BS: No Telly?

Subject: BS: No Telly?
From: terrier
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 07:03 PM

People always seem amazed when they find out I don't have a TV. Evidently I'm one of the 'weird'4% of the population who are telly-less. But on the other hand, a lot of my friends are sans TV also. The fact that a lot of them are musicians probably has something to do with it! I've just seen another 'catter admit to being without (on another thread), so lets have a head count, how many catters are part of the 4% ? Post and be counted! 8~)

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 07:08 PM

If my Rog's livelihood didn't depend on it, we would not have one. As it is, he is responsible for keeping the local affiliate station on air and on cable, so...there it sits, the One-Eyed Monster. When my kids were little I gave away a brand-new one. My son didn't have one for the longest time. Now, he uses one mostly for DVD movies and games.

Though I would miss PBS and BBC America (when we had it.)

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Peace
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 07:14 PM

Haven't had one for 15 years, don't have one now, don't want one.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: pdq
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 07:31 PM

I cancelled the cable TV subscription in 2000, but still have my 12" TV set with "rabbit ears" available for disasters. Have watched only twice since. One was the Arab-inflicted atrocity of 11 SEP 2001, the other the 2003 San Francisco Giants appearance in the World Series.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 07:34 PM

We do have a telly, but I could live without it. I couldn't live with the radio though, especially BBC7.

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 07:36 PM

I own one, but it's only used as a monitor for DVDs. We live too far out for conventional reception, in an area to sparsely populated for cable, and I refuse to have a satellite dish.

Heck, we rarely even use the set for DVDs any more. I used to have an in-town job and could drop by a video store on my commute, but we work out of our home now and the video store's too far away. Every once in a while a friend will loan us a DVD.

We do watch television occasionally if we're on the road and staying in motels. I get to see just enough of it to reassure myself that I'm not missing anything.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Janie
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 07:45 PM

I have an old portable hooked up to a video and DVD player, but otherwise have mostly been broadcast telly free for at least 35 years. I have tried having a TV occasionally, but found that I watched it so rarely that I tended to forget about, and therefore miss those few things I thought I might like to watch. Never have had cable service. When we bought this house an old console television was left behind and we watched it a little bit. However, our son was so mesmerized we dumped it before he was two years old.

When I think about it, I lost interest in watching TV when I left home to go to college, and have never really gotten that interest back.





Janie

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Janie
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 07:46 PM

BWL--if you miss the DVD's, consider Netflix.

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 07:51 PM

I heard a discussion of households with and without televisions on a local radio talk show last week. It seems that the guest had two children (one a step child) about the same age but raised one with a tv and one without, had completely different viewing habits. The kid raised with tv had the benefit of all of the skepticism of a parent also watching, and consequently didn't watch that much and was picky about the programs. The child with little exposure watched without any filtering going on at all--she simply had no basis for knowing good tv from bad.

Point taken.

I tend to treat the tv like a radio because I'm working around the house. I rarely ever sit and watch the tv (and if I do I usually fall asleep in front of it. . .)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Zhenya
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 08:14 PM

I haven't had a TV for many years - just lost interest in pre-cable days, and never got reinterested. My PC actually came with a TV tuner in it, but I've never hooked it up. I don't want to pay the cable bills, since I don't think I'd watch it that much. Too many other more interesting ways to spend the time.

I do like to watch movies, but this PC has a DVD player which I use for that, and I have a 19 inch monitor, which is the same size as many people's former TVs, prior to LCD/plasma days. Works fine for me. I have no interest in sitcoms, reality shows, and that ilk. The news I get from the newspaper, radio, and internet.

With the move of more and more TV shows to the internet, I figure if there's something I truly want to see, I can pay the $1.99 or whatever and just buy shows individually rather than pay the monthly cable bills, and then watch them on the PC. (So far I haven't found any need to do this, but it's nice to have the option.)

I have thought about buying a TV mainly to have a bigger screen to watch movies, but that's about my only reason right now, and doesn't feel really urgent. When, occasionally, I have the use of a TV somehow (motel, etc.), I find I just turn on the news and that's about it. If I ever got one, I suspect I'd watch a lot of junk right at the beginning because of the novelty, but then get bored fairly quickly and it would just sit there unused.

