TV licence soon required for PCs, laptops, and tablets?

Billy86 · 28-03-2017 10:21am

batistuta9 wrote: »

The trouble with projectors is they're not very practical for most houses. Really need a room for them, even the tiny ones aren't that neat when you've everything connected up to them, can be a mess of cables going up walls over ceilings, etc.

You're right though you can get a v.good 1080p projector for about the price of a 42'' TV. however i wouldn't bother wasting money on any of the cheap or low resolution ones.

AHA! Many of them do wireless too, via apps and wifi connections.

In truth having taken a quick check that appears to up the price a bit closer to a 60" HD TV if you want 1920x1080 and wireless but again Amazon are great on sales (this one is £600 but currently £480, reckon with some patience you could get similar for £350) - https://www.amazon.co.uk/BenQ-Entertainment-Projector-Brightness-Correction/dp/B015OEK0OC/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1490692735&sr=8-6&keywords=benq+1920x1080+projector

You're probably right on lower resolution, though I just have a shockingly bad eye for quality once the image is clear and colours are vibrant.

Anyway I've strayed completely off subject so sorry about that, just think as they continue to get smaller in size while keeping resolution, lower in price, and tidier (e.g. wireless as standard) that projectors might be in for a bit of a boon not too far from now as more people switch to laptops, tablets etc as their primary source and on top of the TV licence, many won't want a TV taking up half the wall or needing a large table etc while costing so much and being stuck in one fixed location when they could have a tiny box that can be stored away when not in use. Not to say they'll be replacing TVs or anything, I just reckon we might be seeing a good few more in households 10-15 years from now that we do today.

EDIT: Completely off topic but randomly saw this and holy sh*t! http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/2/27/14737824/sony-xperia-touch-projector-android-touchscreen-mwc-2017

Grayson · 28-03-2017 10:25am

Míshásta wrote: »

I don't understand people who say they never view or listen to RTE programmes. How do they keep informed about news, current affairs, sports, investigative documentaries or entertainment/culture events, etc., relevant to this island.

RTE may have its faults but unless you want to live on a diet of Hollywood movies, Aussie soaps and Judge Judy, it's the best source. TV3 does provide some Irish content programmes but it's a very limited service.

I have a subscription to the Irish Times. I have YouTube, netflix and other services. I don't need RTE for anything. The thing is that I have two paid subscriptions means that I'm not stingy either. If RTE were worth it, I'd happily pay for it.

I love Sean nos · 28-03-2017 10:28am

murpho999 wrote: »

It would cost you more than that to get up to the North and back.

It's just one idea, there must be loads of ways to get rid of the TV licence and collect money.

It would eliminate need for collectors, inspectors, administration, court costs etc.

Indeed it would if that was the only reason for the trip. I visit Northern Ireland regularly enough for family and work, so it wouldn't cost me anything. My situation cannot be unique. Anyone living or working in the border counties could do likewise. Amazon's click and collect service is available at border post offices.
In addition, for the more expensive purchases, the difference between UK and Irish VAT becomes more significant.

_Brian · 28-03-2017 10:30am

Deleted User wrote: »

This will only affect those that don't already pay their TV licence.

How ?
Since I started having my own gaff mearly 30 years ago I've never paid a tv licence, it's just a poor service paying mediocre staff huge money, the "public seevice" they provode could be done on a shoestring with one tv station and broadcast the audio of this as radio.
So, I've never so far paid, I have no intention on starting to pay, how will I somehow have to pay when they haven't managed to make me pay on the last 30 years ?

valoren · 28-03-2017 10:33am

RTE is an analog organisation in a digital age.
Viewership has evolved and RTE is in danger of becoming extinct.
There is bigger and better radio, television etc to be consumed over the internet.
As an entity it is going through the fumbling in the greasy till stage with these proposals.

Permabear · 28-03-2017 10:37am

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Billy86 · 28-03-2017 10:44am

Míshásta wrote: »

I don't understand people who say they never view or listen to RTE programmes. How do they keep informed about news, current affairs, sports, investigative documentaries or entertainment/culture events, etc., relevant to this island.

