What happens to Ceefax & Teletext?

 

The BBC started broadcasting their text-based service back in the 1970's. Most will know this as Ceefax, with the ITV's service being known as Oracle.

 

 

The UK is slowly moving to over to digital TV, with the plan being for analogue telly to be switched off by 2012. Ceefax and Teletext are also planned to be phased out as part of this switchover.

 

New digital TV services, such as Sky Digital, Freeview and Virgin Media offer a different text-service, which is available via the red button on your digital TV or set-top box's remote control. This is the successor to Ceefax and Teletext, offering higher-quality images, a better level of interaction, and faster data rates.

 

 

Here's how to access the new Interactive service:

 

• Freeview - Tune to BBC1, ITV1 or Channel 4, then press the Red button. Alternatively, the service is available on special channels: channel 101 (Teletext), 105 ((Bi), 104 (Channel 4 Teletext) or 108 (Sky Text)
• Sky Digital- Tune to BBC1, ITV1, Channel 4, or one of the Sky channels, then press the Red button. You can also access a range of text services, including Sky Active, by pressing the 'Interactive' button on your remote.
• Virgin Media - This seems more complicated. Former Telewest cable customers seem to be able to access the Digital Text service using the Red button on channels like BBC1 and Channel 4. This doesn't work for customers in former NTL areas, though. Also, there seems to be a problem with text services on a V+ box connected via HDMI (as opposed to via a SCART lead). For text services, you can also press the Interactive button on your Virgin box remote for access to limited text services. See this thread in the Radio and Telly forum for discussion of text services on Virgin.

 

If you still wish to receive Ceefax and Teletext, it's still being broadcast on analogue TV, and can, at least for the moment, be accessed on standard TV sets that have an analogue receiver and are connected to a TV aerial with a suitable signal.

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