Anyway, this frees up more time and money for music related things! Nice to know there are many others of you that feel the same way.

Zhenya

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 08:31 PM

Although we do have a TV, we don't have cable and the outside antenna got seriously bent by an ice storm a couple of years ago. With 5 local stations I can more-or-less pick up with the antenna, more than 60% of the "programming" is "paid commercial announcements" with another 20% raving preachers extorting "love gifts" and dispensing hate.

It gets little real use. Although we do occasionally flop in a DVD or VCR, our "library" doesn't include much of anything less than 15 or 20 years old.

We usually leave it on when we're out, to make the house appear more occupied... .

John

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: skipy
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 08:53 PM

We have 5.
Skipy

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 09:20 PM

Yeah, Skipy, but we know they all came out of skips. How many of 'em work?

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Joe_F
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 09:59 PM

I have never owned a TV. When I was in graduate school, there was one in the lounge of my dorm, and I would sometimes dawdle in front of it on the way to my room. But as soon as the first advertisement came on, it would drive me to study.

Later, I got the idea of buying a miniature TV, which I would keep in a closet & take out only when it promised to behave. I actually ordered one from Sears. That model had been discontinued, so they offered to sell me the next-bigger one at the same price. That one was too big to fit on the closet shelf, so I said no. That must have been about 1966. A narrow escape.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 10:00 PM

I have necer owned had a TV, tho I did have custody of my brother's TV when he went overseas in 1978.

The TV was bright orange (how 70's!) & for a while I watched Dr Who, the News, news commentry, and Fawltry Towers or some other British Comedy. This didn't last long cos I went out on Thursday nights & the final episode of Dr Who was usually on that night, so I stopped watching Dr Who (wahhhh!! my favourite show) & then the TV died. Another reason to give up TV was I couldn't cook till after 8.30/9pm.

I didn't grow up with TV as Dad wouldn't have a TV until we moved in 1966. I was 14 & now had a room of my own, & was studying & going thru teenage stuff that meant I often hid in my room, so did not watch much TV.

This worked well on some occcasions when I wanted to watch a show my siblings did nwt want to watch: "Sandra rarely watches TV so we'll watch this shoW" sez Mum.

Between 66 & 76 when I moved out I did see occasional episodes of all the 50's & 60's classics like (US) Hogan's Heroes, Star Trek, Disneyland, Davy Crockett etc, (OZ) Homicide, No. 96, etc so I could keep my head up in conversations!

Back in 1992 when I visited my toddler nephew we watched all the kids classics like Sesame Street & Playschool, & the next show I watched (apart from passing TVs in shops or other public places) was a half hour show last November when I stayed a week with a friend.

I really must get around to watching 3 music DVDs Bob Bolton lent me.

sandra

(I don't even have a TV in my Doll's House!)

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: number 6
Date: 13 Jan 07 - 11:28 PM

It's not the TV that is the 'evil' .... it's what you watch.

Mind you there is a certain limited amount of 'good' TV programs to watch .. but there are some, notably Public TV, the CBC .... much like finding a good book these days ... or finding good music ... a good radio station ... or finding good web sites to browse.

"finding good web sites to browse" ??????


biLL

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 12:02 AM

I spend far too much time either 'doing' music or in internet chat rooms to have time to watch television ! But I DO remember the 'fun'
of the cards from the TV licence people and the tick boxes - WHY was there never a 'I Do NOT Own a T V Set' box to tick ??

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: number 6
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 12:07 AM

The benefits of TV.

Right now on Maine PBS ... is a concert with Dave Brubeck and his sons. Now you aint gonna see anything like live this in Saint John ... thanks to TV I can see and hear it.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Slag
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 12:33 AM

We have 3, and DISH. It's primarily for her (she who must be obeyed) but I find myself watching more and more. News, science, history, very limited satellite music (Sirius)(no folk!). I could live quite well without a television set as even the science is dumbed down (except on the Universtity Channels). In the 60's the pitch for "Pay" TV was that there would be no ads. Rollin on the floor! Now there are very few broadcast services outside of large metro areas and subscriber suckers are paying fairly stiff prices so the advertisers can drum inane, useless, needless products endlessly. Snake oil has made a big comeback as has hair-restorer, aphrodisiacs and pecker stretchers. Would anyone like a used TV set?