RTE may have its faults but unless you want to live on a diet of Hollywood movies, Aussie soaps and Judge Judy, it's the best source. TV3 does provide some Irish content programmes but it's a very limited service.

RTE are showing both Neighbours and Home and Away (twice!) along with another 8-10 foreign shows tonight alone that they used taxpayer funds to price TV3 and/or TG4 (and/or any other potential upstarts) out of, which otherwise those competitors could have got at a lower price for the most part. RTE should flat out not be doing this, with the rare, rare exception like Father Ted that has a deep seated place in Irish culture (and is probably quite cheap as 20 year old reruns); they also regularly show Hollywood movies. Most sports are available on other networks, and frankly with considerably better coverage. Television being the primary source of so many forms of entertainment and information is fast, fast becoming a thing of the past - for this demographic I would hazard a guess it already is.

Reeling in the Years (admittedly a great show, but by design only a half hour is made per year) aside, RTE's output of documentaries is pretty woeful for the most part - TG4 do much better on a sliver of their budget in this regard.

Most people I know under 40 read their news online (and as best I know, RTE is not a high priority source for many of them to put it mildly) rather than the [X] O'Clock news, so that's not important, likewise for coverage of cultural events. RTE's coverage of 'Irish celebs' entertainment is nothing to brag about, as young filmmakers and those in the arts rarely get a look in, passed over for "a day in the life of..." type crap.

If RTE made the effort to promote and assist young talent that the BBC does, I'd happily pay the TV licence even if I rarely watched it. I wouldn't even mind doing so at a considerably higher rate, so long as my own finances allowed. But RTE don't do that, they instead distort the market horrifically and inflate wages to comical extents.

Cienciano · 28-03-2017 11:04am

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

using the rte player online should require your license number that way their fees are covering their services.

Silane wrote: »

They should just make the whole thing subscription based like sky, let the people who want it pay for it and then you can access the online services too.

You know the answer. Then no one would pay, this isn't about being able to watch RTE, this is simply a tax. Government promise to help get RTE more money, who in RTE is going to even debate this?

Míshásta wrote: »

I don't understand people who say they never view or listen to RTE programmes. How do they keep informed about news, current affairs, sports, investigative documentaries or entertainment/culture events, etc., relevant to this island.

RTE may have its faults but unless you want to live on a diet of Hollywood movies, Aussie soaps and Judge Judy, it's the best source. TV3 does provide some Irish content programmes but it's a very limited service.

I assume you're joking. I haven't watched the news on RTE since I moved out of my parents house 15 years ago. This might be "news" to you, but there's other tv stations, newspapers, magazines, radio stations, podcasts and websites not only provide all what you think are exclusive to RTE, but they're multiple times better and they're either free or optional to pay for. As for Aussie soaps, RTE are showing both Neighbours and Home and Away today.
Lets just see prime time on RTE1 tonight to see what amazing shows RTE have on.

http://www.rte.ie/tv/listings.html
7:30: Eastenders
8:00: Fair City
8:30: Daniel and Majella's B&B Road Trip
9:00: News
9:30

Well, cancel Netflix, that's the nights entertainment sorted :pac:

ancapailldorcha · 28-03-2017 11:25am

It's been years since I watched RTÉ properly. It's a bit difficult living abroad but I'd no idea they were still filling their channels with foreign muck. Sounds like a subsidy for British and American studios to be honest more than a public service. The BBC is such an amazing service it's unreal. Cutting edge content and a wide array of public service broadcasts. Amazing that RTÉ couldn't have learned a few lessons from them but then that'd probably interfere with the handouts.

murpho999 · 28-03-2017 11:35am

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

It's been years since I watched RTÉ properly. It's a bit difficult living abroad but I'd no idea they were still filling their channels with foreign muck. Sounds like a subsidy for British and American studios to be honest more than a public service. The BBC is such an amazing service it's unreal. Cutting edge content and a wide array of public service broadcasts. Amazing that RTÉ couldn't have learned a few lessons from them but then that'd probably interfere with the handouts.

