Buying a tv?

[Bifrost]

Hi everyone!

I'm new here and are hoping that you might be able to answer some of my questions
I recently moved to Kyoto to study Japanese and I have been very busy trying to find my way around, as you probably understand.
I have been considering buying a tv, but as I have never done it before (not even in my own country :P), I just wonder if there are some things I should know? Do I have to buy something in addition to the tv, so that I can actually use it?

Sorry if this sounds stupid, but I just need to be 100% sure before buying any tv (as it is expensive!).

Bifrost

[MMM]

The staff at the store would be best qualified to answer that.

[siokan]

~~~Digital terrestrial television~~~
NHK - NHK - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The reception fee(Television licence) is necessary.
The person of the environment to be able to see TV is compulsion disbursement.
Because NHK is center-left, the person of the rightist includes the person who disregards it without writing the first contract document.

Other terrestrial digital broadcasting bureaus
Free of charge

~~~Broadcasting Satellite~~~
The parabolic antenna is necessary
There is a place where a common antenna adheres in the apartment, too.
NHK
Other free

~~~communications satellite~~~
SKY PerfecTV! - SKY PerfecTV! - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia!
Pay broadcasting
There are a lot of numbers of ch(370ch), and it charges for each ch.
The exclusive antenna and the receiver are necessary.

~~~Cable television~~~
Pay broadcasting
There is a cable television station small in each region.
The exclusive receiver is necessary.

~~~optical communication~~~
The optical communication for the Internet is used.
The not available possibility is high in the apartment.

~~~PC+Tuner card~~~
The card(B-CAS card) is separately necessary.
B-CAS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The B-CAS card is necessary for all broadcasting.
It is made buying the card at the same time when TV is bought.
The abolition is examined because it is unpopular.

[Bifrost]

Originally Posted by MMM

The staff at the store would be best qualified to answer that.

I guess so, but the problem is that I speak virtually no Japanese at all... So asking them might end up in a big misunderstanding if you know what I mean.

[blimp]

no you won't need anything extra, if that is what you mean.
just plug it in to a power source and to the antenna plug. this will most likely give you 2 NHL channels, 4 private channels covering the whole of japan, one kyoto-channel and perhaps some even more local channel, a tv-shop channel and perhaps 2 BS channels.

you are however supposed to pay the NHK fee, NHK受信料, but that is not needed to get the TV to work.

disclaimer
if you live in a very old building or rather a dorm, the land-lord might have the possibility to disable the antenna plug, if you don't pay the NHK fee.

[termogard]

Originally Posted by siokan

~~~Broadcasting Satellite~~~
The parabolic antenna is necessary
There is a place where a common antenna adheres in the apartment, too.
NHK
Other free

~~~communications satellite~~~
SKY PerfecTV! - SKY PerfecTV! - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia!
Pay broadcasting
There are a lot of numbers of ch(370ch), and it charges for each ch.
The exclusive antenna and the receiver are necessary.

This detailed video about BS / CS antenna manual installation may be useful

[Sangetsu]

Check Craigslist in Kyoto for good deals on used televisions. I wouldn't buy a new one as televisions in Japan cost twice as much as they do in America, and if you are going to leave after a year or two, there is no point in spending that much money on a new TV when a used one will do.

[steel]

Here's a valuable tip about living in Japan:

Don't get coerced, fooled or bullied into signing a contract with NHK!

Yes, the often-cited Broadcast Law - Article 32 to be specific states:

Any person who has installed receiving equipment capable of receiving the broadcasting provided by NHK shall conclude a contract with NHK with regard to the reception of its broadcasting.

However, unlike the UK, there are NO penalties or measures for enforcement if you decide not to 'conclude a contract with NHK'.

That does not stop NHK commissioned agents from doing everything they can to coerce you into signing. Sometimes they will physically force their way into your house. And, sometimes they will make outrageous threats such as " You will be reported to Immigration and kicked out" "I'll complain to your employer and you'll be fired" "Don't blame me if something bad happens to you!" Complain to NHK and they will politely inform you that since they are not full-time employees, they don't take responsibility for their actions. However, they would like to take your money...

Oh, and don't wring your hands over how you might make the rest of us gaijin "look bad". If you look up the data that is out there, you'll discover that the percentage of Japanese who 'Just Say No' to NHK is in the double digits.