Screen for watching YouTube/Amazon Prime/Netflix etc without a tv licence?

I'm cancelling all my tv channels and going to replace them with Netflix/Amazon Prime etc. The sound of this Sony tv isn't the best either so I'm wondering what good quality screen & sound format could I purchase in the current sales for my sitting room that would allow me to chromecast, stream or whatever from my laptop to the screen without needing to purchase a tv licence ever again? Thanks.

Laviski

If you have TV you must pay TV licence, it's that's simple.
However if you Get rid of your TV and use computers with monitors you will no longer need to have TV licence.

But the law will be changing soon to replace TV licence with broadcasting charge. It's going to get the same backlash as the household and water tax which is why it didn't come in yet.

Johnboy1951

without needing to purchase a tv licence ever again

No one can predict what requirements might be introduced in the future.

Present situation ..... if you have a TV in your house then you require a TV Licence. It does not matter whether you use the TV or not.
Possession of a TV (or a combination of devices that can function as a TV) requires a licence.

Lads, neither of those answers are useful. I clearly know you need a licence if you have a tv "so I'm wondering what good quality screen & sound format could I purchase in the current sales for my sitting room that would allow me to chromecast, stream or whatever from my laptop to the screen without needing to purchase a tv licence"


Any suggestions?

flazio

Quick online search shows me the biggest monitor available that does not look like a television is 27 inches. Everything else has slots available, like HDMI which will constitute a television if a fine is contested in court.
Have you got a white wall you could use an overhead projector with?

RossieMan

flazio wrote:

Quick online search shows me the biggest monitor available that does not look like a television is 27 inches. Everything else has slots available, like HDMI which will constitute a television if a fine is contested in court. Have you got a white wall you could use an overhead projector with?

Having hdmi does not make it a TV. It's the satellite and aerial connections that can receive a signal which constitutes a TV and not a screen.

flazio

flazio wrote: »

Quick online search shows me the biggest monitor available that does not look like a television is 27 inches. Everything else has slots available, like HDMI which will constitute a television if a fine is contested in court.
Have you got a white wall you could use an overhead projector with?

That definition of a tv is very surprising. I would need, insofar as I'm aware, a HDMI slot to link up the dvd, which is surely nothing to do with using a tv service and everything to do with using my own existing dvds/property? Also would I need a HDMI slot for any aspect of connecting the Virgin Media wireless broadband to the screen? Also, what is your search that got you that product? "Screen for streaming netflix"?

Lu Tze

What size monitor are you looking for? They can go up there 55inch or possibly more now. If you are mainly watched Ng films it may be worth look at the ultrawide displays, which are very close to cinema wide-screen ratio.

Have a look at this for your options

https://skinflint.co.uk/?cat=monlcd19wide

You can filter out by size, resolution etc to narrow down your options

RossieMan

RossieMan wrote: »

Having hdmi does not make it a TV. It's the satellite and aerial connections that can receive a signal which constitutes a TV and not a screen.

That would be more like what I was expecting. However, I'm still unsure what to search for as searching for a "TV" is out. Do screens for streaming Prime/Netflix/YouTube etc have a specific category name?

dubrov

The main thing is that the TV does not have any inbuilt tuners.

It is a bit of a false economy though as the options in this category are very limited and you will pay a premium.
I can't see the broadcasting charge being brought in anytime soon but the extension of the licence requirement to streaming devices will be soon (it already does in the UK).

Johnboy1951

Companies who need large monitors for CAD and other such purposes, often use what are branded as TVs but have been supplied without tuners, effectively making those devices monitors.

I saw one recently - a Sharp 37" Aquos.

I guess one would have to go to a lot of trouble (and cost) to replace a TV with a monitor of equally large size.
In addition a separate sound system would likely be needed.

Maybe for a one off apartment TV it might be worthwhile, if the broadband is good.

I clearly know you need a licence if you have a tv "so I'm wondering what good quality screen & sound format could I purchase in the current sales for my sitting room that would allow me to chromecast, stream or whatever from my laptop to the screen without needing to purchase a tv licence"

What size screen?
What resolution?

Search for monitors of the size screen you want.

dhaughton99

I recently got a display from a bookies which was closing down. A 49in Panasonic, which was really a tv without the tuner.

donspeekinglesh

In the last office I worked in we had displays of 90 inches for presentations and video conferencing. And while the ones that size were pricy, the 55 inch ones were only a few hundred I think. Sharp do a range of large displays without tuners.

meep

A quick google for ‘large screen monitors’ reveals this cheap and cheerful option;

https://www.laptopsdirect.ie/hannspree-40-hl-full-hd-hdmi-monitor-hl407upb/version.asp?refsource=LDIEadwords&refsource=ldieadwords&mkwid=s92yIlPk6_dt&pcrid=294279994276&product=HL407UPB&pgrid=58459326629&ptaid=pla-414085115479&gclid=Cj0KCQiA05zhBRCMARIsACKDWjf4pplNPu0h0d8vM2ksUWbKYtlqPt9HCGeKzARu4lOAyiLXvHmW_sEaAo7fEALw_wcB

It’s only HD though, so no 4K for you. Going cheap as chips also means you’ll likely miss out on emerging tech such as HDR. You’d also need to check if it supports hdcp to ensure all your devices will communicate with it corretly.

I think this only has a single hdmi input, so if you wanted to connect both a stick and an optical device, you’ll be swapping cables. You get around this by employing some kind of audio device that includes hdmi switching. An a/v receiver would be ideal, or a decent sound bar if you don’t particularly mind about the comparative quality of sound.

You should be able to get set up with a slightly more cumbersome version of your tv, with fewer features, likely poorer quality and limited future proofing for around 2x years tv license, certainly 3x. Great savings to be had, for sure.