Want to use HD TV as monitor - don't need licence?

[Pleiades]

Getting mixed and contrary advice about this, but according to TV Licensing website you only need a licence if you watch 'live' programming (ie not BBC iPlayer, etc). Doesn't matter if monitor has TV Tuner as long as you don't use it as a TV (ie aerial, cable not plugged in). I want to get a big screen TV for Xbox, PS3 & PC use only, as they are cheaper & bigger than current PC monitors (my PC can't do much over 1920x1080 for games anyhow, with current setup).

I'm not interested in 'live' TV (or any TV really - good show seg Lost, Battlestar Galactica, I can d/l or buy) so don't want to pay the BBC Poll Tax if I can help it

[Funkstar]

Nope, you don't need it.

However you will get hastle from the TV Licensing people for not having one. They just assume you are avoiding it illegaly.

[shaithis]

From the tv license website
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/information/index.jsp

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.

So, as long as what you are watching isn't being shown on TV at the same time, you don't need a license.

[Bleak]

If they can't prove that you're watching TV on it there's not a problem. So just don't plug the aerial in the back.

[Platinum]

Fire up iPlayer and your screwed though :

"Do I need a TV Licence if I only watch programmes online?

It makes no difference how you watch TV - whether it's on your laptop, PC or mobile phone or through a digital box, DVD recorder or TV set - if you use any device to receive television programmes as they're being shown on TV, the law requires you to be covered by a TV Licence.

You will 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."

Still I cant see how thats gonna be enforced.

[Funkstar]

"Do I need a TV Licence if I only watch programmes online?

It makes no difference how you watch TV - whether it's on your laptop, PC or mobile phone or through a digital box, DVD recorder or TV set - if you use any device to receive television programmes as they're being shown on TV, the law requires you to be covered by a TV Licence.

You will 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."

It's all about the live broadcast. Watching time delayed content in iPlayer or 4oD does not require a TV license.

[capt_cornflake]

It's all about the live broadcast. Watching time delayed content in iPlayer or 4oD does not require a TV license.

As long as it is time delayed.
You can also watch live broadcasts via the iplayer though which complicates matters

[Saracen]

Getting mixed and contrary advice about this, but according to TV Licensing website you only need a licence if you watch 'live' programming (ie not BBC iPlayer, etc). Doesn't matter if monitor has TV Tuner as long as you don't use it as a TV (ie aerial, cable not plugged in).

Currently, it's correct that you don't need a licence to watch iPlayer material provided it's time-delayed. That might change, though.

But whether you need a licence is a bit more of a grey area that that. Unless it's changed radically, the issues were how you defined when you "installed or used" a TV receiver.

Mere possession of a TV doesn't require a licence. Watching videos, DVDs, etc doesn't require one and neither does connecting your games console.

BUT .... when does a TV receive a signal? When have you "installed" it, or "used" it?

According to the definitions that have been used in the past, it ISN'T when you watch (or record) it. There's certainly no requirement for the signal to be a good picture, or even watchable, because they're vague and subjective issues.

There's been a lot of argument about it, but certainly what used to be the criteria was that if the set itself was receiving a signal, then it could be detected. You can, with the right equipment, detect what frequency a receiver is set to by the IF frequency the set used to inject into the mixer when demodulating the signal. And that could, potentially, occur even with no aerial attached.

So, Pleiades, you might well find that simply disconnecting the antenna isn't enough. You certainly were, amd probably still are, in a grey and contentious area. If you live somewhere with a strong TV signal, it's possible the set could pick up enough of a signal to demodulate the channel even without an antenna, and if it doesm, then the set has "received" the broadcast, whether you did, or even could, watch it or not. And if it did, the argumemt was that the set was "installed" and therefore needed a licence.

It isn't, remember, whether you watch (orecord) but whether the set is "installed" or "used" to receive.

And, of course, a common trick of licence dodgers (by which I mean those that should have had a licence and didn't) was to use a portable aerial, or even a loft aerial, and to disconnect the connecting lead when not using it. So, simply not having an aerial attached leaves you in a grey area. Far better is to not have an aerial, and to thoroughly detune the set from ALL channels.

So no, you don't need a licence (yet) to watch non-live broadcasts, but you're still in a grey area.

Oh, and for purists, the definition of "live" has leeway too .... the Act actually refers to

In this regulation, any reference to receiving a television programme service includes a reference to receiving by any means any programme included in that service, where that programme is received at the same time (or virtually the same time) as it is received by members of the public by virtue of its being broadcast or distributed as part of that service.

So if you think that a 5ms lag for transmission via the net would cover you as 'non-live', think again. But what about a 5 minute lag? Is that "virtually the same time" or not? Only a court can answer that one.

[Will404]

How about ITV/CH4 (and others) as I thought that licence was only for BBC. If you had a TV with ITV/CH4, but without BBC would it not be OK to go with no license?? (same applies for live broadcasts on CH4 over the net)

[Webby]

No while the licence fee goes to fund the BBC it is not a licence to watch only those channels, if you are receiving a signal for any channel then you need to pay the licence fee.

[Pleiades]

Thanks for your input guys. I haven't actually got *anything* in apartment at moment tho will be moving main PC system there shortly. Will have wireless (vodafone) broadband and current monitor has no tuner. Flat is in newly refurbished block, has aerial & Sky outlets, neither of which I intend to use.

I have already foned & told TVL my situation and they said they'll send someone round to confirm. Most of the mail I found in my new letterbox was from TV Licensing threatening court action etc (place has been empty for nearly a year & I am 1st tenant)!

So I will go ahead & get large screen TV in New Year (if not bankrupt by then) for games, cheers!

[Webby]

When you get the TV is when things will get a bit tricky as you will need to prove that you are not receiving a signal and as Saracen said if the signal is strong enough you don't need an aerial to receive enough of an image to mean you need the licence. Not sure what I would suggest in that circumstance apart from making sure all the channels are completely detuned. Then again is the £130 really that much to spend so that you can watch telly on your nice new telly after all watching iPlayer is going to rack up your bandwidth usage on your mobile broadband no end.

[Pleiades]

TBH I don't watch iPlayer @ the mo' & can't 4see a time when I would. I'm opposed to the TVL on principle anyhow so would fight them in the courts if they were arsey about things...

[Pob255]

Also be perpaired to get a visit every year or twice a year, they'll keep checking on you to see if you're not using the tv to receive.

They do the same thing if you only have a black&white lisence as well.

Personally I don't mind paying the lisence as long as the bbc keep up the quality with radio 4 and 7 and the other radio stations (excludeing radio 1 & 2 )

[Pleiades]

I don't mind the Gestapo turning up once in a while LOL! ;-) When I was in a flat a few years back a bloke (and his small child!) buzzed the intercom saying he was from the Post Office - I let him in & then he said he was TVL so I let him see my PC and he was satisfied that I wasn't doing anything wrong, but I had to laugh at his attempt at deception (& what was with the kid - maybe ppl less antsy with child around?)...

[shaithis]

You could get one of the Panasonic commercial panels...they are seriously nice screens and don't have a TV tuner, therefore there is no way you could 'inadvertently' pick up a signal.