[Closed] Could You Live Without TV?

I'm only watching two things on telly at the moment. Lost (which I've obtained via BitTorrent in the past) and Monty Halls Great Escape (also on iPLayer). Typically, they're both on at 9pm tonight 🙂

Was thinking about throwing out the telly last year.
Cbeebies is too handy and I love wildlife programmes.

People think you must be mad without tv,

Yep, nothing more normal that sat in a trance staring at a box of lies and rubbish!

LOL

Yep, nothing more normal that sat in a trance staring at a box of lies and rubbish!

We're talking about telly, not this forum.

😀

You mean live without [i]a [/i][b]TV surely. iPlayer is TV.
I watch maybe an hour a week, mostly footie - so less after May.

i watch it, but dont miss it one iota when its not there, and wouldnt pay for it if my housemates didnt want it.

and footballs gay as ****

I have one for the kids when its my weekend also to watch DVD's cos its better than the PC. There is very little on the TV these days anyway, rubbish, drivel & junk. Celebrity this pish & celebrity that pish WTF do they think we are? We don't all worship vain pricks just because they work in TV etc.

So yes - i could get by with a tv, after all i have a PC.

What about surviving without a PC?

bit of scifi or natural world, max 1-2 hours a week for me. too many books to read, stuff to learn about, bikes to ride and play with.

no pc tho? that would be hard.

What about surviving without a PC?

WHAAAAAAAATTTTTTT?????????

BLASPHEMER!!!!!!!!!!!!

The missus and myself have been a few years without any TV, aside from dvds, I'm sure we could quite happily go without that as well. Both of us work in IT and generally come home and mess about on t'internet or play games on a night.

People definitely think you are weird, parents on both sides are completely baffled by how you can live without sitting down for 6 hours infront of it every night. Much like the TV licencing chaps, absolutely refusing to believe it's possible to exist without watching TV. It seems so petty having to detune it when our licence ran out, rather than just not watching it, guilty until proven innocent!

TV what TV?

i'd like one, but i'd rather buy some secondhand piece of bike with the £400+ quid

in fact thats what im doing this afternoon more than likely.

Perfectly possible to live without TV but you do miss out on conversation sometimes. Also watch a so called general knowledge quiz (again on TV) and see how many question are about TV programmes like Eastenders!

I love radio so missing TV would not be a problem for me. As the years have gone by I watch less and less TV. i would miss maybe rugby (six nations), cricket highlights and a few comedy shows like family guy and mock the week. Saying that England are crap this year as regards rugby, you could listen to test match special on radio 4 for the cricket and there are several good comedy progammes on radio 4.

I wondered how you can play DVD films but not have a TV licence as the guys who police the licences are very persistent! Both my mum and Dad passed away but they would not believe that their empty house did not require a TV licence until I eventually sold the house.

Hmm, the F1 season starts again soon, and any BBC streamed video/iPlayer stuff is squashed to just 15KBps by Virgin, so a TV would be handy, actually...

For footie, I use P2P services. Not actually illeagal (yet), but not fantastic quality.

And it would be nice to permanently record some stuff.

Thing is, if I get a USB TV tuner for me telly, that means I'm legally obliged to buy a licence (or have the wrath of STW descend upon my soul), but I really object to pay £140 a year, to watch a very small amount of telly.

My last place, there was a TV there, but I watched maybe an hour or two, if there was something on that I wanted to see. I'd rather switch it off, and play music/listen to radio/go on STW/internets, than just have it on for the sake of it.

I do live without TV.

Do I miss it? Maybe a little bit, but I survive...

"I wondered how you can play DVD films but not have a TV licence as the guys who police the licences are very persistent!"

By unplugging the aerial, detuning the TV (all the channels!), then having to let a stranger into your house to show him you can't pick anything up. If you slip up on the above they'll see that as proof and fine you £500+

Absolute insanity.

I like watching telly!

Toasty; I have a monitor attached to a PC, through which I can play DVDs, etc. Currently have no equipment capable of receiving a television signal as it is broadcast live. Bloke's been round, checked it all, they're satisfied.

The 'having a de-tuned TV' one does not in any way really work; you'd have to prove the TV is permanently incapable of receiving a broadcast signal. De-tuning it is not sufficient. They will have you for that one (I know folk who've tried and failed).

