Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
27-07-2010, 19:36
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#1
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Inactive
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 366
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Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
Do you still need a tv license if you just use the internet and no tv at all? So would it be alright not to get a license and watch an internet tv stream off the BBC?
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27-07-2010, 19:39
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#2
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
Click this link and the link in the post for what you want to know.
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/35063088-post109.html
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27-07-2010, 19:51
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#3
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-i...chnology-top8/
Quote:
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Originally Posted by TV Licensing
Technology
As new technology makes it possible to watch TV on more devices than ever you need to make sure that you remain properly licensed.
If you watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV you must, by law, be covered by a TV Licence, no matter what device you're using.
Computers and laptops
Many TV channels are now available to watch over the internet. If you’re watching programmes on a computer or laptop as they're being shown on TV, then you need a TV Licence. However, you don’t need to be covered by a licence if you’re only using ‘on-demand’ services to watch programmes after they have been shown on TV. So, you need a licence to watch any channel live online, but you wouldn’t need one to use BBC iPlayer to catch up on an episode of a programme you missed, for example.
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27-07-2010, 19:55
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#4
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
True, but you want to be careful. Using a monitor is fine, but the law covers TV receiving equipment.
Broadband was not considered back then, and it is not considered to be covered now either. Of course a UHF tuner added to your PC would cause an issue (a TV USB stick or the like) but not the broadband connection.
To make your TV legal as a monitor for watching DVDs etc without attracting a licence fee, you should remove or disable the UHF receiver in it (a simple job for any TV repair-man or electronics shop repair guy). You need to do this for any device you have that has a UHF tuner in it (video recorders, TV DVD recorders etc.) but normal DVD players and VHS players are fine. The guidance on that link above is not well worded (I suspect it got over-simplified by committee), but it is close.
The best guide to use is this; if you would get asked for your address when you buy it (unless you have a Tesco clubcard or the like), it needs a licence. When you bought your PC you didn't need to give your address for the licence records. If you buy a USB TV stick you will.
Just seen that 'Live Online' quote (I was typing at the same time as you). That's new! Still, it's unenforceable so I wouldn't worry about that. My address guideline still stands.
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27-07-2010, 19:59
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#5
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Masque
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The question in that link is "What if I only use a TV to watch videos/DVDs/as a monitor for my games console? Do I still need a licence?", which isn't what the OP is asking.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyCalling
True, but you want to be careful. Using a monitor is fine, but the law covers TV receiving equipment.
Broadband was not considered back then, and it is not considered to be covered now either. Of course a UHF tuner added to your PC would cause an issue (a TV USB stick or the like) but not the broadband connection.
To make your TV legal as a monitor for watching DVDs etc without attracting a licence fee, you should remove or disable the UHF receiver in it (a simple job for any TV repair-man or electronics shop repair guy). you need to do this for any device you have that has a UHF tuner in it (video recorders, TV DVD recorders etc.) but normal DVD players and VHS players are fine. The guidance on that link above is not well worded (I suspect it got over-simplified by committee), but it is close.
The best guide to use is this; if you would get asked for your address when you buy it (unless you have a Tesco clubcard or the like), it needs a licence. When you bought your PC you didn't need to give your address for the licence records. If you buy a USB TV stick you will.
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The OP wasn't asking about using a TV as a monitor for DVDs etc., the question was regarding whether a TV Licence is needed if you "watch an internet tv stream off the BBC".
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27-07-2010, 20:04
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#6
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt D
The question in that link is "What if I only use a TV to watch videos/DVDs/as a monitor for my games console? Do I still need a licence?", which isn't what the OP is asking.
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Thanks for providing the correct link anyway. 
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27-07-2010, 20:54
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#7
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
As said you need a licence if you watch a TV program over the internet at the same time it is being transmitted 'live', even if no tuner is involved.
The government are currently thinking about how to deal with 'catch up' services.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/07...e_fee_rethink/
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27-07-2010, 22:17
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#8
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cf.mega poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,324
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by gazfan
As said you need a licence if you watch a TV program over the internet at the same time it is being transmitted 'live', even if no tuner is involved.
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And it has to be said that you've got to be a right mug to pay the licence if you have no TV but watch online.
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28-07-2010, 15:14
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#9
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary L
And it has to be said that you've got to be a right mug to pay the licence if you have no TV but watch online.
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Please clarify for me: Are you advocating breaking the law?
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28-07-2010, 15:26
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#10
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pauls9
Please clarify for me: Are you advocating breaking the law?
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Of course not. just saying that you have to be a right mug to pay for a licence if you only watch online.
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28-07-2010, 20:42
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#11
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
The Radio Licence and the Dog Licence were withdrawn after people stopped buying them, although the Radio Licence was included in the TV Licence in order to save face.
Democracy in action.
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28-07-2010, 22:13
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#12
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step on my trip
Join Date: Jul 2003
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
As a computer has the potential to watch live TV, not unlike a TV / VCR might have the means to watch live TV, it does not necessarily mean you will use the device to do so, will it end up we will have to buy a license if we own a computer with BB?
How do you reckon the TV licensing will cover it in the future? it points towards them making people with a computer paying a TV license because they have the means to watch. seems unfair if it goes that way.
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28-07-2010, 22:25
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#13
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cf.mega poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by idi banashapan
How do you reckon the TV licensing will cover it in the future? it points towards them making people with a computer paying a TV license because they have the means to watch. seems unfair if it goes that way.
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That will never happen. the computer and internet was here first. they were the ones who put the TV on it afterwards.
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28-07-2010, 23:55
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#14
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step on my trip
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,766
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
i'd like to agree with you, but there's money to be made by big corporations. chronology of technologies doesn't bother them....
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29-07-2010, 21:03
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#15
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Join Date: May 2008
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Re: Do you need a tv license if you only use internet?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary L
Quote:
"You need to be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record TV as it's being broadcast.
You need to be covered by a licence if you watch TV online at the same time as it's being broadcast"
They'd have you believe.
what happened to the licence being about equipment that was capable of receiving a broadcast signal?
Just because the BBC choose to broadcast over the internet. I don't see why we should have to extend what the licence is meant to be for.
fair enough if you already have a TV licence, but it's not fair to make people pay for a licence just because they want to put the broadcasts on the internet now.
make it like an adult website, where you have to log in to watch.
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/ |
Most are well aware of the regulations but I was questioning the assumption of the designers of the main BBC news website in their increasing use of live links that people viewing it are already licence holders.
In particular over the world cup period there was a plethora of links on the football pages, to live audio, live video, live text and combination pages with all present which took no account of the non tv licence holder.
The whole iPlayer website now combines live and catch up links on radio and TV.
Link pop up boxes that inquire as to the viewer/listeners age for possible adult orientated content can occasionally be found but no pop up boxes questioning whether the user actually owns a licence are ever seen on the BBC website.
This is of course in line with crass assumption of 100% TV licence ownership by the licence collection agency.
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