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 05:49 AM

We've got 2, a big one and a little one. I let my wife watch whatever she likes and I pick and choose. I like to think I use the telly rather than the other way round.
Atb from Square Eyed Charlie.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 10:14 AM

About 20 years ago I got fed up with commercials. Still have the same tv in the same spot, just haven't turned it on.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Bill D
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 04:10 PM

I'm a clever fellow, and I have figured out how to use a TV. There ARE things I want to know about that I don't know to look for on the computer....last night I watched a program on the formation of the Solar System. and just recently a program on how they built a bridge between two Japanese islands..Fascinating! I live in a major metro area, so I have many channels. I don't have to watch stupid game shows and bad, violent cop shows.

I kinda like having one....and it does have an off button.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 04:31 PM

We have 7!

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 08:33 PM

We have a television -- for watching tapes and DVDs.

We even have cable -- but only so our internet connection is cheaper.

Haven't actually watched television since 1983 (except for a couple times visiting my mother in Milwaukee and watching the Food Channel).

Back in 1983 there was no cable in Nottingham, NH. We could only get 3 stations. I was following "Brideshead Revisited" on PBS and somewhere in the middle, despite it the episode being shown several times over the course of a week, I just couldn't schedule watching it.

I threw up my arms in disgust, cried "F*#k it" and stopped trying.

Didn't get to finish "Brideshead" until a few years ago when my sister sent me the tapes.

Don't miss it. If there's something I need to see I can either rent it (Sopranos, Six Feet Under) or someone will tape it for me. Fits the schedule better. I'm too busy reading or checking things online (like Mudcat).

People do think it strange, though. Had someone a few weeks ago who wanted Tom to take a survey about television shows. Tom said, "We don't watch TV." The guy said, " Well, I've just got a few questions about the shows you watch" and just refused to acknowledge that we don't watch television. Couldn't believe that someone doesn't watch television. Tom hung up on him finally.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: GUEST, Topsie
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 05:19 AM

I would be wary of leaving a television set on when I'm out, to deter burglars. During the past year our street has had one break-in and one fire caused by a faulty television (luckily the family were in and downstairs when it happened so they could call the fire brigade and get out of the house quickly).

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Davetnova
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 05:59 AM

One here with no TV. Got rid of it 3years ago and neither my daughter or myself miss it at all. Loads of tme for other things.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: jonm
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 06:10 AM

When the kids were just up to the age for telling the time, we gave them so many minutes per day of TV time, which could be to their choice. They learned quite quickly to select the programmes they really want to watch.

We have a telly, and religiously watch a very few programmes - Doctor Who and Robin Hood, plus news and current affairs. The lad, who is ten, will happily switch it off, the daughter (8) is getting there.

I could live with watching DVDs on a laptop or with a projector and hi-fi for the times we do that, and live without. Each season's "exciting new schedules" contain less I can stomach watching.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 06:51 AM

I've been with and without tv. I do prefer to have one but I don't watch much tv and can exist quite happily without it.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 07:50 AM

I have one, but rarely turn it on, how many bloody home fix it/decorating shows can you watch> I only have one because I love Baseball. Otherwise I am a CBC radio addict, now THAT I could not live without.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Ron Davies
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 09:04 AM

I'm sure you've heard that the difference between TV and radio is that the pictures are better on radio.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Scrump
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 09:12 AM

I don't watch as much telly as I used to. A few years back I calculated how much of the rest of my life was going to be wasted watching rubbish on TV, if I kept on watching at the same rate, and that scared me! Thanks to that, I decided to do something else in the evenings, and one of those things was to start playing and singing again - I'm glad I did, and I now wish I'd done it years ago. No point in crying over split milk though. But I only watch TV now if I fancy a really lazy night in, and there's something worth watching (which is hardlt ever!)

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 09:52 AM

In 1959 our TV died, and my parents decided not to replace it. I haven't had a TV since. The format of TV bothers me - the flickering, the shouting and explosions, the overly-fast movement.

