Ceefax

Ceefax is the service of information by the Télétexte of the BBC. It is about a phonetic retranscription of the English phrase see facts ( to see the facts ).

The system was presented in October 1972. Following transmissions of test in 1973 - 1974, Ceefax was launched near the public the September 23rd 1974. It comprised thirty pages of information then. This system was developed by engineers of the BBC who worked with a method of subtitling for the deaf persons. It was the first system of Télétexte in the world. Other diffusers took up the idea quickly.

The technology used by Ceefax became the standard European of teletext and replaced other standards, for example the system Antiope in France. So according to the context, Ceefax can as well indicate the service of information of the BBC as the corresponding standard.

Starting from 1983 the BBC diffused software for Micro BBC, a personal computer which it had launched. This initiative stopped in 1989. A similar idea was implemented in France: the satellite channel C More direct diffused PC softwares. However, technology used was different, and more rapid.

Put aside of small modifications such as the introduction of the color (1976) and the four buttons coloured for the rapid access with the pages (beginning of the Years 1990), technology did not change since its introduction and now seems to go back to another age. Since the numerical diffusion of the BBC uses the new system BBCi, Ceefax will certainly be stopped when the the United Kingdom stops the diffusion into analogical towards 2012.

The BBC promotes the re-use of the numbers of Ceefax pages on Freeview and BBCi.

External bonds

current Ceefax Pages available in line
Additional details and captures of screens Ceefax
BBC Article celebrating the thirtieth birthday of Ceefax
the Ceefax pages on MacOS X by using Dashboard
" Pages from Ceefax" on Everything2

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