Not defending RTE but comparing BBC to RTE is unfair as they receive a licence fee paid by 60 million people so the budgets are huge.

BBC have their fair share of rubbish along side top notch stuff as well though it must be said.

Grayson · 28-03-2017 11:36am

Cienciano wrote: »

I assume you're joking. I haven't watched the news on RTE since I moved out of my parents house 15 years ago. This might be "news" to you, but there's other tv stations, newspapers, magazines, radio stations, podcasts and websites not only provide all what you think are exclusive to RTE, but they're multiple times better and they're either free or optional to pay for.

After Hours is probably better than RTE news.

murpho999 · 28-03-2017 11:38am

Grayson wrote: »

After Hours is probably better than RTE news.

I still don't believe that so many people don't watch RTE ever.

For Irish news alone it is the best source with actual video reports and interviews.

ancapailldorcha · 28-03-2017 11:38am

murpho999 wrote: »

Not defending RTE but comparing BBC to RTE is unfair as they receive a licence fee paid by 60 million people so the budgets are huge.

BBC have their fair share of rubbish along side top notch stuff as well though it must be said.

Fair enough regarding the source of funding. However, the BBC seem to take their duty a lot more seriously and host a wide range of public service programming. There's no reason why RTÉ can't do the same.

Akrasia · 28-03-2017 11:47am

Karsini wrote: »

I guess this would also include any business with desktop computers but no TV.

And every shop with a touchscreen point of sale till...

And they say you need a tv licence for your caravan if you bring a tv with you on holiday, so will I need a tv licence for my tent if I bring my laptop with me?

Billy86 · 28-03-2017 11:52am

murpho999 wrote: »

Not defending RTE but comparing BBC to RTE is unfair as they receive a licence fee paid by 60 million people so the budgets are huge.

BBC have their fair share of rubbish along side top notch stuff as well though it must be said.

True, but isn't it mostly/all muck that they've made themselves? There's nothing wrong with that in my opinion, just look at the film industry - some stuff always seems like a good idea until it's done and dusted, and the problem can often be something that happened during production (bad editing, changes that needed to be made on the fly, etc). I've tried to watch Ros na Run but just for the life of me can't... that said, TG4 made it themselves and it puts money back into the economy while giving plenty of actors, writers, camera ops, hair & makeup artists, set designers, editors etc employment and exposure, so it's very much a good thing.

And then in turn BBC I would assume get money from outsourcing their hits, like Match of the Day, Attenborough's stuff and Top Gear (if I recall the most watched show in the world before "the incident") which helps again. RTE would good as definitely not be able to match that, but even on a smaller scale it could be beneficial. As awful a show as it is, just look at Mrs. Browns Boys in this regard - aired in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and for some reason... Iceland.

*Random trivia: The Lyrics Board was sold to 15 different countries which each had their own version, from many European countries to even Lebanon and Vietnam! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lyrics_Board

Bob24 · 28-03-2017 12:01pm

murpho999 wrote: »

I still don't believe that so many people don't watch RTE ever.

For Irish news alone it is the best source with actual video reports and interviews.

I'd say more and more people prefer to spread their news consumption time across the day on their phone while in college, in the office, or on public transport rather than dedicating a longer timeslot watching them on TV at home in the evening.

Not necessarily that it gives a better viewpoint of current events, but probably because it is more convenient and a good way to kill time.

Permabear · 28-03-2017 12:46pm

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fxotoole · 28-03-2017 12:54pm

osarusan wrote: »

They should deal with this first:

This will just be another charge that people won't pay.

Yes. They need to enforce it properly. If they get close to 100% enforcement, they could even look at reducing the fee.

