[swills]

Originally Posted by blueisthecolour

The b/w license should have been abolished decades ago, it just down to political cowardice that it's still around.

Can anyone give one logical reason why people watching b/w shouldn't pay the same as everyone else?

So, if you had a B&W tv, you would be happy to pay £100 more than you would do now, to watch it ?

[swills]

It's a bit like HD and no HD, you pay a bit more for HD,(pay-tv) with B&W you pay a lot less for your tv viewing

[exlordlucan]

Originally Posted by Bedsit Bob

Do you have any evidence to support your belief, or do you, like the BBC, simply assume guilt?...

God you can't leave it alone can you



As for the topic, not it's not time to abolish because the tv is still capable of receiving live, as it happens, broadcasts..

[Cornucopia]

I wonder whether the B&W licence should be reworked as a licence to receive lower quality broadcast TV. Perhaps there should be a premium to receive HD, too?

[draig goch]

Originally Posted by Cornucopia

I wonder whether the B&W licence should be reworked as a licence to receive lower quality broadcast TV. Perhaps there should be a premium to receive HD, too?

There is, if you have Sky !

http://www.sky.com/shop/tv/high-definition/

[joshua_welby]

Originally Posted by draig goch

There is, if you have Sky !

http://www.sky.com/shop/tv/high-definition/

Or any Premium channels with Virgin
http://store.virginmedia.com/digital...get-hd-tv.html

Or if you take out their VIP Collection
http://my.virginmedia.com/customer-n...llections.html

[Glenn A]

I don't know why they just don't abolish the black and white licence as it must make nothing for the BBC and those still watching must be a tiny minority of stubborn people who have never upgraded to colour to try and look trendy. Even pensioners, who made up the vast majority of black and white viewers in the eighties and nineties, now have a free licence if they're over 75.
I just don't see the appeal of watching a 12 inch portable that is probably well over 20 years old.

[tim59]

If you got black and white tv set then there license should be free just like they do for cars that they call classics cars

[swills]

Originally Posted by joshua_welby

Or any Premium channels with Virgin
http://store.virginmedia.com/digital...get-hd-tv.html

Or if you take out their VIP Collection
http://my.virginmedia.com/customer-n...llections.html

I always thought VM gave you more, but the channels listed are not as many as I thought for 'M' !

http://my.virginmedia.com/my-offers/index#channels

you have to pay for BBC1 and ITV ?

[Richardcoulter]

Originally Posted by BrianWescombe

I've always found it rather amusing (ie stupid) that a b/w licence is cheaper than the colour licence for blind people (who I believe get a small discount?) So someone who can't see the tv at all pays more for a licence than someone who has a b/w telly

Correct me if I'm wrong

Blind people used to get £1.25 off their colour licence, but now get a 50% discount. I'm not sure about b&w licences.

It does not matter if there is anyone else in the household who can see, in the same way that a person over 75 can get a free licence for a household where others under 75 are present.

Originally Posted by swills

I always thought VM gave you more, but the channels listed are not as many as I thought for 'M' !

http://my.virginmedia.com/my-offers/index#channels

you have to pay for BBC1 and ITV ?

No, cable companies are not allowed to encrypt channels 1-4 (1-5 in some areas.) Of course, if you do not subscribe, their is the danger that they will come to collect the box or cut you off if they need the line in the cabinet for another customer.

In practice, they don't bother encrypting a number of channels eg all the BBC ones, all radio stations, ITV2+1, some shopping channels etc.

I have a friend who is no longer a subscriber that uses his ex sub box as he only uses 1-5, BBC News and Radio 4 and does not have an aerial.

There is, however, a better selection on Freeview.

Anyone that does subscribe, gets these channels as part of their package at no extra cost.

[mikw]

Originally Posted by Bedsit Bob

Assuming guilt = assuming all properties need a TV Licence.

And, of course, the majority of them do, so it's sensible to think that.

They write to you to ask, you tell them, if not then they write to you again.

[Bedsit Bob]

Originally Posted by Richardcoulter

I'm not sure about b&w licences.

They get a 50% discount on those too.

Of course, they can get a 100% discount, by using a (non-recording) STB, hooked up to an audio amplifier.

[Bedsit Bob]

Originally Posted by mikw

And, of course, the majority of them do, so it's sensible to think that.

No it's not.

You can't assume the circumstances of the individual, based on circumstances of the majority.

They write to you to ask, you tell them, if not then they write to you again.

Alternatively:-

They write to you to ask, you ignore them, they write to you again, you ignore them again.

[leslie123]

Remember there used to be a radio license many years ago and they abolished that. Just to re-iterate, if you are still watching a black and white television then good luck to you.Carry on and enjoy, have it on the house, no license required.

[Glenn A]

Originally Posted by leslie123

Remember there used to be a radio license many years ago and they abolished that. Just to re-iterate, if you are still watching a black and white television then good luck to you.Carry on and enjoy, have it on the house, no license required.

I agtee as it must make absolutely nothing for the BBC and as probably 10,000 people at most have BW, it must cost more to collect than it brings in.

[Bedsit Bob]

Originally Posted by Glenn A

and as probably 10,000 people at most have BW, it must cost more to collect than it brings in.

According to the BBC, approx 28.000 B&W licences are on issue.

Assuming none are concessionary, they raise £1,372,000 pa.

[BMR]

Originally Posted by Martin Phillp

I still have a Samsung 14" B&W complete with tuning dial from 1988 which still works, but would require a Freeview box with RF output for it to receive pictures again.

Originally Posted by Steveaustin316

When did shops stop selling black and white TV's?

That 1988 one must have been about at the arse end of Black and White.

Apart, as someone says, from tiny B and W ones like this.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Roadstar-T...f#ht_500wt_950

I brought one of these in 2003- it went in the bin come switchover though

[PhilH36]

Once a year I'll get a letter from the council asking me to confirm that I'm still eligible for the council tax discount for single person occupancy. I sign the form,send it back,don't hear from them for another year. Whereas when TVL write and you respond saying you don't have a television and thus don't require a licence,they don't believe you and write again a couple of months later.

[Glenn A]

Originally Posted by BMR

That 1988 one must have been about at the arse end of Black and White.

Apart, as someone says, from tiny B and W ones like this.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Roadstar-T...f#ht_500wt_950

I brought one of these in 2003- it went in the bin come switchover though

NORWEB were still selling a few BW portables for £ 50 as late as 1989, but I haven't seen these on sale since. There just isn't really the market and the market evaporated a long time ago. I think when DSO is completed the few that are remaining will be binned or stored away as the hassle of connecting a BW set to a Freeview box probably won't be worth it.

[Bedsit Bob]

Originally Posted by BMR

I brought one of these in 2003- it went in the bin come switchover though

Did it not have an RF socket, or AV in phono sockets?

[Bedsit Bob]

Originally Posted by PhilH36

Once a year I'll get a letter from the council asking me to confirm that I'm still eligible for the council tax discount for single person occupancy.

I don't even get that.

When I moved in, I went to the CT office and signed to say I lived alone.

Not heard anything since.

They just send me my CT bill, with the 25% discount included.

[Glenn A]

The last person I met who had black and white was a woman living on her own on benefits with a drink problem 11 years ago, who said as soon as she got a partner or a bit more money she'd move over to colour. Otherwise before that the last person I knew who had black and white was in 1994 when I used to deliver Chinese meals. Even then it was unusual as almost everyone else had colour.

[flashgordon1952]

I thought the B W licence had already stopped as my local post office does not sell them because of the low if any demand on them

[Bedsit Bob]

TV Licences are not available from the PO.

A new B&W Licence is only available (by phone or post) from TV Licensing.

A renewal can be obtained from a PayPoint outlet, provided you have a reminder.

[BMR]

Originally Posted by Bedsit Bob

TV Licences are not available from the PO.

A new B&W Licence is only available (by phone or post) from TV Licensing.

Is it not possible to pay cash anymore?