T.V. Licensing
Discussion
W124Bob said:
Don't forget you will now need a radio license if you have radios includes cars,It's only live TV which reqiures a license however this covers any device capable of rceiving live broadcasts so I assume thats phones aswell.Be prepared for letters from the authorities.
I need a licence for my pet fish Eric as well, I guess 
? (Ref: Monty Python 
.)CDP said:
AcidReflux said:
I don't believe detector vans exist in the way they claim.
They exist and they work.In CRT sets, this was easily detectable, because of the EHT voltage generator stages (in most sets, it behaved as a mini transmitter on 15.625khz).
Newer CRT sets radiated far less, and LCD / Plasma sets have no radiation at all - so I'm dying to know how a detector van operates now...
TonyRPH said:
AFAIK, detector vans relied on detecting the 15.625khz horizontal timebase signal present in old CRT TV sets.
In CRT sets, this was easily detectable, because of the EHT voltage generator stages (in most sets, it behaved as a mini transmitter on 15.625khz).
Newer CRT sets radiated far less, and LCD / Plasma sets have no radiation at all - so I'm dying to know how a detector van operates now...
As me- my info was that they detected the signal from the IF stages. But as nowadays, the signal is broadcast as a digital one , with several channels on one mux- which one are you watching. They might be able to tell which mux you're watching, but as to channel - I'd doubt it. And as a lot of the BBC channels also have radio channels, can they tell if you're watching TV, OR LISTENING TO RADIO - I'd doubt it. Seems more like smoke & mirrors to me .In CRT sets, this was easily detectable, because of the EHT voltage generator stages (in most sets, it behaved as a mini transmitter on 15.625khz).
Newer CRT sets radiated far less, and LCD / Plasma sets have no radiation at all - so I'm dying to know how a detector van operates now...
hyperblue said:
Has anyone ever seen one of these vans? Or anyone been caught by one? Thought not.
Much easier to trawl through a database and send scary letters to those addresses which don't have a license.
Assuming it's all computerised, 'they' won't even need to trawl through any databases - the system will automatically spit out letters...Much easier to trawl through a database and send scary letters to those addresses which don't have a license.
[quote=Who me ?]
So digital has an unwanted side effect for the BBC (Quality result!)TonyRPH said:
AFAIK, detector vans relied on detecting the 15.625khz horizontal timebase signal present in old CRT TV sets.
In CRT sets, this was easily detectable, because of the EHT voltage generator stages (in most sets, it behaved as a mini transmitter on 15.625khz).
Newer CRT sets radiated far less, and LCD / Plasma sets have no radiation at all - so I'm dying to know how a detector van operates now...
As me- my info was that they detected the signal from the IF stages. But as nowadays, the signal is broadcast as a digital one , with several channels on one mux- which one are you watching. They might be able to tell which mux you're watching, but as to channel - I'd doubt it. And as a lot of the BBC channels also have radio channels, can they tell if you're watching TV, OR LISTENING TO RADIO - I'd doubt it. Seems more like smoke & mirrors to me .In CRT sets, this was easily detectable, because of the EHT voltage generator stages (in most sets, it behaved as a mini transmitter on 15.625khz).
Newer CRT sets radiated far less, and LCD / Plasma sets have no radiation at all - so I'm dying to know how a detector van operates now...
Show me a single court case where a tv detector vans evidence was used to convict someone - ever......
Thought not
Lets make it easier then - show me a single case where a tv detector vans evidence was used to obtain a warrent.
TV detector vans are a huge con and always have been. ( unfortunately i have a tv licence as i watch far too much crap tv - even the porn channels are crap
)
http://www.bitterwallet.com/tv-licensing-detector-...
Some pics of a TV detector van
http://www.tvlicensing.biz/wpblog/?p=6#comments
Thought not
Lets make it easier then - show me a single case where a tv detector vans evidence was used to obtain a warrent.
TV detector vans are a huge con and always have been. ( unfortunately i have a tv licence as i watch far too much crap tv - even the porn channels are crap
)http://www.bitterwallet.com/tv-licensing-detector-...
Some pics of a TV detector van
http://www.tvlicensing.biz/wpblog/?p=6#comments
Edited by Stinkfoot on Friday 13th April 02:21
Pothole said:
This.Don't bother reading the letters unless it amuses you, just read the links at the top right.
Also
http://www.tvlicensing.biz/phpBB3/
and
http://tv-licensing.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/bbc-con...
Mill Wheel said:
I got my first threatening letter AT WORK in 2002, and they have never sent anyone round yet, despite the threats!
The last letter (to work) was in May 2010 (just before the world cup) to remind me that if any staff or customers watched live TV on any device (PC, Laptop or mobile) I had to purchase a license - and if nobody watched live TV on any device, I had to write and tell them!
