> finisterre@2, I'm sorry, that's just not true. If
> you own a tuner, you have to pay. If you buy a
> monitor or another set without a built in tuner,
> you can argue against paying the license, but
> tuner=license.

This is not my understanding... As far as I am aware if you have a tuner, say in your TV, if you decode all the channels so they will show only static you are in the clear.
Here's a link that agrees with this view: http://www.tvlicensing.biz/info_on_tvlicensing/index.htm

I have previously called up TVL to notify them that I had done so, and the response from the lady was that that was alright but I would still be receiving the letters as they had no way of stopping them... I should just ignore them.

In another flat, one of their agents came around asking if I would mind him having a look around... when I agreed he said in that case he wouldn't bother as clearly I had nothing to hide.

Also interestingly, the BBC iPlayer does not require a TV license at the moment, even according to the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2008/01/iplayer_does_not_require_a_tv_1.html