On 22 Dec 2004, Mike Harrison wrote

On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 19:42:14 GMT, Harvey Van Sickle
wrote:

On 22 Dec 2004, Andy Burns wrote

Harvey Van Sickle wrote:

You need a licence if you "install *or* use" (my emphasis)
equipment which can receive broadcast programme services.

But by being detuned and without an aerial lead it *cannot*
receive broadcast programme services!

I did, in fact, acknowledge that in the paragraph which everybody
seems to have snipped from my original post:

In other words, if you've *installed* a TV -- or a video
machine -- you need a licence for it. The only exception
I've heard of is if you can demonstratae that its capability
for receiving programmes has been disabled (and probably
permanently disabled, by removing the tuner and turning it
into a monitor).

I still suspect that simple de-tuning and not connecting an
aerial would be regularly challenged by the licencing people --
"Our officers would like to check that your untuned TV receiver
has remained untuned".

To which you are perfectly entitled to reply "Sod off" They have
no right of entry to check.

Absolutely -- but if you exercise that right to say "sod off" too many
times, they can obtain a warrant. At which point they'll have managed
to see your "sod off" and raise you a "try sodding that off".

--
Cheers,
Harvey