UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > General Vintage Technology > General Vintage Technology Discussions

Notices

General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 14th Jan 2020, 8:27 pm   #21
Lancs Lad
Heptode
 
Lancs Lad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Blackburn, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 729
Default Re: Final end for TV text

Yes, Dave Moll, I do sometimes do that too!
__________________
Best Regards,

Peter.
Lancs Lad is offline  
Old 14th Jan 2020, 8:28 pm   #22
Philips210
Nonode
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Redruth, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 2,562
Default Re: Final end for TV text

Hi.

I too regularly use the Teletext service and will miss it when it ceases. I preferred the old CEEFAX, ORACLE and 4-Tel services on the old analogue TV system but the Red button service is generally good and had the potential for expansion but sadly this will never happen.

I personally find it very disappointing that the BBC are closing this service which no doubt comes down to cost savings. Maybe if they didn't pay themselves and their employees quite so much then there will be more available funding for this public service!

Although I regularly use the internet, TV teletext is a convenient way to find out basic things like share prices and the 5 day weather forecast not to mention the news headlines.

The usual alternative is the BBC's internet service which is all very well if you have an internet connection and device to access the services. I feel for many of the elderly that aren't familiar with the internet and computers in general. Many of these people have just been abandoned in my view.
Also, those on a low income that can't afford having an internet connection will miss out too.

It seems to be a mindset these days to put everything online. It won't be long before we no longer have town centres with normal shops, post offices and banks. I think it's all gone too far and I dream about how things used to be. It's all very sad.

Regards,
Symon
Philips210 is offline  
Old 14th Jan 2020, 8:34 pm   #23
Lancs Lad
Heptode
 
Lancs Lad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Blackburn, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 729
Default Re: Final end for TV text

Spot on, Symon.

I couldn't agree more with everything you've just said.
__________________
Best Regards,

Peter.
Lancs Lad is offline  
Old 14th Jan 2020, 8:37 pm   #24
G6Tanuki
Dekatron
 
G6Tanuki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,951
Default Re: Final end for TV text

I stopped using "teletext" about the time ITV decided ORACLE was no-longer worth funding.

To be honest, I haven't missed it - this century I have a much greater range of interactive real-time news/data-sources on my cellphone, and I don't need to pay out for a TV-licence to access these.

"Teletext" was innovative and intriguing in the 70s and 80s [I seriously considered building the "Wireless World" teletext decoder-project] but it's now surely something to be looked-back-on-fondly [like milkmen, newspapers and the weekly round of the 'Pink Paraffin' man] but not to be considered a significant part of everyday life?
G6Tanuki is offline  
Old 14th Jan 2020, 8:49 pm   #25
Lancs Lad
Heptode
 
Lancs Lad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Blackburn, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 729
Default Re: Final end for TV text

I've still got a milkman - and read newspapers!

No need for a paraffin man though, pink or otherwise

Although, I have been considering one of those fancy Japanese Inverter paraffin heaters, so you never know....
__________________
Best Regards,

Peter.

Last edited by Lancs Lad; 14th Jan 2020 at 9:01 pm.
Lancs Lad is offline  
Old 14th Jan 2020, 9:28 pm   #26
Philips210
Nonode
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Redruth, Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 2,562
Default Re: Final end for TV text

Hi.

If an existing information service can be offered to TV users this would solve the issue. What I was thinking was the BBC's website could be offered as a stand alone service without the need to have an internet connection. There would be no extra cost as the editing and compiling of stories and information will be the same for internet users. Other TV broadcasters such as C4 could also offer a similar service.
The TV technology would have to be developed but it could be very popular. A pointing device such as a wireless mouse would of course be required. It would be a comprehensive service with the convenience of using your TV at no extra cost.
Could this become a reality or would there be bandwidth limitations with over air broadcasts? Perhaps a scaled down version of the BBC website could be offered as a practical compromise? Just a thought.

Regards,
Symon.
Philips210 is offline  
Old 14th Jan 2020, 9:56 pm   #27
G6Tanuki
Dekatron
 
G6Tanuki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,951
Default Re: Final end for TV text

Quote:
Originally Posted by Philips210 View Post
What I was thinking was the BBC's website could be offered as a stand alone service without the need to have an internet connection.
That really wouldn't work, given that more and more people are getting their "TV" by mobile-phone or Internet-streaming these days.

And given the devastating-vastness of the likes of the BBC/ITV/Channel-4/Sky/Now-TV/Netflix Internet content, having to repeatedly rebroadcast the lot (and cache it locally on the offchance someone might want to see a particular page) would demand vast amounts of transmit-bandwidth and local storage.

I'm reminded of the comment from the 1990s - "Why can't someone download the Internet for me and burn it to a CD so I can navigate it without having to be online?"

