I find the whole idea of sitting down at a particular time to watch a TV show pretty odd now, except for live events like sports.

At least 90% of my content is on demand - and most of the other 10% is down the pub watching football.

I find the whole idea of watching sporting events, live or otherwise, pretty odd.
Each to their own.

Mark

In fairness Mark, most of the people I know, (in the "real" world) find the concept of watching Doctor Who bizarre, but as you said each to their own.

Oh come off it JV - think of the fun you could have doing that! I mean seriously come on, think about it, trolling - how v.awesome!

Fair enough. So, are you going to stop whining and cough up for a TV license now?

They'll have to drag me kicking and screaming to the cash point.

We have a TV but no aerial. We cannot recieve live broadcasts on it (it's just for DVDs) and we only watch iPlayer for non-live shows. Hence, no licence.

Oddly enough, the house does have a Sky satellite dish, but no aerial

+1

A colleague of mine doesn't own a TV and I think he uses his computer for DVD. He's constantly hounded by the licensing folks saying cough up for one. Can't wait for him to tell me they've turned up at his house only to find he wasn't lying

In fairness John, most of your mates in the real world sound like fools. (8+)
Jus' sayin'.

Mark

Do I understand correctly? If your computer or TV (or any other device) is capable of streaming live broadcast, then you have to pay the license fee, and if you don't, that is breaking the law? Isn't that a little bit like saying 'Your computer is capable of downloading indecent images of children, therefore you will be punished as a paedophile'? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

No. You only need a licence if you actually are watching a live broadcast/stream, you don't need a licence just because your equipment is capable of receiving such broadcasts. It's worth noting that you need a licence even for live broadcasts/streams from abroad.

No you don't understand correctly.

The terms are completely unambiguous, as quoted above and on the tv licensing website:

"You need to be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record TV as it's being broadcast. This includes the use of devices such as a computer, laptop, mobile phone or DVD/video recorder."

The problem comes in proving that you do not watch live TV if you have equipment capable of showing it, such as a computer with Internet.

You don't need to prove that you're not watching it, they need to prove that you are.

That's not the impression given by the litigious threats they send you.

Oh I agree, and TBH I think that's bad practice on behalf of them (but unfortunately they're not alone in utilising such practices. I know the OFT looks down on companies that threaten legal action where it's unlikely that such action will actually be taken).