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Teletext was big in the UK in the 80s and into the 90s. The BBC Micro (6502 based) had an adaptor, and the BBC would broadcast downloadable software on some of
by craz8 7y ago
Teletext was big in the UK in the 80s and into the 90s. The BBC Micro (6502 based) had an adaptor, and the BBC would broadcast downloadable software on some of their pages for that computer
I don’t recall if that ever happened for the Spectrum (Z80 based) - but being able to view the pages in the mid 80s was like living in the future!
Here’s more about the system https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teletext https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teletext
- stevekemp 7y agoSeems like it wasn't offered: > “The RTF downloader is not available as CEEFAX do not have any plans to broadcast software for the Spectrum”. I do recall late at night the BBC transmitted audio for spectrums, and at one point a couple of the Spectrum magazines came with a free record with software on it - even at the time I thought that was weird, because everybody else used tapes.
- philpem 7y agoThe clincher is, a cassette tape is fairly chunky and can be ripped off the front of the magazine and lost. Records are comparatively thin (though quite large) and could be made as flexible sheets which can be stapled into the magazine as a tear-out or pull-out insert, removing the issue of them going missing. Catch is the paper-thin ones don't last for many plays, and you need a fairly well-adjusted record player to use them. Some recording formats are more tolerant of speed variation than others. FSK-based ones like CUTS/Kansas City should be fairly tolerant, pulse-timing based ones possibly less so.
- benj111 7y agoI had a flexidisc record glued to the back of a pack of frosties once, I had to carefully poke a hole in the centre. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexi_disc https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexi_disc
- kalleboo 7y agoMost importantly, flexidiscs were way cheaper to produce in volume than cassette tapes