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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not know wtf I'm doing re: TV license

134 replies

ThePebbleCollector · 02/03/2016 10:28

I didn't have a TV license for years, was pretty cut and dry because I only watched dvds and catch up on the internet. Then OH moved in and we got one due to him wanting sky.

Now we have a firestick, we only have the telly on freeview for cbeebies (of which most programs we could easily locate on the firestick)

I can't find anywhere information on whether I need a TV license if we have a firestick and give up watching our freeview?
Another note - freeview is built into the TV (but I can't see that being an issue as long as we take the aerial out)

I know it says if you watch live TV then you need a license...but then than complicates things.. what if someone had Kodi installed on their firestick, which streams TV from all over the world? is that even a legal program?.. and I think is a minute or two behind normal TV... what then??

Don't want my OH to go full steam ahead into it all and then realise we actually do need it!

OP posts:
Gottagetmoving · 02/03/2016 10:30

I think if you have a device that 'receives' the BBC - then you have to have a licence.

Original poster
ThePebbleCollector · 02/03/2016 10:35

My last TV had an aerial etc.. and there was one running into the house. We had a couple of visits, then man just switched the telly on, flicked through channels to check nothing was "tuned in" and he buggered off

But with this firestick thing I'm lost. Because I know we have netflix and amazon TV, and I know we don't need a license for those. But then he read about Kodi, which sounds illegal to me, but people seem to be openly using it! So it finds streams of any none live tv program you want to watch (which obviously you don't need a tv livcense for) but then you can search for live football matches, and they stream from anywhere, could be bbc, bt, nbc in america or any foreign channels... I'm guessing there's some kind of delay, but that makes it complicated.

OP posts:
CrazyDuchess · 02/03/2016 10:37

if you watch live tv - i.e. at the same time it is being broadcast - you need a tv licence, regardless of whichever device you use.

if you watch catch up tv i.e. after it as been broadcast, there is no need for a licence.

AnthonyPandy · 02/03/2016 10:40

*if you watch live tv - i.e. at the same time it is being broadcast - you need a tv licence, regardless of whichever device you use.

if you watch catch up tv i.e. after it as been broadcast, there is no need for a licence.*

This is right, it doesn't matter what your device can theoretically receive at all.

Ninjagogo · 02/03/2016 10:44

Yup. You do not need one. We still pay for ours despite not watching live TV ever, but we do use the iPlayer and the BBC radio channels, so think that we should pay it. Grin

Original poster
ThePebbleCollector · 02/03/2016 10:45

Yeah I know those rules.

It's this Kodi thing he's thinking of putting on the firestick that is baffling me. Because from what I've read about it it's the equivalent of you either a. looking for a tv series online to watch (which obviously a license isn't required for) and b. Live streaming via what looks to me as a dodgy source... for instance if you wanted to watch a football or boxing match online but didn't have those channels... you can get streams up of it.

Even though this kodi thing seems to be openly advertised online when you google it, it sounds dodgy to me - illegal streaming! purely for that reason I could do with him downloading it, but he's under the impression that they can't check a firestick like they do a tv signal anyway... and he's probably right.

I think I'll just tell him I'll cancel TV but he's not downloading this Kodi thing because that seems to just put you in murky waters for many different reasons!!

OP posts:
akkakk · 02/03/2016 10:46

not quite - a computer through its browser will get iplayer, and iplayer will at times show live tv - but it will put up a declaration asking you to confirm that you have a licence first... if you don't use that, then you don't need a licence - the ability to get live tv isn't the requirement for a licence - it is whether you actually watch it... however you can find it mroe difficult to prove that you don't if the house is full of things connected to live tv...

from the tv licensing website:
Do I need a TV Licence to watch live TV online?

If you watch live TV online – e.g. through BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, Channel 4 Watch Live, Sky Go, Virgin Media, BT Vision, Apple TV, Now TV, YouTube, Roku and Amazon Instant Video – you need a TV Licence.

Live TV means any programme you watch or record at the same time as it’s being shown on TV or an online TV service.

If you only ever watch on demand programmes, you don’t need a TV Licence. On demand includes catch-up TV, streaming or downloading programmes after they’ve been shown on live TV, or programmes available online before being shown on live TV.
akkakk · 02/03/2016 10:47

cross post - if you are getting live tv through any format you need a licence - if it is catchup then you don't that simple - doesn't matter the way in which you get it... streaming it is no different to aerial / satellite / etc.

Original poster
ThePebbleCollector · 02/03/2016 10:47

Ninjagogo you definitely don't need a tv license for iplayer if you use it for catch up or radio. You're wasting your money. Obviously if you use the iplayer as the program is on air then you do.

