Does anyone use the BBC Red Button text service?

[RWCable]

Since the BBC's digital equivalent to Ceefax is due to close next month, I'm wondering how popular it actually is?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthe...7-98930425302a

I still do actually use the Red Button text service about 4 times daily to quickly scan through the news without picking up my phone or computer... It's much more convenient. It's certainly nice to have interactive internet-style information in the air, "free" (as part of license fee), but without an actual internet connection or the complexity of today's alternatives. No analytics modules, no tracking and loads instantly.

Why would this service even cost anything to maintain? The only thing that changes is 4 lines of each most popular story copied from the BBC website/feed... And that's easily automated, or have they not figured that out? (Last week I wrote a tiny 145-line pure JavaScript proof of concept in 1 hour that largely mirrors the Red Button experience and always has the most up-to-date news direct from BBC.... I know I'm oversimplifying a little bit.... But I still can't imagine any real "significant technical effort" required as mentioned. Please correct me if wrong.)

So who still uses the service?

[cheekyangus]

I believe it already is automated.

The bandwidth and equipment it takes to transmit costs. If they view it as not enough people using it to justify those costs, as they seem to, then it is liable to being axed.

[nodrogd]

Yes, we do use it. We have 2 small screen TVs, one is only a year old, that have no internet connectivity.

I also wonder what all the people living in caravans & boats will think with them now being forced to use data allowances to use any of the BBCs apps.

[RWCable]

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

I believe it already is automated.

The bandwidth and equipment it takes to transmit costs. If they view it as not enough people using it to justify those costs, as they seem to, then it is liable to being axed.

But.... is the cost not negligible in the grand scheme of things? Especially considering they will continue to broadcast MHEG onscreen information + graphics on many radio channels throughout the country, Red Button live events and also TV subtitles on all channels.... wouldn't it be squeezing some extra value for money out of the existing engineering/maintenance to keep this (essentially 45-year old and now automated) useful service going?

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by RWCable

But.... is the cost not negligible in the grand scheme of things? Especially considering they will continue to broadcast MHEG onscreen information + graphics on many radio channels throughout the country, Red Button live events and also TV subtitles on all channels.... wouldn't it be squeezing some extra value for money out of the existing engineering/maintenance to keep this (essentially 45-year old and now automated) useful service going?

You'd think. Don't get me wrong, I like the old-fashioned digital text. I'd keep it.

I was under the impression some of the radio MHEG info was going too, there's none on Virgin Media and it's years since they switched it off, you just get a blank screen and a Connected Red Button prompt which takes you to iPlayer.

There are multiple things the space could benefit, assuming the space is not vacated permanently.

- They could increase the picture quality of either BBC Parliament and/or the Red Button 1 feed to equal those of the other BBC streams on the PSB1 multiplex.

- They could increase the audio quality on the BBC Local radio stations carried on PSB1 across the country.

- they could allow the radio stations on PSB1 that come off-air in the evenings in Scotland to allow for BBC Alba to restore full service.

- they could keep the space handy for a 2nd pop-up (i.e. not full-time, only used occasionally) Red Button feed for when big events are on and/or events overlap.

Note: BBC cannot do all of these, some of these are mutually exclusive due to the limited space freed up.

Also note: these are just my ideas, there has been no suggestion that anything is going to happen.

[RWCable]

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

You'd think. Don't get me wrong, I like the old-fashioned digital text. I'd keep it.

I was under the impression some of the radio MHEG info was going too, there's none on Virgin Media and it's years since they switched it off, you just get a blank screen and a Connected Red Button prompt which takes you to iPlayer.

There are multiple things the space could benefit, assuming the space is not vacated permanently
....

Those are pretty interesting possibilities!

Since you mention it, was there ever a proper MHEG display on Virgin Media on the radio channels? I remember that on the old Samsung and PACE boxes ("Liberate" platform), in my area (ex-NTL), radio channels would only show a black screen with white text with the name of the radio station. (As I understand, possibly wrong, the TiVo platform isn't necessarily DVB-compliant and apps + UI rely on an HTML5 renderer and sometimes Adobe Flash).

Originally Posted by nodrogd

Yes, we do use it. We have 2 small screen TVs, one is only a year old, that have no internet connectivity.

I also wonder what all the people living in caravans & boats will think with them now being forced to use data allowances to use any of the BBCs apps.

I also have a fairly recent TV from 2015 with no internet or Freeview HD... The implications of discontinuing this are quite interesting when you consider the varied user base and equipment.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by RWCable

TSince you mention it, was there ever a proper MHEG display on Virgin Media on the radio channels? I remember that on the old Samsung and PACE boxes ("Liberate" platform), in my area (ex-NTL), radio channels would only show a black screen with white text with the name of the radio station. (As I understand, possibly wrong, the TiVo platform isn't necessarily DVB-compliant and apps + UI rely on an HTML5 renderer and sometimes Adobe Flash).

VM boxes have never supported MHEG. The Liberate apps are HTML+JavaScript, and you are correct about TiVo.

[Mr K]

I accidently sometimes hit the red button, and swear as it takes ages to do anything, or let me exit/cancel and get back to the TV...
Bring back CEEFAX, it was much quicker!

[cheekyangus]

It wasn't MHEG, but the pre-Tivo boxes used to have a similar looking screen on the radio stations to what Freeview still has with the logos on the BBC stations.

[RWCable]

Update: NFBUK (National Federation of the Blind UK) has support of 100+ other organisations in a petition calling for the postponement of the Red Button service closure.

Petition has been given to both government and the BBC on Monday 27/01/2020.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51263169

Never used it, ever.

[cheekyangus]

Apparently the BBC have just announced they have postponed the closure of the Red Button Text Service.

[RWCable]

Beat me to it @cheekyangus!! Wonderful. This is the right move.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51295430

[denphone]

Originally Posted by RWCable

Beat me to it @cheekyangus!! Wonderful. This is the right move.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51295430

l know several people who use this service so its a decision that l agree with.

[Ken W]

I still use it