Sky Channel Switcharound.
- Thread starter Grumpy
- Start date
Welcome to the site Grumpy. I'm not that bothered to tell the truth. Given that I don't watch that much television it doesn't really worry me. I have sky mainly for the wife and kids. To be honest, I've not heard any complains from my wife about the channels moving around so either a) she hasn't noticed or b) she doesn't care.
Have'nt got sky, and to be honest, don't want it. Moist of thier shows are repeats and there is a lot of US stuff that frankly doesn't grab my attention!
I'm begining to wonder why I have a TV! Might not bother next year and watch all my DVDs on my Computer instead!
I can watch the Spring Summer Autumn and Winter watches on iplayer! No big loss there.
I'm begining to wonder why I have a TV! Might not bother next year and watch all my DVDs on my Computer instead!
I can watch the Spring Summer Autumn and Winter watches on iplayer! No big loss there.
Can't believe you have to have a licence over there.... Here under our freedom of information act in the constitution, the gov must ensure we all have access to a tv and radio and computer should we chose. I have cable TV but thats because the reception here is crap. Its all repeats.... but I love the news 24/7 as I am always busy during the main viewing times.
The licence is supposedly to fund the BBC (including radio, news service, etc.) Without it, they would have to rely on advertising like the independent channels. In exchange they are also meant, by charter, to provide quality programming such as David Attenborough's documentaries (for example) which, although not everyone's cup of tea, would not be made otherwise (no profit in it compared to the time and expense to make). It also means that many of the Arts and other minority programs would probably not be made. I know most people still complain about having to pay the licence fee, but without it tv over here would be a heck of a lot worse and the only other option for half decent programming would mean contributing to Rupert Murdoch's coffers. 
Our "BBC" is the ABC. We have that and SBS. Both are funded by the government and they present great programs.... everything from the best news, etc and alot of comedy.
SBS is a one off in the world. Its a multicultural channel. It shows all world news and foreign movies, amazing doco's from every country. They make the majority of their money by subtitling almost every foreign movie world wide.... oh yeah
and they own the rights to show all football (soccer). English league and the World Cup. Way back when noone wanted the rights to it. It is THE most amazing station.
SBS is a one off in the world. Its a multicultural channel. It shows all world news and foreign movies, amazing doco's from every country. They make the majority of their money by subtitling almost every foreign movie world wide.... oh yeah
and they own the rights to show all football (soccer). English league and the World Cup. Way back when noone wanted the rights to it. It is THE most amazing station.
chris.ph said:
sorry grumpy, that used to be the case but the beeb got the law changed 
get ride of your tv and watch everything on the iplayer like somebody on here does
get ride of your tv and watch everything on the iplayer like somebody on here does
We got a snotty letter at work last week from TV licencing, saying that we'd not replied to their previous letters (we'd never received any), and saying that they were now going to investigate us.
We've never had a TV in the office, so they're more than welcome to come round, but no doubt they'll use the computers as an excuse, as (apparently) you can watch televsion live on a computer, and therefore must have a licence.
How you do that, I haven't the foggiest.
What they do is they have a database of all addresses in the UK. They match that up with a database of all addresses known to have a licence. Those that are left, they figure, must be watching TV illegally.
They assume that you are guilty until you can prove you are innocent. That would be like the police assuming everyone driving a car has stolen it until they produce their paperwork.
Even if you reply to them and say that you don't have a TV set and therefore do not need a licence, they won't believe you. They will still send someone around who will try to enter your property and verify for themselves that you are telling the truth.
As far as the law is concerned, they have no legal right to enter your home unless they obtain a search warrant and they can only do that if they can convince a magistrate that they have reason to believe you are watching TV illegally.
You don't legally even have to give them your name. I know all this because I've been driving them crazy for six years by refusing them entry and refusing to give my name. I still get the threatening letters, but I ignore them. If I was to reply I'd have to pay for a stamp and they'd STILL require me to let one of them into my flat to prove I didn't have a TV.
They assume that you are guilty until you can prove you are innocent. That would be like the police assuming everyone driving a car has stolen it until they produce their paperwork.
Even if you reply to them and say that you don't have a TV set and therefore do not need a licence, they won't believe you. They will still send someone around who will try to enter your property and verify for themselves that you are telling the truth.
As far as the law is concerned, they have no legal right to enter your home unless they obtain a search warrant and they can only do that if they can convince a magistrate that they have reason to believe you are watching TV illegally.
You don't legally even have to give them your name. I know all this because I've been driving them crazy for six years by refusing them entry and refusing to give my name. I still get the threatening letters, but I ignore them. If I was to reply I'd have to pay for a stamp and they'd STILL require me to let one of them into my flat to prove I didn't have a TV.
I theory you need a licence to watch iPlayer live. If you are watching programmes after they were aired then you don't - in theory. Of course it's difficult for them to prove it in the first place. Even if you let them into your premises, they aren't going to be able to tell what you watched and when without checking your Internet files and, unless they have a search warrant, you can refuse to let them touch your computer.
It's not actually a crime to own a TV set without a licence and if you let them in and they saw a TV set, you'd only be breaking the law if you switched the set on when they asked you to.
The mistake people make is in thinking that because these people seem official, you have to do what they tell you. You don't.
Years ago - when I worked for the Post Office, the TV licence people used to contract postal workers to do their investigations. I knew a few people who worked for them and what they could or could not do.
It's not actually a crime to own a TV set without a licence and if you let them in and they saw a TV set, you'd only be breaking the law if you switched the set on when they asked you to.
The mistake people make is in thinking that because these people seem official, you have to do what they tell you. You don't.
Years ago - when I worked for the Post Office, the TV licence people used to contract postal workers to do their investigations. I knew a few people who worked for them and what they could or could not do.
