Other people's tv viewing habits.

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

hotmetal

Senior Member
Location
Near Windsor
When I was a kid I used to think that Granada was a channel for wheelchair users because of the logo.
Now I'm a graphic designer… :whistle:
Yes, (a few posts up) I remember the clock thing before the schools programme. And "Picturebox", "How we used to live" and that programme "Words and Pictures" with the weird orange bouncy creature with scrabble letters on his head called "Wordy" who used to shoot letters at the black'n'white telly that the presenter had. TV was so acid-tinged when we were kids, shame it's just one long stream of banality and product placement these days. (Probably)
 

tadpole

Senior Member
Location
St George
I find it mildly amusing how people comment on how rubbish the tv is now, yet then go on to Reminisce about some frankly shocking television and radio programmes of their childhood and their test cards. Irony.
I wonder if these are the same people who complain how a book written for children is rubbish and sends them to sleep…
 

hotmetal

Senior Member
Location
Near Windsor
That's why they call it the good old days. People like to look back with rose tinted glasses on their youth, it's kind of comforting. I think it's selective memory, because hopefully we forget the crap bits and remember the nice ones. Probably the yoof of today will reminisce fondly about Chuggington (or I'm a plebrity get me in here on ice) when they get older. Kids books are great – everyone on the train read Harry Potter on the way to work, didn't they? :tongue:
 

hotmetal

Senior Member
Location
Near Windsor
I presume you never watch live TV (ie as it is broadcast) on your laptop? If yes, you need a TV Licence.
Genuine question here – I'm not trolling – is it actually possible to do that? I thought you could only get telly via iPlayer and the like? Otherwise, surely you'd have to have a TV licence just for owning a smartphone or computer? If they came round to my house to 'check that I don't need a licence', they would find no telly, no aerial, but I have a smartphone and a computer (obviously). Does that mean they're going to have to believe me when I say I don't log on to telly sites or whatever you have to do to access live telly? Surely that can't be right?
 

Longshot

Senior Member
Location
Surrey
Genuine question here – I'm not trolling – is it actually possible to do that? I thought you could only get telly via iPlayer and the like? Otherwise, surely you'd have to have a TV licence just for owning a smartphone or computer? If they came round to my house to 'check that I don't need a licence', they would find no telly, no aerial, but I have a smartphone and a computer (obviously). Does that mean they're going to have to believe me when I say I don't log on to telly sites or whatever you have to do to access live telly? Surely that can't be right?

There are plenty of ways of watching 'live' TV on the internet. TVcatchup is a free and legal service for example.

You need a licence for this and I have no idea how they prove it or otherwise.
 

hotmetal

Senior Member
Location
Near Windsor
Yes but the clue is in the name, surely? "Catchup" means "after the fact", not "live", or at least I assume that's the distinction.
EDIT: I just tried it. You're right – they actually do broadcast proper live telly, and a warning comes up (on iPlayer at least), that asks you if you have a TV licence or not! As I don't I quickly clicked cancel. This seems very dodgy ground to me, as I don't want to buy a licence just to own my computer! Who knows? Maybe they spy on your IP address or something?
 

Longshot

Senior Member
Location
Surrey
Yes but the clue is in the name, surely? "Catchup" means "after the fact", not "live", or at least I assume that's the distinction.
EDIT: I just tried it. You're right – they actually do broadcast proper live telly, and a warning comes up (on iPlayer at least), that asks you if you have a TV licence or not! As I don't I quickly clicked cancel. This seems very dodgy ground to me, as I don't want to buy a licence just to own my computer! Who knows? Maybe they spy on your IP address or something?


I know TVCatchup works as I use it quite a lot! ^_^ I have a TV Licence so I've never looked into the details.
 

hotmetal

Senior Member
Location
Near Windsor
Hmm, I wonder how they decide who does and doesn't need a licence now that live telly is on the internet and almost everyone has the kit to receive it? Can't see them just accepting your word for it that your computer is not used for watching it, or what's the point of them coming round? I just told them (online) that I still do not need a licence, so they know that I have a computer connected to the internet. Surely the onus must be on them to prove that you've actually used it for that purpose? But if that was the case, presumably people with TV sets could say that the telly is actually just a cabinet to keep the goldfish bowl out of reach of the cat?
 

Mad Doug Biker

Banned from every bar in the Galaxy
Location
Craggy Island
everyone on the train read Harry Potter on the way to work, didn't they? :tongue:

NO!! I wouldn't even wipe my bum with one of those books never mind actually..... Read ... It!

If you are over the age of about 15 and still reading them, then you need your head seen too! (No, not like that, you dirty people!) :laugh:
 

Longshot

Senior Member
Location
Surrey
If you are over the age of about 15 and still reading them, then you need your head seen too! (No, not like that, you dirty people!) :laugh:

Actually, it's your eyes that need seeing to if it's taken over 4 years to read a book!

I've read all of them. No big deal. They were certainly readable, even for someone over the age of 15.
 
Top Bottom