Ruben Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 The house I live in does not have a functioning TV aerial, there is one on the roof but it is't connected to anything. I do have a nice big 32" LCD connected to the PS3 for playing games and watching DVD's and I have just discovered that I can watch the BBC iPlayer via the PS3. So, can I get away with not buying a TV licence? It's not that I have any kind if political/moral objections to the TV licence system or anything, I'm just a bit skint/tight. I'd like to have my answers ready for when the BBC Spetsnaz smash the door down at 4am. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 iPlayer Doesn't Require A TV Licence... Yet 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 the BBC iPlayer which has this option... 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 Google not working? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La_Dolce_Vita Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 The house I live in does not have a functioning TV aerial, there is one on the roof but it is't connected to anything. I do have a nice big 32" LCD connected to the PS3 for playing games and watching DVD's and I have just discovered that I can watch the BBC iPlayer via the PS3. So, can I get away with not buying a TV licence? It's not that I have any kind if political/moral objections to the TV licence system or anything, I'm just a bit skint/tight. I'd like to have my answers ready for when the BBC Spetsnaz smash the door down at 4am. Thanks. Do TV Licensing regularly make calls on the Island. I have never had them call at the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hedgehog Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 They come over once or twice a year and their arrival is announced in the local rags. If you don't live on a council estate they probably won't pay you a visit as judging by past prosecutions they seem to go for the easy targets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinahand Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 You cannot watch live TV, or a simulcast without a licence. BBC News 24 is streamed live on the i-player (as are things like the olympics etc) and I suppose technically they could seize your computer to see if you've done it. Anything which has been broadcast previously and you are just watching a repeat recording via the i-player is fine - so are DVD's etc. BUT you've got to prove that you reasonably couldn't have been watching the telly - not having an aerial socket etc is pretty necessary!! I wonder if anyone will ever push it to the legal limit - house A has a tv licence - they record everything, then store it for 1/2 a second and then rebroadcast it via a wireless connection. A person in House B without a TV licence watches it - copyright issues sure, but techically no TV licence problems. Of course there are legislative intent issues - and it would probably have to go to the Law Lords - but by the letter of the law it isn't live, or a simulcast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La_Dolce_Vita Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 If you can't afford it then don't worry about it. It is an issue of whether you get caught or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gd0nfn Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 You cannot watch live TV, or a simulcast without a licence. BBC News 24 is streamed live on the i-player (as are things like the olympics etc) and I suppose technically they could seize your computer to see if you've done it. Anything which has been broadcast previously and you are just watching a repeat recording via the i-player is fine - so are DVD's etc. BUT you've got to prove that you reasonably couldn't have been watching the telly - not having an aerial socket etc is pretty necessary!! I wonder if anyone will ever push it to the legal limit - house A has a tv licence - they record everything, then store it for 1/2 a second and then rebroadcast it via a wireless connection. A person in House B without a TV licence watches it - copyright issues sure, but techically no TV licence problems. Of course there are legislative intent issues - and it would probably have to go to the Law Lords - but by the letter of the law it isn't live, or a simulcast. Here are the current rules:- Do I need a TV Licence? You must be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV. It makes no difference what equipment you use - whether it’s a laptop, PC, mobile phone, digital box, DVD recorder or a TV set - you still need a licence. You do not need a TV Licence to view video clips on the internet, as long as what you are viewing is not being shown on TV at the same time as you are viewing it. 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. One key statement is about you having "TV receiving equipment" it is my understanding that if you have a TV, plugged into an antenna or not, you need a licence. John PS Please correct me if I am wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruben Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 Thanks for your answers, I was pretty sure I was in the clear until Sunday morning when I watched the grand prix live as it happened on the iPlayer. Technically I believe this means I need a licence but I would like to see them go through the logs on my laptop to prove that I watched a live programme. If they bang on the door I will deal with it then, I suspect that the inspectors are not immune from the basis of commonwealth law that states "Innocent until proven guilty". They will have to prove that I have been, rather than the onus being on me to prove that I haven't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinahand Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 One key statement is about you having "TV receiving equipment" it is my understanding that if you have a TV, plugged into an antenna or not, you need a licence. John PS Please correct me if I am wrong! I think this is wrong - but I'm not certain!!! This would seem to agree with me! You don't need a television licence if a TV set cannot receive TV programmes and is used only: •for watching pre-recorded videos or DVDs The operative issue is that it cannot recieve a TV signal - no aerial, no reciever etc - you would have to convince a magistrate (could you demand a jury) you weren't cheating if you did have these things and that would be difficult. Though that implies a presumption of guilt which doesn't seem right - JOHN, HELP!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I would like to see them go through the logs on my laptop to prove that I watched a live programme. What makes you think they don't have a log of their own showing your IP connecting to the stream? It would actually be pretty trivial to prove, however I doubt they'd go to the bother. I disagree with the whole licence principle so I'd say just go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruben Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 I would like to see them go through the logs on my laptop to prove that I watched a live programme. What makes you think they don't have a log of their own showing your IP connecting to the stream? It would actually be pretty trivial to prove, however I doubt they'd go to the bother. I disagree with the whole licence principle so I'd say just go for it. Agreed, though they would need MT's complicity to do such a thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I imagine a court order would do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigDave Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Pretty much all of their convictions are based on inspectors calling at the address and bullying a confession out of people. I've heard they've never ever used any "detector" or any other form of technical evidence against anyone in court. The threat of using evidence from the "detector" is used to get a confession under caution. I've also heard (and I don't know how true this is) that since TV Licencing refuse to identify the technology and therefore the source of any detector evidence (if it even exists beyond the theory) that it is automatically inadmissable in court? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macmannin Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 The licencse fee is a queer tax,keeping good for nothings in work.Dont pay it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manshimajin Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 After 4 attempts at getting a straight answer to my question the TVLA reluctantly confirmed to me that if I decide not to convert my analogue TV to digital I will not need a TV licence - so I can use it to do anything short of directly receiving TV pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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