It's not all good news!

[Ernie_Wise]

No TV licence needed for web TV - only if you have in your property a TV which is capable of receiving broadcasts "off-air" (from an aerial, dish or cable TV service). The TV is licenced, not the watching of it.

I thought that any equipment capable of receiving broadcasts required a TV licence (except radios) so that includes computers with receiving equipment installed. Well, that's what it say's on the letter we got recently from the TV licensing people demanding that we get a licence and if we don't they will send the heavies around. I don't own a TV but it's fun to play along 4 months and they still haven't paid us a visit .

[rocky]

yeah, but having a tv card in your computer with an aerial attatched is different to downloading content from the web.

first needs a license, second doesn't.

[chrisecurtis]

I can't remember the exact wording (I had to learn it once, sad!) but as far as the law is concerned anything capable of receiving broadcast TV signals is a TV (or "receiving apparatus") - that does include a computer with a TV card, but not one connected to the internet.

[Ernie_Wise]

yeah, but having a tv card in your computer with an aerial attatched is different to downloading content from the web.

first needs a license, second doesn't.

yeah thats the one

[Klebe]

OK. My daughter is at Uni and has a TV set in her room at halls. Portable aerials do not work (halls are in a valley) external aerial sockets are not provided - so no TV programmes. She simply uses the TV for watching DVDs.
Does she still need a licence?

[Mr. Furness]

nope. as long as you can prove you don't watch tv if they come round.

[Rookie]

you need a TV license for owning a piece of equipment capable of receiving TV RF broadcasts - whether you can or can't actually recieve them.

you can have a battery operated tv at uni if your parents have a license at home (laptop + tv card?). for dvds it's best just to be safe and use a computer

[Domhnull Mor]

From the TV licence website:

"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"

Pity my mate ten years ago who had a black and white telly but also a video recorder. Thought he only needed a B&W licence but because the video can record in colour (!) he got fined and had to buy a colour licence. This also applies if you only have a video recorder (i.e. no TV).

The question about having to pay even if you can't receive TV programmes is a sore point in certain areas of the Scottish west coast (and undoubtedly elsewhere) as only satellite TV works (the geography is such that terrestrial TV reception is non-existent). They still have to pay the licence fee though.

[PeterG]

You get the BBC channels on satellite so obviously you have to pay a license fee. Interestingly, I think a laptop with a tv card can be covered by your parent's license so long as you don't watch tv while it is plugged in (that way it counts as a battery operated device). I had a projector with a built in tuner last year that just got used for playing games and watching tv so we unplugged the tuner on the inside and that seemed to satisfy the license people.