Although the experimental service was publicly available, there were no digital set-top boxes or receivers available on the market that could decode the signal, and the service was presented to the public only via BBC demonstrations using prototype receivers. During the 1999 Wimbledon Championships, the BBC presented a service that allowed viewers to select a video stream of different matches, and access additional information such as player profiles, scores and interactive quizzes. The original text service had no return path, this being made available in later phases.īBC Text pioneered an early form of " on-demand" interactive television, called Enhanced TV. opaque blocks of colour on top of the television channel, with the black background now transparent not 'translucent blocks of colour with a translucent black background') above the television picture. BBC Text also enabled channel association, the ability for the user to retain their selected television channel visible in one section of the screen whilst viewing the text service, in contrast to Ceefax, which could only be viewed as a full-screen display, or as a semitransparent overlay (i.e. A digital text service had been available since the launch of digital terrestrial television in November 1998, but the BBC Text service was not publicly launched until November 1999, due to a lack of availability of compatible set-top boxes.īBC Text was considerably more advanced than Ceefax, in that it offered a richer visual interface, with the possibility of photographic images and designed graphics (as opposed to Ceefax graphics which were composed of simple blocks of colour). In the first phase, the service was created using content migrated from the existing analogue teletext service, Ceefax. BBC Text (1999–2001) īBC Text originally launched on digital terrestrial services on 23 September 1999, and was later introduced on satellite and cable platforms.
#THAT SITE WHERE YOU PUSH THE RED BUTTON TV#
In September 2009, the BBC celebrated 10 years of the digital interactive TV service. This was due in part to the institutional landscape of television in the UK. The "red button" name refers to the common interface on remote controls for digital televisions and set-top boxes, a red push-button that launches digital teletext services.Īlthough initially marketed as a spectacular new form of television, by 2008 this had given way to positioning iTV as ‘everyday’. It was relaunched in November 2001 under the BBCi brand and operated under this name until late 2008, when it was rebranded as BBC Red Button. Freesat - Press the BACK or GREEN buttonsįor more help with the BBC Red Button, you can visit the BBC Reception help site.The service was launched on 23 September 1999 as BBC Text.Freeview - Press the BACK or GREEN buttons.The Red Button graphic can be removed from your screen by one simple action, dependent on the platform you are watching on: A few other broadcasters, including ITV, offer a limited range. Most of the interactive features currently available are provided by the BBC, Sky and the cable companies. It's available with any digital service, though the type and number of features vary according to whether you have digital terrestrial, satellite, cable or broadband. The BBC's Red Button service allows you to access additional television programming, live coverage from major sporting and cultural events, sports scores, lottery and weather information as well as the latest breaking national and global news stories. Sometimes you will be prompted to press the red button by an announcement in a programme or a red button logo appearing in the top right-hand corner of your TV screen. Simply press the red button on your remote control at any time.