Freeview with a twist!

tsinc80697 · 15 Sep 2007 at 18:39

Moving back to uni next week and just found out by a mate that we can't get a freeview signal where we are.
The freeview website says we can but I remember from last year the same mate told me that he couldn't get a signal, so is there any way of getting freeview without an aerial? ie through a PC.
I know you can get a pci/usb/pci-c card to watch freeview via pc/mac but that needs an aerial, is there any possible way of getting it without one? :/

Pain in the ass as I want my TV for 360/Wii/PS2 but can't just have it sat there if I can't even get TV :/

Think I might be able to get terrestrial TV in the kitchen, not sure if there's an aerial socket or not but I wouldn't really want to put my TV there as it means consoles as well!

Hope its possible!

Rebelius · 15 Sep 2007 at 18:45

if there's an arial socket, you could just run a big long extension thing through to your bedroom/living room? It's annoying but works.

Also, if you're just using it for 360/Wii/PS2 and not getting TV then you don't need a TV licence.

Phil99 · 15 Sep 2007 at 18:45

If you can put a satellite dish up you can get a freesat system without paying too much if you get the parts second hand and do it yourself, or £150 from Sky.

Or as said above, if you can get a signal from the main aerial just run a long (high quality) cable off a signal booster.

tsinc80697 · 15 Sep 2007 at 18:47

Rebelius said:
if there's an arial socket, you could just run a big long extension thing through to your bedroom/living room? It's annoying but works.

Also, if you're just using it for 360/Wii/PS2 and not getting TV then you don't need a TV licence.

Yeah that was an idea but I doubt an aerial cable will go under the door's as they are fire doors, big thick things :/

Phil99 said:
If you can put a satellite dish up you can get a freesat system without paying too much if you get the parts second hand and do it yourself, or £150 from Sky.

Or as said above, if you can get a signal from the main aerial just run a long (high quality) cable off a signal booster.

Would have a look at that but I doubt i could put a dish up outside!

Droolinggimp · 15 Sep 2007 at 19:20

Rebelius said:
if there's an arial socket, you could just run a big long extension thing through to your bedroom/living room? It's annoying but works.

Also, if you're just using it for 360/Wii/PS2 and not getting TV then you don't need a TV licence.

You will need a TV license. You have to have one for anything that has means of showing broadcast signals. Basicly anything that picks up a TV signal. If you can prove you dont use it for watching TV then you will get visit from TV Licence people to make usre your not fibbing.

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/gethelp/faqs.jsp#link1

Rebelius · 15 Sep 2007 at 19:24

a TV with no arial plugged in doesn't pick up a TV signal though. We had 2 TVs in our flat in 1st year and had a couple of visits, the Licensing guys said there wasn't a problem but if we were caught watching TV we'd be screwed.

Andr3w · 15 Sep 2007 at 19:26

if you dont use it for watching tv you STILL need a tv licence

You need a TV Licence to use any television receiving equipment such as a TV set, set-top boxes, video or DVD recorders, computers or mobile phones to watch or record TV programmes as they are being shown on TV.

Kreeeee · 15 Sep 2007 at 19:30

Andr3w said:
if you dont use it for watching tv you STILL need a tv licence

You misread it I reckon.

"You need a TV Licence to use any television receiving equipment such as a TV set, set-top boxes, video or DVD recorders, computers or mobile phones to watch or record TV programmes as they are being shown on TV."

Does this paraphrase help: You need a licence if you use any TV equipment to watch programs being broadcast.

Andr3w · 15 Sep 2007 at 19:33

Kreeeee said:
You misread it I reckon.

"You need a TV Licence to use any television receiving equipment such as a TV set, set-top boxes, video or DVD recorders, computers or mobile phones to watch or record TV programmes as they are being shown on TV."

Does this paraphrase help: You need a licence if you use any TV equipment to watch programs being broadcast.

Im 99% sure you need one, where i live (on a military base) we were told even if we use it just for consoles if it can receive a tv signal we need a licence, i dont agree personally :\ but meh. Wait until somebody who can confirm enters

divine` · 15 Sep 2007 at 19:40

The wording quite plainly states 'to watch or record'

Kreeeee · 15 Sep 2007 at 19:44

Andr3w said:
Im 99% sure you need one, where i live (on a military base) we were told even if we use it just for consoles if it can receive a tv signal we need a licence, i dont agree personally :\ but meh. Wait until somebody who can confirm enters

I asked them about it and they came to check for an aerial and if my TV is tuned. I didn't have to pay a licence fee.

The key part is "if it can receive". An untuned TV with no aerial cannot receive a TV signal.

tsinc80697 · 15 Sep 2007 at 19:47

ok ok, TV licence or not, can I do this

divine` · 15 Sep 2007 at 19:52

tsinc80697 said:
ok ok, TV licence or not, can I do this

There isn't anyway I am aware of to receive Freeview other than through a regular aerial.

tsinc80697 · 15 Sep 2007 at 19:53

Boo, gonna have to see if I can justify a 32" TV in my crappy small room if its just for games!

Berserker · 15 Sep 2007 at 20:12

Got broadband at home and at college?

If so, one word - Slingbox.

Though I'll admit the quality isn't up to proper TV standards.

Phil99 · 15 Sep 2007 at 23:02

Andr3w said:
Im 99% sure you need one, where i live (on a military base) we were told even if we use it just for consoles if it can receive a tv signal we need a licence, i dont agree personally :\ but meh. Wait until somebody who can confirm enters

Just to set things straight so others understand the system more:

What if I only use a TV to watch videos/DVDs/as a monitor for my games console? Do I still need a licence?

-
You need to notify us in writing that this is the case and one of our Enforcement Officers may need to visit you to confirm that you do not need a licence.

Please write to us including your name, address and the reason you believe that you don't need a licence at:

TV Licensing
Bristol
BS98 1TL

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/gethelp/faqs.jsp#link1

Basically if the TV has a tuner it can receive a signal, but if you take reasonable steps to prove you're not using it (i.e. detune channels, remove aerial and suchlike) then you don't need a licence. If you try and claim you're not using the TV to watch broadcast signals and have an aerial cable lying unplugged behind the TV which when plugged in immediately goes to BBC1 or whatever you'd be a bit screwed though

Kreeeee · 15 Sep 2007 at 23:13

tsinc80697 said:
Boo, gonna have to see if I can justify a 32" TV in my crappy small room if its just for games!

Got a PC to connect to it?

Malt_Vinegar · 15 Sep 2007 at 23:37

Phil99 said:
Basically if the TV has a tuner it can receive a signal, but if you take reasonable steps to prove you're not using it (i.e. detune channels, remove aerial and suchlike) then you don't need a licence. If you try and claim you're not using the TV to watch broadcast signals and have an aerial cable lying unplugged behind the TV which when plugged in immediately goes to BBC1 or whatever you'd be a bit screwed though

lol, how in Gods name will they ever prove it anyway!!

HangTime · 16 Sep 2007 at 00:20

Unless it's a very dodgy signal area I would have thought with a booster aerial you would at least be able to get terrestrial.

big_white_dog84 · 16 Sep 2007 at 10:12

Try a cheapo £3 effort from Argos. My gf used to live in a flat with the worst signal in the world but the £3 jobby sorted it out and she got a really good picture on freeview.