8864 What is a TV?

I don't have a TV set here, and don't want one. I keep being hassled by letters from RAI about a licence.

I notice that the wording is that you have to declare you don't have...

"alcun apparecchio atto [U]o adattabile[/U] alla ricezione dei programmi televisivi, [U]compresi personal computer[/U], decoder digitali ed altri apparati multimediali"

I have a PC, of course (doesn't everybody?) but I only use it for email and BBC radio.

Surely they can't make everyone who has a PC pay a TV licence [U]just in case they might [/U]adapt it for receiving TV?

Can anyone reassure me on this?

D

Category
General chat about Italy

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 08:29

Just broken off from my nap in front of the telly!

I suggest you have a look at the officialwebsite to allay your fears [url=http://www.abbonamenti.rai.it/Ordinari/canone_eng.asp]RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana - Gestione Abbonamenti[/url] As far as I can see it's for Televisions only.

Ciao
Chris
[url=http://www.olivopiegato.com]Tuscany Bed and Breakfast - L'Olivo Piegato, The Crooked Olive[/url]

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 08:35

FWIW my TV is a computer monitor when plugged into the computer.

My computer monitor could be plugged into the satellite easily.

Plus various cards to turn your PC into a receiver.

I've no idea how Rai could tell what's what. Maybe have you swear an oath you'll never use your computer to watch TV

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 08:37

Having looked at the site, this link has a piece on computers which are capable of receiving a TV signal or being adapted to be capable of [url=http://www.abbonamenti.rai.it/Ordinari/canone_eng.asp#WhatItIsAndWhoIsHeldToPay]RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana - Gestione Abbonamenti[/url]

Given enough surgery, my lawn mower is probably capable of receiving a TV signal and I suspect this is one of those local laws which nobody pays any attention to - that is not my advice, just an opinion.

Chris
[url=http://www.olivopiegato.com]Tuscany Bed and Breakfast - L'Olivo Piegato, The Crooked Olive[/url]

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 11:03

unless you own a TV tuner device (that is, some bit of hardware that allows you to tune into live broadcast TV and view it on a display, whether PC, phone, monitor or standard TV screen) then you don't need a TV licence.

The fact that your PC is [I]capable [/I]of being modified for this purpose IF you bought additional hardware is irrelevant, you only need the licence if you DO buy the additional hardware. I'd ignore them entirely. This IS my advice; its not based on any understanding of Italian law but its so blindingly basic that I have no doubts at all.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 12:59

Last time I was in Italy, in November, they were already talking about extending licensing to PCs, etc. Perhaps they have already introduced this new legislation. Can anyone confirm?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 13:10

oppps , so we might be in trouble as well.........we have 3 TVs that we only use as monitors ?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 14:28

[quote=Ghianda;83354]Having looked at the site, this link has a piece on computers which are capable of receiving a TV signal or being adapted to be capable of [url=http://www.abbonamenti.rai.it/Ordinari/canone_eng.asp#WhatItIsAndWhoIsHeldToPay]RAI Radiotelevisione Italiana - Gestione Abbonamenti[/url]

Given enough surgery, my lawn mower is probably capable of receiving a TV signal and I suspect this is one of those local laws which nobody pays any attention to - that is not my advice, just an opinion.

Chris
[url=http://www.olivopiegato.com]Tuscany Bed and Breakfast - L'Olivo Piegato, The Crooked Olive[/url][/quote]
I couldn't find anything on this site about computers adapted to receive TV, but maybe I wasn't looking in the right part. I have however printed out the main information page which is in English, which clearly says "television sets"

Thanks
Dora

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 02:05

FWIW the news just had a quick bit. Seems PC needing TV licenses is a bit of an election issue.

Personally I can't imagine it becoming a real election issue but then who knows.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 03:40

[url=http://zambardino.blogautore.repubblica.it/2006/07/28/canone-rai-per-video-su-pc-e-telefoni-oppure-ci-pensa-la-mvsn/]Repubblica.it - Blog - Scene Digitali » Blog Archive » Canone Rai per video su pc e telefoni. Oppure ci pensa la MVSN...[/url]

Cellphones to?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 16:53

Keep it simple mate, I'm with Ghianda, if you haven't a telly then you don't need a licence even if your hair dryer could, when waved about in a certain manner receive RAI game shows - God forbid!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/25/2008 - 16:49

I've been trying to read an article in La Repubblica regarding this and it seems there is a petition that everyone can sign in opposition to the requirement to have a TV licence for a PC or mobile phone as they can receive television signals...
Maybe someone with better Italian can make sense of the following report?
[url=http://www.repubblica.it/2008/02/sezioni/cronaca/canone-rai-pc/valentini/valentini.html]Non può essere un decreto del '38 a regolamentare il canone Rai - cronaca - Repubblica.it[/url]

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/26/2008 - 03:28

Yes, you can sign a petition. Have a look at

[url=http://www.repubblica.it/speciale/2007/appelli/canone_rai/index.html]Repubblica - Appelli[/url]

Basically, the other article says that the amendment to the TV licence for a PC or mobile phone cannot be based on a Royal Decree dating back to 1938.