TV without tuner

[jamesb]

I don't have a TV license, since I don't watch broadcast television. However I'm now considering (since my tax rebate is finally coming through) getting a better television than my little CRT screen.

 

The problem is that I've had enough fuss and bother with the licensing lot in trying to prove that I don't watch tv before, so I'd like to find one which doesn't have a built-in tuner. SCART and RGB inputs are important, but nothing else really matters. I'm also not that interested in HD.

 

Any ideas?

[RabbieBurns]

buy a 22" WS monitor and get a scart vga converter?

[DrPerceptron]

Projector?

 

Quite a lot of W/S monitors have composite inputs, or if you have a HD source, you can go HDMI/DVI

[Guest richard_s]

I don't have a TV license, since I don't watch broadcast television. However I'm now considering (since my tax rebate is finally coming through) getting a better television than my little CRT screen.

 

So I am not alone........

[Midget]

buy a normal TV and just don't plug in an ariel or tune any channels. They have to prove you've been watching live broadcasts not the other way around

[Haptic]

I think you have to prove you dont watch TV , when you purchase any TV they register your details with the agency and if the unit has a tuner you have to prove you dont use it,

[jamesb]

buy a normal TV and just don't plug in an ariel or tune any channels. They have to prove you've been watching live broadcasts not the other way around

 

I know, but I don't feel like receiving letters from them again until I get around to calling in the big guns and making them send me a formal apology. Once is enough for that. I've got it framed.

 

So I am not alone........

 

Nope, about 1 in 20 people don't pay the tv tax according to the last set of statistics I heard.

 

buy a 22" WS monitor and get a scart vga converter?

 

Not a bad idea but I've currently got a 24" screen and was looking to get something bigger. I'm just having trouble finding something without a tuner.

[SYNACK]

You want a moniter rather than a TV, here are some from UK ebay

Sony 40" Flat Panel LCD Pro Display, Black FWD-40LX2FB on eBay (end time 04-Sep-09 10:18:57 BST)

Sony LCD Monitor 40" Flat Panel LCD Pro Display Black F on eBay (end time 28-Aug-09 13:31:42 BST)

Sony 40" LCD Monitor FWD-40LX2FS Silver FWD-40LX2F/S on eBay (end time 28-Aug-09 13:31:53 BST)

 

Not that I recommend Sony or even eBay but it was a convenient place to look. It might be an idea to talk to some of the sponsers that offer the signage stuff as they are likely to be able to get these cheaper and may have a better selection.

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-SM400MXn-Inch-LCD-Display/dp/B001ILHL1Q/ref=sr_1_26?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1249915442&sr=8-26]Samsung SM400MXn 40 Inch LCD Display: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo[/ame]

[Midget]

buy a TV online and get it delivered to a place with a tv licence?

[plexer]

I thought it wasn't a licence for watching tv but to licence the equipment which is capable of receiving the signal. Thus the argument that you dont watch tv is mute.

[Sandman]

Yep.. have to agree with a lot of these posts.

 

If you have not cable to plug the TV into the ariel socket and the TV is not tuned into any channels they cannot do jack!

[localzuk]

I thought it wasn't a licence for watching tv but to licence the equipment which is capable of receiving the signal. Thus the argument that you dont watch tv is mute.

 

You're right, it is a license for equipment capable of viewing broadcasts. But... if you've not got it tuned in, and don't have an aerial plugged in, you don't have equipment capable of viewing them.

 

This was confirmed, after a long argument, by the TVL people to me.

 

Also, the phrase is 'moot'

 

However, I understand the OP's not wanting to go through the hassle of arguing with them - they are not nice people, and getting them to accept what the actual law states is hard work. However, they only disable notices on an account for 9 months, so you'll be getting notices again at some point anyway.

Edited August 10, 2009 by localzuk

[somabc]

buy a 22" WS monitor and get a scart vga converter?

 

I would buy a bigger one, 24-30". It depends on the size of your room really. As for TV Licensing you could spend hours on the phone or writing letters to them or you could just ignore them. Realistically they will only ever send letters but a visit is unlikely and if they do that is the time to show them you have no tuner.

 

TV Licensing enforces the BBC's statutory obligation to ensure that every address where a television licence is required is correctly licensed, but its agents have no special rights and, like any other member of the public, rely on an implied right of access to reach the front door. The occupants of a visited property may deny an agent entry to the premises without cause and are under no obligation to answer any questions or enter into any conversation. If an agent has evidence that television is being watched or recorded illegally but is denied entry by the occupants so that (s)he cannot verify the suspicion without trespassing, then TV Licensing may apply to a magistrate for a search warrant, but the use of such warrants is rare.

 

So you can ignore their letters and if they come to the door you can tell them to go away. The onus is on TVL to prove you are breaking the law to the court which they will never be able to do as you are not.

[Martin]

Although slightly wandering off topic, when you have a £132M a year business (2007 figures) to "protect", driving around in a few "TV Detector Vans" and sending "scary" letters seems like chicken feed

 

See RFI20080008 - Enforcement and collection costs (PDF)

 

mb

[synaesthesia]

Got a warning letter when I was living alone.

 

"You've recently purchased hardware from Ebuyer.com capable of receiving a TV signal. We note you do not have a TV Licence at your address" with the usual faff about paying up now or else, etc etc.

