Disney + is arriving in the UK earlier than expected - Pricing revealed

You don't need a license to own a TV, you need one to watch live TV. You can own a TV and simply not use it to watch Live broadcasts.

I know plenty of people who use a TV as a Chromecast screen, Netflix (or other streaming services) Screen, or as a simple gaming screen. No license needed. You can even use on-demand TV services (not live) and not need a license, if it isn't BBC content.

The TV license is silly these days, but you don't need it to "own a TV". That's wrong.

WYP said:

You don't need a license to own a TV, you need one to watch live TV. You can own a TV and simply not use it to watch Live broadcasts.

I know plenty of people who use a TV as a Chromecast screen, Netflix (or other streaming services) Screen, or as a simple gaming screen. No license needed. You can even use on-demand TV services (not live) and not need a license, if it isn't BBC content.

The TV license is silly these days, but you don't need it to "own a TV". That's wrong.

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I can only speak from past experience, My next door neighbour had a TV but no aerial yet the TV license mafia hounded him for nearly 2 years.

I still think having to have a license to watch live TV is Orwellian considering it's just for the BBC, Doesn't matter if you don't watch BBC, It's like walking passed a movie theatre and having to pay for a ticket even though you're not going in, Makes no sense, BBC should be privatised so only people with a subscription can access it but then again that would take a lot of money away from the old etonian schoolboy handshakers and I'm pretty sure that's why the government haven't privatised it.

Dicehunter said:

I can only speak from past experience, My next door neighbour had a TV but no aerial yet the TV license mafia hounded him for nearly 2 years.


I still think having to have a license to watch live TV is Orwellian considering it's just for the BBC, Doesn't matter if you don't watch BBC, It's like walking passed a movie theatre and having to pay for a ticket even though you're not going in, Makes no sense, BBC should be privatised so only people with a subscription can access it but then again that would take a lot of money away from the old etonian schoolboy handshakers and I'm pretty sure that's why the government haven't privatised it.

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All you need to do is go online and say that you don't need one for your address. That way they won't bug you for two years. It's annoying that I have to do that, but it's a five minute online form.

WYP said:

All you need to do is go online and say that you don't need one for your address. That way they won't bug you for two years. It's annoying that I have to do that, but it's a five minute online form.

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I don't think that existed when my friend had trouble with them, Hopefully they'll get privatised eventually though.

You need a license to watch live TV? Here in Germany, you pay a monthly fee if you own a TV, radio or anything else that enables some sort of broadcasting LIKE INTERNET, ffs. Thing is, it acts like a government institute, but is actually just a company and you can't do anything against it or you lose everything and go to jail.

WYP said:

You don't need a license to own a TV, you need one to watch live TV. You can own a TV and simply not use it to watch Live broadcasts.

I know plenty of people who use a TV as a Chromecast screen, Netflix (or other streaming services) Screen, or as a simple gaming screen. No license needed. You can even use on-demand TV services (not live) and not need a license, if it isn't BBC content.

The TV license is silly these days, but you don't need it to "own a TV". That's wrong.

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He is partially correct. And there is an argument that if you own a GPU you can be forced to pay for a TV license.

If it is able to broadcast or receive broadcast, a device then requires a license. Doesnt matter if you use it or not. In Norway the moment you buy a TV, they force register you and you get your TV license bill in the mail a week later.

That was the same for me when I lived in the UK. Bought a 32inch Samsung from Comet. Got registered and made to pay my license soon after. I can't see it has changed much in a decade.

The dispute is then proving that you are not receiving broadcasted material.

Warchild said:

He is partially correct. And there is an argument that if you own a GPU you can be forced to pay for a TV license.

If it is able to broadcast or receive broadcast, a device then requires a license. Doesn't matter if you use it or not. In Norway the moment you buy a TV, they force register you and you get your TV license bill in the mail a week later.

That was the same for me when I lived in the UK. Bought a 32inch Samsung from Comet. Got registered and made to pay my license soon after. I can't see it has changed much in a decade.

The dispute is then proving that you are not receiving broadcasted material.