Once in a while I watch a movie on DVD. I enjoy the films, but I really appreciate the chance to pause it halfway, stretch and get a rest.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 01:57 PM

We have a fancy new LCD television hooked up to the latest in DVD players, but we don't watch broadcast television. I'm driven batty by commercials, and we have better things to do with our time -- like sleep. The TV shows we want to watch eventually come out on DVD, anyway, and Edmund can watch rugby at the pub.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: GUEST,Becca72 borrowing computer
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 04:44 PM

I have 2. One of them is almost always on, but I live alone and use it for the noise in some situations. I certainly do have regular programs I watch, though.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Slag
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 05:09 PM

DUCK! Mrs.! 7,!!!? Montag would have approved, had he not started reading those (shudder) books! As we bow in silent awe (ah, it might as well be. Who could tell different?) before the One Eyed God, let us observe that we could be depressed, alone, in dementia, choking on a banger or already dead. Fortunately the commericals are now so close together that there is still time to begin resussitation proceedures before brain damage ( yes, yes, I know!) becomes permanent and, twin blessing, the breaks are so long that complete recovery may be expected before the program resumes so the patient will not have missed anything important! What an age we live in. Soma anyone?

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 05:32 PM

Good point about Montag, though his wife would have been the one to approve.

We have quite a few around here also. Funny, because my son is the only one who sits and watches it for any length of time, and he's usually doing his homework in front of it. He uses the DVR and skips all of the commercials.

I bought one at a garage sale that is in his bedroom and is dedicated to the Sony Playstation and other game players. I'd rather he wear a pattern on that screen than the others we view for tv and movies (though it is a good fairly new 19" Magnavox with the "smart screen." We got it cheap because they couldn't find the remote control, but I'd had a burglary months earlier and the remote from a stolen tv worked on it.) We each have a little 5" tv/radio combination one for emergency situations (battery operated). We have 4 others in several rooms in the house. But we have lots of radios and CD and DVD and VCR players. An accumulation (and inheritance) over time.

We do have more books than all of these devices. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: terrier
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 05:48 PM

My other half (primary teacher)when asked by some of her class of youngsters what progs she watched on TV, explained that she did not own a TV. The kids felt sorry for her that it may be broken but she explained she had NEVER had a TV and the last time she watched TV was as a child at her parents house. The bewildered kids struggled to come to grips with this strange existence until one of them said to her, in a stage whisper, "you can get them in colour now, you know".

Long, long ago, when my ageing Grandmother was given an old Eko console TV, she took to it right away, but when we next visited her, she asked when would the man be coming to change the films inside!!

A bit disappointing this Christmas, didn't get a card from the TVLA, they must be fed up with begging for a license fee. 8~)

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: melodeonboy
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 06:28 PM

Terrier, the story about the schoolchildren is frightening, though hardly surprising.

To answer your first question: at present I belong to the 96% but I've belonged to the 4% for roughly half my adult life and I like to think I can take it (telly, that is) or leave it (unlike singing and playing, which I'm completely addicted to!).

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: JennyO
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 06:53 AM

Anyone remember Wayne and Shuster's "I was a TV addict?"

SHUSTER: Come on, I've made an appointment for you with the psychiatrist. It's at five o'clock.
WAYNE: Five o'clock?!
SHUSTER: What's the matter?
WAYNE: I'll miss Huckleberry Hound!
SHUSTER: Aw, come on!
WAYNE: And Yogi Bear!

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: GUEST,The black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 07:51 AM

Some years ago we realised that we had not switched the TV on for at least 5 weeks, so got rid of it and stopped having to pay the licence fee.
Several of our folky friends in Lancaster don't have one either. There's too much to do here to have time to watch it.

However, the TV licencing authority sends us very abusive letters and there is no way of shutting them up without expenditure on our part. It would take at least three letters to them on separate occasions to escalate any complaint from us about the wording of their letters to reach someone high enough up the management to do anything about it!
There does not seem to be any ombudsman or equivalent to complain to about their activities.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 08:15 AM

I am one of the four percent.

If anyone else (UK) - and they are without a TV - gets those ridiculous letters demanding you get a licence, and are annoyed by their intrusive and bullying nature feel free to get in touch - I have a surefire way of handling them. (Well it worked for me and others).

