Require advice regarding TV licence

tonyheaney

Hey there guy and girls I have a question i could REALLY use your help. My neighbour got a letter in the door saying they have a limited time to get the TV licence. They are an all Chinese family and do not watch TV. The have a large monitor which could be a TV but as they do not own a serview box the TV set/ computer monitor is not capable of receiving any sort of signal, even if they wanted to. So it is nothing more than a monitor for which they watch Chinese TV and talk to their family using a webcam which is attached to the TV which is in turn attached to a laptop computer.

Do they still need to buy the pointless TV licence?

Cheers in advance

Gatling

So a large monitor to watch TV

djimi

When you say that it could be used as a TV, how can it? Does it have an inbuilt tuner? Scart/HDMI connections?

wmpdd3

Do they get Chinese TV through failure dish or the internet?

If they have a dish, they will be paying IMO

marco_polo

If there is no tv tuner in the monitor, or any other device capable of decoding a tv signal (including a tv card in a pc) then they don't have to pay currently.

This will change in the next year or so when the tv license is replaced by the new broadcasting charge.

The_Conductor

I don't have a subscription to NTL/Sky etc- and I live in an apartment where I'm not allowed put an antenna outdoors to pick up RTE. My TV isn't compatible with Saorview anyhow. I do have access to a satellite dish- on which I've slung a UK Freesat box- so I can view UK channels, but not the Irish ones. I asked- and was politely told, that irrespective of whether my equipment could pick up Irish TV or not- the act of owning a TV- irrespective of whether it was plugged in or not, capable of receiving the signal or not- meant I had to pay for a licence.

From Jan onwards- its a straight tax- as opposed to a licence specific to receiving equipment- and you can't opt out (aka- its a bit like the local property tax- easy for the government to collect- damn hard to get away without paying). Pat Rabbit said that he firmly doesn't believe there is a single property in the country incapable of receiving RTE. He's welcome to my house for a nice cup of tea if he's in the area. He'd better not have any urgent business though- its a signal deadspot- no mobile phone signal or radio signal here either........ I tried explaining this to the Saorview switchover people- they just kept saying on a loop 'its your legal right to receive RTE..........' It may be my right- but damned I am if I try to receive it- and I don't see why I should have to shell out significant money for a satellite connection just to receive it, when I'm perfectly happy without it.

I watch very little tv by the way- I'd much rather read a good book.

Gatling

More entertainment on boards.ie than on any TV package

djimi

The_Conductor wrote: »

I don't have a subscription to NTL/Sky etc- and I live in an apartment where I'm not allowed put an antenna outdoors to pick up RTE. My TV isn't compatible with Saorview anyhow. I do have access to a satellite dish- on which I've slung a UK Freesat box- so I can view UK channels, but not the Irish ones. I asked- and was politely told, that irrespective of whether my equipment could pick up Irish TV or not- the act of owning a TV- irrespective of whether it was plugged in or not, capable of receiving the signal or not- meant I had to pay for a licence.

From Jan onwards- its a straight tax- as opposed to a licence specific to receiving equipment- and you can't opt out (aka- its a bit like the local property tax- easy for the government to collect- damn hard to get away without paying). Pat Rabbit said that he firmly doesn't believe there is a single property in the country incapable of receiving RTE. He's welcome to my house for a nice cup of tea if he's in the area. He'd better not have any urgent business though- its a signal deadspot- no mobile phone signal or radio signal here either........ I tried explaining this to the Saorview switchover people- they just kept saying on a loop 'its your legal right to receive RTE..........' It may be my right- but damned I am if I try to receive it- and I don't see why I should have to shell out significant money for a satellite connection just to receive it, when I'm perfectly happy without it.

I watch very little tv by the way- I'd much rather read a good book.

If you own a smartphone/laptop or any device that is capable of accessing RTE player (irrespective of whether it actually does) then as far as I can tell you must pay the broadcast charge. Thats my understanding of it anyway; I could be wrong though.

Gatling

djimi wrote: »

If you own a smartphone/laptop or any device that is capable of accessing RTE player (irrespective of whether it actually does) then as far as I can tell you must pay the broadcast charge. Thats my understanding of it anyway; I could be wrong though.

Actually I believe its any device that's capable of receiving a digital tv broadcast not just the rte player

djimi

Gatling wrote: »

Actually I believe its any device that's capable of receiving a digital tv broadcast not just the rte player

Youre right, no I just was just saying RTE player to outline basically any device that has a web browser and can play Flash!

Gatling

djimi wrote: »

Youre right, no I just was just saying RTE player to outline basically any device that has a web browser and can play Flash!

Ah OK

tonyheaney

Gatling wrote: »

So a large monitor to watch TV

well the use it to watch youtube or cctv Chinese tv and qq (chinese msn)

tonyheaney

wmpdd3 wrote: »

Do they get Chinese TV through failure dish or the internet?

If they have a dish, they will be paying IMO

internet connection,

Pro Hoc Vice

djimi wrote: »

If you own a smartphone/laptop or any device that is capable of accessing RTE player (irrespective of whether it actually does) then as far as I can tell you must pay the broadcast charge. Thats my understanding of it anyway; I could be wrong though.

No,

Q. Do I require a television licence for a computer which can access television-like services (e.g. the RTÉ Player or streaming services) over the Internet?
A. No. So long as the computer is unable to display television channels distributed by conventional television broadcasting networks (i.e cable, satillite, IPTV, analogue terrestrial, digital terrestrial or MMDS) e.g. using a television tuner card or similar device, then there is no requirement to hold a television licence.

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Broadcasting/Frequently+Asked+Questions/Television+Licence+FAQ.htm

There was talk of introducing the fee for smart phones etc. but that was dropped.

