UK Timeline Ceefax In Vision to close this Sun/Mon.

RichardCoulter · 18-10-2012, 12:36

With Belfast due to complete the UK DSO programme on 24 October 2012, this, unfortunately, means that the Ceefax In Vision service will close this weekend.

Sunday 22 October 2012 from 4.45am to 6am will be the last transmission.

It's ironic that, what was the first taste of teletext for many, has been the only way for most people to watch Ceefax for some time now.

This was the first data screen in most homes, but has now been surpassed by the internet, smart 'phones etc.

Farewell, you have served us well!

RichardCoulter · 22-10-2012, 01:54

Anyone up at around 5.50am may wish to check out BBC2 for the last ten minutes of the final "Ceefax In Vision" pages from Ceefax service later on this morning...

lordofangels · 22-10-2012, 11:38

Thanks to Mark Higgins...

https://twitter.com/higginsmark/stat...282689/photo/1

dilli-theclaw · 22-10-2012, 19:07

I suppose I'll have to finally get shot of my one of these

http://www.retro-kit.co.uk/page.cfm/...etext-Adapter/

thenry · 22-10-2012, 19:38

so it wasnt the world that ended but ceefax

23-10-2012, 00:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by thenry

so it wasnt the world that ended but ceefax

"Is this the end of the world as we know it?"

Rillington · 02-12-2012, 23:21

For the record, on-air Ceefax transmissions ended at 5.59am on Monday 23 October 2012 after 32 and a half years on air. They began as 30 minute slots in March 1980 and from May 1983 they filled all daytime closedowns until BBC1 began daytime transmissions on 27 October 1986 and for an additional 2.5 more years on BBC2 as that channel didn't commence all day broadcasts throughout the year until June 1989. Throughout the 1990s all Ceefax transmissions were restricted to 15-30 minute broadcasts before the first programme of the day but around the turn of the century the BBC2 transmitters were kept on all night and Ceefax was used to fill the overnight closedown gaps.

Incidentally, the Pages from Ceefax name for the transmissions didn't begin until the start of 1984 which was when Radio Times first began listing daytime Ceefax transmissions. Prior to this they were listed on the Ceefax BBC TV listings pages as Ceefax In Vision with only the pre-Breakfast Time Ceefax AM transmission getting a listing in RT.