UK still has 13,000 B & W televisions

[Jonathan Levin]

There's always the Red Monochrome.

"I still do my audio in black and white." Hysterical!!!!

I've always recorded my cd's in 24 bit color, or colour as you dudes across the pond write.

Jonathan

[Steve Game]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Levin

....or colour as you dudes across the pond write.

Jonathan

That's called English english. ;¬)

[Ervin Farkas]

Someone please enlighten us American ignorants:

What in the world is a TV license? You guys pay the government to have the right to watch TV?

[Simon Wood]

The BBC is funded through the license. This means you get quality (theoretically) programming with no advertising whatsoever.

After living in the UK for a couple of years I was shocked to see how many ad breaks you have in the US. There are no ads on the BBC. Many European countries have some sort of TV license.

BBC - Annual Report and Accounts 2011/12 - Executive: Understanding the BBC's finances

[Ronald Jackson]

Licence about £140 a year. Because I want to watch live football, rugby and cricket in HD, I pay Sky (Largely American owned) £60 a month as well. Licence is a bargain. Pays for half a dozen radio channels, several orchestras, and a very good online news channel. All minus commercials.

The commercial broadcasters, particularly Sky, HATE, Auntie Beeb which to me shows how good it is, warts and all.


Ron

[Gary Nattrass]

You pay a lot more indirectly in the USA as all those adverts and sports for the superbowl etc don't get made for nothing, problem is though that the advertiser can affect what you see on the screen or even worse the person who holds and controls your news channels can manipulate to suit his or her own interests so free speech and opinion tends to get blurred depending on who pays the most $$$$ for access!

Over here you just need to look at ITV to see how an independent public service network can be taken over by advertising and the quest for ratings, their regional and diverse content has almost gone in the quest to make a quick buck!

[Lee Mullen]

Britain still clinging to it's Empire heydays? :D

[Lee Mullen]

Originally Posted by Ronald Jackson

Because I want to watch live football, rugby and cricket in HD,

Is the Challenge Cup still shown on BBC TV there?

[Lee Mullen]

Originally Posted by Steve Game

That's called English english. ;¬)

Britisch Englisch. ;¬D

[Robert Wall]

So, I'm an American who went to Uni in the UK (Lancaster) so I'm vaguely familiar with the license system. But question: do you have to pay for sets that are not in use? That is, do you have to pay a license if you buy a TV but it gets stored in your basement, or you have an old one you just haven't disposed of? And do you have to pay for the set, not the use? How do they deal with people who use computers as their TV? How do they deal with people who use TV's solely as computer monitors (as is common in many post production studios?)

[Brian Drysdale]

If you use a computer as a TV you need a license. If you only have a monitor I guess this would cover that: http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ8/

If you don't have a license they want to ensure you don't have a TV being used as a reciever, some people just have radio. Every household gets a reminder about the licence. TV Licensing - Home

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-i...-licence-top3/

[Steve Game]

Originally Posted by Robert Wall

So, I'm an American who went to Uni in the UK (Lancaster) so I'm vaguely familiar with the license system. But question: do you have to pay for sets that are not in use? That is, do you have to pay a license if you buy a TV but it gets stored in your basement, or you have an old one you just haven't disposed of?

A single TV Licence permits all residents in a single dwelling to view as many TVs that are used in that dwelling. (A 'dwelling' does not mean a block of apartments or a hotel). So if you keep all those old CRT sets in the garage or loft, there is no additional charge. If you declare that you have ceased watching TV altogether, (and maybe use the TV sets as monitors for playback of recordings or playing games on a console), no licence is required. One is required if recordings are made from real-time broadcasts/streams.
The authority may call round to verify your declaration that you no longer watch TV and then leave you alone for 2 years.

[Steve Game]

Originally Posted by Jalan Salur

Britisch Englisch. ;¬D

Not quite, British english include Welsh english, Scottish english and Irish english. {;¬{

[Adrian Frearson]

Maybe the Licence could be changed. How about only getting your licence once you've passed a viewing test, which would involve resisting reality and celebrity fat camp shows?

[Tony Davies-Patrick]

Adrian, that sounds like a reasonable request... :)