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Old 18th Sep 2019, 11:48 am   #1
raditechman
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Default Final end for TV text (Red Button)

It seems the BBC is switching off its text service via the "red button".
This service took over from Ceefax, so is it the final end for television text information services.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-49715314

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Old 18th Sep 2019, 11:57 am   #2
dominicbeesley
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

The red button text will be lamented by few I suspect: it always seemed a waste of effort to me to replace the more than adequate ceefax and teletext services with the rather clunky and equally slow red button text. Form over function again...
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Old 18th Sep 2019, 12:03 pm   #3
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

Nostalgia aside this seems a pretty sensible decision when all the information is readily available elsewhere in easy to follow formats. Presumably the BBC has done some research regarding the number of people actually using the existing service.

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Old 18th Sep 2019, 1:59 pm   #4
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

I used to use it a lot but these days I normally use my phone to check on the current news & weather.
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Old 18th Sep 2019, 4:27 pm   #5
Dave Moll
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

I mostly use it for a quick check of the weather forecast (the regional maps), to catch up on scores for the few sports I follow (snooker, tennis and cricket) or to check whether there has been any momentous news when I've missed the normal news bulletins.

What do I dial to check these free on my (non-mobile) 'phone?
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Old 18th Sep 2019, 5:02 pm   #6
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

Another internet casualty i would agree, but i still miss the old teletext services on offer from Ceefax Oracle and 4tel not to mention Prestel too.
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Old 18th Sep 2019, 5:22 pm   #7
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

Surprisingly, I still get customers who use the 'red button' service, though it never seems to work as well as the old Ceefax. And not everyone, especially older people, have a PC/laptop/phone on the go when sitting in front of the TV and want to know the weather or lottery numbers. And not everyone has Alexa or Siri!
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Old 18th Sep 2019, 5:33 pm   #8
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

I still use it to catch up with news items. It has been clear for a while that the BBC has lost interest in 'teletext' because the text is often all too obviously derived automatically from a website version and so refers to options which are not present in the 'teletext' version. A little human editing would help, but intelligent people cost money.

I will miss it.

On the other hand, the other purpose for the red button (alternative versions of TV) is one which I almost never use and could happily live without.
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Old 18th Sep 2019, 6:27 pm   #9
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

It's still used in our house, though not by me. It's a toss up where she looks first, her phone or the TV, but I never quite understand why she checks both, often while having the actual news minimised in the corner of the TV!
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Old 18th Sep 2019, 8:14 pm   #10
Dave Moll
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

Quote:
Originally Posted by G8HQP Dave View Post
On the other hand, the other purpose for the red button (alternative versions of TV) is one which I almost never use and could happily live without.
So, of course, that's the bit they're keeping.

I probably wouldn't miss it if it went, were it not for the annoying habit the BBC has of starting a tennis match on one of the main channels and swapping it in the middle to the red button.
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Old 18th Sep 2019, 10:01 pm   #11
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

I find that you don't need to use the red button to access the alternative channels. They are on ordinary free view channels in the low 600's.
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Old 18th Sep 2019, 11:22 pm   #12
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

Quote from the BBC announcement:

"TVs will still be able to access other red button services, like picking a stage to watch at Glastonbury or a court to watch at Wimbledon."

I must admit that I took this to mean that these services will still be available as TV channels (freeview, freesat or whatever) but not via the actual red button where access is currently limited, slow and clunky anyway due to bandwidth restrictions. Perhaps I've misunderstood.

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Old 18th Sep 2019, 11:37 pm   #13
jamesperrett
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

Ironically our lad has just discovered the red button and checks the next day's weather forecast every evening.
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Old 23rd Sep 2019, 9:57 pm   #14
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

After 'proper' Ceefax ceased, I used to read the news on original (text only) 'Red Button' text every morning when munching my cereal - what I liked about it was that it was a very restricted form factor so it tended to contain only actual news, unlike TV or radio news which had to fill up their space with talking heads speculating about what might be about to happen.

And also, of course, it allowed me to browse news articles in the order I wanted to read them, unlike broadcast news which arrived in linear fashion, and not necessarily in the order which interested me.

I still get my main news for the day from the current version of 'red button' text - the one with the distracting mini TV in the corner. Are we saying that this is now ending as well?
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Old 23rd Sep 2019, 10:10 pm   #15
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

That’s the way I understand the situation, the red button will be used for events but not news.
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Old 23rd Sep 2019, 11:57 pm   #16
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

As in my experience the alternative programmes accessible via the red button are merely broadcast on spare freeview channels, it seems that the freeview red button service is only used as a sort of shortcut to those channels. They could just as well say that, during Wimbledon for example, the No. 1 court game can be seen on FV channel 602, and the women doubles on FV channel 603, etc. I guess using the red button does mean you remain tuned to a BBC channel when going to, and returning from, an alternative progamme, and are not tempted to stray to another service when retuning conventionally. On the rare occasions I do wish to watch an alternative "red button" channel, I usually just step through the range of channel numbers I know from experience that red button uses, as using my STBs it is quicker than waiting for the red button menu to appear.
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Old 24th Sep 2019, 8:29 am   #17
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

The other advantage of selecting the alternative programme(s) via the red button is that the menu tells you which match (or whatever) you are selecting rather than an anonymous channel number. Mind you, I have found that the information doesn't always keep up with the channel-hopping in which they like to indulge.
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Old 14th Jan 2020, 5:28 pm   #18
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

Just had a look on teletext today. The text service will close on 30th January. At present there are "no plans" to close the red button video service, although increasing use will be made of the iplayer in future. Subtitles are not affected. You can find this and other info on teletext page 9990.

Last edited by emeritus; 14th Jan 2020 at 5:35 pm.
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Old 14th Jan 2020, 6:34 pm   #19
Lancs Lad
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

I use teletext news every day, and will miss it when the service ceases.

I, too, find the 'mini TV picture' in the corner very distracting, so I get around that by tuning to a BBC radio station first (usually 4Xtra with sound muted) and then selecting 'text'.
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Old 14th Jan 2020, 8:09 pm   #20
Dave Moll
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Default Re: Final end for TV text

... or before 7:00pm you could always use BBC4 - with no need to mute sound.
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