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The end of Pages from Ceefax

1980-2012 (October 2012)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
NG
noggin Founding member
Markymark posted:
noggin posted:
Orry Verducci posted:
WillPS posted:
Also look at the Yellow fasttext option - the only option visible on a TV set should have been NI.

The NI changes will have been inserted in Belfast, this is clearly from the main generator in London which feeds all the regions. Nice to see the Ceefax/engineering team giving it one last hurrah before the internal gear was switched off.


When I was in Sweden a few years back I did a Freeview tune with my laptop and a DVB-T USB tuner. One of the log file entries for one of the teletext services was 'BBC Scotland'... I'm assuming that SVT or Telenor bought a second hand DVB Text bridge thingummy previously used for text insertion on BBC One or BBC Two Scotland D-Sat (possibly redundant after the move to PQ?)


Ha !! Or possibly the same manufacturer had supplied BBC PQ and SVT with data bridges, but used the PQ config, as a 'get you started' config for SVT. Installation and commissioning engineers do often have no end of configs that they've complied or collected sitting on their lap tops Laughing


Or that - but I prefer my suggestion Wink
MA
Matt_1979
623058 posted:
Matt_1979 posted:
623058 posted:
Some of the Tapes played out in the 1980s were fantastic, and not dull what so ever.


I don't remember any of these tapes. Although I am no expert on test card music from the Trade Test Transmisson days, wasn't the music back then different and more varied than in the 80s?

I also have a memory of the test card switching staight to Ceefax (always with music of course) but once, the tone was still on the BBC 2 test card for soem reason and then Ceefax came on still with the tone. I imagined this was a mistake, but can anyone else remember?


Im only to get shot but If only Cwillisams YT accounts was still around to help prove my point Embarassed Wink


Yeah, It was a shame that cwilliams's account was taken down - he had some fantastic recreations and I wish I had got the chance to have watched more than I did.
IS
Inspector Sands
Matt_1979 posted:
Yeah, It was a shame that cwilliams's account was taken down - he had some fantastic recreations and I wish I had got the chance to have watched more than I did.

Can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not

25 days later

PC
Paul Clark
If there's one thing I think I might miss on BBC 2 this season, it's those early closes into the Ceefax Pages, and the festive music... The first Christmas without them.

I mention this as I look back at some pages, from around this very time in 1995 - a lot more art then, but the same familiar music as was used to the end... I think the full realisation that it has gone is actually sinking in now.
BH
BillyH Founding member
There was something very festive and relaxing about it - I think it was around Christmas 2004 when if I couldn't sleep (as a stressed 16 year old these nights were plenty Razz ) I'd turn on PFC and let the music drift me off. One of the tracks played that Christmas ('Festive Season') dated back at least to 1984!
BE
benriggers
When was Ceefax first used as a overnight 'filler' on BBC2? Plus why was Level 2 Ceefax dropped for? Looked good to me.
SG
SatGold
http://www.ceefax.tv/ search in style of ceefax
IS
Inspector Sands
SatGold posted:
http://www.ceefax.tv/ search in style of ceefax

Although it's not been updated since November 2009
RI
Richard
benriggers posted:
When was Ceefax first used as a overnight 'filler' on BBC2? Plus why was Level 2 Ceefax dropped for? Looked good to me.


It was first used in vision in 1980. I think it was first used overnight in the nineties, although Ceefax AM was on BBC 1 from about 6am in the 80s.

I think Level 2 teletext was dropped as very few (if any) manufacturers were building it into their sets.
BU
buster
Richard posted:
benriggers posted:
When was Ceefax first used as a overnight 'filler' on BBC2? Plus why was Level 2 Ceefax dropped for? Looked good to me.


It was first used in vision in 1980. I think it was first used overnight in the nineties, although Ceefax AM was on BBC 1 from about 6am in the 80s.

I think Level 2 teletext was dropped as very few (if any) manufacturers were building it into their sets.


Didn't it first get used throughout all downtime (as opposed to warm up/closedown slots) about 1998/1999 when the testcard was dropped? Certainly when I first recorded GCSE Bitesize in about 1998 it was surrounded by test card, not Ceefax.

What with this and the Learning Zone reducing its hours considerably am I right in thinking there was probably more PFC at the end (in terms of total airtime) than perhaps the days of Daytime on Two?
BH
BillyH Founding member
Yeah must have been about then - I have a BBC2 closedown from January 1998 that goes into black screen and tone, and memories of waking up early to catch CBBC in late '98 and seeing TCF before programmes started.

PFC was definitely being shown by mid-1999 so I'd say earlier that year, although it would be good to get a definitive answer.
XI
Xilla
I believe PFC replaced TCF during downtime sometime around Christmas 1998. Although the Testcard managed a few appearances over the next year or two.

TCJ was sometimes played with music in the early 2000s whenever BBC 2 Scotland was showing different Learning Zone content from the network and had finished early before network went to PFC.

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