Laptops with TV tuners to be exempt from TV licence

[Outlander]

SiliconRepublic.com: Government says no TV licence needed for RTE online - Comms

The Broadcasting Bill 2009 specifically exempts mobile phones, “standard PCs with a broadband connection and laptops with TV cards” from a television licence requirement, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan TD, has said.

Interestingly, the Broadcasting Bill 2009 also exempts “laptops with TV cards” from payment of a TV licence, meaning that while the owner of a TV set will have to cough up the €160 for a licence, a laptop owner can tune in the exact same channels on their TV card, put AV out to a large monitor, and thereby neatly (and legally) sidestep payment.

Expect a whole industry to develop out of this - TV's for the Irish market without tuners - minimised laptops designed only to output TV - TV rerpair shops flooded with TVs having their tuners removed.

Who said the government was doing nothing to stimulate the economy?

[Dillinger]

That is good news. I am surprised though, I thought they would go for the jugular, and tax everyone with an electrical device.

[DerekOwens]

Perhaps a poke in the eye for RTE... still, good to see!

[gaffer falls]

Ads re licences were always daft but have now gone daft misogynistic