TV Cards
- Thread starter FrostedNipple
- Start date
But you must have seen them driving around! I saw one down the road the other day, had TV Licensing Detector Van or something written down the side in very inconspicuous writing..
Its amazing the amount of people that think these vans actually do something..
All the time I was at uni I don't think we paid for a license.. Even when a guy came in to look around and saw the TV, we just said it was only used to play consoles on and he left us alone!
Yes, the magic signal pixies fly out and peek through the curtains to see if you have a TV and, if you do, what channel you're watching before reporting back to the bloke in the van.
come to think of it i found one in my uni letter box address to my room saying that they will be calling by for an inspection and if im not in, they will repeatedly call until i answer.
I just left the not on the side downstairs to collect with all the other junk...
I just left the not on the side downstairs to collect with all the other junk...
The superheterodyne principle for tuners means that the signal is mixed with an intermediate frequency generated by a local oscillator and then amplified. For TV signals, this is a specific frequency.
Antennas work both ways, so consequently when you're watching TV, this intermediate frequency is basically transmitted from your house. It's perfectly simple to detect.
If they had sensitive enough kit to detect what frequency the local oscillator was running at, they'd know what frequency your tv was tuned to and from that know what channel you were watching.
It's not a myth, it's perfectly possible. Whether they actually bother is up for debate - I doubt it, it's far easier to just send a tonne of letters out and irritate people.
They'd have to prove it was your tv though and not one of many others tuned into the same channel.
It's not going to be huge power, so it'd be pretty damn directional. The only thing they can get from it is possible grounds to get a warrant to enter the premises, but afaik these aren't that often granted. It's essentially a waste of time, so I doubt they do it. Blanket mailing and subsequent fear seems to be quite effective.
To all those who don't believe it. I have actually been involved in the design and manufacture of the circuitry which does it.
The demodulation circuit in a telly (Or an receiver for that matter) is designed to work at a very specific frequency. Because different channels have different frequencies these must be converted to an intermediate frequency prior to demodulation. This is carried out by mixing the recieved signal with a locally produced one which is generated by a VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator), this itself acts as a low power transmitter as some of the signal leaks back to the atenna. The VCO frequency is changed when you change channel in order to produce the same frequency of IF signal for demodulation (This is 111MHz for Bluetooth, it might be different for tellies, I can't remember). It is the signal from the VCO circuitry which the TV detector vans are designed to pick up. And because the frequency of this signal is unique to each channel being recieved they can tell what channel you are watching. (On digital telly due to multiplexing and such they would only be able to tell what multiplexer you were tuned to).
The demodulation circuit in a telly (Or an receiver for that matter) is designed to work at a very specific frequency. Because different channels have different frequencies these must be converted to an intermediate frequency prior to demodulation. This is carried out by mixing the recieved signal with a locally produced one which is generated by a VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator), this itself acts as a low power transmitter as some of the signal leaks back to the atenna. The VCO frequency is changed when you change channel in order to produce the same frequency of IF signal for demodulation (This is 111MHz for Bluetooth, it might be different for tellies, I can't remember). It is the signal from the VCO circuitry which the TV detector vans are designed to pick up. And because the frequency of this signal is unique to each channel being recieved they can tell what channel you are watching. (On digital telly due to multiplexing and such they would only be able to tell what multiplexer you were tuned to).
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Just get a monitor with HDMI, and Sky HD, and you're sorted.
Arrange an inspection before u get sky though, so they don't see the dish. They'll see ** PC with a 24" (probably) monitor, but no TV.
What actually classifies a TV from a Monitor, speakers, digital receiver? Thus, you have a monitor, not a TV. Problem solved
Arrange an inspection before u get sky though, so they don't see the dish. They'll see ** PC with a 24" (probably) monitor, but no TV.
What actually classifies a TV from a Monitor, speakers, digital receiver? Thus, you have a monitor, not a TV. Problem solved
Since you can get HD rips of TV shows months before they even air in the UK, I'd say the quality was just as good, if not better...
Why are so many people against getting a TV licence? You want to watch TV, get a licence; as simple as that. Would you drive without a licence?
Besides, university students staying in halls only have to pay 9 months' worth.
And since when has The Simpsons been the Simpson's???
Besides, university students staying in halls only have to pay 9 months' worth.
And since when has The Simpsons been the Simpson's???
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its the Simpson's according to Firefox spell check, i swear by it! Students have enough government caused debt as it is, do you not think they should subsidize it even a little?
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http://www.thesimpsons.com/index.html
I don't see what difference a student/pensioner/worker makes with regards to watching TV. There are other things more important that should be (and are) subsidised.
Associate
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You've just made the most ludicrous comparrision ever in the history of GD! You don't need training and have to pass a test to get a TV, it's just the only income for 1 broadcasting company who happened to be the first.
You are an idiot.
This "Licence" is outdated SEVERELY, back to when there was just one channel, and then your statement of "You want to watch TV, get a licence" is accurate. The sooner the BBC goes commercial, the sooner everyone will be happy.
I don't watch the BBC....ever, there's news on Sky News, that's all I would really miss from the BBC. Yet I have to pay a licence fee to them. WHAT THE HELL FOR!? I'm paying for something I'm not using.
BBC has to change and keep up with the times of satellite/commercial TV channels, it's the only fair way. They would make more money anyway, if they do it right.
So, you have never used any of their services? The OP certainly intends to, which is why in this context, I made the statement regarding buying a licence to watch TV.
I'm sure you know the forum doesn't allow insults, so there is no need for the idiot comment.