Pro Hoc Vice

tonyheaney wrote: »

internet connection,

If all they have is Internet connection and they watch on a computer through a monitor that can not receive any normal tv signal then no licence.

djimi

infosys wrote: »

No,

Q. Do I require a television licence for a computer which can access television-like services (e.g. the RTÉ Player or streaming services) over the Internet?
A. No. So long as the computer is unable to display television channels distributed by conventional television broadcasting networks (i.e cable, satillite, IPTV, analogue terrestrial, digital terrestrial or MMDS) e.g. using a television tuner card or similar device, then there is no requirement to hold a television licence.

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Broadcasting/Frequently+Asked+Questions/Television+Licence+FAQ.htm

There was talk of introducing the fee for smart phones etc. but that was dropped.

Thats under the current TV license system. The broadcast charge is much broader and by the sounds of it its going to be nigh on impossible to avoid paying it.

djimi

tonyheaney wrote: »

well the use it to watch youtube or cctv Chinese tv and qq (chinese msn)

The actual device is important. Is it a computer monitor or is it a small TV that is being used as a computer monitor? Because the latter is subject to a TV license even if it is not being used to broadcast Irish TV.

Pro Hoc Vice

djimi wrote: »

Thats under the current TV license system. The broadcast charge is much broader and by the sounds of it its going to be nigh on impossible to avoid paying it.

But we are not talking about the new charge, we are chatting about TV licence fee. Sorry for missing the point in your post where you mentioned the broadcasting charge.

djimi

infosys wrote: »

But we are not talking about the new charge, we are chatting about TV licence fee. Sorry for missing the point in your post where you mentioned the broadcasting charge.

Sorry, I was responding to a post about the broadcasting charge. Its not immediately relevant to the OP in this case, but from January on it will be, so if they are not liable to pay the TV license now then its only really going to be a four month grace before they are liable to pay the new charge.

Pro Hoc Vice

djimi wrote: »

Sorry, I was responding to a post about the broadcasting charge. Its not immediately relevant to the OP in this case, but from January on it will be, so if they are not liable to pay the TV license now then its only really going to be a four month grace before they are liable to pay the new charge.

Don't think the new charge is coming in till mid 2015 at earliest. Not even sure if there is a bill yet.

tonyheaney

djimi wrote: »

Youre right, no I just was just saying RTE player to outline basically any device that has a web browser and can play Flash!

Flash... android and flash did fall out recently didnt they i cant get flash on my groovy samsung tab haha

djimi

tonyheaney wrote: »

Flash... android and flash did fall out recently didnt they i cant get flash on my groovy samsung tab haha

I have flash on both my S3 and my Sony tablet and both can play RTE player.

djimi

infosys wrote: »

Don't think the new charge is coming in till mid 2015 at earliest. Not even sure if there is a bill yet.

Sorry, youre right; I misread it and it seems to be Jan 1st 2015.

tonyheaney

infosys wrote: »

No,

Q. Do I require a television licence for a computer which can access television-like services (e.g. the RTÉ Player or streaming services) over the Internet?
A. No. So long as the computer is unable to display television channels distributed by conventional television broadcasting networks (i.e cable, satillite, IPTV, analogue terrestrial, digital terrestrial or MMDS) e.g. using a television tuner card or similar device, then there is no requirement to hold a television licence.

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Broadcasting/Frequently+Asked+Questions/Television+Licence+FAQ.htm

There was talk of introducing the fee for smart phones etc. but that was dropped.

1. Very interesting :cool: can i get confirmation on this.
2. what if the persons cant understand much english and only has a web cam camera laptop?

tonyheaney

djimi wrote: »

The actual device is important. Is it a computer monitor or is it a small TV that is being used as a computer monitor? Because the latter is subject to a TV license even if it is not being used to broadcast Irish TV.

in that case i would watch only bbc and itv and not rte and by pass the irish tv licence then ha! :P

TheChizler

So OP is it a tv or computer monitor they're using?

djimi

tonyheaney wrote: »

1. Very interesting :cool: can i get confirmation on this.
2. what if the persons cant understand much english and only has a web cam camera laptop?

If its a laptop then its not currently liable for a TV license.

If its a standalone monitor then it depends on whether or not it has a TV tuner inbuilt (a lot of newer ones do, especially the ones sold in the likes of PC World), or if it has HDMI/Scart input and is capable of outputting sound.

Pro Hoc Vice

tonyheaney wrote: »

1. Very interesting :cool: can i get confirmation on this.
2. what if the persons cant understand much english and only has a web cam camera laptop?

The link was the government department in charge of the system not sure you can get any better confirmation.

tonyheaney

TheChizler wrote: »

So OP is it a tv or computer monitor they're using?

its a flat screen tv but with out a serview box it can not get any signal what so ever, so since the description on the main website says Any device capable of receiving a signal and this tv doesn't again because of the lack of a decorder or serview i think it should have to pay, does that make sense lol

djimi

From http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer_affairs/media/tv_licences.html:

Every household, business or institution in Ireland with a television or equipment capable of receiving a television signal (using an aerial, satellite dish, cable or other means) must have a television licence.

The fact that it can recieve a signal (via cable/satellite/Saorview) is enough to require a license; it doesnt matter that it is not currently connected to a recieving device. This is my understanding of it anyway. Basically they own a TV; they are just not using it as such at present.

TheChizler

Signal does not have to be present for it to be capable of receiving a tv broadcast, same as a car doesn't need a road to be capable of driving, or a gun doesn't need bullets to be capable of shooting. It could be only capable of receiving Japan or American NTSC signals and it would still need a licence according to the definitions in the legislation.

It's a television; they need a licence by law.