They are bastards. They will have you for anything.

Currently have no equipment capable of receiving a television signal as it is broadcast live.

Guess they are not aware of Zattoo then? Besides do you not have to have a license for iplayer?

What's that then, Grumm?

I do have a high def LCD monitor flat screen 22 inch and a laptop and watch DVDs while doing work and the radio.

I do get more work done but still have tons to do.

I did have 2 pci tv cards and a freeview usb stick which works brilliant with aeriel except I spend 90% time in my study with no aeriel socket-maybe if I had digital reception on a potable aeriel then I'd get a licence no probs. I posted my usb and pic cards all to my old man in Cambridge as you're not allowed to have receiving equipement and my monitor needs hdmi or VGA socket-its not a tv (inspectors pop and tell me this-nice folks too).

The Tv licence inspector does pop in occassionally and calls me by first name as we sit and have a cup of tea-I show him my in tray a foot high-tv time?

I just checked whats on and maybe science docs or footy raises an eyebrow but I couldn't watch it-I get bored.

Iplayer-Casualty etc same old same old. Ok I do look up bbc news online sometimes and I'm told I not allowed to do that as it is live?
ITV gives free stuff which is rubbish and never it's movies except the Champions league.

I've seen Friends/Simpsons to death.

I must admit I like going out/talking to new people/friends and riding more than ever.

I started when I got fed up of lies and mass media influencing sheep following. My GF thinks it was weird until she asked am I earning more!
Productivity is definately up!

Everyone to themselves right? just don't take my internet away!

Building a single speed now-with the radio on.

(Googles 'Zattoo'. Downloads it. Logs in)

Grumm- you bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, man.........

You bad man.

The 'having a de-tuned TV' one does not in any way really work; you'd have to prove the TV is permanently incapable of receiving a broadcast signal.

We were alright with it, we have a wall socket miles away from the TV (2 rooms away) and no cable as well. The TV is hooked up to a variety of games consoles and a DVD player, it's quite clear what the TV is for.

Scary how pushy the licence checker chaps are though, desperate to lie their way into your house to try and frame you for the commision they get paid. I love the fake letters you get sent as well, each written and signed by imaginary people at the bottom, the job title out of a random pool as well.

All this just incase I'm stealing broadcasts from the mighty BBC and their top notch programming. Having a quick look at the Radio Times now, 2 hours of Eastenders on BBC1 and 3 hours of Athletics. Good stuff! 🙁

Yes, I could definitely live without TV. I don't want to though. I enjoy Lost, 24, Spooks (early re-runs, missed it first time), Billy Connolly, lots of stuff on BBC4.

My license was due for renewal at begining of this month but I've decided not to renew it (yet!) What do I have to do to prove I dont watch it?

I could easily live without tv. Only things I watch regularly are Top Gear (which I normally miss and d/l a torrent anyway) MOTD and F1. Oh, and Location, Location, Location!

But I definitely could not live without internet. Probably not even for a week.

I have never owned a TV, dont see the reason. I listen to the radio, read books and do "stuff". If either Mrs H or I want to watch a movie, we go the piccies. Dont know what is going to happen when H junior gets to school and comes under all the pressure he is likely too from his peers.

Also ALL Mrs H`s family and friends think I am some sort of neanderthal weirdy.

All I can say is **** em, **** em all back to their boring lives spent locked on to the box that usually takes center stage in their sitting rooms and their lives......

our telly aerial blew down about 6 weeks ago, I've been up on the roof three times trying to fix it, but it doesn't work. I can't figure it out, the antenna just drooped down, but now I've fixed it back up I don't get enough signal to run my freeview box.

No great loss though. We've been watching loads of DVDs....

Been over 10 years since our TV went pop and it was never replaced. We do have a TV but its only used for the Wii, plus the aerial has been removed from our house and small internal aerials dont have the power to pick up a signal in our location.

I use 4OD and iPlayer on the laptop but its only rarely (catch up on skins, shameless and any interesting documentaries). I watch a lot of DVDs as well.

People at uni rabbit on about crap like Dancing on Ice, Big Brother and Britains Got Talent...its at those moments I feel glad I dont have a TV.

