Black and white TV's (a.k.a monochrome TV's and digital switchover

Hi all,

My mother has a black and white TV. obviously it only has a analogue Tuner,
no scart or even CVBS inputs.

She is a colour refusenik and will not switch to a colour TV period. DSO is
happening in March in her area.

I have been looking into some freeview boxes with integrated modulators.

This then leads to two or possibly three questions questions:

(a) whats going to happen to the B&W TV licence after DSO completes in the
UK?

(b) assuming I found a freeview box with a modulator onboard, if I was to
connect one of these to her B&W TV set, would she still be legal with a B&W
TV licence or would she be obliged to buy a colour licence as technically
speaking the freeview box is capable of recieving colour TV even though the
B&W set clearly isnt and she would continue to watch in black and white?

(c) if the freeview box means that she needs a colour licence, can I do
something to the freeview box to render it incapable of recieving colour,
and only outputts B&W, if this would then allow her to continue having a B&W
TV licence legally??

Surprisingly enough, when the B&W TV set breaks, some kind soul always seems
to find one in their loft and gives it to my mother......

The remote control will be an interesting change for her given she is so
used to twiddling the tuner dial......

Regards

STephen.

On 05/02/2011 21:43, Stephen wrote:
Hi all,

My mother has a black and white TV. obviously it only has a analogue Tuner,
no scart or even CVBS inputs.

She is a colour refusenik and will not switch to a colour TV period. DSO is
happening in March in her area.

I have been looking into some freeview boxes with integrated modulators.

This then leads to two or possibly three questions questions:

(a) whats going to happen to the B&W TV licence after DSO completes in the
UK?

(b) assuming I found a freeview box with a modulator onboard, if I was to
connect one of these to her B&W TV set, would she still be legal with a B&W
TV licence or would she be obliged to buy a colour licence as technically
speaking the freeview box is capable of recieving colour TV even though the
B&W set clearly isnt and she would continue to watch in black and white?

(c) if the freeview box means that she needs a colour licence, can I do
something to the freeview box to render it incapable of recieving colour,
and only outputts B&W, if this would then allow her to continue having a B&W
TV licence legally??

Surprisingly enough, when the B&W TV set breaks, some kind soul always seems
to find one in their loft and gives it to my mother......

The remote control will be an interesting change for her given she is so
used to twiddling the tuner dial......

Regards

STephen.




Don't know about the legalities re B+W license, or whether such a thing
will continue. I suspect it won't.

But perhaps you should just let it 'stop working'.
And then tell her that B+W TV has finished.

That may adjust her position.

You could warn her in advance, of course, that it's going to 'stop
working'. But it may take the 'blank screen' to progress things.


--
Ron

Stephen wrote:
Hi all,

My mother has a black and white TV. obviously it only has a analogue
Tuner, no scart or even CVBS inputs.

She is a colour refusenik and will not switch to a colour TV period.
DSO is happening in March in her area.

I have been looking into some freeview boxes with integrated
modulators.

This then leads to two or possibly three questions questions:

(a) whats going to happen to the B&W TV licence after DSO completes
in the UK?

(b) assuming I found a freeview box with a modulator onboard, if I
was to connect one of these to her B&W TV set, would she still be
legal with a B&W TV licence or would she be obliged to buy a colour
licence as technically speaking the freeview box is capable of
recieving colour TV even though the B&W set clearly isnt and she
would continue to watch in black and white?

(c) if the freeview box means that she needs a colour licence, can I
do something to the freeview box to render it incapable of recieving
colour, and only outputts B&W, if this would then allow her to
continue having a B&W TV licence legally??

Surprisingly enough, when the B&W TV set breaks, some kind soul
always seems to find one in their loft and gives it to my mother......

The remote control will be an interesting change for her given she is
so used to twiddling the tuner dial......

Can I suggest euthanasia?

On 05/02/2011 21:48, Ron Lowe wrote:

Don't know about the legalities re B+W license, or whether such a thing
will continue. I suspect it won't.

A B&W licence is OK with a plain (non-recording) set-top box and B&W
telly as the display. Any flavour of box which can record requires a
colour licence.

http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-i...-licence-TOP3/

--
Andy

On Sat, 5 Feb 2011 22:01:18 -0000, "Norman Wells"
wrote:

Stephen wrote:
Hi all,

My mother has a black and white TV. obviously it only has a analogue
Tuner, no scart or even CVBS inputs.

She is a colour refusenik and will not switch to a colour TV period.
DSO is happening in March in her area.

I have been looking into some freeview boxes with integrated
modulators.

This then leads to two or possibly three questions questions:

(a) whats going to happen to the B&W TV licence after DSO completes
in the UK?

(b) assuming I found a freeview box with a modulator onboard, if I
was to connect one of these to her B&W TV set, would she still be
legal with a B&W TV licence or would she be obliged to buy a colour
licence as technically speaking the freeview box is capable of
recieving colour TV even though the B&W set clearly isnt and she
would continue to watch in black and white?

(c) if the freeview box means that she needs a colour licence, can I
do something to the freeview box to render it incapable of recieving
colour, and only outputts B&W, if this would then allow her to
continue having a B&W TV licence legally??