JackTaylorFan · 28-03-2017 12:54pm

Personally never understood why RTE are allowed to receive private revenue via advertisements when they also receive funding through the TV tax. The same rule should apply as does the BBC - no commercial adverts. RTE's product is also ****e.

ancapailldorcha · 28-03-2017 12:54pm

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

At least you could argue that Road Trip might help local businesses. I do agree with your point. At the very least, the substandard imports shown during the day should be cut out entirely. I'd rather RTÉ went down during the day to be honest instead of frittering away money like that.

ancapailldorcha · 28-03-2017 12:57pm

JackTaylorFan wrote: »

Personally never understood why RTE are allowed to receive private revenue via advertisement whrn they receive funding through the TV tax. The same rule should apply as does the BBC. RTE's product is also ****e.

The licence fee alone might not be enough for a broadcaster to satisfy a public service remit. Obviously, the lavish handouts aren't helping but even if you could trust RTÉ to be honest, it might not be enough. I think the government should just sell it at this stage. It serves no purpose other than to enrich those on the inside at the taxpayer's expense.

Skatedude · 28-03-2017 1:03pm

Míshásta wrote: »

I don't understand people who say they never view or listen to RTE programmes. How do they keep informed about news, current affairs, sports, investigative documentaries or entertainment/culture events, etc., relevant to this island.

RTE may have its faults but unless you want to live on a diet of Hollywood movies, Aussie soaps and Judge Judy, it's the best source. TV3 does provide some Irish content programmes but it's a very limited service.

why would you even assume that? I get my irish news from the independent website and that's it, dont bother with football or gaa and I have zero interest in irish documentaries.
And rte produced radio is just rubbish, I only ever add nova fm to the car radio, don't have any others even programmed in.
And I'm certainly not unusual in this regard.

I could ask you why you don't follow gaming, skateboarding and tech documentaries, but I wouldn't assume you will have the same tastes as I do.

Cienciano · 28-03-2017 1:18pm

murpho999 wrote: »

I still don't believe that so many people don't watch RTE ever.

For Irish news alone it is the best source with actual video reports and interviews.

Sean Moncrieff said the same thing. He refused to believe when people said they didn't watch the news at 9pm. Just because you do something religiously doesn't mean everyone else does.
I haven't watched news on TV in years. If I want to check the news it's google news (which in fairness, could be rte) or irishtimes.com. RTE is never my first port of call. If any news site has a video of the news I won't watch, I prefer to read it.

Permabear · 28-03-2017 1:19pm

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Skatedude · 28-03-2017 1:33pm

Our house was renovated about 10 years ago, We ripped out the pipe tv cable at that stage as we had no use for it, I haven't even used anything with a tuner since before then anyway. Last time i even saw the late late show was when gay byrne was presenting.

_Brian · 28-03-2017 1:41pm

murpho999 wrote: »

I still don't believe that so many people don't watch RTE ever.

For Irish news alone it is the best source with actual video reports and interviews.

Nope, never, and aparrently I'm in the over 40's bracket that makes me a proper adult. There are far more concise, current and user friendly ways to get news now. The age old model of news being at 6pm and 9pm is ancient. I gather news when it suits me to see it and not at some prescribed time.
If there is some "world news" event on ill tune to Euronews or god forbid Sky News.

Never ever would I think "wow that's happening now I'll stick on an RTE station" they'd be showing Marty Wheelan or Neighbors or some similar drivel.

CodeMonkey · 28-03-2017 1:48pm

Just wondering if the following is true. People with a Virgin/Sky subscriptions and get RTE through their subscription package is already paying RTE. This is because Virgin/Sky pay RTE to carry the channels. If you pay your tv license and watches RTE through Virgin/Sky then you are double paying.

The J Stands for Jay · 28-03-2017 1:51pm

Míshásta wrote: »

I don't understand people who say they never view or listen to RTE programmes. How do they keep informed about news, current affairs, sports, investigative documentaries or entertainment/culture events, etc., relevant to this island.

RTE may have its faults but unless you want to live on a diet of Hollywood movies, Aussie soaps and Judge Judy, it's the best source. TV3 does provide some Irish content programmes but it's a very limited service.

Entertainment events? I can live fine without Lottie Ryan, thanks.