All things in moderation I say. Would miss the radio if that went though.

twang, you [b]do not have to prove[/b] that you don't watch/ain't got a tv.
It's up to them (bbc) to prove that you do.
I know the law regarding this, as opposed to what many posters on here have mentioned/will tell you.
No legal need to de-tune your telly or remove the ariel.
You ain't even obliged to let them enter your house.

I rarely watch telly, even then it is only 'cos I have one due to my o/h and son 'needing' one.
If it were up to me it'd be on ebay tomorrow.

as trademark says, all the onus is on the licensing authority. Your only obligation is to obey a court order which is very very very rarely issued (and even then can only be issued on presentation of good evidence - such as video foitage through the curtains of you watching live TV, owning a TV isnt sufficient)

3 yrs without a TV and never miss it. I catch the 6 nations at the pub or watch DVDs on the computer. Facing the same problem as EdH re Stoner Jr. Hes just over 2 now so happy with DVDs of thomas the tank engine occasionally, but not sure how he's going to fare at school.

Sod that - I love my tv.

40" Samsung 1080p full HD, Sony Blu-ray player, Yamaha HD AV amp, Sky HD, Kef 5.1 speaker system, soon to have Squeezebox wireless music streamer to play all my music stored on the computer through the amp.

Sky have recently released pretty much all the James Bond films in Hi Def.

Gave up TV about 10 years ago when I bought a wrecked house that needed doing up. Got married and managed to wean the wife off the one programme a week she thought she couldn't do without - ER. Probably know around 10 other people with no TV - mainly outdoor types. Manage to entertain kids of 5 and 4 without resorting to TV/DVDs etc, though occasionally let them watch a bit of CBeebies on iPlayer, and they watch at Grannys house and during wet play at school (which I've complained about, to some slight effect - anyone else think that's wrong?), and guess what, they play brilliantly together, eldest can read almost anything on sight and youngest not far behind. If you think there is anything wrong with this BTW (i.e. if you think we're depriving the poor little blighters) then read Remotely Controlled by Dr Aric Sigman who points out lots of evidence that it's not just the content of TV programmes that is bad for kids, but the nature of the medium itself.

OTOH, recently started watching a few things on iPlayer - like Masterchef!

My daughter watches her fair share of TV and could read perfectly well at 5 yrs old

I didn't say it was a causal relationship. You've probably got a grandad who's smoked 300 a day for 70 years and can still run a four minute mile?

Take a quick walk down a street and you can tell which people don't have TV's - they're the ones with very tall stables in the back garden!

I had to think about that one, t-m-m!! 😉

'TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR'

Is that you, Singletrackrocks?? Long time no see!

My daughter watches her fair share of TV and could read perfectly well at 5 yrs old

(Forgive me if ive got the wrong person) Was it not your little girl who knocks back pints, if you're not watching?

Obviously a highly intelligent child!

I never tell anyone that they mustn't watch TV, but I don't see why I shouldn't point out that maybe life is better without it. I certainly think my life is better without it (or with very little) - more time to think, less stress (lots of evidence that TV is only relaxing in the same way as valium is relaxing - read the book), get more done, talk/play with kids more etc. I also think that if everyone watched a bit less TV then that would be good for society and ergo, good for me.

RudeBoy - Member

'TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR'

Is that you, Singletrackrocks?? Long time no see

Yes mate it is, and yes she is the one with the pint.

Didn't come on for a while and then the forum changed - tried to re-register and had problems logging in. Eventually had another go and here I am

"You say you only watch documentaries,
That bad cold you've got, that's the 'flu.
And that book that you foisted upon me,
I'll never read it, will you?"

TV ...brainwashing for the masses really. It took over from the church when that stopped working 😉

Don't start that one again...... 🙂

**** it, I'm convinced.

Next week I'm ditching the car, throwing my PC away, selling my house and moving into a mud hut. And MTB's - spawn o' the devil

I do not watch TV in the traditional sense of the word.

[nerd]

I just have SABNzbd+ set up to automatically grab all the TV shows .nzbs i want to see via RSS. It then pars/unrars and drops the 720p x264 files onto a NAS share which i access via a mac mini and watch on my HDTV. All automated apart from when there is one off docs that i have to click a few things to get.