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UK licence has terms that even if you don't have a TV but watch live TV on a mobile phone, PC, Tablet ect, you need to have a TV licence. That doesn't only mean UK TV if you watch only live Russian TV on your PC you should have to a TV licence or you'd be open to legal action

Greenback said:

UK licence has terms that even if you don't have a TV but watch live TV on a mobile phone, PC, Tablet ect, you need to have a TV licence. That doesn't only mean UK TV if you watch only live Russian TV on your PC you should have to a TV licence or you'd be open to legal action

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Exactly. If you are able to receive a broadcast from a device. It means you have to pay. Thats why I used GPU since who would expect to pay a license because their graphics card supports receiving broadcasts

Warchild said:

Exactly. If you are able to receive a broadcast from a device. It means you have to pay. Thats why I used GPU since who would expect to pay a license because their graphics card supports receiving broadcasts

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It's not if the device can receive, it's if you watch broadcasts.

So you can have a TV just for gaming and never need a licence.

What always made me laugh with the BBC was their claim of not enough advertising revenue, when it was just ITV and BBC, then CH4 then CH5 and now look at how many are funded by adverts.

trawetSluaP said:

It's not if the device can receive, it's if you watch broadcasts.

So you can have a TV just for gaming and never need a licence.

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Yes but unfortunately if you get a knock on the door you need to prove that you don't watch TV, or BBC iplayer or any online TV service that is broadcasted. Its one of the few areas that are not in your favour. They could easily demand to go through your pc, and look at historical ips/addresses searching for bbc iplayer, or ITVplayer etc. I say demand in that it has to be done lawfully.

They can (i believe) get permission to have your ISP search for these permitted addresses too. While the rest or visited sites would be considered privacy and confidential. It all falls under the Communications Act 2003 and Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004 (as amended).

Amended being that it was brought into the modern age to include online services.

What people don't realise is that this license is NOT going to the BBC directly. The licence fee is not a payment for BBC services (or any other television service), although licence fee revenue is used to fund the BBC.

Warchild said:

Yes but unfortunately if you get a knock on the door you need to prove that you don't watch TV, or BBC iplayer or any online TV service that is broadcasted. Its one of the few areas that are not in your favour. They could easily demand to go through your pc, and look at historical ips/addresses searching for bbc iplayer, or ITVplayer etc. I say demand in that it has to be done lawfully.

They can (i believe) get permission to have your ISP search for these permitted addresses too. While the rest or visited sites would be considered privacy and confidential. It all falls under the Communications Act 2003 and Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004 (as amended).

Amended being that it was brought into the modern age to include online services.

What people don't realise is that this license is NOT going to the BBC directly. The licence fee is not a payment for BBC services (or any other television service), although licence fee revenue is used to fund the BBC.

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If you get a knock on the door they have no right of entry, you can just say I don't need a licence and that's it, you don't even have to give them a name.
You don't have to prove anything, they have to have grounds to go to court to gain entry, and even then they can only test your TV if you have 1
They'd have no right to go through your PC history that would come under privacy laws, they could go to your ISP but you can go on the ITV on demand services online which you'd watch through their player.

Greenback said:

If you get a knock on the door they have no right of entry, you can just say I don't need a licence and that's it, you don't even have to give them a name.
You don't have to prove anything, they have to have grounds to go to court to gain entry, and even then they can only test your TV if you have 1
They'd have no right to go through your PC history that would come under privacy laws, they could go to your ISP but you can go on the ITV on demand services online which you'd watch through their player.

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Nope.

What happens if I tell you I don't need a TV Licence?
We will send you confirmation of your No Licence Needed declaration.

If you tell us you don’t need a licence, we may confirm this with a visit to your address. This is because when we visit and make contact, we find one in six people that tell us they don't need a TV Licence actually do need one. If you are not licensed, you risk prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000* plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay.