Boards fills me in on all the local news I need. I don't recall ever seeing decent rte documentary
*Awaits angry posts listing decent documentaries*

crossmolinalad · 28-03-2017 2:07pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Then its a property tax, and would be simpler and more efficient to collect as that.

They did in The Netherlands

Billy86 · 28-03-2017 2:14pm

McGaggs wrote: »

Entertainment events? I can live fine without Lottie Ryan, thanks.

Boards fills me in on all the local news I need. I don't recall ever seeing decent rte documentary
*Awaits angry posts listing decent documentaries*

Well Reeling in the Years is top, top class... but that's about it as far as I can recall (and it's one single half hour show a year) so definitely not disagreeing with you!!

circadian · 28-03-2017 2:30pm

Iceland, Estonia, Lithuania and Finland all have public broadcasters that receive funds from government grants and either don't require a TV licence or have recently abolished the requirement.

Iceland and Finland have implemented taxes to fund their services instead of enforcing a licence, in Finlands case it is based on income.

Portugal implemented a Broadcast Contribution tax that costs €33 a year.

These are all countries with similar populations to Ireland funding their state broadcasting in different ways that maybe the government here should be looking at.

I cant speak of the quality of their broadcasts but I'm begrudgingly paying for a service that I don't use and do not value as a result of court order threats. I wouldn't mind paying if it wasn't an extortionate amount and if the content produced was of high quality.

The fact that about 50% of licence fees collected goes to RTE who also then generate ad revenue yet it spends large sums of money either buying shows from other broadcasters it paying insane salaries to staff.

The licence is antiquated and if you break down the cost of implementation and where the funds go it's highly inefficient;
- about 50% to RTE
- TG4 receives support and programming from RTE which RTE then express this as a cost to their licence fee income
- An Post receive money for the collection of cost
- 7% goes to the Broadcasting Authority of Irelands sound and vision fund (which actually funds the production of some great material)

So this is a multi faceted problem. RTE providing sub standard services yet collecting the lions share of the licence fee and the way the licence is actually implemented and distributed.

RTE as subscription only is something I would strongly support.

ancapailldorcha · 28-03-2017 2:42pm

Billy86 wrote: »

Well Reeling in the Years is top, top class... but that's about it as far as I can recall (and it's one single half hour show a year) so definitely not disagreeing with you!!

My family were quite fond of Vets on Call. Not sure if that's still going. They managed to export that as well.

Billy86 · 28-03-2017 2:43pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

My family were quite fond of Vets on Call. Not sure if that's still going. They managed to export that as well.

Haven;t actually seen that one myself, but then again you could probably count the number of times in a year I stop on RTE while channel surfing with your fingers and toes!

Trond · 28-03-2017 2:43pm

Am I right in saying The Zoo and Love Hate would be RTE's two most successful exports to date? (financially that is)

topmanamillion · 28-03-2017 2:44pm

It will be extremely interesting to see the reaction of people when what is essentially a E160 tariff is placed on their mobile electronics.
I really don't think RTE knows what they are messing with here.
I for one cant wait for the sh1t storm they are stumbling into.

Permabear · 28-03-2017 2:45pm

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ancapailldorcha · 28-03-2017 2:47pm

Billy86 wrote: »

Haven;t actually seen that one myself, but then again you could probably count the number of times in a year I stop on RTE while channel surfing with your fingers and toes!

Seen it a few times. Seemed decent. I've tried watching RTÉ when I go home but the schedule is worse than dire.

Billy86 · 28-03-2017 2:52pm

Trond wrote: »

Am I right in saying The Zoo and Love Hate would be RTE's two most successful exports to date? (financially that is)

Pretty sure it's still The Lyrics Board (no, really!) and my guess would be Mrs. Brown's Boys (no... really) after that. Not sure of the specifics of the Love/Hate Netflix deal, though.

Grayson · 28-03-2017 2:54pm

Trond wrote: »

Am I right in saying The Zoo and Love Hate would be RTE's two most successful exports to date? (financially that is)

I heard, on boards, that love/hate wasn't created or produced by RTE.

