Watch live tv without a licence

[Ex-SolentBoy]

The BBC have today made available a new iPad version of the iplayer which allows you to watch live tv. Of course you need a decent line speed to do this, but the app is much better than the old one. It won't work on 3G.

It has proper listings
It does favourites in a much better way
You can look ahead for what is on tomorrow, and if it is a repeat you can watch it before it's shown (if you know what I mean)

The BBC have also said that they do not have the technology to check on tv licences for this sort of device, so it may not be cricket, but it means people on boats can do what students have been doing for ages I.e. Watch tv without a licence.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolo...-app-for-iPad-and-Android-on-February-10.html

 

[Twister_Ken]

Apropos the above, but not quite, a presenter at a Cruising Association meeting mentioned that he could watch UK TV on his lappy aboard his yacht, wherever he was (as long as there is i'net access) using something called a sling box.

Anyone got chapter and verse?

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Apropos the above, but not quite, a presenter at a Cruising Association meeting mentioned that he could watch UK TV on his lappy aboard his yacht, wherever he was (as long as there is i'net access) using something called a sling box.

Anyone got chapter and verse?

That works as well. Different approach as it streams from your hoMe tv, live or recorded. Works on pc or special app for iPad. You do however have to buy the sling box and pay for the tv licence.
http://uk.slingbox.com/go/home

 

[fireball]

Slingbox is a little bit of kit that plugs in at home and your viewer logs into it to view whatever you've got on telly at home - obviously the telly doesn't have to be on, but does mean you can watch satelite if you have a receiver.

 

[RichardS]

If, like me, you like the iPad but can't stand being tied to Apple and iTunes, keep an eye out for the Motorola Xoom in a few weeks. This could be the Apple-buster we've been waiting for!

Living more in hope than expectation ....... Richard

 

[Twister_Ken]

That works as well. Different approach as it streams from your hoMe tv, live or recorded. Works on pc or special app for iPad. You do however have to buy the sling box and pay for the tv licence.
http://uk.slingbox.com/go/home

Does the iPad solution only work in the UK? I know the iPlayer won't show UK TV on my lappy when I'm in France, although it does give most BBC radio.

Matey with the sling thing was getting his fave telly in northern Spain.

 

[fireball]

iPlayer connects to BBC servers to get the content - hence they can restrict (to some extent) where you can view the programmes. You can circumvent this by having a UK based proxy server or VPN connection to pass the traffic through.

A slingbox is broadcasting service independant - but relies on you having somewhere to put the kit. IIRC, you can even watch recorded items off whatever media player you have the slingbox connected too ... it's just a method of remote viewing your own TV.

Both methods do rely on a reasonable internet connection - the slingbox requires the host to have a good connection too ...

 

[prv]

The BBC have also said that they do not have the technology to check on tv licences for this sort of device, so it may not be cricket, but it means people on boats can do what students have been doing for ages I.e. Watch tv without a licence.

This doesn't make any difference license wise. The law says you need a license to watch TV in real time, whether it comes down an aerial, over the Internet, or through the fillings in your teeth. If you choose to ignore the law and watch anyway, it doesn't really matter how you do it. Unless a TV Licensing contractor peers through your window and sees you watching live telly (wonder how they prove it wasn't pre-recorded?) nobody's going to know.

Their main weapon is intimidating letters, plus prowling round likely places like council flats trying to imply that they have a right of entry that doesn't exist.

Pete

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

I didnt make a comment on the legality deliberately. I only said that it was possible.

The BBC estimates licence evasion to be at less than 5%, but the problem they have is that as more form factors make it technologically possible, they are going to have to find a technological solution, as a few blokes peeking through the window are not going to be a cost effective approach.

The vast majority of ipad users will be covered by their home licence at the moment, as are most boat users.

 

[prv]

I didnt make a comment on the legality deliberately. I only said that it was possible.

Titling the thread "Watch live TV without a license" seems like something of a comment to me

Based on that, I understood the point to be "now you can watch without a license when you couldn't before". I was suggesting that nothing had really changed - you could before and you still can now[1]. Capita (not the BBC) don't have any meaningful technological measures either way.

([1] Neither of us is commenting on whether you *should*, and I'm happy to keep it that way)

The vast majority of ipad users will be covered by their home licence at the moment, as are most boat users.

Only if your boat telly is powered by its own internal batteries, I seem to remember. Plugging into your 12v system doesn't count. Does anyone even make battery-powered tellies any more?

Pete

 

[Stork_III]

Quote prv "Only if your boat telly is powered by its own internal batteries, I seem to remember. Plugging into your 12v system doesn't count."

Not True I think.

From TV licensing web site:-

"You don’t need a separate TV Licence for

Any device powered solely by its own internal batteries (i.e. it is not connected to an aerial or plugged into the mains). Your main home’s TV Licence will cover this.