That was the 90s; the aggregate volume of Internet-data is now a few million times greater, and still growing exponentially.
G6Tanuki is offline  
Old 14th Jan 2020, 10:47 pm   #28
emeritus
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,316
Default Re: Final end for TV text

In reluctant defence of the BBC, not only have they had their grant reduced and been lumbered with the cost of pensioners' licences, but a couple of decades ago the government forced them to contract out a significant proportion of their programme-creation to outside producers under contract terms that mean the copyright in the programmes belongs to the outside producers. This means the BBC has to pay for repeat broadcasts. Copyright in the older broadcasts that you find on Radio 4 extra belongs to the BBC so rebroadcasting costs them nothing in royalties.
emeritus is offline  
Old 15th Jan 2020, 11:15 am   #29
raditechman
Heptode
 
raditechman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: West London, UK.
Posts: 865
Default Re: Final end for TV text

I often use the service to check news. It is convenient as I can do it whilst watching TV.
I would not have though it was very costly service to operate. Seems the BBC is pushing more and more use of the internet to access its services. Perhaps hoping for one day to have no transmitter costs to pay.

john
raditechman is offline  
Old 15th Jan 2020, 12:35 pm   #30
Junk Box Nick
Octode
 
Junk Box Nick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 1,571
Default Re: Final end for TV text

Quote:
Originally Posted by Philips210 View Post
It seems to be a mindset these days to put everything online. It won't be long before we no longer have town centres with normal shops, post offices and banks.
My local town is like a ghost town most days. There's more charity shops than anything else. Old photographs show many residential properties before they made way for the sixties brutalist shopping development. Time to knock down the shops and bring back the houses!

To be online is pretty much the norm. It is now nearly as essential as mains electricity, piped water and a (mobile) telephone.

I shall miss the red button. It was useful for quick info - especially as I don't live my life online. I used to enjoy the alternative extra programmes that were on there, especially during Springwatch, etc., but these were quietly dropped a season or so ago. I'm not a great consumer of TV but when I go to various friends I have noticed that the default position for watching TV is with a smartphone/tablet on the knee. The only time the the picture disappears is when the EPG is consulted.

I still read 'broadsheet' newspapers. There is more information and broader and more in-depth coverage than on the broadcast media. For years I relied on Radio 4 and the World Service but IMHO both have deteriorated markedly.
Junk Box Nick is offline  
Old 29th Jan 2020, 2:26 pm   #31
HamishBoxer
Dekatron
 
HamishBoxer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK.
Posts: 8,923
Default Red Button Suspended!

The BBC have suspended the Red Button till Spring.
__________________
G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S
HamishBoxer is offline  
Old 29th Jan 2020, 2:40 pm   #32
electronicskip
Nonode
 
electronicskip's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Gloucester, Glos. UK.
Posts: 2,149
Default Re: Red Button Suspended!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51295430

Was just reading that!
__________________
Oh I've had that for years dear!!
electronicskip is offline  
Old 29th Jan 2020, 2:42 pm   #33
raditechman
Heptode
 
raditechman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: West London, UK.
Posts: 865
Default Re: Red Button Suspended!

In other words I think that means the BBC have delayed the close down of the red button text service which was due to end this month.
They have had a lot of protests about the loss of service.

John
raditechman is offline  
Old 29th Jan 2020, 4:21 pm   #34
HamishBoxer
Dekatron
 
HamishBoxer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK.
Posts: 8,923
Default Re: Red Button Suspended!

Indeed John,that is what I understand.
__________________
G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S
HamishBoxer is offline  
Old 29th Jan 2020, 8:03 pm   #35
Nymrod121
Nonode
 
Nymrod121's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 2,039
Default Re: Final end for TV text

The light at the end of the (?Northern Rail?) tunnel might have been turned back on again:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51295430
Nymrod121 is offline  
Old 29th Jan 2020, 10:30 pm   #36
Nuvistor
Dekatron
 
Nuvistor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 9,427
Default Re: Final end for TV text (Red Button)

Is it just a delaying tactic until the new DG is in place, if the BBC are so strapped for cash keeping the red button will mean cuts somewhere else, will that be anymore palatable.

Difficult times at the Beeb.
__________________
Frank
Nuvistor is online now  
Old 31st Jan 2020, 1:50 pm   #37
Nymrod121
Nonode
 
Nymrod121's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 2,039
Default Re: Final end for TV text (Red Button)

See also:

The One Show, 29/01/2020: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000dv4s

... at approx. 46'30" in.

(Acknowledgement & thanks to Keith Hayler for the link/timestamp )
Nymrod121 is offline  
Old 2nd Feb 2020, 7:24 pm   #38
JohnBG8JMB
Pentode
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Poole, Dorset, UK.
Posts: 129
Default Re: Final end for TV text (Red Button)

I used the red button text news service daily
Being deaf, it's very useful for a quick check on the news and city info without having to listen to the whole broadcast, or in the case of local news find the 1:30, 6:30 or 10:30 lots.

However, I 've just bought a so-called smart tv. When in the internet connected mode there is no access to 'old' text red button; the news headline service is slow, tedious and does not offer 'goto page no.'

Much inferior. As is trying to find your way around the bbc website.

John G8JMB
JohnBG8JMB is offline  
Old 2nd Feb 2020, 8:13 pm   #39
Nuvistor
Dekatron
 
Nuvistor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 9,427
Default Re: Final end for TV text (Red Button)

It will be interesting to see what’s decided.
I don’t use the red button, not for years, it means switching the TV on, I can put down my book and use my tablet to access BBC news, Met Office weather and other news services, very fast and easy to navigate. I don’t use the BBC web site.

I can certainly understand viewers being upset if they use the service and it is switched off.
__________________
Frank
Nuvistor is online now  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 8:52 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.