Asynch designs (OT) - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

14 Aug 2006

 --- Jules Richardson <julesrichardsonuk at yahoo.co.uk
...
  wrote: 
 Don wrote:
  Stan Barr wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Jules Richardson said:
>
>> Given that the licence is only for the BBC  channels, and I'll perhaps

 >> watch 2-3 hours of them per week, it
works out  as quite an expense 
 >> per programme!
>
> Not quite - the licence is for having _any_  equipment installed in your
 > home capable of receiving broadcast tv -
_any_  broadcast tv.  The money
 > goes (mostly) to the bbc, but a licence is
 required for any broadcast
 >> tv equipment including, but not limited to, a t v
...
  set, video or dvd
 >> recorder with a tuner or a computer with a tune r.
...
   You still have to
 >> pay even if you never watch the bbc :-(
 ...
    > So, the *tuner* is the gotcha?  I.e. if
you used  a
...
  component
  DVD player/recorder, a video *monitor*, etc.
 *they* would be
  exempt?  
 Actually, the way I always understood it is that t he
...
  licence fee funds the BBC 
 and isn't used for anything else (such and funding
 general transmitter 
 install/upkeep). But the Government call it a "TV
 licence" even though all the 
 cash goes to the BBC, and therefore you need to pa y
...
  for the licence if you 
 want to watch any channels, not just the BBC.

 I don't know how well it's been challenged in cour t
...
  - but as the BBC transmits 
 on slightly different frequencies across the count ry
...
  it'd be hard to market a 
 device that was guaranteed not to be able to recei ve
...
  the BBC now or in the 
 future, whilst being able to receive anything else .
...

Thats the way I think it works too. I believe
the BBC had to renew the patent (or whatever)
a few years ago, so we'll be paying them for
another 50 years or so.
For those outside the US, the BBC also runs
atleast 5 main radio stations , plus local ones,
here in the UK.

Also, some handheld games devices such as
my Sega Gamegear (and I believe Nintendo's
Game Boy Advance) have TV Tuners which allow
them to receive terrestrial TV. 
Not quite sure how good the picture quality is
as I don't have a PSU for my Gamegear yet! :(

Regards,
Andrew B
aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk