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Old 3rd Aug 2011, 10:20 am   #61
MikeyPP
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

a funny (well I thought so) article here > http://www.bbctvlicence.com/Detector%20vans.htm

especially this answer when asked under the freedom of info act, how many vans there were > http://www.bbctvlicence.com/Detector...How%20many.JPG



and numerous images of all ages of them here > http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...og&sa=N&tab=wi


I'm surprised no vintage site member hasn't suggested someone knocks a detector up to prove proof of concept... .. or just for the fun of it ...
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Old 3rd Aug 2011, 11:19 am   #62
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

Most people are frightened into thinking that they must have a licence if they have a tv or video/dvd recorder. They can have as many sets as they like, as the licence is only in force for "The recieving of LIVE,AS-BROADCAST tv programme reception", so if you have no aerial connected, and only use the set for watching dvds for example, theres nothing the BBC or TVL can do, and they nor any of their agents have any right to enter your property under ANY circumstances, whatever they may say. Not even the Police can enter your property without a warrant ( the only types of exception is that they are apprehending a burglar etc..).
You can also watch the iplayer or itv catch up etc or youtube tv programmes on your computer without a licence as they are not "on" live.( If you watch BBC news 24 live on a computer then you DO need a licence).

I did see a tv detector van once driving along through the town, it was a dark blue minibus type modern model ( vw I think)-not sure. It said TVLicensing Detector Van on the side!

I am sure that there are millions of chavs etc. that watch tv as broadcast without a licence, and good luck to the BBC or TVL finding them,but if you are one of the above then you do not need to licence your premises.
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Old 3rd Aug 2011, 12:08 pm   #63
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

Seems about the same as any other body which would like you to come to a particular conclusion about the effectiveness of their products or capabilities. They don't tell lies, but give a selective view of the facts, e.g. by only talking about what this thing can do in ideal circumstances and inviting you to assume that's what it can do routinely. If you choose to assume that, they will see no reason to correct you.
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Old 3rd Aug 2011, 12:50 pm   #64
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

A touch off topic ... many, many moons ago, one of the larger Grundig (18"?) portables arrived on the bench, with the complaint of no colour. On opening the back , I found a reed switch (N/C) araldited to the inside of the top of the cabinet. It was connected across the 4.43 crystal... one wonders if someone didn't want to pay the colour license, so cobbled this mod together so that when something magnetic was placed there, the colour was restored! The magnet must have been quite small to avoid pulling the purity out..
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Old 3rd Aug 2011, 6:52 pm   #65
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

Hello all,

"A computer generated letter to defaulters is no problem except to new owners who don't have a TV, it can take quite some effort to stop these letters."


I had some of these some years ago after a house move, we didn't have a TV. I burned the first two or three then sent one back with very rude scrawled over it. A colleague in the BBC said it would have been better to say I didn't realise I needed a licence because it could take months of correspondence before establishing that I had nothing to licence!

Regards Ant
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Old 3rd Aug 2011, 7:32 pm   #66
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

Discovered this picture in 'The Guiness Book of 1952'. It claims to be the first television detector van. Thinking about it I would have thought that the 'H' aerial would have been more of a give away..Re gards, John.
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Old 3rd Aug 2011, 9:22 pm   #67
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

Here's the accompanying BBC article from 1952 which confirms it
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/d...00/2521357.stm
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Old 3rd Aug 2011, 9:29 pm   #68
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

Let me say,super picture.

Thank You David
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Old 3rd Aug 2011, 10:59 pm   #69
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

Quote:
Originally Posted by Heatercathodeshort View Post
I would have thought that the 'H' aerial would have been more of a give away..Re gards, John.
Not if you just had a dipole in the loft.......
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Old 4th Aug 2011, 1:14 am   #70
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Thumbs up Re: TV Detector Vans

Point taken, Richard (re: Post #58). I stand corrected: thanks.

Al.
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Old 4th Aug 2011, 9:39 am   #71
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

3 Years ago when I turned in my TV licence just prior to emptying the house for complete refurbishment I received a six month fee refund addressed to me by name at my current house.

6 months later whilst my TV and house contents were in storage and I was living elsewhere I received three threatening letters addressed to the 'occupier'. Their tone was offensive, outlined in red and bullying and could have frightened little old ladies so I thought 'bring it on'. I felt particularly incensed because they knew my name having given me a refund but called me the occupier.

I tried to think how I might generate TV timebase signals and amplify them so they would radiate all around the road in front of my house so the detector van couldn't miss them but in the end having no tools, no furniture and walls down all over the place the thrill of the chase became a bit of a bore and the anticipated confrontation never happened. I still think it would have been fun but now the house is finished I'm licensed again and they leave me alone.

Jim
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Old 4th Aug 2011, 10:33 am   #72
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

Quote:
I received three threatening letters addressed to the 'occupier'. Their tone was offensive, outlined in red and bullying
I had the same problem when i moved house last year, i tried to change my licence on line, but failed, in the end i changed it by phone in less than a minute!

I do agree, these letters are both threatening & rude.

Mark
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Old 4th Aug 2011, 10:53 am   #73
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

We are currently getting letters to the place I work, its a telephone exchange, and even after a nice chat on the phone to them the letters still keep coming
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Old 4th Aug 2011, 1:08 pm   #74
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Originally Posted by bobsterkent View Post
We are currently getting letters to the place I work, its a telephone exchange, and even after a nice chat on the phone to them the letters still keep coming
3 years ago I demolished the inside of my house, in a major refurbishment and conversion (I lived elsewhere at the time), and had repeated threatening letters.
Eventually in a very confrontational 'phone call, when I was threatened with a visit, I requested that the licensing person be accompanied by a police officer, with a search warrant, and that they wear the appropriate safety equipment, as this was a building site, and also, if it was outside of daylight hours, to bring suitable lighting, as the site currently had no electricity. The gentleman on the 'phone said he would make a note not to bother me again ... the letters continued..
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Old 4th Aug 2011, 1:14 pm   #75
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

My sister has been receiving letters now every few months for getting on for 15 years - and she's moved house 4 times in that period. She has written and telephoned numerous times, and although that stops the (sometimes quite nasty 'you will receive a court summons' type) letters for a few months, they always come back.

She has on four occasions taken time off work to be at home on the date when a letter said an inspector would call, but nobody has ever shown up - and nor have they replied to her polite requests for compensation for loss of earnings for those days.

TVL's automated system seems unable to accept that some people just don't own or watch television. She listens to the radio, reads books, and watches DVDs on a non-internet connected laptop.

Now she just puts the letters straight in the bin as they're obviously purely an automatically generated empty threat that mean nothing. Cheaper to automatically print and post letters than actually have people updating databases, using detection equipment and inspecting houses.
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Old 4th Aug 2011, 2:17 pm   #76
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

Quote:
Originally Posted by Skywave View Post
I don't ever recall the existence of a system that required TV dealers nor aerial installers to provide installation addresses to the licensing authorities.
When I worked in a shop selling TV's in the late 70's we had to record the name and address of anyone buying a TV for licensing purposes. The last time I bought a new TV I also had to give the shop my name and address for the same reason.

James.
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Old 4th Aug 2011, 2:22 pm   #77
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

..as Gerry would say. "A snitch-up form"................!
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Old 4th Aug 2011, 2:30 pm   #78
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

This thread about detector van technology has now become a rant about the well known problems with TVL.

Please stay on topic, or we might have to revoke the thread's licence.
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Old 4th Aug 2011, 4:23 pm   #79
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

James is correct in post 76 all TV dealers had an obligation to inform the authorities of a TV sale. I am not sure if this is still the case.
I have to admit it is years since I saw a detector van, possibly 30 years ago.
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Old 4th Aug 2011, 5:08 pm   #80
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Default Re: TV Detector Vans

Yes indeed it is or was a year or so back that name and address was recorded for the purpose of.

David
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