Modification of Equipment

An interesting thread has appeared on the TVCatchup forums.

Web forums are a marvellous resource, which allow the sharing of vast amounts of knowledge at the click of a mouse. Sadly, in TV licence terms, a considerable amount of that shared knowledge is incorrect. 

TV Licensing's PR harlots constantly drip feeding misinformation to the media, which is doing a remarkably effective job of filling peoples' heads with misconceptions about when a TV licence is required. It is not in TV Licensing's gluttonous pecuniary interest to clarify these misconceptions, hence their advance across cyberspace goes largely unchallenged

TVCatchup, for the benefit of those unfamiliar with the name, is an online service that streams live TV channels. That being the case anyone watching TVCatchup should be covered by a valid TV licence.

The thread posed the question: "If I don't have a TV licence do I have to remove the tuner from my TV set?" The answer, contrary to many opinions expressed on that forum, is no.

Sensing the public's confusion we have previously posed this very question to TV Licensing. Knowing full well that TV Licensing thrives on public uncertainty, we made our question as simple as we possibly could:

"Where no TV licence is held, people are under no legal obligation to modify (and potentially damage) their equipment to render it incapable of receiving/recording a live TV signal. Is that correct? Yes or no?"

TV Licensing's unconditional response: "Yes".

Remember folks, if you're not watching or recording live TV programme services you do not require a TV licence. You do not legally need to bust a gut (or your equipment) to prove that negative to TV Licensing.