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Actually, it's never been tied to how you use it. Any household containing a device *capable* of receiving TV - including PCs with a TV tuner card - is subject to the license.

not quite true. if you use a TV tuner card to watch tv, then yes, you need a licence, but the Licence is, or certainly was at the start of last year, only for the use of a TV to watch broadcasts. not purely for the ownership of a device which can watch TV. The TV licencing company don't like to admit it, but here is a quote from their webpage:

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/information/index.jsp

"Do I need a licence?
If you use a TV or any other device to receive or record TV programmes (for example, a VCR, set-top box, DVD recorder or PC with a broadcast card) - you need a TV Licence. You are required by law to have one."

look at what they are not saying. they do not say that if you have a device that can record TV then you need a licence. they only say that if you *use* a TV or other device to receive TV then you need a licence.

My best friend used a TV purely for dvd's, xbox and playstation for years and after informing the TV licencing company they left him alone (for about a year, and then hassled him again) and didn't require him to buy a licence.

also note that you do not need to disable the TV tuner in a device either. simple not having it plugged into an aerial is technically enough. I think that detuning channels would be a wise move too :)

this guy managed to get an admittance of the facts from the TV licencing people

http://www.jifvik.org/tv/tvl1.jpg
dave

But I do personally object to the license fee. As things stand I currently own a TV which I use for watching DVDs almost exclusively.

Despite this I have to pay the mandatory BBC-tax every year, just because I own a television.

Take a look at this site. It has letters from TV Licensing explaining that you don't need a licence if you only watch pre-recorded material.

Sure I'm listening to their radio station, and watching their website - but so are thousands of other people in foreign countries (with things like the BBC World Service) who don't have to pay this tax.

The BBC World Service is not paid for by the licence fee. It is paid for by the Foreign & Commonwealth office out of general taxation.

(relevent broadcasting act ammendment, 2004)

Meaning of "television receiver"
9. - (1) In Part 4 of the Act (licensing of TV reception), "television receiver" means any apparatus installed or used for the purpose of receiving (whether by means of wireless telegraphy or otherwise) any television programme service, whether or not it is installed or used for any other purpose.

(2) In this regulation, any reference to receiving a television programme service includes a reference to receiving by any means any programme included in that service, where that programme is received at the same time (or virtually the same time) as it is received by members of the public by virtue of its being broadcast or distributed as part of that service.


Of course, also, Straight from the horses mouth too.

Actually, it's probably worth pointing out that the TV licence is exactly that: a TV licence. You don't need to buy one to be entitled to listen to the BBC radio stations; they're just an extra-cool addition made available completely free to the general public. Incidentally, you also don't have to pay for a TV licence if you only use it to watch DVDs, videos, and satellite (though now that the BBC channels are on sat that'd be a tricky one to argue); all you have to do is detune the TV - yes, really! - though you'd be well-advised to either remove the TV tuner part completely, or at least crush the female connector with a pair of pliers. See this FAQ for more info:
http://www.jifvik.org/tv/

> A further example would be if you owned a TV Tuner
> card for your computer, irreguardless of whether
> it was physically in the computer or not you would
> be required to own a TV License.

No, this isn't true. See this site for details. It says: "It is ONLY the use FOR RECEIVING BROADCASTS that requires a licence."

If it is not connected to an aerial there is no issue. If it isn't even installed then doubly so.

Either he or the people in the TV licensing Authority he talked to are lying. You do not need a TV license just because you have a tuner. This site describes it in detail, including a letter from the TVLA saying explicitly that you only need to detune your television and make sure it isn't connected to an aerial.

Either he or the people in the TV licensing Authority he talked to are lying. You do not need a TV license just because you have a tuner. This site describes it in detail, including a letter from the TVLA saying explicitly that you only need to detune your television and make sure it isn't connected to an aerial.

I don't know where you got that from, but here it is straight from the horses mouth.

This letter from TVLA confirms exactly what I have already said.

As does this, this and this

I don't know where you got that from, but here it is straight from the horses mouth.

This letter from TVLA confirms exactly what I have already said.

As does this, this and this

No, it's not. From http://www.jifvik.org/tv/ -

I had this reply stating that I did not need a licence as long as the equipment was not used for receiving broadcasts. I wrote back asking them to confirm how I could prove that I was in the clear if a Licensing Inspector were to call. They sent me this reply stating that de-tuning the equipment is sufficient.