Cable TV subscription Part II

Michael Perez5 said:Are you really trying to equate "receiving radio and audiovisual programming" with streaming over the internet?

Man, I think you've got things mixed up... those aren't apples and oranges... they're apples and airplanes... please, just try reading with a bit more comprehension. It's really quite simple...

Elizabeth Price2 said:I'd just jump in here and add—technically, owning *any* device that can hop onto the internet (like a PC, a tablet, or even a smartphone, even if it doesn't have an actual FM radio built-in) falls under that whole "receiver" definition, which means you're also on the hook for the subscription.

Honestly, though? Along with all those rules, I think we should all start pulling out our cameras whenever they show up—since a camera isn't technically a "receiver"—to film the collectors. We should take a page out of the British playbook, where people used to totally mess with the BBC collectors. Seriously, once these guys see a camera pointed at them, they usually don't even bother trying to start a conversation!

Here's the link to the instructions (which I'm pretty sure is already pinned in this thread)

Elizabeth Price2 said:Look, buddy, why don't YOU be the one to explain the actual difference between standard broadcast radio or TV—you know, the stuff you pick up via an antenna—and the content you stream over the internet. Go ahead, enlighten me.

Michelle Alvarez8 said:So why the shocker? You show up, drop something stupid, and then act surprised when—get this—Michelle Alvarez8 gets a little sassy with you. 😂
Don't post nonsense and nobody will be snappy with you. It's just simple cause and effect. 🙂

I have no idea where you read that I'm advocating for letting tax collectors into your home.
🙂 And yeah, you can talk on your phone right in front of a collector without any issues—I don't see the problem?
Even if they start grilling you about what kind of phone it is or if it has a radio receiver, you don't owe them a single word. You don't even have to say "hello" if they greet you.
🤷

Yeah, well, you think I'm playing dumb because I actually know what I'm talking about. Great. 😁 Just a second ago, you were quoting legal articles about receiving radio and TV signals, right? So, you turn on your TV and pick up signals without an antenna. Then you turn on your computer and... Windows boots up.
😁

The Public Broadcasting Act doesn't say anything about paying a fee for computers—you're just making things up now! wtf Quote 🤷

I'll bite—so what exactly falls under this "broadcast signal"? Here's your chance to school the guy who's acting like a know-it-all. Go for it. ☕

mistybear10 said:From what I know, PBS doesn't even stream their full lineup, so that comparison is totally off base.

Doubt they're streaming 24/7 either!

Sent from iPhone using Reddit

Michael Perez5 said:I guess Slafko gave a pretty nice explanation there. You should probably read up on signals a bit more. An electromagnetic wave traveling through the air just isn't the same thing as a signal traveling through a wire. To me, that seems pretty obvious.

slycyclist342 said:My phone doesn't have a dedicated radio tuner, but I listen to the radio through it just fine... modern miracles, I guess. 🙂

As far as I'm aware, they stream the full radio programming 24/7.
And even if they didn't stream everything, it wouldn't change much.
There’s nothing in the law stating that if you can only catch half the program, you only pay half the fee—or none at all.
If you have the ability to listen, you pay.

For starters, even the internet doesn't always travel through wires anymore. 😉

Besides, the law doesn't specify that the fee applies only to devices reproducing audiovisual programs via wire, wireless signals, or whatever else... it covers everything. The law is pretty straightforward.

If they prove you own a laptop or a smartphone, I'm fairly certain you'll be stuck paying the fee.

At the end of the day... even if you try to argue the distinction, do you really think a judge has a degree in electrical engineering and will actually care about those technicalities?

Whether the laws in America are logical, moral, or fair... well, that's a different conversation entirely.

Off-topic, but look at this: some high-profile guy gets sentenced to a year in prison for damages worth millions, and then they just swap it out for community service.
One day of jail becomes two hours of work.
That's how American laws work... moral, fair, and always looking out for the little guy. 🙂

slycyclist342 said:My phone doesn't have a dedicated radio tuner, but I listen to the radio through it just fine... modern miracles, I guess. 🙂

As far as I'm aware, they stream the full radio programming 24/7.
And even if they didn't stream everything, it wouldn't change much.
There’s nothing in the law stating that if you can only catch half the program, you only pay half the fee—or none at all.
If you have the ability to listen, you pay.

For starters, even the internet doesn't always travel through wires anymore. 😉

Besides, the law doesn't specify that the fee applies only to devices reproducing audiovisual programs via wire, wireless signals, or whatever else... it covers everything. The law is pretty straightforward.

If they prove you own a laptop or a smartphone, I'm fairly certain you'll be stuck paying the fee.

At the end of the day... even if you try to argue the distinction, do you really think a judge has a degree in electrical engineering and will actually care about those technicalities?

Whether the laws in America are logical, moral, or fair... well, that's a different conversation entirely.

Off-topic, but look at this: some high-profile guy gets sentenced to a year in prison for damages worth millions, and then they just swap it out for community service.
One day of jail becomes two hours of work.
That's how American laws work... moral, fair, and always looking out for the little guy. 🙂

slycyclist342 said:My phone doesn't have a dedicated radio tuner, but I listen to the radio through it just fine... modern miracles, I guess. 🙂

As far as I'm aware, they stream the full radio programming 24/7.
And even if they didn't stream everything, it wouldn't change much.
There’s nothing in the law stating that if you can only catch half the program, you only pay half the fee—or none at all.
If you have the ability to listen, you pay.

For starters, even the internet doesn't always travel through wires anymore. 😉

Besides, the law doesn't specify that the fee applies only to devices reproducing audiovisual programs via wire, wireless signals, or whatever else... it covers everything. The law is pretty straightforward.

If they prove you own a laptop or a smartphone, I'm fairly certain you'll be stuck paying the fee.

At the end of the day... even if you try to argue the distinction, do you really think a judge has a degree in electrical engineering and will actually care about those technicalities?

Whether the laws in America are logical, moral, or fair... well, that's a different conversation entirely.

Off-topic, but look at this: some high-profile guy gets sentenced to a year in prison for damages worth millions, and then they just swap it out for community service.
One day of jail becomes two hours of work.
That's how American laws work... moral, fair, and always looking out for the little guy. 🙂

Michelle Alvarez8 said:While you’re waiting for the collector to show up, you can totally surf the web or chat on your phone—even if some jerk is staring at you while you do it. Why? Because both the laptop and the phone are company property. 👍