The BBC would love you to fall for this tosh. There is no obligation whatsoever on anyone who legitimately does not need a licence (e.g. watching non-simultaneous broadcasts on iPlayer) to communicate with the BBC. The letters Crapita send out are junk mail just like any other sales pitch(*) for something you neither want nor need. Treat these missives like invitations to make money from allegedly exiled Nigerian Generals and Finance Ministry officials. Proceed as below. The last letter (to work) was in May 2010 (just before the world cup) to remind me that if any staff or customers watched live TV on any device (PC, Laptop or mobile) I had to purchase a license - and if nobody watched live TV on any device, I had to write and tell them!
Mill Wheel said:
I ignored it and still have not heard anything!
As with PPC invoices never respond and become live bait. If you get a knock on the door carry on with what you are doing and they will get fed up waiting and go away. There are plenty of others on their list whom they can visit for tea and biscuits.(*) Crapita openly admit this
Since then we have moved from licence enforcement to a more proactive, sales focussed approach, including a successful doorstep sales operation which has created 110 new jobs.
http://www.capita.co.uk/about-us/pages/bbctvlicens...
See also
http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/public-sector/...
http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/public-sector/...
That company has a very unhealthy semi-monopolistic business relationship with numerous official bodies besides the BBC - e.g. government agencies/quangos and local authorities, etc.
I don't have a TV. I don't pay for a license.
The TV license people sent me a letter telling me someone would be round. A nice chap came, I let him in. He glanced at the living room and said 'that's fine, you'll not hear from us again'.
'Do you not want to see any other rooms?' I asked.
'No no, just the main room. Sorry to have bothered you.'
And I never heard from them again. I wasn't upset, neither was the nice wee man, in fact, he seemed rather embarrassed.
The TV license people sent me a letter telling me someone would be round. A nice chap came, I let him in. He glanced at the living room and said 'that's fine, you'll not hear from us again'.
'Do you not want to see any other rooms?' I asked.
'No no, just the main room. Sorry to have bothered you.'
And I never heard from them again. I wasn't upset, neither was the nice wee man, in fact, he seemed rather embarrassed.
tank slapper said:
The principle behind TV detecting is sound. All radio receivers contain a local oscillator which is used to demodulate the received signal, and inevitably this leads to some leakage of the local signal, it being inadvertently radiated beyond the TV set either through poor shielding of the case or through the aerial. Depending on the design of the receiver, it may be possible to determine what frequency the receiver is tuned to.
How does that work for my situation, where the TV aerial isn't plugged into anything and the telly gets from the V+ box to the screen via HDMI?Red Devil said:
How long ago was the visit? They normally only leave you in peace for two years tops, then Crapita's computer flags it up to begin the paper blizzard all over again. The assumption being that normal life is impossible without TV.
Exactly what happened to us.First time I got the letters, I responded, told them I didn't need a licence as I didn't watch TV and a man came round and confirmed it.
Great, I thought, that's that.
18 months or so later the letters started all over again. I sent back the same "Don't watch TV" letter I'd used previously and again they sent someone round. I sent him off with a flea in his ear for wasting my time.
Following that we ignored all communication from them, it makes no difference what you do, they keep coming back anyway, so let them waste their time and money, not mine.
daz3210 said:
Seen as you pretty much need an decent outside aerial or sat dish these days to receive TV, is it not enough for them to stand outside and look for the presence of such?
Certainly I know of no one who can receive digital without these things.
You do now...Certainly I know of no one who can receive digital without these things.
We get top quality Freeview HD through a five quid set top* aerial. So, it can be done - we do have line of site to Emley Moor transmitter though.
* it actually won't balance on top of the sleek new telly so, instead, it sits on the shelf below - about 10" off the floor!
daz3210 said:
Seen as you pretty much need an decent outside aerial or sat dish these days to receive TV, is it not enough for them to stand outside and look for the presence of such?
Certainly I know of no one who can receive digital without these things.
My £20 aerial from B&Q is set up in the loft and works totally fine.Certainly I know of no one who can receive digital without these things.
daz3210 said:
Mill Wheel said:
I got my first threatening letter AT WORK in 2002, and they have never sent anyone round yet, despite the threats!
The last letter (to work) was in May 2010 (just before the world cup) to remind me that if any staff or customers watched live TV on any device (PC, Laptop or mobile) I had to purchase a license - and if nobody watched live TV on any device, I had to write and tell them!
I ignored it and still have not heard anything!
I wrote to them from work.The last letter (to work) was in May 2010 (just before the world cup) to remind me that if any staff or customers watched live TV on any device (PC, Laptop or mobile) I had to purchase a license - and if nobody watched live TV on any device, I had to write and tell them!
I ignored it and still have not heard anything!
Got a letter back saying they would come and check we were telling the truth
I'm not sure how many employers hire employees to sit around watching TV these days - but it must be common at the TV Licensing authority, judging by the crap they send out!
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