TV Licence Question No. 485

zilog_jones

I've tried searching the many questions about licences but didn't find anything regarding this particular issue:
I have some friends in a house with 2 TV sets, however they do not use them for receiving any sort of broadcasts (i.e. they only use them for games and DVDs). There is no aerial in the house, internal or external.

Do they still have to pay a license in this situation?

I know this can be contested in the UK but I dunno what exactly they consider suitable apparatus for receiving TV broadcasts over here. They have recently got a warning from An Post about this. At the time the inspector allegedly visited (didn't enter the house) there was no TV set at all in the house, however there is a PC in one of the front rooms and co-ax remenants of a previous Chorus MMDS installation.

aidan_walsh

It doesn't actually matter if they have an aerial or not, as long as they own a television, they need a television license. The TV itself, after all, is "suitable apparatus for recieving TV broadcasts".

zilog_jones

That's what I thought. Oh well...

Ulsterman 1690

Under UK law they could claim an exemption but the law in the Republc is different

Although the presence of the PC is irrelevet unless it contains a tuner card

The coaxial cable is also irrelevent since coaxial cable has other uses (FM radio for example).

If one was prepared to go to the length of removing the tuner fron the TV one might be able to get away with it although its not recommended to go poking around inside a TV set unless one really knows what one is at since they contain some rather high voltages and can retain these voltages for anythiing up to 24 hours after being unplugged

watty

Or longer in dry weather on some designs. The glass capacitor charged to 25kV.

It's quite easy to remove the tuner IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCED.

If it's got a tuner, and is operational it needs a licence. If it's locked in a store with the plug cut off, they'll accept that you aren't using it for TV.

You can buy PAL/SCART monitors. Not very common now outside of security TV or hyper expensive broadcast galleries.

zilog_jones

Well one of the TVs has nothing else besides a tuner, it's just not used at all. The other TV is mine, which I'm lending them - and the tuner is used for playing a Mega Drive (could never be arsed looking on ebay or somewhere for an RGB SCART cable ).

Surely modern computer-controlled TV sets would throw some error or stop working completely if the tuner is missing?

You can buy PAL/SCART monitors. Not very common now outside of security TV or hyper expensive broadcast galleries.

I have a Sony PVM 1442QM 14" monitor that was being thrown out from UL. 2x BNC composite inputs, BNC RGB inputs, TTL RGB input, some crazy "VTR" input and s-video - no tuner of course! I'd like to see what a typical licence inspector would think of that if it was the only TV in the house

watty

No.. I think they arn't that smart.

The PVM 1442QM is a Monitor. No tuner. No Licence.

If you had a VHS with tuner or PC with Tuner, you would need a licence.

Does it have the old EIAJ 8 pin? (two rows of pins, one pair slightly separate).

zilog_jones

watty wrote:

Does it have the old EIAJ 8 pin? (two rows of pins, one pair slightly separate).

Yeah, that weird green thing with the angular pin holes? Any idea what VTRs used these? Don't suppose you or anyone else would know how old the monitor is actually? It's got all digital picture controls (only dial is for V-hold) - picture here. Apparently there's people trying to sell similar ones online for €200+ so it looks like a good find anyway

watty

EIAJ VTRs, B&W reels, Colour reels, single catridge (wind tape back from spool inside VTR to eject), Some old Umatic, early "professional" VHS and Betamax. I used to have a portable reel to reel B&W VTR/camera with EIAJ 8 pin.

It was the Japanese equivalent of SCART. Predates SCART.

EIAJ = Electrical Industry Assoication of Japan.

I can't imagine many Monitors or VCRs had EIAJ after the 1980s.

The EIAJ didn't do RGB, just Composite in & Out. Possibly stereo, I can't remember

There was 6pin, 26 pin, and circular EIAJs too.
Someone still buys them (You can make up a SCART adaptor)
http://compositevideo.co.uk/product-list.asp?nlid=103&catid=103&manid=0

EIAJ is now JEITA

I repaired one of these mad machines about 1978
http://www.labguysworld.com/Panasonic_NV-5110.htm

mukki

hmmm so as long as you dont have a tuner your okay.

then how about a medicenter pc thats not in your house, (in the garden shed, or in the field behind it), connected wirelessy to a few xbox mediacenter extenders connected to tvs with the tuners removed

watty

Then the garden shed or field owner or tenant needs a TV licence.

bk

mukki wrote:

then how about a medicenter pc thats not in your house, (in the garden shed, or in the field behind it), connected wirelessy to a few xbox mediacenter extenders connected to tvs with the tuners removed

So you are going to spend well over €2000 just to avoid paying a €158 TV license :rolleyes:

mukki

bk wrote:

So you are going to spend well over €2000 just to avoid paying a €158 TV license :rolleyes:

rolleyes??? cheer up will ya, i am just trying to find a possibal method of legally watching tv without paying the license for the laugh, no intention of ever attempting it, i live out in the sticks so have never bought a liscense even though i have an aerial and dish outside and 4 tellys inside

watty wrote:

Then the garden shed or field owner or tenant needs a TV licence.

right so the pc would have to be in a liscenced neighbours house with their permission, so that would be difficult but not impossibal (espicially if your related)

L1011

mukki wrote:

rolleyes??? cheer up will ya, i am just trying to find a possibal method of legally watching tv without paying the license for the laugh, no intention of ever attempting it, i live out in the sticks so have never bought a liscense even though i have an aerial and dish outside and 4 tellys inside

Admitting breaking the law in a public forum is never a good idea.

mukki

MYOB wrote:

Admitting breaking the law in a public forum is never a good idea.

i could be lying

Ulsterman 1690

Of course rather than faffing around with media centre PC's theres always a slingbox

So you are going to spend well over €2000 just to avoid paying a €158 TV license

Its the principle of the thing dammit

RangeR

Bad form Mukki. I hope you get done [half joking]

In real terms, You are still watching TV through a tuner, albeit through a wireless streamed connection.

