably that means I can’t watch sky news or any other channel included in the Virgin TV package?

- i can watch other on-demand stuff (e.g. ch4, ch5, Amazon Prime, Netflix).

Thank you

Cornucopia

Basically, yes.

In more detail:-

- You cannot watch BBC TV programs on iPlayer.   (So you can watch S4C catch-up, listen to BBC Sounds).

- You cannot watch or record any TV Broadcasts received by traditional means (Freeview, Satellite, Cable TV).

- You cannot watch the live streamed equivalent of those TV Broadcasts streamed concurrently (or near to) with the over-the-air broadcast.

- If you are dispensing with your TV Licence, I'd recommend disconnecting any TV boxes.  Cancelling Pay TV services is a usually a major money-saver compared with other services for video-on-demand.

- You can watch commercial catch-up services (but not the live channels they may include). 

- You can watch video streaming services that are free (e.g. Youtube, All4, My5) or paid-for (e.g. Amazon, Netflix), except for any live channels provided by TV Broadcasters they may carry (not all of them do).

- You can stream video-on-demand from UKTV Player and Britbox even though the BBC is involved with their operation.

jasser1492

Thank you very much

Brie

I believe you are also not allowed to listen to BBC radio via iPlayer as well.  Best to check.  But there are lots of other stations so may not be an issue.

Watch out for the +1 or +24 channels.  Just because a programme is broadcast at 7 pm it is still considered to being broadcast again at 8 pm on a +1 station.  Or the next day on a +24 station.  So only go for things like you might on Netflix - looking through a menu of box sets or movies and choosing one to watch at some random time.  

Cornucopia

Brie said:

I believe you are also not allowed to listen to BBC radio via iPlayer as well.  Best to check.  But there are lots of other stations so may not be an issue.

No - you ARE allowed to listen to BBC radio via any available means.   I have a feeling that all the BBC's audio content has now migrated to BBC Sounds, so no danger of clicking the wrong thing within iPlayer.   

Brie said:

Watch out for the +1 or +24 channels.  Just because a programme is broadcast at 7 pm it is still considered to being broadcast again at 8 pm on a +1 station.  Or the next day on a +24 station.  So only go for things like you might on Netflix - looking through a menu of box sets or movies and choosing one to watch at some random time.  

I'm not aware of any +1/+24 channels available as live streams through video-on-demand apps, but yes, they count as TV Broadcast channels.

Otherwise:  "Watch what you want, when you want" - I find that much the best way.

Mutton_Geoff

Cornucopia said:

I'd recommend disconnecting any TV boxes

Why? Just be sure of your rights when Capita come knocking. I'm not condoning watching any TV that requires a licence without holding one but a lot of TV boxes contain the ability to record programmes from catch up TV (not iPlayer) that is perfectly legal so I would still be happy using one legally and sod what Capita think they can do when they appear on my doorstep.

Cornucopia

Mutton_Geoff said:

Cornucopia said:

I'd recommend disconnecting any TV boxes

Why? Just be sure of your rights when Capita come knocking. I'm not condoning watching any TV that requires a licence without holding one but a lot of TV boxes contain the ability to record programmes from catch up TV (not iPlayer) that is perfectly legal so I would still be happy using one legally and sod what Capita think they can do when they appear on my doorstep.

It's general, cautious advice for a broad audience, and also some TV boxes are receiving broadcasts all the time.

Mutton_Geoff

Cornucopia said:

Mutton_Geoff said:

Cornucopia said:

I'd recommend disconnecting any TV boxes

Why? Just be sure of your rights when Capita come knocking. I'm not condoning watching any TV that requires a licence without holding one but a lot of TV boxes contain the ability to record programmes from catch up TV (not iPlayer) that is perfectly legal so I would still be happy using one legally and sod what Capita think they can do when they appear on my doorstep.

It's general, cautious advice for a broad audience, and also some TV boxes are receiving broadcasts all the time.

It's not against the law to receive live broadcasts, it's against the law to watch them. Having said that, I'd love to see a test case with a blind person who gets taken to court for watching live TV as I've always been puzzled why the (totally) blind still need a licence to listen,

Cornucopia

Mutton_Geoff said:

Cornucopia said:

Mutton_Geoff said:

Cornucopia said:

I'd recommend disconnecting any TV boxes

Why? Just be sure of your rights when Capita come knocking. I'm not condoning watching any TV that requires a licence without holding one but a lot of TV boxes contain the ability to record programmes from catch up TV (not iPlayer) that is perfectly legal so I would still be happy using one legally and sod what Capita think they can do when they appear on my doorstep.

It's general, cautious advice for a broad audience, and also some TV boxes are receiving broadcasts all the time.

It's not against the law to receive live broadcasts, it's against the law to watch them. 

That's how TV Licensing seem to interpret it, but the legislation actually talks in terms of "receiving".

km1500

yes depends on definition of receiving

even a metal coat hanger will 'receive' tv broadcasts in the sense that the rf signals will induce current in the hanger.

Cornucopia

km1500 said:

yes depends on definition of receiving

even a metal coat hanger will 'receive' tv broadcasts in the sense that the rf signals will induce current in the hanger.

Yes...  though the actual wording talks in terms of a TV Receiver (or TV Receiving equipment) receiving.  

It says this:  "In Part 4 of the Act (licensing of TV reception), “television receiver” means any apparatus installed or used for the purpose of receiving (whether by means of wireless telegraphy or otherwise) any television programme service, whether or not it is installed or used for any other purpose".

Although BBC/TV Licensing do make up some of the Licence lore, some of it does actually originate in relatively easy to follow legislation.    This is from the 2004 TV Licensing Regulations.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/692/regulation/9/made