onewheeldave Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 OK. Tell me *how* - it's not just saying it's digital and magic - tell me how you would it. It's not at all an easy task to do without freezing all the broadcast channels, or requiring everyone to update their kit. Now if they had decided to encrypt the BBC at the time of the digital roll out that would have been easy, but they didn't and so we are stuck with free to receive BBC for a long time to come. I don't know the specifics of how it would be done, any more than i know how they restrict DVD players to certain regions. I do know that any attempts at any kind of digital restriction e.g. DRM tend to be botch jobs that can always be bypassed. ---------- Post added 20-03-2013 at 10:25 ---------- And therefore a straightforward matter in hacking it so they can get BBC. Remember when DVD players first came out and they were locked to region 2? which is why I said in my post- Just as DVD players used to be programmed to not play DVDs from certain regions. It wouldn't be foolproof, and, some would be able to tamper with it, but, that applies eqally to any such restrictions. But, that's how things are done these days- the fact that a restriction can be bypassed/hacked by those with the right knowledge does not stop it being seen as a valid restriction- other examples include all anti-piracy methods, DRM etc etc. It in fact applies to all restrictions- a sufficently persistent under age drinker will obtain alcohol despite the laws, someone who wants a gun will get one, despite the gun laws. The fact that restrictions can be got around does not invalidate them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obelix Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I don't know the specifics of how it would be done, any more than i know how they restrict DVD players to certain regions. I do know that any attempts at any kind of digital restriction e.g. DRM tend to be botch jobs that can always be bypassed. So you are calling for something that you know to be impossible... that's really going to bolster your argument.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No User Name Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 the proof they will have is the dish outside my window Nope. :D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 True. But the fact that, in reality, they aren't, means that it doesn't stand as justification for the licence fee anymore. True. Also true of the BBC as it has to make a profit as well No it doesn't. That's the entire point. It's funding is provided by the license fee. A broadcast fee which the public don't have to pay for via a licence fee, like they do with the BBC. All I pointed out was that other stations (like ch4) do do programs in the public interest. But only when they are profitable or they are required to by their license agreements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewheeldave Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 No it doesn't. That's the entire point. It's funding is provided by the license fee. Whether paid for by cash adverts, or cash from funding, it's all cash, a business, which needs to make a profit, as all businesses do. But only when they are profitable or they are required to by their license agreements. As with the BBC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 No, the BBC are not required to make a profit, they are funded by the license fee. The BBC is not a (edit - commercial - like I said the first time) business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewheeldave Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 So you are calling for something that you know to be impossible... that's really going to bolster your argument.... Another strawman, I've said nothing of the kind. Restricting what a new TV can recieve is only 'impossible' to the same extent that any kind of restriction, including, for example, anti-piracy, DRM, under-age drink laws are 'impossible'. They can all be bypassed, that doesn't mean we class them as impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 What you're suggesting is technically infeasible, unlike the list of other things which are simply difficult to do or to enforce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obelix Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Another strawman, I've said nothing of the kind. Restricting what a new TV can recieve is only 'impossible' to the same extent that any kind of restriction, including, for example, anti-piracy, DRM, under-age drink laws are 'impossible'. They can all be bypassed, that doesn't mean we class them as impossible. You imply that I've already commited a strawman when I haven't. Whose guilty of that one now then..? You originally postulated that a licence could be removed if people had licence free TV's that cannot receive BBC. You admit that is impossible to achieve. You have shot your own argument down, by hoisting yourself with your own petard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygardener Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 You originally postulated that a licence could be removed if people had licence free TV's that cannot receive BBC. You admit that is impossible to achieve. You have shot your own argument down, by hoisting yourself with your own petard. Surely if the bbc output was available in the same way as Sky it's perfectly possible to make it subscription only. Pay your licence fee, get a smart card that allows bbc output to be viewed, otherwise it is scrambled the same way Sky output is scrambled to non-Sky subscribers. Now that the analogue signal has been turned off this should actually be very easy to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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