Dave Eyre

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: GUEST,The black belt Caterpillar wrestler
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 03:24 PM

What I object to is the wording of their letters that are intimidating and threatening. They amount to harrasment and include such phrases as threatening you with being interviewed under caution in line with some criminal act (I forget which at the moment).
I actualy contacted the police to see if this was legal. Apparently I can threaten them with the same procedure!
If one of their officers comes to my door I shall be asking him if he wishes to continue in view of the fact that I shall be recording what he has to say.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Marion
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 03:49 PM

I got rid of my TV half a year ago - not because I don't like TV, but because I like it too much. It was just too easy for me to get sucked into sitting there for hours, even if none of my favourite shows were on. Plus, sometimes I'd fall asleep, then wake up in the morning sitting on the couch with my clothes on and my teeth dirty and generally feeling like an idiot.

The funny thing is - I thought no TV meant I'd have time freed up for music, leisure reading, long phone calls etc. - but I still feel like I don't have time for anything but work, study, and sleep.

Marion

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Slag
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 04:05 PM

GUEST: Blackbelt grub wrestler, Do you have a license for your recording device?. Repeal the Stamp Act! Bring your tellies over here to Boston Harbor and toss them in!

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 07:28 PM

I have many, but watch very little. CSI, and news. Sometimes Dr Who or Torchwood. Why is there such shit on? Where are the equivalents of Doomwatch, the Quatermass programmes, I Claudius, Frankie Howerd (I always hated Tony Hancock) etc. Why are there NO decent music programmes - one used to be able to see Pink Floyd etc on Top of the Pops? Why are even the history and archaeology programmes so simplistic? Even the natural history programmes are largely about animals fucking or tearing each other to pieces. Why is the news dumbed down to 10 second sound-bites?

Please please give us an apocalypse. Mankind is sinking into something even more damnable than the scenario Moorcock painted in the Dancers at the End of Time.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 09:14 PM

My wife brought home some DVDs she'd borrowed from out daughter and we discovered that the TV we had only been using for the occasional DVD is now totally kaput. Since I'll be getting a replacement for this dinosaur PC soon and we'll be able to watch DVDs on it, I don't see any need for replacing the TV at all. We are now officially tube-free. Hurrah!

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Slag
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 09:21 PM

Hate to tell ya BWL, but unless you got a plasma or LED screen it's still a CRT (tube) (technically) regardless of what is coming out of it, but... I know what you mean...free of the networks' feed!

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 09:29 PM

Yeah, I meant "tube" in the since of "idiot box". I still have lots of tubes.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: GUEST,heric
Date: 16 Jan 07 - 09:39 PM

No telly!

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 12:02 AM

BWL--Slag mispoke. It's not an "LED" (a type of bulb) it's an "LCD"- liquid crystal display. It isn't a tube, and they're cheap enough these days that you can get one of them as easily as the CRT and they weigh a lot less. You'll find a variety of software programs to use to play movies on the computer--I use one a few years old that you can usually buy for about $5 on eBay (it's OEM) called WinDVD.

You can also get a card for the computer with a television and radio tuner and set up for cable so you can acutally watch television on your computer.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Slag
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 03:08 AM

LED, Light Emiting Diode. Diode, a DC filtering device. Can also be use like a "check vavle" in a circut. A very low voltage "cold light" source. Has anyone ever made a monitor from these? Electric pilot lights. Banner streamers, scoreboards. Jumbotrons?

Yes, I meant LCD which relies onthe piezo-electric effect! 50 lashes with an optic fiber!

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: GUEST,The black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 11:47 AM

I was told about a colour TV made up from LEDs by a friend who had seen it in Bradford back in 1973. The trouble was that it was difficult to balance the colours back then in the infancy of LEDs. The TV was only 2 inches thick though.

I'm still trying to find out if the TV licencing authority is answerable to anyone, as I wish to complain about their literature.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 12:38 PM

Haven't possessed a TV since 1973.

