news.bbc.co.uk— "TV Licensing inspectors have caught almost 350,000 people watching TV without a license so far this year." Excuse me? First, it's omniscient traffic cams, now this?! This gets the WTF award, for sure!
Nov 25, 2005View in Crawl 4
So if british TV has no commercials, when do people go to the bathroom, and get snacks while watching TV? Do they have catheders, and an IV so they don't miss any men in womens clothing?
In case you are wondering how they tell you have a TV:-The transformer in the TV is designed to broadcast a signal at a specific frequency (~16.568KHz, just outside of most people's hearing range). This can be detected outside your house, so they know you have a TV on without gaining access.Of course, if they can see you watching it through your window, that always helps :)I believe that TV capture cards for the PC don't need this transformer to function, so as long as they don't see it, you should be OK.LCD and Plasma, I have no idea. I doubt they need the transformer either, but I wouldn't be surprised if the UK Government managed to force it upon manufacturers who make PAL TV's for the european market.
"Its a TV tax big deal, they also have a poll tax, now that one pisses them off."Uh, no we don't. The first time the poll tax was introduced in Britain (well, England actually) was in 1380, which sparked the 1381 Peasants' Revolt. When the government tried again, 608 years later in 1989, they had no greater success. The poll tax was revoked in 1993.
You're doubly screwed with cable/satalite. You pay a TV license, then if you watch cable or sat you pay a subscription. Not only that but a TV channel like SKY has far more adverts than standard commercial TV. I think it's possibly the norm in the states, but over here when a TV programme comes on it tends not to go straight to adverts a minute after the credits. With SKY that's what you get. I'd imagine this will all change in the future as more TV is aired to the internet. The BBC/UK gov may have to change the entire model.
turdfergusonNov 26, 2005
So if british TV has no commercials, when do people go to the bathroom, and get snacks while watching TV? Do they have catheders, and an IV so they don't miss any men in womens clothing?
garadoxNov 26, 2005
In case you are wondering how they tell you have a TV:-The transformer in the TV is designed to broadcast a signal at a specific frequency (~16.568KHz, just outside of most people's hearing range). This can be detected outside your house, so they know you have a TV on without gaining access.Of course, if they can see you watching it through your window, that always helps :)I believe that TV capture cards for the PC don't need this transformer to function, so as long as they don't see it, you should be OK.LCD and Plasma, I have no idea. I doubt they need the transformer either, but I wouldn't be surprised if the UK Government managed to force it upon manufacturers who make PAL TV's for the european market.
arevosNov 26, 2005
"Its a TV tax big deal, they also have a poll tax, now that one pisses them off."Uh, no we don't. The first time the poll tax was introduced in Britain (well, England actually) was in 1380, which sparked the 1381 Peasants' Revolt. When the government tried again, 608 years later in 1989, they had no greater success. The poll tax was revoked in 1993.
stuarteaNov 29, 2005
You're doubly screwed with cable/satalite. You pay a TV license, then if you watch cable or sat you pay a subscription. Not only that but a TV channel like SKY has far more adverts than standard commercial TV. I think it's possibly the norm in the states, but over here when a TV programme comes on it tends not to go straight to adverts a minute after the credits. With SKY that's what you get. I'd imagine this will all change in the future as more TV is aired to the internet. The BBC/UK gov may have to change the entire model.
lilamaeFeb 22, 2009
In the U.S., BBC programming is ripped off and shown for free (except for the time you waste on commercials).