Be Excellent To Each Other

My TV blew up earlier today, so I took it up the tip (AKA Waste Recycling Centre). I discussed it with the missus and, because neither she or I are particularly big TV watchers, we've decided not to get a new one.

Can I cash in the remainder of my TV Licence? Do I even need one anymore? We have several computers (although, I think, none of them have a TV receiver), several large monitors/screens, a projector, at least two DVD/Blu-Ray players and other things of that nature, like a VCR, and I also like to listen to Radio 4 (which drives the missus nuts) regularly.

By not getting a licence, am I likely to be hounded by "the van"?

Assuming no tv card, for a computer you only need a licence to view LIVE stuff on iplayer. You'll be hounded to death regardless, just take pleasure in ignoring letters and telling people on your doorstep to 'fuck off, cunt' in the hope that eventually they manage to get a warrant or summons which will immediately prove your innocence

You can get a rebate on the remaining TV licence period: yes.
Also: You're meant to inform them. But that's about as successful as not informing them. Basically: Just ignore them and they either go away, or turn up at your house then go away.

I have a friend who has never had a TV and has no interest in getting one, he does not have a computer either. He just reads and occasionally listens to the radio.

Despite this being the case for the last 20 years that he has had his own residence they still visit him and hound him. His record was in 1992 when he got 22 visits.

This is despite countless letters and discussions with their staff and showing them round his house on numerous occasions until he tired of this and adopted the go away you cretins approach.

They are incapable of believing that someone can live without TV.

Does having a TV license cover usage of the BBC website too?

Or listening to the radio?

No, just live broadcast TV (inc. iPlayer) within the UK. The website, radio and watching non-live iPlayer are "free".

No, hence the name "television license".

I think we may have discussed this before

Paid for out of your taxes.

I can't remember that discussion, therefore it dain't happen.

If you try and live without a TV you'll be forever asking "what? what?" when people talk about stuff. Basically. Forever.

TV is brilliant.

If all they talk about is TV then talk to different people.
Or download / buy boxed sets of the one or two things that are actually worth watching.

I don't tend to find people talk about telly as much as they used to anyway. Not like in the olden days when there were only three or four channels.

Yeah too many conversations start with

"Did you see X last night?"
"No, what channel is it on?"
"Some shit Sky channel in the high 200s"
"Well, that's why then"

What other things in life are hard when you can't count past 265?

Hence not

Twohundredandsixtychannels and there's nothin' on.. [repeat to fade]

I don't have a TV, but the other people in the house do. I never watch it. If I ever get my own place, chances are I'm not going to have one - or at least not have it connected to anything other than a console.

I only watch things via iPlayer and torrents.

I forget to say that anyone that doesn't have a TV is mad.

I've decided.

Most people without tellys seem to proudly announce the fact as though not having a telly means that they should be thought of as special or clever in some way.

They do indeed. But mine is a case of: I don't actually watch live TV, so why bother paying?

I'm not counting past 265

Has anyone really proudly announced they have a TV? Maybe in the 1030s.

Medieval people were quite proud of their televisions.

I have a TV! [/proud]

I have trousers!

*applauds*

Hooray

The wife is getting the ransom together. Plz be patient thx.

So you watch iplayer so still bbc. Why should you not pay them?

Because I pay taxes, as has already been pointed out.

I have no problem at all with paying the TV Licence or with some of my taxes going to the BBC. Not when they support a cameraman going to live up a mountain in Afghanistan or Pakistan or wherever for a few years just to get about 15 seconds worth of footage of a snow leapord. I use the BBC website nearly every day, I watch Top Gear, QI etc and I listen to some BBC Radio shows. But mainly for amazing documentaries like Planet Earth and Blue Planet, I am a BBC fan.

ok but are the bbc funded by tax. I watch most of my tv from my sky+ box, should i pay the bbc?

Excellent!

Because the terms of the license don't apply to it?

so you like the bbc product but don't want to pay for them. Fair enough.

Liking something that's free doesn't mean you should pay for it.

I watch about one thing that's on BBC TV and which I can't get on DVD.

That's not worth £90 a year to me, especially since they'd only give it to Jeremy Clarkson or someone like that.

I pay plenty for the BBC, and am happy to do so, it's a good thing. Until they switch off FM anyway, I might object then.
And especially as they're not asking for it.

TV doesn't really need any financial encouragement from me though. Neither does the license fee menacing company, who can GTFF.

If the 'iPlayer is funded by taxes' mentioned earlier in the thread is true, then I'm already paying for the thing I'm using and the thing I like. We all are.

I don't use a TV — I don't pay the licence fee. Simple as. I occasionally like ITV programmes on catchup, too, but I'm not about to go and buy the things they advertise just because of that.

The BBC isn't free though, it's publicly funded.

i understand that. The iplayer is payed for by tax, but the program on iplayer was produced by the the fee. Do i understand correctly?

Dunno, does it matter?

Let's say you have no car, but you do have a bike and ride it on the road. Would you still insist on buying a tax disc because you are using that "service"?

where is the car parked? If on the road yes.

Which car? You have no car - imagine it. Stick with me here, I know it's complicated.

You should.

Would you?

Fuck no. Doesn't change the fact that I should.

I don't think you should, because you'd be voluntarily paying for a service which isn't really designed or well suited for you.

Doesn't apply to the iPlayer, then?

If you don't (or can't) watch broadcast TV, you'd be paying for a service that isn't suitable for you, too.