Interesting and unusual uses of teletext

How actually did this work and what did the user end equipment look like?

I'm imagining you tuned the channel that had the full-frame teletext, entered text mode, dialled an access number and used the tone keypad on your phone as the reverse channel - either being given a page number when you called or having your 'own'?

Prestel in the UK ran using 1200/75 baud modems - but AIUI the system could have run with a 1200 baud half-duplex modem only, and a touch phone for the user control for the basic page selection (which were based on *800# style page numbers. However email was already becoming a thing - and a 75 baud modem back-channel allowed for alpha numeric text entry.

It's difficult to deny that teletext was a successful technology in Britain and several other nations but, unlike HTML, it was never deployed to its full potential.

The Ceefax and Oracle services were worthy and befitting for a 'main' TV channel but I see them as only the tip of an iceberg of what the chipsets could have been used for.

Come on then clever clogs, what else could the chipsets have been used for?

I'm sure that you are able to come up with something...

Semiconductor manufacturers are known to give away free samples of a particular IC as part of a competition to design and build the most ingenius gadget with it.

I'm surprised that nobody has followed up my comment about the smart TVs with integrated MSX computers and how they can run apps using software distributed by incorporating the code into the VBI.

For those who care about Teletext can I report that Bernadette Rogers
who led the UKs Standardisation of Teletext has passed away.
Obit in RTS journal
https://rts.org.uk/article/obituary-bernadette-rogers-1929-2019
(also an Fellow of IET)

His role in getting Teletext on the International stage is often overlooked,
.. partly due to his great personal Interest in getting it documented in all its forms.
The "Green Book" is one of my Treasured Possessions.

Not unusual but worthwhile putting here rather than anywhere else

I'm currently running through a cache of *really* old Betamaxes from circa 1979. Wonder if I'll find a tape older than the current oldest complete recovery, which is from 13/04/1979? pic.twitter.com/qzzKqkzp53

— The Teletext Archaeologist (@grim_fandango) July 31, 2019

(via DIMBLEBOT)

Meanwhile, this has to be one of the most unusual uses of teletext:

Ladies and Gentlemen: this is the grimmest Ceefax page you will ever see (1979) pic.twitter.com/E5PcVKg4e9

— The Teletext Archaeologist (@grim_fandango) July 31, 2019

This video about Closed Captioning touches on Teletext - and partly on why it didn't catch on in the US.



(He's promised a Teletext video at some point in time)

He's been promising that for quite some time now 😂 The content on that channel is brilliant, though!

I just found an interesting concept from broadcasters ARD in Germany & ORF from Austria. It's called teletext art.

Full story here >> https://www.rxtvlog.com/2019/08/1970s-tech-meets-art-teletext-art.html



Here are the two websites that show it.

https://teletext.orf.at/channel/orf1/page/840/1

https://www.ard-text.de/mobil/840

Lots of folk from the Teletext FB group make art for these European galleries, it's very cool.