TV Licence Super Thread

chroniclard · 15 Apr 2015 at 11:53

Put your foot through your TV when they come in, problem solved, 100 odd pounds saved.

Engram · 15 Apr 2015 at 11:58

Diagro said:
I rarely watch things live.
I have them all set to record then i watch them later that day or the following day.

If you're recording live TV, you need a licence.

Diagro · 15 Apr 2015 at 12:00

Engram said:
If you're recording live TV, you need a licence.

Oh i know, and i have one. Was just saying

Droolinggimp · 15 Apr 2015 at 12:04

Posted a while back in this thread about getting letters and filling online form in etc A few weeks ago I had curtains open, TV on showing some cartoons. Knock at the door and it was a man from TVL come to check why I had not got a license. I told him at the door I don't watch broadcast TV and he wrote down on his HHT not TVL required. He asked me if he could come in and check my equipment. I said yes, come in. He said No thats fine. Smiled and said we will contact you in a few years. He was polite and a nice bloke. few days later I got a letter summoning me to court if I dont pay.. I give up.

xs2man · 15 Apr 2015 at 13:08

McGray said:
So you need a licence to watch live sky channels on top of whatever ridiculous sum it is I pay them monthly?

I should just cancel all of it tbh.

That's what I did. Don't miss it at all.

Diagro said:
I rarely watch things live.
I have them all set to record then i watch them later that day or the following day.

Still need it. It's watch or record live as broadcast. So recording a live broadcast still requires the license. Watching catchup or on demand or however you describe it doesn't require the license.

413x · 15 Apr 2015 at 13:09

Droolinggimp said:
Posted a while back in this thread about getting letters and filling online form in etc A few weeks ago I had curtains open, TV on showing some cartoons. Knock at the door and it was a man from TVL come to check why I had not got a license. I told him at the door I don't watch broadcast TV and he wrote down on his HHT not TVL required. He asked me if he could come in and check my equipment. I said yes, come in. He said No thats fine. Smiled and said we will contact you in a few years. He was polite and a nice bloke. few days later I got a letter summoning me to court if I dont pay.. I give up.

Wow. That's pretty low.
I shalst be filming any visits I think. Sounds like best just to not let them In

valkia · 15 Apr 2015 at 13:09

I opted out of mine too since I haven't watched TV for years. No problems here :-)

-Ad- · 15 Apr 2015 at 13:14

Droolinggimp said:
Posted a while back in this thread about getting letters and filling online form in etc A few weeks ago I had curtains open, TV on showing some cartoons. Knock at the door and it was a man from TVL come to check why I had not got a license. I told him at the door I don't watch broadcast TV and he wrote down on his HHT not TVL required. He asked me if he could come in and check my equipment. I said yes, come in. He said No thats fine. Smiled and said we will contact you in a few years. He was polite and a nice bloke. few days later I got a letter summoning me to court if I dont pay.. I give up.

Did you get a letter from the court, as in an actual summons, or did you just get a TVL letter talking about 'how to prepare yourself for court etc etc'?

I hope it's the latter, as that can just be filed in the bin.

Spacedeck · 15 Apr 2015 at 13:15

We will never get rid of ours, as my family watch Sky Movies too much but I was wondering something. Does live TV include everything, including computers? So for example, this year I'm subscribed to MotoGP's video pass, so I only watch this on my PC. Because that is live streaming each race, it would require one, yes?

arknor · 15 Apr 2015 at 13:23

Just received another letter from the BBC

apparently they have opened an investigation.

guess the automated letters have gone full circle again lol

Does live TV include everything, including computers? So for example, this year I'm subscribed to MotoGP's video pass, so I only watch this on my PC. Because that is live streaming each race, it would require one, yes?

I'd say no since it's not on a tv channel and does not receive funding from the tv license

What about youtube? sometimes itv etc has a live stream from question time.
I think some news channels have live streams on their too...
surely you wouldn't expect to need a tv license to watch youtube

Prophet · 15 Apr 2015 at 13:30

Spacedeck said:
We will never get rid of ours, as my family watch Sky Movies too much but I was wondering something. Does live TV include everything, including computers? So for example, this year I'm subscribed to MotoGP's video pass, so I only watch this on my PC. Because that is live streaming each race, it would require one, yes?

Yep. A licence is required for anything you watch live. If you used it to watch the race after it had finished you'd be OK without a licence.

arknor · 15 Apr 2015 at 13:33

Prophet said:
Yep. A licence is required for anything you watch live. If you used it to watch the race after it had finished you'd be OK without a licence.

it's not considered part of a tv network though?

xs2man · 15 Apr 2015 at 13:52

arknor said:
it's not considered part of a tv network though?

I could see it being a proper grey area, but I would argue that if it was possible to watch live on any TV channel in the UK, then it shouldn't be covered by the license.

That being said, the rules don't specify this, so probably not the case. I did wonder about the ability to watch a European TV channel, so for example, I could watch F1 live from a Spanish or German channel, while listening to UK radio commentary...

cheesyboy · 15 Apr 2015 at 13:56

xs2man said:
I could see it being a proper grey area, but I would argue that if it was possible to watch live on any TV channel in the UK, then it shouldn't be covered by the license.

That being said, the rules don't specify this, so probably not the case. I did wonder about the ability to watch a European TV channel, so for example, I could watch F1 live from a Spanish or German channel, while listening to UK radio commentary...

You don't need a licence to watch live TV from non-uk channels not available on UK freeview, satellite, or cable.

I already told you that here:
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?p=27756778#post27756778

ZXSpectrum · 15 Apr 2015 at 14:03

Did I not see something recently that stated that the TV licencing fee was going to be replaced by a Broadcasting Licence so that you had to pay even if you only watch streaming/catchup/movies etc?

Here ya go, I didn't dream it..

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/m...al-overhaul-of-how-it-is-funded-10078945.html

MooMoo444 · 15 Apr 2015 at 14:08

In 2026..yeah....

Prophet · 15 Apr 2015 at 14:13

arknor said:
it's not considered part of a tv network though?

Yeah that would be my argument too but the drone spoke to when I cancelled mine said it still counted :rolleyes:

arknor · 15 Apr 2015 at 14:40

the drones don't know everything.

let's take youtube as an example.
now lets take Russell brands channel the trews which I do not watch.
Now lets assume he does a live show on youtube like many channels similar to his do.

Drone would probably tell you to get a tv license.

law likely does not

If it's separate from a TV broadcaster and they are not a licensee of the tv license why would you need a license?
http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/tv-broadcast-licences/current-licensees/

They do not benefit from the tv license in anyway so why would you need one?

Prophet · 15 Apr 2015 at 14:54

From http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one

You need to be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record TV as it's being broadcast. This includes the use of devices such as a computer, laptop, mobile phone or DVD/video recorder.

Watching TV on the internet
You need to be covered by a licence if you watch TV online at the same time as it's being broadcast on conventional TV in the UK or the Channel Islands.

Video recorders and digital recorders like Sky+
You need a licence if you record TV as it's broadcast, whether that's on a conventional video recorder or digital box.

Mobile phones
A licence covers you to watch TV as it's broadcast on a mobile phone, whether you're at home or out and about.

* I'm not trying to argue with you and don't have a license myself.

cheesyboy · 15 Apr 2015 at 14:57

Prophet said:
From http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one

yes but:

"Watching TV on the internet
You need to be covered by a licence if you watch TV online at the same time as it's being broadcast on conventional TV in the UK or the Channel Islands."

On the very page you linked to