Online is harder to prove but its easy as hell to catch you out. The signal strength in your premises can be overwhelming. Its possible to detect 2 Tv signals from 60m away and even pinpoint that said units are in the same abode but different rooms. We use tech like this all the time to verify signal coverages and eliminate pockets around the country. Or fine tune the signals to penetrate areas quite accurately.

oh man we have massively derailed here

edit* Final word. I will be very very impressed if Boris stands true to his word to abolish the TV licence. I know he has a grudge against BBC but removal of the licence means a huge money saving for households literally struggling to get by.


Getting back on topic.

Disney +. Do they also provide non Disney content? Would be fantastic to see some deserved series revived or saved because Disney stream them when others lost interest.

Warchild said:

Nope.

If you tell us you don’t need a licence, we may confirm this with a visit to your address.

Online is harder to prove but its easy as hell to catch you out. The signal strength in your premises can be overwhelming. Its possible to detect 2 Tv signals from 60m away and even pinpoint that said units are in the same abode but different rooms. We use tech like this all the time to verify signal coverages and eliminate pockets around the country. Or fine tune the signals to penetrate areas quite accurately.

oh man we have massively derailed here

edit* Final word. I will be very very impressed if Boris stands true to his word to abolish the TV licence. I know he has a grudge against BBC but removal of the licence means a huge money saving for households literally struggling to get by.


Getting back on topic.

Disney +. Do they also provide non Disney content? Would be fantastic to see some deserved series revived or saved because Disney stream them when others lost interest.

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They can send a capita bloke around he has no right to come into your house to check with out a court order.

back on topic I wonder what will happen to netflix and the like if other companies start doing their own streaming MGM now have a streaming service I wonder if they may eventually stop providing to independant companies, why have some of the money when you can have it all

Greenback said:

They can send a capita bloke around he has no right to come into your house to check with out a court order.

back on topic I wonder what will happen to netflix and the like if other companies start doing their own streaming MGM now have a streaming service I wonder if they may eventually stop providing to independant companies, why have some of the money when you can have it all

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Netflix I believe has lost quite a substancial sum of subscribers. Or perhaps their rate of increase has drastically declined.

Streaming industry certainly has provided alot of competition. But with all these exclusive rights, im hating that for some personal favourites you can only obtain it from one service.

Warchild said:

Netflix I believe has lost quite a substancial sum of subscribers. Or perhaps their rate of increase has drastically declined.

Streaming industry certainly has provided alot of competition. But with all these exclusive rights, im hating that for some personal favourites you can only obtain it from one service.

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That's how I found MGM streaming while looking for Stargate SG1, so I do wonder if that is the way it will go, you'll need to have the makers streaming service to watch something rather than places like Netflix

I think it's funny how "baby yoda" is mainstream worldwide yet only the US has legit access to it. I'm pretty sure I saw "baby yoda" merchandise in the UK, which is strange to me as no one should know what it is.

Warchild said:

Exactly. If you are able to receive a broadcast from a device. It means you have to pay. Thats why I used GPU since who would expect to pay a license because their graphics card supports receiving broadcasts

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10000% do not need a license in UK regardless of what device you have as long as you don't watch live TV. I spent a lot of time researching this and gathering the correct information from actual sources when I was studying away from home.

SPS said:

10000% do not need a license in UK regardless of what device you have as long as you don't watch live TV. I spent a lot of time researching this and gathering the correct information from actual sources when I was studying away from home.

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^This. As I said before, in the UK, if you don't watch live TV you don't need a TV license.

The only exception to this is BBC iPlayer, which requires a TV license. Other catch-up services don't, as they are add supported.

WYP said:

^This. As I said before, in the UK, if you don't watch live TV you don't need a TV license.

The only exception to this is BBC iPlayer, which requires a TV license. Other catch-up services don't, as they are add supported.

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You don't need a TV licence to own or possess a television set. However, if you use it to watch or record programmes as they are being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, or to download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer, then you need a TV licence in order to do so.

Warchild said:

You don't need a TV licence to own or possess a television set. However, if you use it to watch or record programmes as they are being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, or to download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer, then you need a TV licence in order to do so.

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https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one

Notice that the only mention of catch up services are when referring to BBC iPlayer. Even what you say above says "to download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer, " IE, this only affects BBC iPlayer.