It takes a 2 second search on google to find out how to download videos from iplayer (The H.264 versions they host).
When you compare what you get from Sky (if you are into sports and movies and the US shows on Sky 1), the BBC license fee is steep enough.
That said, they do provide a good service, and wouldn't be able to if it was not for the license fee model, but it does annoy me that I cannot opt out of watching BBC and waive the license fee and yet still watch Sky Sports becasue its a against the law!
What's stopping you?
Seriously.
I'm pretty sure that they'd take more money. Or, you could pay the tax for some folks who owe the tax but doesn't watch the BBC.