Quote: Originally posted by Surfspud on 12/1/2009
Wouldn't that be the same as saying you can only use one TV in your home at a time?
No, it's not the same. You can have as many TV's as you like at one address, whether they are full sized, portables or laptops, but you can't have one licence covering more than one place. If you, or a member of your family, is watching TV at home then you cannot use that licence to watch TV in your caravan at the same time.
I may have jumped the gun in assuming that the OP was intending to use the laptop away from the home - this being a camping forum and all - if this is incorrect and OP intends to use the laptop only in his own home, he still needs a licence but can then watch TV and laptop together.
This could be a real solution for us, I think the card would obviously be better as it looks like it picks up terrestrial tv as well digital, however if we had the dongle then I could use it on the pc at home as well which one ???
Don't get confused regarding 'terrestrial' (where it comes from) and 'digital' (type of signal) - 'terrestrial' is transmitted from a ground-based transmitter; has always been analogue and now there is also digital, which is replacing analogue. The 'opposite' of terrestrial is satellite transmission (such as SKY), and (almost) all of this is digital. If you find a dongle or card that is described as 'Hybrid', this means it will receive both analogue and digital terrestrial signals - but not satellite transmissions of either type. If you look at freeview type boxes or adverts for those (and also dongles etc) you will probably see a symbol 'DVB-T' - 'Digital Video Broadcast - Terrestrial' whereas the symbol for satellite receivers is DVB-S....
They like to make life simple, don't they!
Gram
------------- What's the difference between a chicken?
It seems that you can use things like on demand and iplayer without a licence, wherever you are. You can also use a Tv powered by batteries without a licence. But you need a licence to have a TV powered by mains.
One website I looked at said that you were covered by your own home licence. It also said that no one could be using the TV at home at the same time but it was referring to using a TV in a static caravan not a tent, so I am not sure if the same rule applies.
------------- If you see a family struggling to put up the tent then it must be us!
Somehow I can't imagine a tv detector van wandering around a campsite and trying to work out who has got a license and who doesn't and then sending an inspector to your house to make sure that there isn't anyone at home illegally watching eastenders or corrie simultaneously.
"Do I need a TV Licence? -
You must be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV. It makes no difference what equipment you use - whether it’s a laptop, PC, mobile phone, digital box, DVD recorder or a TV set - you still need a licence.
You do not need a TV Licence to view video clips on the internet, as long as what you are viewing is not being shown on TV at the same time as you are viewing it.
If you use a digital box with a hi-fi system, or another device that can only be used to produce sounds and can't display TV programmes, and you don't install or use any other TV receiving equipment, you don't need a TV Licence."
The old definition used to be something like "apparatus capable of receiving television broadcasts...", but now they're being a bit more precise - note the 'mobile phone'...!
There was (supposedly) one case several years ago where a person had a video recorder and a TV, but successfully claimed exemption from the license because he proved where he lived (remote/sheltered area?) could not pick up TV signals, but he bought/hired/borrowed videos to watch...
Gram
------------- What's the difference between a chicken?
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Topic: Using a laptop as a tv
which one ???
