Get free to air TV channels with broadband subscription

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holaquetal

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I never owned a TV before so this is all new for me. I have a Virgin media broadband subscription. I want to see the free to air channels on my TV set. If I somehow connect the coaxial cable to my TV, will I get the FTA channels from my broadband connection? Or do I have to buy one of these saorview boxes? Info about the topic online is scarce - hoping someone here can enlighten me. Thx
 
Your TV set might already have Saorview built in and you might get the channels using a small indoor aerial depending on your location. Your Broadband has nothing to do with Saorview.
 
Why bother with free to air / Saorview when all of the channels are available as players online on your laptop ? You can even get all the UK channels if you subscribe to a VPN for a very small annual fee. If you ditched the TV in favour of a 40 inch computer monitor you wouldnt even be liable for a TV license.

You wont get FTA channels from your broadband by connecting a coax to your TV.
 
Thanks! I know - over time I came to find annoying to having to chromcast each of the channels in the TV: it's slow, their apps have different levels of quality (Virgin Media TV chromecast feature is particularly bad), so I thought that maybe running an extra cheap cable from the wall to the TV could improve the viewing experience. It seems I can't. I'll stick to players online then!
 
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Not quite - An Post have that covered too. From tvlicence.ie

I only watch TV content on a monitor, Do I need a TV Licence?
You require a TV Licence in the following circumstances:

Connecting a SKY/Virgin Media/Saorview or any type of Digital TV Receiver to your monitor
Viewing any TV Programmes broadcast for general reception over broadband (e.g. Eir TV/Vodafone TV) on your monitor requires a TV Licence.
 
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If you get an LG TV it will usually have a terrestrial and a satellite receiver built in. This means that you can receive Saorview channels (if you can connect an aerial) and about 140 English Freesat channels (if you can connect a satellite dish).
 
That's ambiguous mct1. My understanding is once you don't have any tuner you don't need a TV Licence so you could use RTE Player and Virgin Media Player via a monitor. A Player is not broadcast over broadband - probably refer's to the streaming boxes as in IPTV.
 
This confirms that using a monitor to use 'catchup' services doesn't require a TV licence, but using them to watch live does require one.
 
Fortune said:
This confirms that using a monitor to use 'catchup' services doesn't require a TV licence, but using them to watch live does require one.
Click to expand...
I don't think that is correct. I believe you are fine to watch players such as RTE/Virgin Media Player live on a monitor without an RF/TV/saorview tuner or satelitte tuner without a license. If you connect a virgin media TV box to a monitor or a Sky, Eir or Vodafone TV box to a monitor you may require a license. Watching RTE player live on your phone definitely does not require a license. I would prefer you quote from the legislation rather than An Post's simplified interpretation on their website (which is not law). If you have a TV or watch streaming on a TV you do require a license.
 
Untrue.


" "television set" means any electronic apparatus capable of receiving and exhibiting television broadcasting services broadcast for general reception ( whether or not its use for that purpose is dependent on the use of anything else in conjunction with it ) and any software or assembly comprising such apparatus and other apparatus."
 
In the past you could do what you suggest as the basic channels were transmitted in analogue on the Virgin Media cable but that hasn't been the case for about 10 years. You would need to contact VM and ask them to add the TV service and they'll send you out a box.

Last I checked it was only about €15 extra to add the basic TV package to broadband and might be simpler than trying to get Saorview working - Saorview may work with an indoor aerial but it really depends on how far you are from the local transmitter.
 

Citizens information says differently and that you are OK to watch RTE Player on a computer monitor without a TV License:

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/consumer/phone-internet-tv-and-postal-services/tv-licences/#:~:text=You%20don't%20need%20a,by%20cable%2C%20satellite%20or%20aerial.

Watching TV on your computer, phone or other device​

You don’t need a TV licence to watch television on your computer, phone or other device (for example, RTÉ Player or streaming services like Netflix).

However, the computer, phone or other device must not be capable of receiving a TV signal by cable, satellite or aerial.
 
Government not keeping up with reality. I can't remember the last time I actually turned the TV over to Saorview.
 
Fortune said:
Government not keeping up with reality. I can't remember the last time I actually turned the TV over to Saorview.
Click to expand...
They've been wanting to switch this over to a public broadcasting charge payable by all households for years now. The recent RTE debacle has made sure that can has been kicked down the road again, at least until after the next election.
 
Different horses for courses. My parents for instance wouldn't have the patience / be tech savvy enough to bother with those suggestions. They love however having a TV with built-in FTA terrestrial and satellite receiver, because they can easily flick between RTE, BBC, UTV, C4 using the one remote, like they've done for most of their lives. They had to pay the this privilege though, whereas now it costs them nothing.
 
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