[/nerd]

All this talk of de-tuning and unplugging arials is rubbish, if you aren't watching or recording broadcast TV then you don't need a licence.

I could but I'm not sure I could live with the mood it would put the Mrs in...

🙂

Well I've had a hell of a day building my single speed, need to shorten my hoses and tighten up some bolts etc.

Anyway my net is slow as **** due to a fault at the exchange so I have a dial up whiel I do my report.

Take my tv but leave my net-which is crap too.

I guess when I have more time I could watch tv in the future if there was something good on.

Anyway enjoy what you do!

I use my TV as a kind of radio with pictures if there's something interesting. Most of the time I'm looking at my PC monitor...

No, tried that Zattoo, and it's a bit rubbish. S'not my internets, seems to be the Zattoo system can't cope with the demand. Image breaks up all the time, and the sound is crap.

Ah well.

Definitely the way forward, though. Time the Licence Fee was looked at; it don't really cater for internets. Most content will be delivered via internets soon anyway. How BBC gonna regulate that? I know they want to charge EVERYONE with a computer for a TV licence, but they'll have to come up with something fairer, really. I already pay for Broadband; don't see why I should pay a whack for something I don't want.

rightplacerighttime speaks the truth, my girls are 8 and 10, never had tv and seem to manage to remain well adjusted and say they dont 'miss out' at school. If we are somewhere with a tv, they are allowed to watch, but normally get up, bored, and wander off to find something else to do after half hour or so.

Mrs smd and I threw the tv out about 12 years ago. For US life is more fun without.

I grew up in a home without a TV, all through my Primary school years. Our B+W set died, and my mum din't believe TV was good for a developing mind. So I read books instead. Lots and lots and Lots of books. At about 7 or 8 years old, I was considered to have an 'adult' reading age. I excelled academically, and left my peers behind. God Bless my teachers, for constantly coming up with new challenges for me, so that I woon't be bored. My mum found some of the stuff I was reading a bit alarming, however; 'Gorky Park', at 11; 'A Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovitch' not long after. I'd done all the James Bond novels by the time I was about 9 or 10. I then moved on to Craig Thomas. I still enjoyed the Moomins books, though, although the CS Lewis Narnia stuff was a bit 'young' for me, by the time I entered secondary school.

Many studies have shown that TV is detrimental to the intellectual development of childrens' minds. And that active pursuits such as reading books, playing with Lego, etc, are of more benefit than the passive absorption of information via a TV screen.

[url=

the drug of the nation
Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation[/url]

Cool!

as long as I'm allowed a PC (not with iplayer) and a telly to play on my xbox then I'd be wonderfully happy without a TV. I only ever watch it because it's there and on. Terribly soul destroying thing but then I'm not the only person in the house.

I didn't have access to a TV at all until I went to university, and I've never bought one, just had hand-me-downs.

Films get watched, and I'd miss that. TV-wise the [i]only[/i] things I can be bothered with are the big BBC documentaries. I watched that thing about the sardine run last week completely spell-bound. Rest of it, and the endless Friends repeats I can completely live without.

I listen to the radio a lot, and sit quietly with an album on the stereo, otherwise I read books. I could replace TV with a DVD player and screen effortlessly, and could get rid of that without spoiling my life.

🙂

I am guilty of downloading that Zattoo to see what I was missing. Within hrs of installing it and browsing I wasn't impressed and after looking at whats on during the whole day and night I have deleted it.

Thanks for posting the link-I realised what a load of rubbish tv is.

Don't have one, don't miss it at all (I've not had access to one since I lived at home, ooh 15 years ago), won't be having one whilst the c*nts at TV Licensing CONTINUE to harass us. Until they turn up with a policeman and a search warrant they sure as hell won't be coming past the doorstep either.

Happly, but my GF won't go without it even tho she doesn't watch much either

a few of my friends made a big point about saying they were going to 'live without tv' when they got a place of their own. a few months later and they'd all bought one. This was before iPlayer though. its probably quite easy now. i'd still want something to watch films on though.

I might give it a go as i'll be renting a place soon and don't have a tv.

Can you get 32" LCD monitor for the same price as a TV?