Tv Licence Question

Fajitas!

Not sure if this is the right forum for this, had a look at the other TV ones, but they didn't seem to be right for it...Mods, feel free to move

Basically, Myself and my mate have moved into a new apartment in Dublin, both of us are studying Fine Art, and practising artists.

We have a TV & DVD player, pretty much because I use film as a medium, as do many of our friends. We don't have it connected to any cable (We don't even have a connection for them) or digital network, nor do we even have arials - Not even commercial DVDs.

I'm back home for the weekend, but the TV inspector called around this evening to the other guy living with me, and pretty much said we have to have a TV licence.

Asked if we could get rid of the TV, and the guy said that we have one now.

We have 3 days as of today to get a licence... or be fined 600 and something euro... (That's Monday. According to Anpost.ie it can take 10-14 days for it to be sent out.)

Can anyone shed some light or links on this?

As soon as you have a TV do you need a licence? It's not that we're being cheap about it, but I don't see a license nessicary if we're not using any broadcasting services.

There isn't much on Anpost.ie and I can't find much else about it.

Any/All help greatly appreciated.

monkeyfudge

Once you have a device capable of recieving a TV signal in your home then you need a license I'm afraiid.

Lots of info here:
http://oasis.gov.ie/public_utilities/telecommunications/tv_licences.html?search=tv+license

Fajitas!

Cheers

Ugh...not happy!

Fajitas!

Just rang the post office... we now have 6 weeks to get a license. Suprisingly understanding.

Wishbone Ash

Fajitas! wrote:

Just rang the post office... we now have 6 weeks to get a license. Suprisingly understanding.

Probably because it will be backdated to when the inspector called .;)


PS:

2.—(1) Section 2 of the Act of 1926 is hereby amended by—

( a ) the substitution for the definition of "apparatus for wireless telegraphy" therein contained of the following:
"'apparatus for wireless telegraphy' means apparatus capable of emitting and receiving, or emitting only or receiving only, over paths which are not provided by any material substance constructed or arranged for that purpose, electric, magnetic or electro-magnetic energy, of a frequency not exceeding 3 million megahertz, whether or not such energy serves the conveying (whether they are actually received or not) of communications, sounds, signs, visual images or signals, or the actuation or control of machinery or apparatus, and includes any part of such apparatus, or any article capable of being used as part of such apparatus, and also includes any other apparatus which is associated with, or electrically coupled to, apparatus capable of so emitting such energy"; and
( b ) the substitution for the definition of "wireless telegraphy" (as amended by section 18 of the Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Act, 1976) therein contained of the following:
"'wireless telegraphy' means the emitting and receiving, or emitting only or receiving only, over paths which are not provided by any material substance constructed or arranged for that purpose, of electric, magnetic or electro-magnetic energy of a frequency not exceeding 3 million megahertz, whether or not such energy serves the conveying (whether they are actually received or not) of communications, sounds, signs, visual images or signals, or the actuation or control of machinery or apparatus.".

monkeyfudge

They're trying to bring in new legistlation where just having broadband will be enough for you to require a license.

Fajitas!

Lol, good thing I'm getting BB in the new place so...makes me feel slightly better about it...

Might grab some rabbits ears too...while im at it...

Danno

Does a PC with a Capture Card need one???

Idleater

Danno wrote:

Does a PC with a Capture Card need one???

Wishbone Ash wrote:

2.—(1) Section 2 of the Act of 1926 is hereby amended by—

* snip *
(whether they are actually received or not) of communications, sounds, signs, visual images or signals, or the actuation or control of machinery or apparatus."

L.

antoinolachtnai

monkeyfudge wrote:

They're trying to bring in new legistlation where just having broadband will be enough for you to require a license.

Who is trying to bring in legislation?

MOH

Danno wrote:

Does a PC with a Capture Card need one???

Whether it does or not, it's a bit hard to prove you have one, especially if it's internal. Whereas a TV is fairly obvious.

I'm not sure on the broadband thing. They are changing the law, but I got the impression it was more to wrap up thing like PCs with capture cards and any other equipment that can pick up TV transmissions. Possibly also cover a case where you might have FTTH and TV coming in over broadband . The legislation refers somewhere to something like 'broadcasts intended for public reception', which right now I don't think would cover just having broadband and looking at youtube now and then.

Be a bit rich anyway paying a license fee to RTE just because you have broadband, unless they're broadcasting their content over the interweb.

There was a big discussion about all this a month or so ago, either here or over on the Broadband forum.

monkeyfudge

antoinolachtnai wrote:

Who is trying to bring in legislation?

The department of communications

http://www.dcmnr.gov.ie/Broadcasting/Latest+News/Broadcasting+Bill.htm

It's actually pretty vague and open to interpretation... so it definitely needs to go back to the drawing board.

Sir Random

Hmmm,

What if you could have an NTL digital decoder connected directly to a PC monitor?

The digital decoder is fed from the NTL cable, and is incapable of receiving an analogue television signal, so technically there is no 'apparatus for wireless telegraphy'

"'apparatus for wireless telegraphy' means apparatus capable of emitting and receiving, or emitting only or receiving only, over paths which are NOT provided by any material substance constructed or arranged for that purpose"

Cable IS a path provided by a material substance constructed or arranged for that purpose, so digital decoders are not covered under 'apparatus for wireless telegraphy' and neither are PC monitors.

ciaran76

I wonder will they include mobile phones as I have seen people watching Sky News on them etc etc !!!

gerryo

ciaran76 wrote:

I wonder will they include mobile phones as I have seen people watching Sky News on them etc etc !!!

Not all mobiles can watch streamed media, this would be hard to legislate for.

OTK

Fajitas! wrote:

I'm back home for the weekend, but the TV inspector called around this evening to the other guy living with me, and pretty much said we have to have a TV licence.

You are not liable for the TV licence, but your mate is now liable for doing one of the all time dumbest things in his life. When I had flatmates I used to do roleplay with them (particularly the foreigners) to avoid this situation. They often start by saying "Hi I'm from An Post", which confuses people.

You gotta love those ads to encourage you to pay. Of course the real shame is felt by anyone thick enough to pay the Pat Kenny BMW levy.

Cabaal

gerryo wrote:

Not all mobiles can watch streamed media, this would be hard to legislate for.

All 3G mobiles can though, just look at what happened in Germany

some joke!

gerryo

Cabaal wrote:

All 3G mobiles can though, just look at what happened in Germany

some joke!

Did a quick google on it - your not kiddin, that's insane!!

And they want to levy a licence per device!!
That is a technology tax by stealth.