In the 1970's, the BBC came up with the genius idea of transmitting breaking news and rudimentary graphics to TV sets via text encoded in the folds of a normal analog signal. Many TVs in Europe and some in the US are equipped with a decoder, allowing them to pick up the so-called teletext feed. A typical teletext screenshot is on the left, but you can check out more on this site.
Ok, if I almost lost you there with geek hooey, allow me to wow you with pretty pictures in this online gallery of uber-pixelated, retro-happy submissions to the latest teletext art contest. via Video Thing
Check out the Teletext BAbez ;)
WARNING ADULT CONTENT!!!!
http://www.a-blast.org/~drx/lo-tech/teletext/index.en.html
Posted by: karramarro | January 17, 2006 at 06:43 AM
lo... yes... the BBC called it Ceefax and ITV called theirs the Oracle. Pages from these ended up replacing the trusty old testcards.
Another major selling point of teletext was that it offered the chance to view various programmes with subtitles. In 1982, the BBC broadcast a disasterous historical epic serial "The Borgias" and hired an Italian actor for the main role who unfortunately was so unintelligible that some commented it was perhaps a deliberate ploy by the BBC to get people using the subtitles on Ceefax!
Best Wishes,
BAZ
Posted by: Baz | January 17, 2006 at 08:04 AM