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TV detecting vans

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TC Talks
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TV detecting vans

Post by TC Talks » Sat Jan 12, 2019 10:44 pm

Pre cable, England was fierce about collecting the TV license fee. They built these TV detecting Vans which drove around scaring people into buying the license. This genius hoax is now in the British Science Museum.

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SolarMax
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Re: TV detecting vans

Post by SolarMax » Sun Jan 13, 2019 12:41 am

The "TV detector vans" are regarded as being an elaborate hoax to frighten UK TV owners into paying the annual receiver licensing fee.
The Beeb, however wanted viewers to think otherwise, unveiling in 2003 the "new generation" TVDV.
TV Licensing launches 10th model of van in UK
Supposedly they worked by detecting the extremely weak emission of a receiver's local oscillator. Thus they would know that at a given address there was an operating set, and could check if at that address they had paid the license fee.



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HD74
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Re: TV detecting vans

Post by HD74 » Wed Jan 16, 2019 1:33 pm

Looks a lot like the cat detector van from the Ministry of Housinge. It reportedly can pinpoint a purr at 400 feet.


You're never too old to learn something stupid.

Deleted User 14888

Re: TV detecting vans

Post by Deleted User 14888 » Wed Jan 16, 2019 3:29 pm

Thank God we live in The USA, them vans are ugly, sort of looks like the van I used to bang a few Chic’s in during my High School years, like around ‘69 😆.



innate-in-you
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Re: TV detecting vans

Post by innate-in-you » Fri Jan 18, 2019 8:41 pm

SolarMax wrote:
Sun Jan 13, 2019 12:41 am
The "TV detector vans" are regarded as being an elaborate hoax to frighten UK TV owners into paying the annual receiver licensing fee.
The Beeb, however wanted viewers to think otherwise, unveiling in 2003 the "new generation" TVDV.
TV Licensing launches 10th model of van in UK
Supposedly they worked by detecting the extremely weak emission of a receiver's local oscillator. Thus they would know that at a given address there was an operating set, and could check if at that address they had paid the license fee.
Another way to do it would be to listen for 15625Hz video amplifier radiation (a sawtooth waveform that results in carriers, modulated with a 50Hz buzz, at every multiple of 15625Hz •in the US would be 59.94Hz at every 15734.264Hz•).

Problem with television detection anytime after about 1960 would be the proliferation of television receivers. Which apple in the orchard is sour?



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audiophile
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Re: TV detecting vans

Post by audiophile » Sat Jan 19, 2019 2:01 pm

Irony: "Dodge" vans were used.


Ask not what your country can do FOR you; ask what they are about to do TO YOU!!

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