Black & White TV licences

[jpendle]

I just been reading the Guardian online and it has a survey reaching out to the 6000 people who still have a Black & White TV licence to ask them why.

I was tempted to respond saying that I'm fairly confident that those who have a B&W licence probably aren't going to be filling in any online surveys any time soon.

What do others think?

Perhaps there are members on here who have B&W TV's and Internet access.

Regards,

John P

[themadhippy]

curious how the loop hole hasnt been closed down with the switch off of analogue broadcasts,.It used to be,if you had a video recorder and a black and white tv you still needed a colour licence as  the video recorder was  capable of  receiving the colour picture,,even though you couldn't watch it.I doubt if there's any black and white tvs made with a digital decoder built in,so you'd need a settop box,which like the video recorder is able to receive the colour picture.

[Bealman]

Here at the Antipodes I find it amusing but quaintly antiquated that TV licenses are still required.

We have haven't got cat detector vans either. 

[N_GaugeModeller]

It's also been said that the detectors used to see if you have a TV on in your house cannot tell if it's a B&W or Colour just that a TV is on, so many of the B&W licence owners use a colour tv knowing they will not be found out, unless they fill out the online survey .

They can also not tell if you are watching via a streaming service on a computer monitor, as they don't have the circuitry that the detectors can pick up.

Unless things have changed since I left the business that is.

Ngm

[Bealman]

This is NOT a serious discussion, is it. 

[chrism]

Here at the Antipodes I find it amusing but quaintly antiquated that TV licenses are still required.

We have haven't got cat detector vans either. 

Eric will be happy, then 

[brookleigh]

I suspect that purchasers of these B/W licences will be watching in colour thinking they are covered

[emjaybee]

Our TV licence is 'grayscale', but that's mainly because I don't want to use the expensive colour cartridges to print it out.

[Malc]

These days detector vans apparently use an optical device to look for someone using a TV set. Enough light filters out through curtains for the ultra sensitive detector to tell if you are watching a colour or black and white TV or streaming via a computer. So unless you are in a windowless room, you can be found out.
This info came as the result of a freedom of information request to the BBC.

[guest311]

I'm afraid I use the TV mostly to show DVDs, lets be honest most of the tv programs these days are total 

ITV news, one or two odd programs, but otherwise DVDs or off.

really annoys me that I have to pay the BBC to be able to watch ITV.

[brookleigh]

These days detector vans apparently use an optical device to look for someone using a TV set. Enough light filters out through curtains for the ultra sensitive detector to tell if you are watching a colour or black and white TV or streaming via a computer. So unless you are in a windowless room, you can be found out.
This info came as the result of a freedom of information request to the BBC.

I cant remember when I last saw a Detector Van....I used to do night work with them but that was back in the 1970,s

Roger

[The Q]

Never seen detector van except on TV, thats what comes of liviing in the middle of nowhewre or on a military base (where in barracks i had to have the licence taped to the TV or I'd be charged by the RAF..)

[keithfre]

Here in Holland they abolished the TV licence many years ago and decided to fund TV from general taxation, based on the argument that virtually everyone watches TV.

[guest311]

Never seen detector van except on TV, thats what comes of liviing in the middle of nowhewre or on a military base (where in barracks i had to have the licence taped to the TV or I'd be charged by the RAF..)

just think of it as a contribution to a Typhoon 

[guest311]

These days detector vans apparently use an optical device to look for someone using a TV set. Enough light filters out through curtains for the ultra sensitive detector to tell if you are watching a colour or black and white TV or streaming via a computer. So unless you are in a windowless room, you can be found out.
This info came as the result of a freedom of information request to the BBC.

or the tv is in the back room ?

catch someone sneaking around in the back garden "just checking for your tv licence" would receive 42 large angry gnashers somewhere painfull .....