TV to VGA converter? or how to evade sweden's laws

[ayu]

Ok so, I don't know about other countries, but in Sweden you have to pay a fee for owning a TV. The idiotic thing about it, is that you pay for the "official common" channels in Sweden, and even if you don't watch them, or TV at all, you still have to pay if you have a TV, even if it's old and placed in the garage.

And since the fee is to much for me at the moment, I will have to get rid of my TV. But I still want to play my video games.

So basically what I'm after, are two kinds of converters....

1: scart to VGA
2: antenna to VGA

Dunno if that is correct, but I want to connect my Plastation 2, Xbox, SNES, NES, Master System, Mega drive....etc, to the computer screen. I Found a series of "TV tuners" and other odd adapters, but they were very expensive and had useless stuff like a remote and shit.... I just want, a very very simple converter/adapter for a very low price ^^

Any ideas?

[bad_brain]

hm, scart to vga is no problem, such adapters can be found in every decent electronics shop or on amazon....depending on the construction type (pure adapter interface or adapter with cables) and the quality the price is between 15 and 50 bucks.

for antenna to vga it's not that easy, I don't think there are simple interface adapters available, the best solution is imo a basic TV card, if you don't need features like HD, DVB or surround you should be able to get a decent one for around 30-40 bucks. I use a cheap Typhoon one for example.

[Lyecdevf]

We have to pay a certain fee for a TV and a radio but do you think any one pays them?! Sure some times some people show up asking if you have a TV or a radio (who does not) but that happens once in a decade so no one really cares.

[computathug]

Here in the UK its different.They can drive round in detector vans and pick up on signals and its computerised which houses have or dont have a licence. Ten years ago it was worth the risk and it would be funny when the TV licensing people used to knock on a door. As they were let in everyone else on the street would be running into a neighbours house with there's in case there house was next on the check list. We used to be able to get away with paying half price for a black and white TV but you don't find many of them about these days.

I would also check the law as here even if you don't own or have a TV you can still be prosecuted for just having a PC as its possible to watch TV this way too.

Be careful

[ayu]

Yeah, having a TV card here counts as a regular TV ^^

[computathug]

Yeah, having a TV card here counts as a regular TV ^^

That was the same here but now as you don't need a TV card with software like zatoo and p2p TV you no longer have to have the card present. Just make sure the fine is 20 x more than the cost of the license

[Still_Learning]

How do they know if you have a TV or not?
Buy a used one. dont register it and its free xD

If it is only plugged in to play your game systems their is no way they will know. I could see if you plugged the cable into the TV to get channels they may be able to track it to your house and show you are useing it without paying, but if you just plug it in without the "watching tv channels" part you should have no problem because the console hooks directly to the TV then TV to AC outlet in wall, they can not track it to your AC outlet in the wall because it could be anything plugged in..( a lamp, a computer, a radio, whatever..)

If you are talking about useing a computer monitor with your xbox instead of the TV to get higher definition then their is a special cable i got on ebay and do the same thing since i can not afford a hi-def TV. It goes from your Xbox to VGA computer monitor and the graphics are 10x better then useing my old-def tv, i paid 15$usd for my cord, here is what i am talking about..

(this is the one i have..) Also if you get something like the one below i think you will need a Female to Female VGA convertor , i beleive both the xbox vga cord and the monitor have both male ends, so the female to female is needed to make it work , think i got that on ebay for like 5$

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-HDTV-PC-Monitor ... =72%3A1205|


female to female vga connector

http://cgi.ebay.com/SVGA-VGA-15-pin-Fem ... 2%3A1205|3
or for wii or PS3.. (more expensive)

http://cgi.ebay.com/VGA-Cable-Adapter-f ... s=39%3A1|6

[ayu]

Doesn't matter if I tell them or not, because IF they find out, then I'm screwed. I'm a poor student, and I can't handle any fines ^^

[str33tl0rd]

You Pay For TV? WTF... Fortunately in Australia we don't pay. And not only that, if you are an immigrant to Australia, they actually GIVE you a radio and TV for free....

[bad_brain]

cats, is a computer also labeled as "potential TV" so you have to pay the fees too even if you don't have a real TV (like in germany)? if not you could get rid of all suspicious antenna cables by using a DVB-T card, the antennas are not much larger than a cigarette and the quality is great....of course DVB-T has to be available in your area.

[ayu]

Well, I don't want to watch TV, I just want to play my games ^^

I just got an answer from the morons handling the fees.... they said "remove all televisions from your home and then contact us again". Problem is that now I actually HAVE to remove it, just wanted to move it to a storage area and then just say that I didn't have one. But if I do, they will most likely send someone to check it out (they do that from time to time). But I have a pretty old, and VERY large TV, and moving it needs a big car with lots of space xF

So....I dunno, I don't want to pay the damn fee, but if I can't remove the TV and get something else to play my games on the computer .... it's gonna be hard

[DNR]

This is a important case - technically Cats wants to use the TV only as a monitor or projector for his console games. He has just said he does not want to watch TV shows. So what provisions does this country allow for gamers - to keep a TV for gaming - not TV service. Thats oppression for gamers and computer geeks.

Fight the power - maybe tell them that you can disable the TV capabilities to receive signals UHF etc (might be possible to restore by using a converter though). You might be able to disable the TV's internal reciever.

There has to be a rule to allow possession of a TV for console gamers.

DNR

BTW you could make a projector setup for PC based games, for console based games you have to find a way to translate the console through a PC to get it on to a projector. I want to try playing Half-life on a wall-sized projection..

[ayu]

naah, they say that there are no exceptions.... it doesn't matter in what shape the TV is, even if it's broken, I would still have to pay.

But no worries! I hid it in my storage room, and built a mountain of boxes over it, and I have now contacted them about the latest bill, and that I want it to be canceled.

Because I have no TV

[floodhound2]

Is the reason a fee in imposed is because of the waste? As an electronics engineer I have to now use ROHS compliant devices if I am to sell the product to Europe. I imagine this is why a fee is in place, but not sure.

[oops43]

Get a pansat, Free to air, scanner. Hack it get all the channels fee. Might wann check see what satellites is around, see what Keys you need. You get a lot of free channels with out hacking if you wanna play it safe. The new pansats will run C and K and KB bands. There is also variety of free to air systems, that you may can get locally. I am not sure why they charge for TV, but in USA we will be in same boat, going all digital.you can google DSS Hackers, get all information and programming.