Tv Licensing ?

[Chopper the ex Copper]

With modern electronics the kit could easily be hand held these days. I doubt they'd need a van to tote around something the size of a tricorder, hence there being zero prosecutions for vans. It only needs to detect the emissions from the mixed intermediate frequency inside the equipment. That said, modern tv's do all this digitally do that olde traditional method won't work.

If memory serves the van was something like 1980 W regcwhen we got to see it in the early noughties. All solid state, but no ICs, all transistors and normal board components. Cwith the fibreglass sides it would've got righ warm in there. 60s technology at its finest.

 

[silverclaws]

Yes, handheld devices do exist according to the following link, but what use they are is questionable as the TVL/BBC will not divulge the information required for tv detector findings to be admissible in court, nor will they allow calibration certificates to be viewed, and according to various sources, no one yet has been prosecuted in court via data from detection equipment, so what is the exact purpose of such measures ?

To scare ?

Anyway ;

http://www.bbctvlicence.com/Detector%20vans.htm

The lengths to which the TVL/BBC go to extract the tax, what other tax are we liable for that such measures are used to ensure compliance ?

But as to these hand held detectors some of which apparently are as small as and look like a mobile telephones, exactly what could they be picking up from a television set receiving live broadcasted signals ? Emf possibly, as everything electrical radiates energy, but if this is what they are picking up, how does the emf from a television receiving broadcasted signals differ from a television not being used to receive broadcasted signals ?

But if not emf, what other signals can a television emit that nothing else in a normal household can ?

 

[IDB1]

For as long as I've had my name 'on the door' so to speak, I've had a TV licence.

If 1 in a million people got prosecuted for no TV licence, I'd be that one.

That and I do my level best to live within the law as much as is possible.

 

[Faghetaboutit]

i got caught in 2006 in my then new build appartment. the fella was really sound he said i could go to court and face upto £1000 fine or i could just pay for a 6month licence with my card there and then and that would be it, he had a handheld pda, im not sure if it read signals or what but i paid up and that was the end of it. always had a licence since as im not too sure they would be so happy about repeat evasion and that might land me up in front of the mags.......

 

[highlandsflyer]

The rule is that you must not watch/record a live broadcast without a license, everything else is fine.

I have to have one due to this place being one of my aunt's rentals, and in London we let out part of the house so we make sure the license is in place and it is inbuilt to the rental, but it is piped all over the house.

I don't see the moral problem with some not bothering, the BBC are regurgitating a lot of their programmes on their commercial channels so the lines are truly blurred.

 

[technodup]

I actually think your stance is disgusting technodup, essentially theft from a venerable institution that in my book stands as one of the two great assets this country has left, the other being the NHS, both of which are under threat and your actions contribute to the threat.

I'd say the theft was the other way around actually, given I have no choice but to receive (and supposed to pay for) the BBC (and NHS).

If I could withhold payment to the NHS as well I would. Like the BBC it's a bloated, wasteful, out of touch drain on the country. I don't buy all the emotive national institution crap. Be the best and let people decide if they want it or not.

 

[uktyler]

I'd say the theft was the other way around actually, given I have no choice but to receive (and supposed to pay for) the BBC (and NHS).

You do have a choice though, you could get rid of your TV.

I don't pay for a licence, but then I don't watch TV.

 

[Easy_Rider]

I'd say the theft was the other way around actually, given I have no choice but to receive (and supposed to pay for) the BBC (and NHS).

You do have a choice though, you could get rid of your TV.

I don't pay for a licence, but then I don't watch TV.

Yes agreed, there is your choice, get rid of your TV and tattoo Do Not Resuscitate across you chest if you don't want to pay for the NHS either.

 

[technodup]

I'd say the theft was the other way around actually, given I have no choice but to receive (and supposed to pay for) the BBC (and NHS).

You do have a choice though, you could get rid of your TV.

I don't pay for a licence, but then I don't watch TV.

Yes agreed, there is your choice, get rid of your TV and tattoo Do Not Resuscitate across you chest if you don't want to pay for the NHS either.

Disagree. I watch TV and want to watch TV. However I believe I should have the option of watching commercial broadcasters of my choice without paying a tax to receive BBC whether I want it or not.

If the BBC truly is as good as some claim then it would have no problem surviving in a subscription or commercial based revenue model. I put it to you that the number of people willing to pay for the relatively small amount of quality drama, news and documentary output would be too low to sustain BBC3, CBeebies, most of BBC1, endless repeats, one of the biggest websites on the web and god knows how many niche radio stations. And that would be no bad thing imo.

If they cut all that crap and concentrated on two channels of quality then I would consider paying for it. Until then they can bite me.

 

[silverclaws]

I understand the BBC is protected because the government need a television outlet to spew their ideas directly to the nation sometimes and if they did not protect the existence of the BBC via the licence fee there could come time when the government wishes to address the nation and all commercial stations tell them to sod off or dig deep to buy your air time.

But I agree for those that do not watch or listen to the BBC, why should they have to pay for their existence ? It is if anything a protected racket.

But I do agree pay to view BBC will most likely be the end of them, as although they may be liked by many, does that like translate into money.

But when Britain is full of antipathy towards Corporations and how they appear to be getting away with financial murder, what is the BBC if it is not the British Broadcasting CORPORATION ?