Teletext and Ceefax after the Digital Switchover?

 

The BBC started broadcasting their text-based service back in the 1970's. Most will know this as "Ceefax", with the ITV's service starting as Oracle, and now "Teletext".

 

Analogue: Ceefax from the BBC, and ITV's Teletext

 

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 the Digital Switchover, although the ITV Teletext service will end sooner - in December 2009.

 

Digital Text Services

 

New digital TV services, such as Freeview, Sky Digital and Virgin Media offer a different text service. This is the successor to Ceefax and Teletext, offering higher-quality images, a better level of interaction, and faster data rates.

 

 

The new text service is available via the red button on your digital TV or set-top box's remote control.

 

Here's how to access the new Interactive service:

• Freeview - Tune to BBC1, ITV1 or Channel 4, then press the Red button on your Freeview remote. Alternatively, the service is available on special channels: channel 101 (Teletext), 105 (BBC Red Button), 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 on your Sky remote . 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 the older Ceefax and Teletext, it's still being broadcast on analogue TV. If your TV region has not yet "gone digital", you can still get Ceefax and Teletext on standard TV sets that have an analogue receiver and are connected to a TV aerial with a suitable signal.

 

 

Your Questions:

 

Some Ceefax pages are not yet available on BBC Interactive. What happens after the switchover? Sorry, but we have no information about specific pages of Ceefax content, and the BBC's plans to move them to BBCi. Best advice is to contact the BBC about this. The address we have is: BBC Ceefax, Room 7540, BBC Television Centre, Wood Lane, London, W12 7RJ