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by tylermauthe 3827 days ago
I thought you had to pay the tax for any screen, regardless of where the content comes from?
4 comments

Only if the content is "live TV" or you record live TV, which Netflix doesn't fall under.

Source: http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one which I assume would have the broadest possible definition

Only if you're going to watch live TV on it. Doesn't matter where it comes from (iPlayer live or a bit of wire on top of your house).
From http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/ss/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&bl...:

"1.3 Note also that “received” means receiving a TV programme as it is being broadcast on TV. It does not include receiving programmes by means of a DVD or the on-demand elements of services such as i-Player."

On-demand elements of iPlayer don't need a license, watching live channels on iPlayer does however. Also the case with non-BBC servies such as ITV Player, 4OD, etc.
Yeah, that was my read of it as well, although honestly that distinction seems like it'd be an enforcement nightmare. Just figured a link to the official policy would be useful to someone.
To be very specific you need a TV licence if you consume a "broadcast signal".

Meaning that anything that is live, or recorded from a live signal, requires a TV licence - whether or not it came from an over-the-air signal or via an IP service.

But if you consume a catch-up TV service, or watch DVDs, or use Netflix... then you do not need a TV licence.

Aside from the person I know who works at the BBC, no-one I know now has a TV licence, just as no-one I know has a land-line telephone. Modern technology (smart TVs and smart DVD players mostly) have obliterated old style viewing.

Only if the screen has a tuner and aerial I think; a monitor wouldn't require one.
No, you're wrong. A person using a laptop to view live tv on eg BBC iPlayer would need to be covered by a licence.

The licence is needed for any "live broadcast tv". The equipment used is not relevant; and the source of the signal is not relevant. So someone in England watching French satellite TV still needs a licence.

This used to be the case. It changed very recently to requiring a license for all live TV, regardless of how it's received.