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The_Wanderer
regular
Reg'd: Mon
Posts: 424
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Did anyone read the recent story, The Guardian I think, that said (roughly) that the BBC Trust think that a licence should be needed to view iplayer - look forward to that one playing out!
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greysts
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 19288
Loc: Colchester
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To watch BBC television programmes you need a licence. The method you use to view those programmes seems to me to be irrelevant.
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radiogandy
regular
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 1448
Loc: East Midlands
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Thats my reading of the situation too Greysts. You pay your licence fee to watch/listen - you are not licensing a television set. The method of reception is irrelevant.
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The_Wanderer
regular
Reg'd: Mon
Posts: 424
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I think that was a commonly held belief but check out this news item. or this one.
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radiogandy
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Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 1448
Loc: East Midlands
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Both sites were an interesting read and thank you for the links.
My previous opinion was obviously mistaken, For the time being only though ... it seems !
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Radiogandy's Blog
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greysts
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 19288
Loc: Colchester
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I should have made my reply clearer. I meant to say 'to watch live TV requires a licence, irrespective of the hardware used.'
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The_Wanderer
regular
Reg'd: Mon
Posts: 424
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There's the rub.
Extending it to include archived material begs the question why not DVD and Blu-ray and before you know it bingo increased revenues all round.
Interestingly the papers are not totally against it. They are hurting from declines in revenue and if they can get some goverment funding via a licence for websites by helpfully structuring a licence that way - they will be very happy indeed.
It will I think be interesting to see what happens.
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Jon1553
new user
Reg'd: Sun
Posts: 6
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As a tv licence isn't required for watching Vod on the net, including the catch-up services of tv channels, I've started a blog to list sites that have Vod, as a source of information tp those who, like me, don't have a tv licence. See,
http://tvlicenceorvod.blogspot.com/
It's not a blog for debate about the virtue or otherwise of the licence, there are others that cater for that. And it certainly isn't intended to encourage breaking the law regarding the licence. Just a list, with a little info, on sites that have Vod that doesn't need a tv licence to watch, legally. Only just started it, but it will grow in content soon.
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wildthing666
regular
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 3972
Loc: Micklefield Leeds
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To me the license is just a con, if you have a TV but watch no BBC TV channels but do watch other channels as they are broadcast you still need a license yet these channels receive funds from advertising, not from the TV license. Does anyone think like me that the positioning of the channels on the frequency scale was done so no manufacturer could make a TV tuner that could avoid picking up the BBC channels thus people could buy that and watch the other channels without any access to BBC channels so possibly avoid paying for a TV license.
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fangbang
regular
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 41
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The TV licensing rules are outdated and ridiculous. You can watch TV without a license on any mobile device (Laptop, phone, etc.) as long as it is running on batteries. If you plug the charger in, you need a license and are breaking the law if you continue to watch TV on your device!
No idea how this would be policed though 
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fangbang
regular
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 41
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Quote:
To me the license is just a con, if you have a TV but watch no BBC TV channels but do watch other channels as they are broadcast you still need a license yet these channels receive funds from advertising, not from the TV license. Does anyone think like me that the positioning of the channels on the frequency scale was done so no manufacturer could make a TV tuner that could avoid picking up the BBC channels thus people could buy that and watch the other channels without any access to BBC channels so possibly avoid paying for a TV license.
Doesn't make any difference if your equipment is tuned in to BBC channels or not (or even if it is switched on or not). If it is CAPABLE of receiving transmissions, you have to have a license.
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wildthing666
regular
Reg'd: Fri
Posts: 3972
Loc: Micklefield Leeds
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Quote:
Quote:
To me the license is just a con, if you have a TV but watch no BBC TV channels but do watch other channels as they are broadcast you still need a license yet these channels receive funds from advertising, not from the TV license. Does anyone think like me that the positioning of the channels on the frequency scale was done so no manufacturer could make a TV tuner that could avoid picking up the BBC channels thus people could buy that and watch the other channels without any access to BBC channels so possibly avoid paying for a TV license.
Doesn't make any difference if your equipment is tuned in to BBC channels or not (or even if it is switched on or not). If it is CAPABLE of receiving transmissions, you have to have a license.
I think I read on the TV licensing site that if you have a TV but only user it to play games from a games console then you do not need a license
Quote:
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 do not need a TV Licence if you only use your TV to watch videos and DVDs or as a monitor for your games console.
However, please notify us in writing that this is the case. One of our Enforcement Officers may 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.
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Jon1553
new user
Reg'd: Sun
Posts: 6
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A tv licence is only needed if a tv service is being recieved, a tv set used solely for other purposes does not need one. I stopped watching tv 6 years ago, and informed TVL that I would still use the tv set for pre-recorded video, but it would not be used for watching tv, nor would it be tuned to any tv channels. They replied to acknowledge I no longer needed a licence and sent me a cheque for £56 for that part of my current licence period that was unused.
Oh, and tv shows on the net on a catch-up service like 4oD or the iPlayer don't need a licence either.
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Fusion
regular
Reg'd: Mon
Posts: 4391
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Just to add to this debate:
As quoted from the 'current' TV Licensing information.
"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.
Key wording is if you watch or record
_______________________________________________________________________________
AS quoted from the 'current' BBC information on iPlayer.
iPlayer Doesn't Require A TV Licence... Yet
At the moment, the legal position is that you don't need a licence to watch TV purely on-demand, but you do if you are watching TV live (through any receiving device in the home).
Key wording is At the moment
That clears things up then?
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The_Wanderer
regular
Reg'd: Mon
Posts: 424
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It's a mess isn't it?
If you watch something on iplayer how can you be sure it isn't screening live at that time on another channel somewhere?
Not only the +1 channels but repeats are prevalent across networks and even on channels you may never have heard of.
It'll end up in an expensive test case I tell you 
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jimmyjam
new user
Reg'd: Sun
Posts: 4
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I doubt that they would be able to track you if you were watching live tv on the internet without a license anyway. As long as you don't have a tv in your house, i can't see how they could get you.
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The_Wanderer
regular
Reg'd: Mon
Posts: 424
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If I were to guess I'd guess that IPlayer itself would be modified to help in that task Jimmyjam. Alternatives to IPlayer, ISPs are under pressure in the Carter report and elsewhere from the content owners to act on illegal downloads too.
Deep Packet Inspection is quite possible and not just for phorm, though that did rather let the cat out of the bag and blow away ISPs arguments that they couldn't monitor that kind of thing for the government, when they were testing it commercially already:-)
All a sledgehammer to crack a nut - most probably - but some people are very fond of using a sledge hammer.
My advice would be keep an eye on the law and ensure you stay legal!
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