Billy86 · 28-03-2017 3:03pm

Grayson wrote: »

I heard, on boards, that love/hate wasn't created or produced by RTE.

Octagon is the producer, but RTE is the distributor which is more important on the financial end, as per my understanding. Remember all those Miramax and films that popped up during the 90s? The Weinsteins did so well on that because they tended to get already-produced movies at a really low price, do a little re-editing etc to make it more marketable, and then act as the distribution. New Line were similar (hence the independent boom of the time - movies produced outside of the major studios which were more daring/interesting/adventurous) and distributed in such a way as to still reach global audiences.

And they each made a f*** tonne in doing so!

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?studio=newline.htm
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/chart/?studio=miramax.htm

Permabear · 28-03-2017 3:05pm

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Gavinz · 28-03-2017 3:12pm

murpho999 wrote: »

I still don't believe that so many people don't watch RTE ever.

For Irish news alone it is the best source with actual video reports and interviews.

I can say, hand on heart that I haven't watched it in many years.

hatrickpatrick · 28-03-2017 3:13pm

Míshásta wrote: »

I don't understand people who say they never view or listen to RTE programmes. How do they keep informed about news, current affairs, sports, investigative documentaries or entertainment/culture events, etc., relevant to this island.

RTE may have its faults but unless you want to live on a diet of Hollywood movies, Aussie soaps and Judge Judy, it's the best source. TV3 does provide some Irish content programmes but it's a very limited service.

Irish Times, Independent, Examiner for news and entertainment, Sky / Tg4 / TV3 for sports etc

I agree that it wouldn't be easy but it's perfectly possible to be well informed without RTE.

topmanamillion · 28-03-2017 3:15pm

Billy86 wrote: »

Pretty sure it's still The Lyrics Board (no, really!) and my guess would be Mrs. Brown's Boys (no... really) after that. Not sure of the specifics of the Love/Hate Netflix deal, though.

Mrs Browns boys wasn't created by RTE. Brendan O`Carroll had been toiling away for years releasing them straight to DVD before he convinced the BBC to a take a shot on it.
RTE might have some sort of credit on it but its entirely produced by the BBC in England and is recorded in Scotland.

28-03-2017 3:20pm

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

There should be no need to fund radio. The fact that we have private sector radio is ample evidence that it should be capable of standing on its own feet.

Permabear · 28-03-2017 3:56pm

This post has been deleted.

28-03-2017 4:31pm

Whatever about 2fm, I see no reason for the existence of RTE Junior radio. How many kids listen to the radio?

Billy86 · 28-03-2017 4:36pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Whatever about 2fm, I see no reason for the existence of RTE Junior radio. How many kids listen to the radio?

Forget just kids, how many people under a certain age listen to the radio beyond possibly in the background at work? Podcasts all the way.

*I subscribed to one called The Dollop last week, can't recommend enough - one guy tells a well researched story of somethign that happened in history to another, both are extremely quick witted stand ups (but the depth of research, like in their Enron episode, is excellent). The episode 'Tylenol Man' is one of the most hilarious, ridiculous stories I've heard in a long long time - http://thedollop.net/wp/episode-220-dollop/

The J Stands for Jay · 28-03-2017 5:45pm

Billy86 wrote: »

Well Reeling in the Years is top, top class... but that's about it as far as I can recall (and it's one single half hour show a year) so definitely not disagreeing with you!!

I do enjoy a bit of reeling in the years when I'm in the in-laws'.

The J Stands for Jay · 28-03-2017 5:48pm

Trond wrote: »

Am I right in saying The Zoo and Love Hate would be RTE's two most successful exports to date? (financially that is)

I heard a rumour that rte managed to make a loss on Love Hate. No idea it it's true.

Never heard of the Zoo. What's it about (is it just a visit to Dublin Zoo without Bosco's magic door)?

TV licence soon required for PCs, laptops, and tablets?

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