Boats, touring caravans or vehicles as they’re already covered by your main home’s TV Licence.

Static caravans, mobile homes or moveable chalets. Your main home’s TV Licence will cover you provided you don’t watch TV in both homes at the same time. In this case you would need to complete a declaration form."

 

[agurney]

.... it means people on boats can do what students have been doing for ages I.e. Watch tv without a licence.

Students need a TV licence, gone are the days when they could 'use' their parents' licence.

 

[Stork_III]

Students need a TV licence, gone are the days when they could 'use' their parents' licence.

Only if they plug into the mains or an aerial.

 

[Rivers & creeks]

If, like me, you like the iPad but can't stand being tied to Apple and iTunes, keep an eye out for the Motorola Xoom in a few weeks. This could be the Apple-buster we've been waiting for!

Living more in hope than expectation ....... Richard

How many magazine covers have we seen with "iPod buster", "iPhone buster" - they just make stuff that just works; their control freakery is annoying but it means the stuff is brilliant.

 

[prv]

Quote prv "Only if your boat telly is powered by its own internal batteries, I seem to remember. Plugging into your 12v system doesn't count."

Not True I think.

Fair enough. I said "I seem to remember" as I couldn't be bothered to check

Pete

 

[agurney]

Only if they plug into the mains or an aerial.

USB DVB dongles and iPlayer provide live TV, so need a licence to watch, aerials are irrelevant.

It's all down to the definition of where the power comes from, and the TV licensing guidelines are ambiguous and open to interpretation.

 

[Stork_III]

USB DVB dongles and iPlayer provide live TV, so need a licence to watch, aerials are irrelevant.

It's all down to the definition of where the power comes from, and the TV licensing guidelines are ambiguous and open to interpretation.

Aerials are not irrelevant according to the TV Licensing web site definitions.

 

[agurney]

Aerials are not irrelevant according to the TV Licensing web site definitions.

As I said, ambiguous and open to interpretation.

"It makes no difference how you watch TV whether it's on your laptop, PC or mobile phone or through a digital box, DVD recorder or TV set. If you use any device to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV the law requires you to be covered by a TV Licence." No reference to aerials there.

Also, that section of the web site states: "AND you only use TV receiving equipment that is powered solely by its own internal batteries" ..and as all laptops that I have encountered can be run connected to a power source with the batteries removed then that's an area I wouldn't like to argue in court.

However, back to the original point, you can use a TV in your boat if you have a licence at home:

"The licence allows installation and use of TV equipment .. In a vehicle, boat or caravan by .. You and anyone who normally lives with You at the licensed place" so, my student sons can watch telly on my boat but are taking a chance if they try it in their halls of residence.

 

[Stork_III]

As I said, ambiguous and open to interpretation.

"It makes no difference how you watch TV whether it's on your laptop, PC or mobile phone or through a digital box, DVD recorder or TV set. If you use any device to watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV the law requires you to be covered by a TV Licence." No reference to aerials there.

Also, that section of the web site states: "AND you only use TV receiving equipment that is powered solely by its own internal batteries" ..and as all laptops that I have encountered can be run connected to a power source with the batteries removed then that's an area I wouldn't like to argue in court.

However, back to the original point, you can use a TV in your boat if you have a licence at home:

"The licence allows installation and use of TV equipment .. In a vehicle, boat or caravan by .. You and anyone who normally lives with You at the licensed place" so, my student sons can watch telly on my boat but are taking a chance if they try it in their halls of residence.

In relation to STUDENTS specifically TV Licensing says:-

"You don’t need a TV Licence if
You don’t watch or record television programmes as they’re being shown on TV – on any device
If you don’t watch or record television programmes, or you only stream TV programmes online after they’ve been broadcast – through on-demand services like YouTube, BBC iPlayer and 4oD – you don’t need to be covered by a
TV Licence.

Or all of these are true Your out-of-term address is covered by a
TV Licence
AND you only use TV receiving equipment that is powered solely by its own internal batteries
AND you have not connected it to an aerial or plugged it into the mains. "

 

[agurney]

In relation to STUDENTS specifically TV Licensing says:-

"You don’t need a TV Licence if
You don’t watch or record television programmes as they’re being shown on TV – on any device
If you don’t watch or record television programmes, or you only stream TV programmes online after they’ve been broadcast – through on-demand services like YouTube, BBC iPlayer and 4oD – you don’t need to be covered by a
TV Licence.

Or all of these are true Your out-of-term address is covered by a
TV Licence
AND you only use TV receiving equipment that is powered solely by its own internal batteries
AND you have not connected it to an aerial or plugged it into the mains. "

Exactly. Not much scope for staying within the law then.