Russ (Permanent GUEST sans TV)

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: terrier
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 05:53 PM

When colour TV first came onto the market, I was working as a TV repair man whilst doing electronics at college. The gubbins inside the sets reputedly gave off some serious radiation so we had to wear tabs on our lapels to record any dangerous levels. The tabs were then sent away to be developed and we were relieved when the results came back no radiation detected. We had imagined a whole one off race of sterile telly techs! The early sets were very unstable and difficult to adjust, no sooner had we adjusted the colour convergence, it would drift off again so that the images on the screen would look like rainbows. The early colour test programs were interesting, but when youv'e seen a programme for the hundredth time......... I think if I tried I could still remember the 'Aswam Dam Project' word for word even after nearly 40 years. Maybe thats why I can't be bothered having a TV now.

Herself has just corrected me about the weird 4%. In fact she says that the official number is only 2%. After reading this thread through, I reckon that Mudcatters who regularly watch the Box must be as rare as ducks teeth. ;~)

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 06:47 PM

I found that there is an "Assumed Right of Access" to the front door of premises.

I wrote to the TV Licensing (email) withdrawing that right.

Never heard from them again.

It may not be legally correct or even true but it worked for me.

Best regards

Dave

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 09:50 PM

We have two tvs, both comparatively small. According to my son we are the only family in the entire world that owns only two television sets....now I can prove to him he is wrong!! First 8 years of our marriage we had no tv - then someone (feeling sorry for us) gave us one. Eldest child was 4 when the tv was brought into the home and was extremely restricted in viewing -- Friday night viewing of Danger Mouse was about it. Along came child # 2 and we were still fairly restrictive in viewing.....by the time child # 3 came along we were too busy and too tired to really monitor his viewing once he got past the toddler stage. Result - oldest child (introduced to limited TV at 4) adores it....child # 2 born into a house with a TV could care less and never watches it and child # 3 watches waaaaaaaaaay more than he should. Not sure what this proves....our vow is when the youngest leaves home (any time now ) all the cable services stop and we will revert to using the tv for the purpose for which is was intended, ie:

- watching BBC America
- watching movies
- watching PBS

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Jan 07 - 10:19 PM

I have a TV but no TV channels - it's for gaming and movies. More like a non-computer monitor.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: SussexCarole
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 06:30 PM

A few years ago my tv died and I did not replace it. The TV licensing powers that be refused to accept my word that I no longer had a tv set and demanded that evidence be provided from someone else living at the property. As I was living on my own at the time I 'politely' suggested that they come round and interrogate my cat! I heard nothing more from them!

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Les from Hull
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 06:55 PM

I must confess that I like TV and radio. I don't work no more so I've got plenty of time. But I have a method.

There's a thing called a PVR (yes it's another TLA - three letter acronym). PVR is personal video recorder. It's basically a digital receiver with a hard drive. It has an onscreen programme guide so you can plan your viewing and listening for the next few days. You just click the ones you want and it does the rest. You can record two channels at once and there's room for about 80 hours of programmes.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: Les from Hull
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 07:11 PM

If it's any help the details are here. By the way this is the third PVR I've owned and the others weren't nearly as good. You can get one of these for about 175 of our fine British Pounds.

Humax PVR

So it allows you to watch and listen the way the way you want. There's a skip forward button (15,30 or 60 seconds) so you never have to watch another bloody commercial ever again. You can pause live TV, or get instant replay. Of course this applies to the UK (and you have to be in an area with digital reception). It's like having one of those Sky-plus boxes they are always banging on about, but without having to give that nice Mr Murdoch any money.

Subject: RE: BS: No Telly?
From: mrdux
Date: 18 Jan 07 - 07:50 PM

We have a very nice tv. It used to sit in the living room and we had a cable subscription. My wife decided that she couldn't stand looking at it in the living room, so we moved it downstairs to the basement. While the room down there is comfortable enough, it felt sort of distant and disconnected, so we rarely went down to watch television -- an occasional basketball game or movie or something, maybe a couple times a month. It wasn't often enough to justify the cable bill, so we canceled that. The problem is that, being in the basement, it gets no broadcast reception. The tv is hooked up to a DVD player and a VCR, so we can watch movies when we want, but we haven't had any tv reception for two years this month. And I really haven't missed it. We listen to more music, read more and actually converse more. Not bad at all.

michael

ps -- To be completely honest about it, like pdq, we do have a little 12" with wabbit ears for emergency purposes -- like if the Cubs ever get into the world series. Needless to say, it doesn't get much use.