• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Cable Television Text Channels Of The 1980s

G

Giacomo Siffredi

I would please like assistance identifying an application that was extensively used on cable television systems throughout the 1980s. It allowed for blinking cursors and scrolling text. The background colors were changeable. The messages would change every ten to fifteen seconds, sometimes instantly, and other times they changed as if they were being speed typed. I have linked a screenshot which depicts an example of it in use. A significant clue may be the character font, as I do not recall ever seeing it in lower-case. I should also mention the earliest year I have seen this type of text channel used is in 1981.

http://www.4freeimagehost.com/uploads/385df90fe4f4.jpg
 
Coast Communications in Ocean Shores, WA still uses a community origination channel just like that picture, on Channel 6. Used to have audio from AC KSWW 102.1, but now it's mostly nostalgic music.

-crainbebo
 
It was made by a company with a three letter name. Owensboro (KY) Cablevision utilized that device until the descendant became Time Warner and it was replaced with something that resembled Power Point.

Interesting story about its use in Owensboro. The unit that was in service before 2000 was not Y2K compliant for the date it displayed. The system now called Adelphia purchased an upgraded device. However by the end of 2000 the new unit developed problems. While out for service the old device was put back into service. So that the month and day was correct the year was set for 1972 as in September 8 1972.
 
Giacomo Siffredi said:
I would please like assistance identifying an application that was extensively used on cable television systems throughout the 1980s. It allowed for blinking cursors and scrolling text. The background colors were changeable. The messages would change every ten to fifteen seconds, sometimes instantly, and other times they changed as if they were being speed typed. I have linked a screenshot which depicts an example of it in use. A significant clue may be the character font, as I do not recall ever seeing it in lower-case. I should also mention the earliest year I have seen this type of text channel used is in 1981.

http://www.4freeimagehost.com/uploads/385df90fe4f4.jpg
Click to expand...

Warner Cable in Houston had a Community Bulletin Board Channel, and so did Rogers Cable in San Antonio. This board would show up on Rogers Cable Channels 19, 20, and 21.

In fact the had another one of those layouts for their First Choice PPVs and PPV Preview Channel
 
I can rember seeing something similar on Cable One in Dyersburg, TN for their public access and education channel. They actually went to Power Point in the early 2000s. The reason I know is that there were times that it went off and all that was displayed was the Windows desktop, or the setup screen for slide shows.
 
Giacomo, thank you for providing that link in the OP. It brings back memories of life (four months of it) in my off-season rental in Stone Harbor, NJ in late 1986/early 1987. That duplex was served by IIRC Group W Cable in Avalon. I actually watched quite a bit (when bored) of GWC's text channel. Is that Englewood, NJ being referred to?

ixnay
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom