There are too many features in Teletext+ to mention here, but I think
it is safe to say it will do anything you require of it... Alan Highet, Risc User July 96
The predictive cacheing is really cunning. The system keeps a list of
the pages you actually look at, and gives them a score to reflect how
often you check them.
Teletext+ software brings a new level of
sophistication to teletext browsing on Acorn computers. Pages and
sub-pages can be accessed instantly from the cache and Teletext+ can
automatically search hundreds of pages every day for keywords that
interest you.
Teletext+ software will work on an Acorn computer with a Computer Concepts,
Design IT, Ground Control, Irlam, Morley, Solidisk, Wild Vision, Yellowstone
or Octopus Systems teletext receiver. In particular, Teletext+ enables these
receivers to be used in an IYONIX pc fitted with an expansion backplane
without requiring any other upgrades or modifications to the teletext
receiver.
Please note we can no longer supply Teletext hardware and our Teletext+
software is for Acorn computers running RISC OS - it will not work on a PC
running Windows.
When used with the Computer Concepts TV Tuner/Teletext card the system
can also be used as a Telebutler
Home Information System to to display useful information on every
TV in your home (including telephone caller display).
Teletext+ is fully RISC OS compliant and displays teletext pages in a scalable
window whilst happily multi-tasking alongside other programs. Pages may
be selected by entering a 3 digit page number, by choosing a page from
a list or by clicking on a page number or Fasttext link on the screen.
For example, clicking on the page number beside a news headline will show
the news page.
The major problem with traditional teletext systems is the speed of accessing teletext on a television set, or using a typical computer system can be quite tedious. After entering a page number it often takes 25 seconds before the page is available, simply because the teletext provider transmits each page in turn. Teletext+ overcomes this problem by storing pages and sub-pages in a cache, as they are received. When a new page is selected it will be displayed immediately from the cache whenever possible.
Teletext+ will cache all of the pages that are specified in a script file
as well as any pages that are frequently used (it remembers which pages
have been used from day to day and caches the most commonly used pages
first). While this background cacheing is taking place the computer and
Teletext+ can still be used normally.
Where a page has several sub-pages each sub-page is cached for quick
access using the cursor keys to step through the sub-pages (TV listings
and share price pages show the sub-page in the corner, eg 2/5).
Saving Pages and Data
Pages can be saved to disc in teletext form or as sprites, plain text or
Impression DDF files. Teletext files can be re-loaded into Teletext+ while
sprites and text can be loaded into other applications. There is even an
option to save every sub-page in a single text file. Pages and data from
pages can also be saved automatically under the control of a Teletext+
script file. You could for example, automatically record a portfolio of
shares every day in a CSV file for use with the Apricote Studios Shares
software or record the recipe of the day or news headlines in a different
file each day.
Keyword Searching and Alarms
A simple script file is used to specify a list of keywords that interest
you and Teletext will then search hundreds of pages for every keyword. You
can search every page or divide pages into groups and search each group
for different keywords. Every Teletext line that is found to contain a
keyword normally appears in the Found window and the page can be displayed
by clicking on the line. Instead of displaying the line Teletext+ can
record data on disc in various formats when a keyword is found. If a
keyword appears in a TV or radio listings page Teletext+ can set an alarm
to remind you just before a programme starts. For example, if you have
entered 'Newsnight' as a keyword the computer will beep just before
Newsnight starts. If you use Speak software as well then Teletext+ will
even speak a reminder (in this case it would say 'BBC2 Newsnight' just
before it starts).
Other features
Teletext+ can set the computer clock from the teletext time; pass WWW
addresses to a Web browser; pass Email addresses to your Email software
and dial telephone numbers from Teletext pages. It can even be used with
extra hardware to display your favourite TV programmes and Caller ID information
on every TV in your home (so you can see
who is phoning you from any TV).
Teletext+ V7.25 software is supplied with a 50 page wire bound
manual and is available from stock. Please note that we have sold out
of Teletext cards. Please see our main prices
page for prices and ordering details.
All hardware has a a one year guarantee, and if you need any help, full
technical support is available by phone, fax, post or email, and also
from our Teletext+
Support Web page.
For more details please email us at
or see our contacts
page for our phone number and postal address.
