TV Licence Detector Vans....
Discussion
Yes, I used to work with a guy who had been at the Grundig factory in Gosport (now closed) he'd been a design engineer on the team that made the detectors, his description was a handheld device about the size of a shoebox that could detect the "sidelobes" (whatever the hell they are) from a CRT, he said they could even tell which channel you were watching. But mind you this was about 10 years ago when CRT tv's were the norm and he did say that they couldn't detect flatscreens or laptops with a TV card so I guess that now days where every council house in the country has a 50" plasma from Brighthouse unless the detection technology has improved then there's not alot of detecting going on.
I believe there were very few of them that actually had any detection equipment in.
They used to work by detecting the spurious emissions from the line output transformer (lopty to those in the trade), but modern TVs don't have them any more.
There were some hilarious vans about though, with huge lettering on the side, frightening those without licences into getting one.
Nowadays of course, it is a database, and a knock on the door. Usually, with a peek through the window/letterbox first I'm sure?
Edit to add:
Have a look at this
They used to work by detecting the spurious emissions from the line output transformer (lopty to those in the trade), but modern TVs don't have them any more.
There were some hilarious vans about though, with huge lettering on the side, frightening those without licences into getting one.
Nowadays of course, it is a database, and a knock on the door. Usually, with a peek through the window/letterbox first I'm sure?
Edit to add:
Have a look at this
Edited by philthy on Monday 7th December 16:11
You don't even have to let them into your house. I see no point getting a license since there is pretty much nothing they can do about it.
When they send me a big red letter with big bold writing I might suddenly feel like owning a TV and paying TV license.
Until then, meh.
Anyone who replies to this is trolling themselves.
When they send me a big red letter with big bold writing I might suddenly feel like owning a TV and paying TV license.
Until then, meh.
Anyone who replies to this is trolling themselves.
soad said:
Believe that's a standard procedure now, Rach.
Yes it is, last time I was hassled by the TVL for months and months even though I had a licence. I eventually I had to threaten them with legal action to stop sending letters. So they can p
s off if they think I'm volunteering info. (it's been a hard day)
Rach* said:
soad said:
Believe that's a standard procedure now, Rach.
Yes it is, last time I was hassled by the TVL for months and months even though I had a licence. I eventually I had to threaten them with legal action to stop sending letters. So they can p
s off if they think I'm volunteering info. (it's been a hard day)
Edited by mel on Monday 7th December 17:49
I heard that they have to give you two weeks notice of them coming to pay you a visit. To be honest, if you can't hide an aerial well enough in that time, there's something wrong there. Thing is, as a student, they hassle me even more, although I had told them I have no TV. One of the letters they sent to our flat said "...We know 99% of students own a laptop and watch TV on it..."
The source? A survey of 400 students from THE SAME UNIVERSITY!
It also states that students don't need a licence if the thing they're using to watch TV on is powered by its own batteries (if mum and dad have a tv licence at home) which is the stupidest thing they could have written. Surely, the thing to do if they come knocking is to simply unplug the laptop? It is running on its own battery, so it doesn't contravene (sp?) the rules.
I've heard if they find the equipment to receive TV in your home, they can take you to court over it. Therefore, on the same principle, they'd best charge me with rape at the same time. I have the equipment to do that.
The source? A survey of 400 students from THE SAME UNIVERSITY!
It also states that students don't need a licence if the thing they're using to watch TV on is powered by its own batteries (if mum and dad have a tv licence at home) which is the stupidest thing they could have written. Surely, the thing to do if they come knocking is to simply unplug the laptop? It is running on its own battery, so it doesn't contravene (sp?) the rules.
I've heard if they find the equipment to receive TV in your home, they can take you to court over it. Therefore, on the same principle, they'd best charge me with rape at the same time. I have the equipment to do that.
philthy said:
I believe there were very few of them that actually had any detection equipment in.
They used to work by detecting the spurious emissions from the line output transformer (lopty to those in the trade), but modern TVs don't have them any more.
There were some hilarious vans about though, with huge lettering on the side, frightening those without licences into getting one.
Nowadays of course, it is a database, and a knock on the door. Usually, with a peek through the window/letterbox first I'm sure?
Edit to add:
Have a look at this
I'll raise you this......They used to work by detecting the spurious emissions from the line output transformer (lopty to those in the trade), but modern TVs don't have them any more.
There were some hilarious vans about though, with huge lettering on the side, frightening those without licences into getting one.
Nowadays of course, it is a database, and a knock on the door. Usually, with a peek through the window/letterbox first I'm sure?
Edit to add:
Have a look at this
mel said:
Yes, I used to work with a guy who had been at the Grundig factory in Gosport (now closed) he'd been a design engineer on the team that made the detectors, his description was a handheld device about the size of a shoebox that could detect the "sidelobes" (whatever the hell they are) from a CRT, he said they could even tell which channel you were watching. But mind you this was about 10 years ago when CRT tv's were the norm and he did say that they couldn't detect flatscreens or laptops with a TV card so I guess that now days where every council house in the country has a 50" plasma from Brighthouse unless the detection technology has improved then there's not alot of detecting going on.
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