scott wrote:

> What games do you recommend for fun online play? (ie ones that I'm not 
> going to instantly finish last at everything or get totally blown to 
> pieces in one second)

Try CounterStrike: Source.

</sarcasm>

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scott wrote:

>> burned into it! ;-)
> 
> Or the old cash machines with CRTs, with "INSERT CARD" burnt in :-)

I've only ever seen that on the (very) old green-screen ones. Curiosly, 
I haven't seen it on any remotely modern terminal. No idea why...

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scott wrote:
>> Yep, we just added the full HD lineup to our cable subscription (which 
>> actually *dropped* our monthly charges by $20, go figure).  
> 
> Geez how much are you guys paying for TV?!?!

All I know is that I'm still miffed that when I finally get a place of 
my own, I'm going to have to pay for a TV license even though I don't 
own a TV and have no intension of watching TV.

(Apparently it's technically possible to watch TV using a computer, and 
I do own one of those, so...)

It's a license to print money! o_O

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> All I know is that I'm still miffed that when I finally get a place of my 
> own, I'm going to have to pay for a TV license even though I don't own a 
> TV and have no intension of watching TV.

If you never watch TV you don't need a license...

> (Apparently it's technically possible to watch TV using a computer, and I 
> do own one of those, so...)

...but, it's a good idea to then remove all hardware capable of receiving TV 
signals, so that it is beyond reasonable doubt that you never watch TV. 
This means taking out the TV tuner card and packing it away somewhere.  They 
can't fine you unless they have proof you are watching TV, so I wouldn't 
worry.

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Invisible wrote:
> scott wrote:
>>> Yep, we just added the full HD lineup to our cable subscription 
>>> (which actually *dropped* our monthly charges by $20, go figure).  
>>
>> Geez how much are you guys paying for TV?!?!
> 
> All I know is that I'm still miffed that when I finally get a place of 
> my own, I'm going to have to pay for a TV license even though I don't 
> own a TV and have no intension of watching TV.
> 
> (Apparently it's technically possible to watch TV using a computer, and 
> I do own one of those, so...)
> 
> It's a license to print money! o_O

I assume then if they charge every household a fee for the privilege to 
watch TV, they don't have any advertisements?

-- 
~Mike

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On Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:12:19 -0000, "Phil Cook v2"
<phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:

>Indeed one of the problems was that the VCR signal was very close to the  
>brand-new Channel 5's frequency causing many complaints.

Normally, with the help of a small screwdriver the output frequency of a VCR can
be changed :O
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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And lo On Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:31:22 -0000, scott <sco### [at] scottcom> did  
spake thusly:

> ...but, it's a good idea to then remove all hardware capable of  
> receiving TV signals, so that it is beyond reasonable doubt that you  
> never watch TV. This means taking out the TV tuner card and packing it  
> away somewhere.

Not even then, they changed the rules - if you watch programmes via  
something like the BBC's iPlayer which doesn't require a tuner of any  
description you'll need a licence.

>  They can't fine you unless they have proof you are watching TV, so I  
> wouldn't worry.

Except you'll get threatening letters and/or visits every month because  
the assumption is that if you own any form of receiving equipment then you  
are watching broadcast television in one form or other.

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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Mike Raiford wrote:

> I assume then if they charge every household a fee for the privilege to 
> watch TV, they don't have any advertisements?

No - just not as *many* adverts. ;-)

(E.g., Formula 1 is coming back to the BBC, so now you can watch the 
entire race without an advert break every 20 minutes. There will still 
be a whole heap of adverts before it starts, and after it ends, just not 
while the actual race is happening.)

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And lo On Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:39:13 -0000, Mike Raiford  
<"m[raiford]!at"@gmail.com> did spake thusly:

> Invisible wrote:
>> scott wrote:
>>>> Yep, we just added the full HD lineup to our cable subscription  
>>>> (which actually *dropped* our monthly charges by $20, go figure).
>>>
>>> Geez how much are you guys paying for TV?!?!
>>  All I know is that I'm still miffed that when I finally get a place of  
>> my own, I'm going to have to pay for a TV license even though I don't  
>> own a TV and have no intension of watching TV.
>>  (Apparently it's technically possible to watch TV using a computer,  
>> and I do own one of those, so...)
>>  It's a license to print money! o_O
>
> I assume then if they charge every household a fee for the privilege to  
> watch TV, they don't have any advertisements?

None of the BBC channels feature adverts, except for themselves. The big  
benefit those who moan about this 'tax' is that there exists two  
children's channels (young-uns and not so young-uns) that have no  
advertising.

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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And lo On Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:51:42 -0000, Stephen <mcavoysAT@aoldotcom>  
did spake thusly:

> On Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:12:19 -0000, "Phil Cook v2"
> <phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
>
>> Indeed one of the problems was that the VCR signal was very close to the
>> brand-new Channel 5's frequency causing many complaints.
>
> Normally, with the help of a small screwdriver the output frequency of a  
> VCR can be changed :O

Yeah I could just see a population, who at the time couldn't even work a  
VCR, scrabbling about with a screwdriver ;-)

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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