A question about tv licencing

[fitinferno]

So, I took advantage of the eyetv & hd offer that Apple UK is promoting. I think it's a really great deal :) Especially since I wouldn't mind the new hd because my old one is very unreliable.

But, alas, it makes me wonder about the licencing. I'm really cheap and on a student budget...ie the eyetv already cost a lot, so I'm not looking forward to the licencing fees. So...my question is, if I watch my eyetv in black & white setting only, can I pay for a black & white TV licence or are they going to force me to pay for the colour?

Cuz I only use the telly to really listen to it as my flat is pretty empty at times...I'm not too bothered about watching in colour since I prefer news and what-not...

I know...odd question...but I'm curious...

[WinterMute]

So, I took advantage of the eyetv & hd offer that Apple UK is promoting. I think it's a really great deal :) Especially since I wouldn't mind the new hd because my old one is very unreliable.

But, alas, it makes me wonder about the licencing. I'm really cheap and on a student budget...ie the eyetv already cost a lot, so I'm not looking forward to the licencing fees. So...my question is, if I watch my eyetv in black & white setting only, can I pay for a black & white TV licence or are they going to force me to pay for the colour?

Cuz I only use the telly to really listen to it as my flat is pretty empty at times...I'm not too bothered about watching in colour since I prefer news and what-not...

I know...odd question...but I'm curious...

Sadly not I'm afraid.

The fact that the system does colour means you have to pay for colour.

Are you living in Halls of Residence? They usually have a blanket license. If your in a shared house, you may only need 1 license if you're all on a shared tenancy agreement, if you're on individual agreements, you'll need separate licenses.

[fitinferno]

Sadly not I'm afraid.

The fact that the system does colour means you have to pay for colour.

Are you living in Halls of Residence? They usually have a blanket license. If your in a shared house, you may only need 1 license if you're all on a shared tenancy agreement, if you're on individual agreements, you'll need separate licenses.

I was afraid of that...silly rigid tv licence scheme! Because it is a colour capable unit means that they must assume I would just want to be cheating them out of money :( That's one thing I don't like about the tv licence system...but for 10 quid a month, I feel better being able to record the telly shows myself and have a copy of them instead of possibly getting caught illegally downloading tv shows if I want them--because if we get caught our internet gets taken away! :eek:

I do live in a halls of residence...but our school has warned us (as has the TV licencing ppl) that we still need separate licences if we have our own personal tv...

I've heard that many people evade the fee in the halls so I've been told they'd probably not detect me, but I don't really feel like risking it for a measly 10 quid a month...I mean, skip 3 or 4 pints of lager in a month while I'm out w/friends and drink water instead and there! TV licence paid for and less of a beer belly :)

[e²Studios]

I dont mean to hijack the thread, but can someone explain why you need a license to view standard broadcast TV, and how they would catch you since the feed is only one way?

I know over here in California the only fees i pay associated to my TV is for Digital Cable & TiVo, around maybe $77 a month for cable and 12.99 a month for TiVo. If i wanted i could use rabbit ears or whatever form of antenna and grab local TV channels for free.

Is this like a cable fee or something and im not understanding the terminology?

Ed

[fitinferno]

I dont mean to hijack the thread, but can someone explain why you need a license to view standard broadcast TV, and how they would catch you since the feed is only one way?

I know over here in California the only fees i pay associated to my TV is for Digital Cable & TiVo, around maybe $77 a month for cable and 12.99 a month for TiVo. If i wanted i could use rabbit ears or whatever form of antenna and grab local TV channels for free.

Is this like a cable fee or something and im not understanding the terminology?

Ed

Nah, this is definitely broadcasting in general that you need a licence for. They can catch you by the local oscillator in your telly (it is included in most things that receive tv, so it is hard to avoid giving off a signal). This means that the TV licencing enforcers have equipment that can detect the oscillation and, so they claim, they can even figure out what channel you're illegally watching if you don't have a licence.

However, the eyetv box is really worthwhile even if you have to pay for a licence because of the fact it receives freeview here in the UK (which is free digital television). I.e. you get tonnes of channels (I've got like at least 30) for only 10 pounds a month (at the current exchange rate, that's about $18.20 a month). Compared to American broadcast, which generally has things such as CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, FOX and UPN as your only channels, you can see why this is such a value :)

[WinterMute]

The BBC doesn't have any direct advertising revenue, so programmes don't get interrupted every 10 mins for the ads, which is fine for Sport and films let me tell you. :D

The Beeb gets its funds form the license fee which is a government backed scheme and is compulsory.

To be honest, UK TV is still the best in the world if you're poor, £10/week and a freeview box gets some excellent viewing.

I'm on NTL, another £30 odd and I get 120 channels of crap.... :rolleyes:

[MacRy]

The BBC doesn't have any direct advertising revenue, so programmes don't get interrupted every 10 mins for the ads, which is fine for Sport and films let me tell you. :D

The Beeb gets its funds form the license fee which is a government backed scheme and is compulsory.

To be honest, UK TV is still the best in the world if you're poor, £10/week and a freeview box gets some excellent viewing.

I'm on NTL, another £30 odd and I get 120 channels of crap.... :rolleyes:


Doesn't it just bite the big one though to have to pay thirty quid a month for cable and then STILL have to pay for your licence fee! Personally I very rarely watch the BBC channels but I still have to pay for the buggers!

[WinterMute]

Doesn't it just bite the big one though to have to pay thirty quid a month for cable and then STILL have to pay for your licence fee! Personally I very rarely watch the BBC channels but I still have to pay for the buggers!

Yes, to an extent, but NTL deliver all the BBC stuff too, plus all the radio, and I figure I'm paying extra for all the other channels and the Beeb stuff is free.

It's still the best TV in the world.

[Applespider]

First off... what deal for eyetv and hd?

second, I don't watch a lot of TV but I'd pay £9 a month for the BBC news website alone.

[fitinferno]

First off... what deal for eyetv and hd?

second, I don't watch a lot of TV but I'd pay £9 a month for the BBC news website alone.

Apple's got a promotion going on where you can get a 160gb hd for pretty cheap if you buy the eyetv :)

There was a bit of talk about it here: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=130443

And I second your thoughts about the bbc website...it's got everything!

[MacRy]

second, I don't watch a lot of TV but I'd pay £9 a month for the BBC news website alone.

Now that is a damn good point! Great site.