Author Topic: Home TV services  (Read 1542 times)

Home TV services
« on: 18 April, 2021, 08:28:51 am »
I shall soon be moving to a home with an installed TV with aerial and Sky connections.I shall bring with me a smart Tv and a non smart tv. I have never used any streaming service but my wife would like to use Netflix.There are 2 spare aerial tv sockets in other rooms.I will have plusnet broadband via FTTC line,PC Win 10,Android tablets and mobile phones.
I would appreciate any advice/experience on my best options.I am not very keen on Sky,and coming from Yorkshire tight fisted. If I could get an adequate source of news/current affairs I would ditch the licence for live TV.

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: Home TV services
« Reply #1 on: 18 April, 2021, 09:18:04 am »
Firstly you’ll need a licence if you have a device capable of receiving live tv even if you don’t watch live television.

You should be able to watch Netflix via your smart TV; it will need to be connected to the internet and you’ll need a Netflix subscription. If your TV isn’t smart enough you can watch Netflix via one of your various devices that you can connect to the TV.

Re: Home TV services
« Reply #2 on: 18 April, 2021, 09:57:45 am »
As I understand the BBC licencing website I do not need a licence if I do not watch live TV.
From BBC website:

"No TV? Not watching live TV on any channel or service, or BBC programmes on iPlayer? Empty property? You can let us know here by completing a No Licence Needed declaration.

The law says you need to be covered by a TV Licence to:

watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV, on any channel
watch or stream programmes live on an online TV service (such as ITV Hub, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, Sky Go, etc. )
download or watch any BBC programmes on iPlayer.
This applies to any device you use, including a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, games console, digital box or DVD/VHS recorder."

Re: Home TV services
« Reply #3 on: 18 April, 2021, 10:07:57 am »
Hang on, they're saying you need a TV licence to watch YouTube and Netflix? That can't be right.

ETA: In fact they disagree with themselves in their own FAQ:

Quote
Do I need a TV Licence if I don’t watch the BBC?
Yes – if you watch or record live TV on any channel, or through any provider.
No – if you don’t watch any live TV and you only ever watch on demand or catch up programmes on services other than BBC iPlayer.

Chris S

Re: Home TV services
« Reply #4 on: 18 April, 2021, 10:56:29 am »
We don't have a license as we don't watch live TV, only streaming services.

We've been inspected twice (because the level of harrasment you get if you don't have a license is criminal in itself) and both times, the inspecting bod was totally happy with the fact that the big-ass TV in the living room is only connected to the network, not the aerial or satellite dish.

Of course, that might have changed since they changed the rules so that you have to have a license to watch iPlayer; our TV has an iPlayer app built in, we just don't use it.

Re: Home TV services
« Reply #5 on: 18 April, 2021, 12:06:27 pm »
Hang on, they're saying you need a TV licence to watch YouTube and Netflix? That can't be right.

ETA: In fact they disagree with themselves in their own FAQ:

Quote
Do I need a TV Licence if I don’t watch the BBC?
Yes – if you watch or record live TV on any channel, or thro.ugh any provider.
No – if you don’t watch any live TV and you only ever watch on demand or catch up programmes on services other than BBC iPlayer.

The difference is live vs "catch up".

Firstly you’ll need a licence if you have a device capable of receiving live tv even if you don’t watch live television.

No, otherwise you would need a TV licence just for owning a laptop or smartphone. The  BBC would like that to the case though.

It used to be you needed a licence to own a TV set but that was a long time ago.


Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Home TV services
« Reply #6 on: 18 April, 2021, 12:09:17 pm »
Hang on, they're saying you need a TV licence to watch YouTube and Netflix? That can't be right.

Only if it's something that's shown *live* on *broadcast television*.

You can stream films on Netflix or watch Tom Scott videos.
You can watch a live stream of an exploding volcano.
You can't watch the BBC news channel live stream.
You can't watch the NASA TV live stream.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Home TV services
« Reply #7 on: 18 April, 2021, 12:11:41 pm »
Actually, you can  :P

But you may not...
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Home TV services
« Reply #8 on: 18 April, 2021, 12:21:31 pm »
I shall soon be moving to a home with an installed TV with aerial and Sky connections.I shall bring with me a smart Tv and a non smart tv. I have never used any streaming service but my wife would like to use Netflix.There are 2 spare aerial tv sockets in other rooms.I will have plusnet broadband via FTTC line,PC Win 10,Android tablets and mobile phones.
I would appreciate any advice/experience on my best options.I am not very keen on Sky,and coming from Yorkshire tight fisted. If I could get an adequate source of news/current affairs I would ditch the licence for live TV.

It depends on what you want to watch. Without a TV licence you can only watch and record non-BBC non-live TV, ie non-BBC streaming/video on demand/catchup programmes.

But you can still listen to and record BBC radio live and streaming.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Home TV services
« Reply #9 on: 18 April, 2021, 12:28:13 pm »
This is probably a good time to point out that DVB-S is not the same thing as Sky.  Most of the satellite channels (BBC, ITV, etc) are free-to-air and with a suitable receiver you can watch/listen to them without paying a penny to Rupert Murdoch.  The Sky-branded dish should work fine.

Re: Home TV services
« Reply #10 on: 18 April, 2021, 12:35:19 pm »
You can't watch the NASA TV live stream.

Hang on, why not? Does NASA TV exist as a broadcast station in this country? Does that matter?

So if I've understood correctly you need a license to watch:
- Live streams of any "TV" channel through any means (including time shifted recordings). The definition of TV seems strangely vague.
- Catch up shows on BBC iPlayer.

That's it.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Home TV services
« Reply #11 on: 18 April, 2021, 12:37:50 pm »
You can't watch the NASA TV live stream.

Hang on, why not? Does NASA TV exist as a broadcast station in this country? Does that matter?

No, but it's a broadcast station in USAnia, which counts for TV Licencing purposes.  Yes, it's ridiculous, but so is a TV licence - the whole concept is dangerously close to disappearing in a puff of logic, which wouldn't do the BBC any good.

Quote from: https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/watching-online-and-on-mobile-devices-TOP14
Do I need a TV Licence to watch live TV programmes from outside the UK or Channel Islands?
You need a TV Licence to watch or record live TV programmes on any channel or device, no matter where they are broadcast or distributed from. This includes satellite or online streamed programmes from outside the UK or Channel Islands, such as sporting events and foreign shows.

ian

Re: Home TV services
« Reply #12 on: 19 April, 2021, 09:25:52 am »
We don't have a licence and we don't watch broadcast TV in the UK. There's no way we can actually prove this but then there's no way they can actually prove we don't. Watching a NASA live stream won't keep us up at night worrying.

Chris S

Re: Home TV services
« Reply #13 on: 19 April, 2021, 09:33:26 am »
We don't a licence and we don't watch broadcast TV in the UK. There's no way we can actually prove this but then there's no way they can actually prove we don't. Watching a NASA live stream won't keep us up at night worrying.

Not even if they find aliens?

ian

Re: Home TV services
« Reply #14 on: 19 April, 2021, 10:15:10 am »
Depends how close they are. If they're happy punting along the Martian canals, we should be fine.