If you get caught, I would assume the very least that will happen [if you refuse to pay license] is that you will have to convince a judge that you are outside the remit of needing a TV License. Very shady ground though.

Cheapskate, almost to the extreme. [with the exception of spending €2000 on a MCE rather than pay 10% of that for a license]

For Shame.

For Shame, I say

mukki

IrishTLR wrote:

Cheapskate, almost to the extreme. [with the exception of spending €2000 on a MCE rather than pay 10% of that for a license]

For Shame.

For Shame, I say

did you notice me saying...

mukki wrote:

rolleyes??? cheer up will ya, i am just trying to find a possibal method of legally watching tv without paying the license for the laugh, no intention of ever attempting it, i live out in the sticks so have never bought a liscense even though i have an aerial and dish outside and 4 tellys inside

Alun

Just be thankful you don't live in Germany, where you now have to have a TV licence if you own a computer, even if it doesn't have a TV tuner, because you can watch TV programs over the internet. And, no, I'm not kidding!

RangeR

mukki wrote:

did you notice me saying...

Yes. Specifically the ....

i live out in the sticks so have never bought a liscense even though i have an aerial and dish outside and 4 tellys inside

watty

mukki wrote:

rolleyes??? cheer up will ya, i am just trying to find a possibal method of legally watching tv without paying the license for the laugh, no intention of ever attempting it, i live out in the sticks so have never bought a liscense even though i have an aerial and dish outside and 4 tellys inside

I'd rush down to the postoffice if I was you.

You are not anonymous. Since you are a parasite and breaking the law, Boards can be demanded to supply your IP at time you posted and then the ISP which customer that was...

Apart from risk of the majority lawabiding citizens who do pay their whack, maybe knowing who you are and reporting you.

Inherently if you watch TV by ANY METHOD, someone has to pay the licence or the law is broken.

Do you tax your car? Have a driving licence, pay car insurance, pay tax on your earnings or PRSI?

The TV licence is a tax on viewing. If you don't like it vote fro a party that wants to abolish it. But if you live in a country you can't cherry pick which laws & taxes you would pay. Or would you pay none of them if not forced ?

Gobán Saor

watty wrote:

Since you are a parasite and breaking the law, Boards can be demanded to supply your IP at time you posted and then the ISP which customer that was...

Can you quote the precise law that says this?

L1011

Gob&#225 wrote: »

Can you quote the precise law that says this?

The quite recent electronic crimes act, or whatever its called. Can't remember tbh.

Watty as the employee of an Irish ISP is far more likely to know, though, as they're the ones who must comply with it.

mukki

watty wrote:

I'd rush down to the postoffice if I was you.

You are not anonymous. Since you are a parasite and breaking the law, Boards can be demanded to supply your IP at time you posted and then the ISP which customer that was...

Apart from risk of the majority lawabiding citizens who do pay their whack, maybe knowing who you are and reporting you.

Inherently if you watch TV by ANY METHOD, someone has to pay the licence or the law is broken.

Do you tax your car? Have a driving licence, pay car insurance, pay tax on your earnings or PRSI?

The TV licence is a tax on viewing. If you don't like it vote fro a party that wants to abolish it. But if you live in a country you can't cherry pick which laws & taxes you would pay. Or would you pay none of them if not forced ?

thats not a problem either, i never use boards from home

IrishTLR wrote:

Yes. Specifically the ....

oh sorry, from your post it looks like your not impressed with my mediacenter make belief liscence workaround.
so your not impressed that i dont pay the telly liscence,
well like i said ... i could be lying:D !

SPDUB

mukki wrote:

thats not a problem either, i never use boards from home

So it's traced to your work or to a friend or to an interent cafe

You really think none of them will give you up because they can be charged with hampering an investigation if they don't.

mukki

:rolleyes:

christ above

if the inspector calls around i'll go and buy one
but after renting in dublin for 3 years without paying the license (or ntl for that matter) i am not going to go into the post office tomorrow and give them money just cause some people (probably just jealous license owners) on the net got upset.

and if he does, seen as you are all so shocked by this.... i won't tell you guys, so you can stay upset


Edit.. removed Encouraging of criminal actions !

watty

They've caught Nigerian Scammers in Irish Internet Cafes before. It's easy.

Encouraging criminal actions as in your last post breaks boards rules and may be itself criminal. I'm not a lawyer. But I know the internet is not anonymous. That I am an expert on.

DVDMAN

Just don’t let the feckers into your house. "It’s the law" that’s funny, the whole idea of the licence fee is a D4 criminal idea, a gay byrne mind probably came up with it. I know loads of people not paying, its great:cool:

tattoo

TV licence. Plenty of people i know have never had one, and swear against getting them. I'm just finished building a house and will DEFINITELY be getting one, however i have a couple of Qs.

1. Do i need a licence for every tv in house or will 1 do for the house

2. What's the law like on hooking up to ntl without their knowledge

3. Is it easy to detect an illegal hook up

I'm asking because someone has offered to hook me up. He says he hasn,t had a licence of legal hook up for many years

watty

1) one licence for whole house. If a rented room has no cooking facilities then it's covered, otherwise resident needs their own.

2) Criminal act. Not civil like DVD copies

3) It depends. Get FTA satellite. It's free and much better picture.

The someone is breaking two laws. There is no such thing as a "licence" to hook up. You either have a sub or not. If you have a sub then normally UPC/NTL or anyone designated by them will hook you up. Or if the house has already a working connection it is theft of service to use it without a subscription.