TV Licence

[Lakitu]

If I got rid of my TV and watched all the shows I like using BBC IPlayer etc., would that mean I'd get away with not paying for a TV licence?

Just a hypothetical question, I have no intentions of doing this.

[markysngc]

Taken from the tv license web site
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/information/index .jsp

Do I need a TV Licence?


You need a TV Licence to use any television receiving equipment such as a TV set, digital box, DVD or video recorder, PC, laptop or mobile phone to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV.

If you use a digital box with a hi-fi system or another device that can only be used to produce sounds and can't display TV programmes, and you don't install or use any other TV receiving equipment, you don't need a TV Licence.

[squarebear]

Yes you would, as you are still watching BBC

[squarebear]

Mind you, it's not a live feed so probably not.

Guess that wan't too helpful really :-)

[Lakitu]

Thank you.

I don't recall installing iPlayer, but I could be wrong. So, if I got rid of the TV, how would the agency know if I was using my laptop to watch BBC shows?

[Oneeyedvic]

You would not need a tv licence if you purely watched on iplayer or similar and took out all the tvs and took out any device that was capable of taking a tv signal and converting it into something watchable (such as a computer tv tuner card).

[Lakitu]

Thank you very much oneeyedvic

[loonytunes]

As any student knows, id you watch TV on your computer, ie. with an appropriate card installed, the TV detector vans can't trace it. One problem they have with multiple use media such as computers is that they can be hidden, even if you let them in to your house. TVs can't and they can be felt for heat etc as if they have just been turned off. If there has ever been a prosecution by the powers that be for watching on a computer, I would be amazed.

[Lakitu]

Thank you loonytunes, I'd be amazed too!

[jake-the-peg]

It's been a while since I installed it but I seem to recall that having a TV license is part of the terms and conditions of installing iplayer.

How would they know? they seem to assume that every house has a TV. The people I know without one seem to regularly get threatening letters.

[jake-the-peg]

Ah here we go

http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/help/abo ut_iplayer/tvlicence

No but you'll need one to watch live when that functionality becomes available.

Strange! Probably to do with the definition of broadcast

[markysngc]

taken from Iplayers T&C's



You do not need a television licence to watch television programmes on the current version of the BBC iPlayer.

You will need to be covered by a TV licence if and when the BBC provides a feature that enables you to watch �live' TV programmes on any later version of BBC iPlayer, which has this option. Your TV licence for your home address will cover your use of the BBC iPlayer in your home (and outside the home if you use BBC iPlayer on a laptop or any other device which is powered solely by its own internal batteries).

A �live' TV programme is a programme, which is watched or recorded at the same time (or virtually the same time) as it is being broadcast or otherwise distributed to members of the public. As a general rule, if a person is watching a programme on a computer or other device at the same time as it is being shown on TV then the programme is �live'. This is sometimes known as simulcasting.

You cannot currently watch �live' TV programmes as part of BBC iPlayer, however, we hope to offer this function in the future.

[Lakitu]

Thank you very much everyone, that's clarified a lot.

[CT]

Live tv could be streamed like todays play at Wimbledon. You'd need a tv licence for that.