Surprisingly enough, when the B&W TV set breaks, some kind soul
always seems to find one in their loft and gives it to my mother......

The remote control will be an interesting change for her given she is
so used to twiddling the tuner dial......

Can I suggest euthanasia?

Er... No.

--
Peter Duncanson
(in uk.tech.digital-tv)

Peter Duncanson wrote:
On Sat, 5 Feb 2011 22:01:18 -0000, "Norman Wells"
wrote:

Stephen wrote:
Hi all,

My mother has a black and white TV. obviously it only has a analogue
Tuner, no scart or even CVBS inputs.

She is a colour refusenik and will not switch to a colour TV period.
DSO is happening in March in her area.

I have been looking into some freeview boxes with integrated
modulators.

This then leads to two or possibly three questions questions:

(a) whats going to happen to the B&W TV licence after DSO completes
in the UK?

(b) assuming I found a freeview box with a modulator onboard, if I
was to connect one of these to her B&W TV set, would she still be
legal with a B&W TV licence or would she be obliged to buy a colour
licence as technically speaking the freeview box is capable of
recieving colour TV even though the B&W set clearly isnt and she
would continue to watch in black and white?

(c) if the freeview box means that she needs a colour licence, can I
do something to the freeview box to render it incapable of recieving
colour, and only outputts B&W, if this would then allow her to
continue having a B&W TV licence legally??

Surprisingly enough, when the B&W TV set breaks, some kind soul
always seems to find one in their loft and gives it to my
mother......

The remote control will be an interesting change for her given she
is so used to twiddling the tuner dial......

Can I suggest euthanasia?

Er... No.

Why not? All Luddites die. It's only a matter of when.

"Stephen" wrote in message ...
Hi all,

My mother has a black and white TV. obviously it only has a analogue Tuner, no scart or even CVBS inputs.

She is a colour refusenik and will not switch to a colour TV period. DSO is happening in March in her area.

I have been looking into some freeview boxes with integrated modulators.

This then leads to two or possibly three questions questions:

(a) whats going to happen to the B&W TV licence after DSO completes in the UK?

(b) assuming I found a freeview box with a modulator onboard, if I was to connect one of these to her B&W TV set, would she still
be legal with a B&W TV licence or would she be obliged to buy a colour licence as technically speaking the freeview box is capable
of recieving colour TV even though the B&W set clearly isnt and she would continue to watch in black and white?

(c) if the freeview box means that she needs a colour licence, can I do something to the freeview box to render it incapable of
recieving colour, and only outputts B&W, if this would then allow her to continue having a B&W TV licence legally??

Surprisingly enough, when the B&W TV set breaks, some kind soul always seems to find one in their loft and gives it to my
mother......

The remote control will be an interesting change for her given she is so used to twiddling the tuner dial......

Regards

STephen.

They make up the rules as they go along IMHO.
Here is the situation as I understand it, and you may feel it's counterintuitive.

A normal satellite, cable or DTT box connected to a monochrome set is covered by
a mono licence, even though the box is a colour receiver. If you like, it's a concession
to people like your Mother, without it how could a B&W licence exist after DSO?

The situation changes as soon as there is the ability to record, so a PVR needs a colour
licence even if there is no colour display device on the premises. I imagine the same
thing would apply to a VHS , but what if I modified the VHS to only record the luminance signal?


--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

Stephen wrote:

She is a colour refusenik and will not switch to a colour TV period. DSO
is happening in March in her area.

I don't wish to seem unkind about your mother (after all, I have one of
my own), but I find this kind of attitude intolerable.

Nobody has the right to stop the world from changing around them. If I
were you, I'd stand up to her and say "Mother, it's colour or nothing."

Having said all that, you can fool her easily: just give her a colour
telly and turn the colour right down until it's a black and white
picture.

As far as the licence goes, if she really won't pay for a colour
licence, perhaps you could pay it for her?

SteveT

Don't mean to be rude, but if she is over 70 (I think) isn't she entitled
to a free TV licence?

In message , Stephen
writes
Hi all,

My mother has a black and white TV. obviously it only has a analogue Tuner,
no scart or even CVBS inputs.

She is a colour refusenik and will not switch to a colour TV period. DSO is
happening in March in her area.

I have been looking into some freeview boxes with integrated modulators.

This then leads to two or possibly three questions questions:

(a) whats going to happen to the B&W TV licence after DSO completes in the
UK?

(b) assuming I found a freeview box with a modulator onboard, if I was to
connect one of these to her B&W TV set, would she still be legal with a B&W
TV licence or would she be obliged to buy a colour licence as technically
speaking the freeview box is capable of recieving colour TV even though the
B&W set clearly isnt and she would continue to watch in black and white?

(c) if the freeview box means that she needs a colour licence, can I do
something to the freeview box to render it incapable of recieving colour,
and only outputts B&W, if this would then allow her to continue having a B&W
TV licence legally??

Surprisingly enough, when the B&W TV set breaks, some kind soul always seems
to find one in their loft and gives it to my mother......

The remote control will be an interesting change for her given she is so
used to twiddling the tuner dial......

Regards

STephen.



Does your mother not qualify for a free licence?
--
Ian