 

The hardware bought? A graphics card. Geforce Ti4200 if memory serves me, going way back in the day. Capable of receiving TV? Nope. Had a TV output facility and that was it. Spent 4 weeks in written "discussions" with the idiots at TV Licensing basically trying to say it didn't have any such capability, they've been wrongly informed, and if they'd like to try and visit me, I'll insert it in them. After having sent them a printed copy of the specifications, highlighting the TV output only bit. I got a letter back explaining that was the part that requires me to have a licence. Ignored it, and never had anything back.

 

They do often come across as opportunists. In this case though - there are some monitors you can buy with RGB inputs, but not sure which :/ Was very popular on CRTs.

[RabbieBurns]

Im quite surprised at the amount of folk here claiming not to have any broadcast TV in the house. Do you not have a girlfriend/wife that wants to watch Eastenders and such? Do you never watch sport? Or the news?

 

For the sake of 120UKP or whatever it is, a year, its not much at all. Could spend that in the pub on a Friday after work.

[siuko]

If you plan to use a TV but just not plug the aerial in please remember to make sure that ALL channels are de-tuned away from the proper receivable channels.

 

I remember reading that even if you only get a ghostly reception - but can still receive they will say that you can watch TV - so make sure that you manually de-tune the TV first.

[AyatollahPies]

The TV license is nothing more than a Tax. The digital switchover would have been ideal to make broadcasts encrypted, therefore when you bought your new Digi-Box, you accepted that you had to pay to receive the new signal. Everyone that wasn't interested could then keep their old TV and happily watch their film collection.

 

Of course, that would have been too good an idea, and it is now too late.

 

The BBC is a pile of pants these days. The news alone is the most patronising, VI infested pile of rubbish I've come across in a long time.

 

They should continue their nature and wildlife documentaries as these are world class, but we should have the choice as to weather we want to watch them.

 

I'm happy to just watch films on my HD LCD, but I'm not allowed to without paying a tax.

[jamesb]

Im quite surprised at the amount of folk here claiming not to have any broadcast TV in the house. Do you not have a girlfriend/wife that wants to watch Eastenders and such? Do you never watch sport? Or the news?

 

Nope. Nope and nope. I occasionally watch iPlayer, but I've only done that since checking that it doesn't require a license (and its only for Doctor Who and the Sarah Jane Adventures).

 

I do listen to the radio for news and a few shows on BBC 7. No license required for that.

 

If I want to watch something I'll usually buy it on DVD or add it to my Blockbuster list.

 

My screen gets used for watching DVDs and gaming, as well as having a slideshow display when I'm not using it for something else, or streaming one of the music internet channels (I've got one of the original prototype Steamiums, wonderful little thing).

 

None of this requires a tv license and I'm stubborn, so I refuse to pay even a negligible amount for something that I'm not using, and have no intention of using. Its a license, not a tax.

 

I've got better things to do than watching the idiot box, such as fighting the Man.

[somabc]

If you plan to use a TV but just not plug the aerial in please remember to make sure that ALL channels are de-tuned away from the proper receivable channels.

 

I remember reading that even if you only get a ghostly reception - but can still receive they will say that you can watch TV - so make sure that you manually de-tune the TV first.

 

How do you detune a freeview box?

 

The BBC is a pile of pants these days. The news alone is the most patronising, VI infested pile of rubbish I've come across in a long time.

 

The BBC is much better than any other TV network I have seen, certainly better than anything in the USA or Europe.

[localzuk]

How do you detune a freeview box?

 

I doubt you can. However if you have no aerial (not just not plugged in), then freeview is impossible to receive.

[siuko]

I doubt you can de-tune a freeview box too....

 

But if you arent watching any broadcasted TV channels why do you need a freeview box? (Well unless its built into the TV)

[RabbieBurns]

How do you detune a freeview box?

 

 

 

The BBC is much better than any other TV network I have seen, certainly better than anything in the USA or Europe.

 

As a network as a whole, absolutely. 5 or 6 Radio channels, however many TV channels, its pretty damn good. Most of the shows on ABC over here are BBC shows bought in.

 

However the US individual channels put on better individual shows, HBO for example with the wire, true blood, etc

[fiendishlyclever]

We have a TV licence in my partner's name, although I'm listed on the direct debit details (joint account, alphabetical order). Last year I bought a new TV and got the routine letters which were quite threatening in tone because their checks didn't show a licence in my name at this address.

 

I was quite cross, since it seemed quite a quite opportunistic and bullying way to operate. In principle I did nothing - I refused to call them on the 0870 number they kindly provided, since it would have cost me money. Eventually the letters stopped coming and I forgot about it.

 

Whilst I watch mostly BBC, I still object to the licence fee as a tax on tv, especially when you consider how many channels you get from Sky etc for not much more. And don't get me started about the money they waste on high salaries, web sites etc, or how they launch more channels and claim they need more money to keep them going. Share out the licence fee in the interim and abolish it for something fairer.

[mac_shinobi]

Im quite surprised at the amount of folk here claiming not to have any broadcast TV in the house. Do you not have a girlfriend/wife that wants to watch Eastenders and such? Do you never watch sport? Or the news?

 

For the sake of 120UKP or whatever it is, a year, its not much at all. Could spend that in the pub on a Friday after work.

 

If you use a TFT ( not hd tv or anything with a tuner in it ) and in some way shape or form have your computer attached to a large TFT and use bbc iplayer, itv player, etc does that not count ?