TV detector vans..myth?

Kungfu

Probably not. Laws have been changed since then. But if Sky passed on anyones account info they would be in breach of the law. And if it is true that the postman keeps some type of list (conspiracy theory?) then some list kept by some postman proves nothing. In any case people are streaming over the internet these days. All you have to do is inform them that you don't have or use a tv set and are streaming instead. If they come back with "But you are connected to Sky or UPC"...well of course you are.That's you internet connection. Anyway they plan on bringing in this new Broadcasting Levy. It will replace the TV Licence and will cover internet, broadband, tv, radio....maybe even if you are receiving radio signals thru your fillings. Basically just another rip off to keep Pat Kenny and Ryan Tubridy in the style to which they have become accustomed.

sassyj

UPC and Sky do pass on details. There is an exclusion in the DPA, the paragraphs below are copied from another thread, can't do it properly phone,

The Data Protection Act doesn't apply where a company or body is required by law to provide your information to a state body. Strictly speaking they don't have to inform you that they're doing it either, as you don't have the option to ask them to not send it.
Same thing with this ISP legislation that's going through - the ISPs will be required by law to pass on details of your surfing to the state if requested, and there's no obligation to tell you or get your permission.

fasttalkerchat

Its a myth. Tell them you don't have a TV, aren't interested in buying one and not to come back.

Crooked Jack

Vego wrote: »

Never bought a tv licence never got any letters to tell me to get one never got a knock on the door from an inspector ....oh I do have a big driveway and big gates

You sound like you could afford the licence

fasttalkerchat

tricky D wrote: »

SKY did no such thing. It's not legal under DPA law.

Afraid they do. UPC also. They told me themselves that they have to pass on the details.

JohnMarston

tdv123 wrote: »

If you murder the TV inspector & hide his corpse really well you wont have to pay it.

They've heard all the excuses

MadYaker

I've never payed my TV license and I never will! An inspector called once, asked me if I had a TV, I said no, he said can I come in, I said no and then he left! You can't see the TV through any of the windows.

THEY'LL NEVER GET MY MONEY

johnmcdnl

Couldn't people just say they use Sky Go and that's why they have a SKY account???

They then stream to their laptop or Xbox or whatever... wouldn't that cover why you have a Sky account??

Just because you have a Sky account doesn't mean you need a television to watch it...

Yakult

If you don't watch it much, might as well get rid of it. I suggest ignoring any of their requests until they call to the door. When he/she does call, open the door and ask them to hold the tv while you close the door. Proceed to slamming the door in their face, open letter box and laugh.

Nothingbetter2d

flanum wrote: »

So i got a letter the other day (i recently bought a house) saying the new owner hasnr registered a tv licence to this address!! now i watch tv feck all anyway and apart from that i dont have an rte aerial, so i cannot recieve any irish stations... is there anyway they can force me to get a laicence? i have thusfar escaped from buying one (im now 41)! i was hoping to never have to get one.. if it comes to it, ill just get rid of the telly!

they don't use vans they use the land registry and esb/bord gas/airtricity, post office and upc to find ppl that moved into a new house

bnt

Historically, at least, the vans really did exist. They could detect leakage of an "intermediate" frequency that was used in TV tuners - it was like a flag saying "TV here". Getting more technical would require me to break out $10 words like "heterodyne", which would probably confuse more than educate. A modern TV, one with only digital cable and HDMI hookups, wouldn't have that problem - but (as pointed out) the govt. has all your details already.

AntiRip

Nothingbetter2d wrote: »

they don't use vans they use the land registry and esb/bord gas/airtricity, post office and upc to find ppl that moved into a new house

Also, I bought a TV in Harvey Normans and after 7 years of peace got a letter in the door. So I think shops may pass on this info also.

Fulton Crown

flanum wrote: »

So i got a letter the other day (i recently bought a house) saying the new owner hasnr registered a tv licence to this address!! now i watch tv feck all anyway and apart from that i dont have an rte aerial, so i cannot recieve any irish stations... is there anyway they can force me to get a laicence? i have thusfar escaped from buying one (im now 41)! i was hoping to never have to get one.. if it comes to it, ill just get rid of the telly!

Pay up you cheap fcuck.....does the world owe you a living?

