Do I require a TV licence for this setup?

burnsey1987

Okay, I am considering this setup for my TV reception:

2 dishes, one at 23.5 E (Astra 3B wide beam for Czech & Slovak TV), the other at 28.5 E (Astra 2E for UK TV).

2 receivers, one for each dish, neither one capable of tuning in DVB-T.

From there, HDMI cable to a PC monitor, audio component fed to hi-fi amplifier, manually changing the cables over and back between both STBs as needed.

So, neither dish pointed at 9.0 E, no Ka-LNB, and no terrestrial tuner means I couldn't possibly be picking up RTE. Could I therefore be able to prove that I don't need a TV license?

EverythingGood

burnsey1987 wrote: »

Okay, I am considering this setup for my TV reception:

2 dishes, one at 23.5 E (Astra 3B wide beam for Czech & Slovak TV), the other at 28.5 E (Astra 2E for UK TV).

2 receivers, one for each dish, neither one capable of tuning in DVB-T.

From there, HDMI cable to a PC monitor, audio component fed to hi-fi amplifier, manually changing the cables over and back between both STBs as needed.

So, neither dish pointed at 9.0 E, no Ka-LNB, and no terrestrial tuner means I couldn't possibly be picking up RTE. Could I therefore be able to prove that I don't need a TV license?

If you have a television, you need a license.

burnsey1987

EverythingGood wrote: »

If you have a television, you need a license.

But what is defined as a TV? I do not have a television set, so for that alone, no license needed.

I do have 2 separate tuners. These could be used to pick up RTE programming, but cannot under the intended configuration: a) dishes (fixed, not motorized) pointed in the wrong direction & b) wrong type of LNB in use.

I am fairly sure from what I have read that people in the UK who can prove that their setup is not capable of receiving BBC content do not have to pay the license fee. I was wondering if a similar clause existed here.

Of course I could always detach both receivers and hide them if an inspector called around and tell him that the monitor is for my computer (has no tuner in any case) and that the cables from the dishes were there when I moved in...

HPT

burnsey1987 wrote: »

But what is defined as a TV?

The definition of a Television set (Section 140 (1) of the Broadcasting Act 2009)

"television set" means any electronic apparatus capable of receiving and exhibiting television broadcasting services broadcast for general reception ( whether or not its use for that purpose is dependent on the use of anything else in conjunction with it ) and any software or assembly comprising such apparatus and other apparatus.



I only watch TV content on a monitor, Do I need a TV Licence?
You require a TV Licence in the following circumstances:

Connecting a SKY/Virgin Media/Saorview or any type of Digital TV Receiver to your monitor
Viewing any content provided by a TV service provider over broadband (e.g. Eir TV/Vodafone TV) on your monitor

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/MainContent/Personal+Customers/More+from+An+Post/TV+Licence/TV+Licence+home#second

burnsey1987

HPT wrote: »

The definition of a Television set (Section 140 (1) of the Broadcasting Act 2009)

"television set" means any electronic apparatus capable of receiving and exhibiting television broadcasting services broadcast for general reception ( whether or not its use for that purpose is dependent on the use of anything else in conjunction with it ) and any software or assembly comprising such apparatus and other apparatus.



I only watch TV content on a monitor, Do I need a TV Licence?
You require a TV Licence in the following circumstances:

Connecting a SKY/Virgin Media/Saorview or any type of Digital TV Receiver to your monitor
Viewing any content provided by a TV service provider over broadband (e.g. Eir TV/Vodafone TV) on your monitor

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/MainContent/Personal+Customers/More+from+An+Post/TV+Licence/TV+Licence+home#second

So basically any TV content at all, regardless of where it's coming from?

burnsey1987

OSI wrote: »

That's pretty much the criteria for needing a TV licence. If it could be used to receive a TV signal, then a TV license is required.

I see. But if an inspector was to look at the equipment he would find that in it's current configuration it cannot receive any RTE content for the reasons I have outlined above. Would that argument hold any water? Or would I simply have to disconnect the STBs and chuck them over the back wall if I see him at the door?

judeboy101

A tuner can receive but not exhibit and a hd projector can exhibit But not recieve.

runawaybishop

burnsey1987 wrote: »

I see. But if an inspector was to look at the equipment he would find that in it's current configuration it cannot receive any RTE content for the reasons I have outlined above. Would that argument hold any water? Or would I simply have to disconnect the STBs and chuck them over the back wall if I see him at the door?

You need a license if it could be used at all to pick up terrestrial tv.

fxotoole

burnsey1987 wrote: »

I see. But if an inspector was to look at the equipment he would find that in it's current configuration it cannot receive any RTE content for the reasons I have outlined above. Would that argument hold any water? Or would I simply have to disconnect the STBs and chuck them over the back wall if I see him at the door?

No, it wouldn't hold any water. Why the obsession with RTE? The license fee doesn't go exclusively to funding RTE, you know.

Freddio

If Rte didn't get licence fee funds, the fee would be negligible

Freddio

Sorry I forgot the government need their fee too

burnsey1987

runawaybishop wrote: »

You need a license if it could be used at all to pick up terrestrial tv.

It can't. The dish would need to be re-aligned and the LNB changed.Or does the fact that I have some but not all of the hardware mean that it can?

burnsey1987

fxotoole wrote: »

No, it wouldn't hold any water. Why the obsession with RTE? The license fee doesn't go exclusively to funding RTE, you know.

Something got to do with principles I suppose. Hence why I am prepared to go to great length to avoid paying it

Freddio

That's theft judging by your boards post history

burnsey1987

Freddio wrote: »

That's theft judging by your boards post history

Sorry, I'm not getting you?

Freddio

You like to be entertained by RTÉ as discussed by your contribution to the thread on long wave 252 but you feel in principle that they should not be given any of your money

burnsey1987

Freddio wrote: »

You like to be entertained by RTÉ as discussed by your contribution to the thread on long wave 252 but you feel in principle that they should not be given any of your money

It's hard not to notice it while tuning down the LW dial, and while I might listen to it once in a while for purposes other than reception reports, licenses for radio sets were done away with over a decade before I was born, so I don't see how what I am doing could be construed as theft (I don't mean to sound like a smart-ar5e here)

K.Flyer

fxotoole wrote: »

The license fee doesn't go exclusively to funding RTE, you know.

TV licence fees make up approx 50% of the total revenue income for RTE

[Img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Attribution_of_licence_fee_by_RTÉ_Ireland_2008.png[/img]

In 2012 RTÉ received in total €180,894,000 in public funding from the licence fee.

More Music

If you have a device capable of receiving television transmissions then you need a license.

Doesn't matter if it's plugged in or not or even if you have an aerial.

winston_1

I am fairly sure from what I have read that people in the UK who can prove that their setup is not capable of receiving BBC content do not have to pay the license fee. I was wondering if a similar clause existed here.

You are wrong. The UK licence is for reception of any authorised broadcasters or licensed amateurs, but unlike Ireland you don't need one for simple possession of a TV that is not used.