TV license website states :

Do I need a TV Licence if I only ever watch on demand services (e.g. catch-up TV), DVDs or downloaded programmes?

No you don’t. As you’re not watching or recording live TV, you don’t need a licence.
Live TV means any programme you watch or record at the same time as it’s being shown on TV or an online TV service.
If you only ever watch on demand programmes, you don’t need a TV Licence. On demand includes catch-up TV, streaming or downloading programmes after they’ve been shown on live TV, or programmes available online before being shown on live TV.

OP posts:
Original poster
ThePebbleCollector · 02/03/2016 10:50

streaming it is no different to aerial / satellite / etc.

Aye I know it isn't if you are using an official streaming program i.e watching iplayer on your computer as something is actually on TV.

streaming via a firestick using what can only look to me like illegal sources seems untrackable to me.

I've told him he can't download it. Too dodgy to me not just for the TV license thing. He says everyone he knows has one but sod that, we'd be the first to be caught sods law.

Gonna cancel the TV license but just use the iplayer (for catch up) and amazon and netflix

OP posts:
wasonthelist · 02/03/2016 10:51

Licence

ThePebbleCollector · 02/03/2016 10:52

This reply has been deleted

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BloodyDogHairs · 02/03/2016 10:56

I know nothing about tv licences but Kodi is really good for watching US programmes, sports etc helpful. In my house everyone has it on their phones/tablets/droidbox.

eyebrowse · 02/03/2016 11:02

I would get one so BBC can fund more great programmes/radio. If I appreciate/use something I'm happy to pay for it generally. I guess if you can afford SKY etc then you are not poverty stricken.

Also you are covered in case there is a problem. They are going to bring in a system where you have to pay a licence for catch up soon

Original poster
ThePebbleCollector · 02/03/2016 11:10

I guess if you can afford SKY etc then you are not poverty stricken

We don't have sky, we cancelled it over 2 years ago, since then we've had a child, moved house and had our working hours significantly reduced, we're not claiming from food banks or anything but we don't have the cash for sky anymore, just internet and netflix (the firestick was an xmas present from the in laws) we had sky when we had money, now we don't. like I said in my original post we just use freeview for cbeebies now.

I was trying to help you save money, no need to be funny with me :)

OP posts:
Original poster
ThePebbleCollector · 02/03/2016 11:11

BloodyDogHairs

Yeah he raves about Kodi, a few of his friends have it and he goes to their houses to watch football..etc. It sounds illegal to me? Or is it some kind of loophole thing companies haven't caught up with yet?

OP posts:
JessieMcJessie · 02/03/2016 11:21

Why is knowing how to spell "not necessary"? Is that what you tell your children?

Original poster
ThePebbleCollector · 02/03/2016 11:27

Why is knowing how to spell "not necessary"? Is that what you tell your children?

Knowing how to spell is great of course, but it is not necessary to bother posting up just to correct it.

I'll admit my spelling is not perfect. Both my parents were illiterate and had sever learning disabilities, I managed to be in top grades in school, gifted and talented in high school, all As and A*s and 2 NVQs and a Degree. But my spelling can be considerably dodgy at times (and auto correct let me down on the spelling of licence)

I'm sure my one year old will forgive me and still be the best she can be in anything which is what I will encourage her.

But in a thread about TV licencing my spelling is irrelevant, and so is my education. Really can't be arsed with the tit for tat on this place sometimes. People read through threads to pick at and bring up the most irrelevant of things. They didn't even respond to my OP, so they just have just tutted at my mistake and buggered off.

Just wanted a bit of information, not a spelling lesson :).

OP posts:
Original poster
ThePebbleCollector · 02/03/2016 11:29

Anyway. Thanks for the help guys. I'll just let him know to not bother with Kodi :)

OP posts:
JessieMcJessie · 02/03/2016 11:39

You need to set your spellcheck to UK English.

Original poster
ThePebbleCollector · 02/03/2016 11:42

Thanks for the advice on my OP JessieMcJessie really appreciated.

OP posts:
wasonthelist · 02/03/2016 11:44

This reply has been deleted

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MardyGrave · 02/03/2016 11:45

I think ninja was saying she chooses to pay the to licence as a moral decision, because she uses the resources herself and wants to support it.

Original poster
ThePebbleCollector · 02/03/2016 11:46

wasonthelist

You could spend your whole day correcting everybody's posts, and you'd still contribute nothing of worth. So why not me less goady and more helpful.

OP posts:
wasonthelist · 02/03/2016 11:47

and piss off isn't goady? Come off it.