Caseywhale

Easy answer. Just never answer the door unless someone has called you on your phone to say they are coming first.

If they know you well enough for you to want to answer your door to them, they have your number to let you know to expect them.

More often than not an unexpected rap at the door is someone you dont want to be answering it to anyway. Salesmen, people looking for money, tv inspectors, nosy neighbors.

Capt'n Midnight

bnt wrote: »

Historically, at least, the vans really did exist. They could detect leakage of an "intermediate" frequency that was used in TV tuners - it was like a flag saying "TV here". Getting more technical would require me to break out $10 words like "heterodyne", which would probably confuse more than educate. A modern TV, one with only digital cable and HDMI hookups, wouldn't have that problem - but (as pointed out) the govt. has all your details already.

The Irish van was fake

Van Eck phreaking is real, unless you have impressive shielding on your monitor / TV the technology is there to probably remotely detect what is on your screen, even if you have digital cable and HDMI hookups.

ye olde (and precise, which means detectable) colour burst frequency of 4,433,618.75 Hz will be still be around in older TV's / set top boxes for a while, could this be picked up off the RF output of a decoder or composite Output of a SCART device ??

SouthTippBass

Seeing as I only use my TV for gaming and movies anyway, would it be possible to remove the RF aerial and therefore avoid the fee?

2 stroke

When the analogue signal is turned off, will it still be a requirment to have a licience if one only has analogue telivision, dvd player and xbox?

KoolKid

Isn't this getting replaced by a media charge ? So you will be liable for the charge no matter what.

Discodog

An Post do keep a database of names & addresses - my Postman confessed .

I know someone who lives in a bungalow. He put the Sky Box etc in his loft & used a big computer monitor as a screen that was also linked to his PC . When the inspector called he invited him in & the inspector accepted that he didn't have a TV.

A friend of mine in the UK bought one of those cabinets where the TV disappears at the push of a button & he routed the cables under the floor. The inspector was certain that he had a TV but he couldn't find it

fasttalkerchat

2 stroke wrote: »

When the analogue signal is turned off, will it still be a requirment to have a licience if one only has analogue telivision, dvd player and xbox?

Yes. Even if you have an old broken tv in the attic you need a licence for it.

Fromthetrees

Caseywhale wrote: »

Easy answer. Just never answer the door unless someone has called you on your phone to say they are coming first.

If they know you well enough for you to want to answer your door to them, they have your number to let you know to expect them.

More often than not an unexpected rap at the door is someone you dont want to be answering it to anyway. Salesmen, people looking for money, tv inspectors, nosy neighbors.

Yeah, whenever someone I know and like calls to my place they knock on the window or phone first, whenever the door knocks I know it's bad news, someone I either don't know or don't like looking for something from me that I don't want to give.

Capt'n Midnight

SouthTippBass wrote: »

Seeing as I only use my TV for gaming and movies anyway, would it be possible to remove the RF aerial and therefore avoid the fee?

In the UK you could damage / remove the connector and get away with it that way.

That won't work here because it's still capable of being repaired such that it could receive TV. AFAIK even desoldering the tuner module isn't enough.

you could argue that with DTT an analog TV is not a TV but since most people have cable or satellite you'd have a snowball's chance on a warm day in hell

Capt'n Midnight

Discodog wrote: »

I know someone who lives in a bungalow. He put the Sky Box etc in his loft & used a big computer monitor as a screen that was also linked to his PC . When the inspector called he invited him in & the inspector accepted that he didn't have a TV.

TV tuner card needs a license

I'm shocked since AFAIK they treat a satellite dish as proof of having a TV

fasttalkerchat

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

TV tuner card needs a license

I'm shocked since AFAIK they treat a satellite dish as proof of having a TV

Maybe he means that since the sky box and dish was in the loft the inspector didn't see them. All he saw was a computer monitor connected to a PC and no TV.

Discodog

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

TV tuner card needs a license

I'm shocked since AFAIK they treat a satellite dish as proof of having a TV

A dish is not a receiver. Lots of households get rid of Sky but the dish remains.

Yawns

Also a lot of people rent and the landlord may have had a dish mounted or a previous tenant may have. Not definite proof that the current resident has a receiver box connected to the dish.