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Teletext Recovery Work

In 2022 I began my journey with recovering the wonders of teletext from home-recorded VHS tapes.

This page isn't here to serve as a "what is teletext" or "how to recover teletext" (the latter will come later), but is here to serve as a public view of my progress of recoveries; and importantly as a way that people can download my recoveries if they so wish.

Table Structure

Further Notes

All files provided here are of the .T42 file type, which is generally agreed to be the teletext file format. Most teletext adjacent programs will work with these files.

All "automated" processing of these files is completed via ali1234's vhs-teletext tool.

The reason for providing different versions of the same file, is that there may be hidden (or yet undiscovered) data in earlier revisions.

It is natural that the files usually get smaller with each revision.

Capture times are approximated. Total captured pages is calculated in Meddler SE.

Any capture should only contain pages for the service and date specified.

As of Capture #0011 the real-time capture for each entry should be no longer than 15 minutes. Issues occur with the deconvolve process if the captures are too large.

Tools

If you're new to all this and unsure what to do with these T42 files, or if you want to play with teletext then see these links to various useful tools:

Recoveries

These are all my recoveries, some of them are extremely poor and some are nearly perfect. Download the .t42 files from the right-hand side of the table. If you want the nicest, cleanest captures you'll want the Final column, if you want the original capture you'll want the Deconvolved column and if you want a stream that has the duplicates removed you'll want Squahsed.

If the Deconvolved column states !JUNK! then I have looked at the data and can't see anything of value. This is usually due to the tape being in such poor condition a recovery has failed. Data is still available if you want to try and repair the data given.

Some files have the extension of .tidy at the end. Fear not, they're T42 files as you'd hope, just trimmed down to remove some excess off the end.

Capture Name D# Date Time
approx.
Service Channel Programme Schedule
Genome URL
J? A? Tape ID Notes VCR Deconvolved Squashed Final
memorex.vbi 0002 30/08/2003 TBC TELETEXT
East Anglia
C4 Angela's Ashes Y Y "Angelas Ashes"
Memorex E180
Possible 1st Gen
Good overall quality
No Ghosting
Steady picture
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Download
3957 pgs
jvc.vbi 0003 27/07/1997
28/07/1997
23:45-02:00 CEEFAX BBC1 Havana (1990)
Genome
N N/A Unlabelled
JVC XR
1-YSL60
Pos. 2nd/3rd Gen
Good overall quality
No Ghosting
Steady picture
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Download
1167 pgs
jvc-2.vbi 0003 15/07/1997 TBC TELETEXT
East Anglia
C4 Brookside [p] Y Y Unlabelled
JVC XR
1-YSL60
Pos. 2nd/3rd Gen
Good Overall quality
No Ghosting
Steady picture
Short capture
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Download
178 pgs
jvc-3.vbi 0003 08/07/1997 19:20-20:00 CEEFAX BBC1 EastEnders [p]
Genome
N N/A Unlabelled
JVC XR
1-YSL60
Pos. 2nd/3rd Gen
Good overall quality
No Ghosting
Steady picture
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Download
1137 pgs
menthis0.vbi 0004 26/09/1993 20:00-TBD TELETEXT ITV
Anglia
Memphis Belle (1990) Y Y "KEEP - MENTHIS BELL"
Generic E-180
Pos. 2nd/3rd Gen
OK overall quality
Minor Ghosting
Steady picture
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending
menthis1.vbi 0004 22/09/1993 22:00-22:15 TELETEXT ITV
Anglia
ITN News Y Y "KEEP - MENTHIS BELL"
Generic E-180
Pos. 2nd/3rd Gen
OK overall quality
Minor Ghosting
Steady picture
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending
rescue.vbi 0005 TBD TBD TBD TBD The Rescuers Down Under N N "JUNGLE BOOK
THE RESCUERS DOWNUNDER"
BBC E-180
SFF06ANE
Pos. 2nd/3rd Gen
Poor overall quality
Ripple in picture
J'Book was from Disney but was unrecoverable.
Samsung SV-651B Pending N/A N/A
new2004-HMARK.vbi 0006 TBD TBD TBD Hallmark
Sky
Adverts
Junctions
Y Y "NEW TAPE 6/2/04"
FUJI E-180
0193G2EA(?)
Pos. 2nd/3rd Gen
OK overall quality
Slight ripple in picture.
Samsung SV-651B Pending N/A N/A
new2004-SKY.vbi 0006 TBD TBD TBD Sky One
Sky
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Y Y "NEW TAPE 6/2/04"
FUJI E-180
0193G2EA(?)
Pos. 2nd/3rd Gen
OK overall quality
Slight ripple in picture.
Start of capture is interrupted
Samsung SV-651B N/A N/A N/A
new2004-BBC.vbi 0006 TBD TBD TBD BBC1 EastEnders Y Y "NEW TAPE 6/2/04"
FUJI E-180
0193G2EA(?)
Pos. 2nd/3rd Gen
OK overall quality
Slight ripple in picture.
Samsung SV-651B Pending N/A N/A
jfrost.vbi 0007 TBD TBD TBD TBD Jack Frost (1998) Y Y "JACK FROST"
MAXELL 3 HOUR
Poor overall quality
Lots of picture drop-outs, rolling image.
Samsung SV-651B Download
!JUNK!
N/A N/A
jfrost2.vbi 0007 TBD TBD TBD TBD Unknown animation Y Y "JACK FROST"
MAXELL 3 HOUR
OK overall quality
Steady image.
Samsung SV-651B Download
!JUNK!
N/A N/A
jfrost3.vbi 0007 TBD TBD TBD Channel 5 X Games Y Y "JACK FROST"
MAXELL 3 HOUR
Poor overall quality
Lots of picture drop-outs, rolling image.
Samsung SV-651B Download
!JUNK!
N/A N/A
ddozen0.vbi 0008 23/12/1983 22:05-22:50 CEEFAX BBC1 The Dirty Dozen (1967)
Genome
Y N/A "THE DIRTY DOZEN"
MEMOREX E-180
ASF203
Good quality
Possibly 1st/2nd generation.
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Download
252 pgs
bconnolly01.vbi 0010 28/10/1996 22:10-22:50 CEEFAX BBC1 Billy Collony's World Tour of Australia
Genome
Y N/A "Australia Tour Billy Connelly"
FINLANDIA E180
??22ENA
OK quality
Possibly 3rd generation
Some frequent drop-outs.
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending
bconnolly02.vbi 0010 25/11/1996 22:10-22:50 CEEFAX BBC1 Billy Collony's World Tour of Australia
Genome
Y N/A "Australia Tour Billy Connelly"
FINLANDIA E180
??22ENA
OK quality
Possibly 3rd generation
Some frequent drop-outs.
Considering this, this capture has many perfect pages.
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending
drdolittle.vbi 0011 20/08/2000 14:41-14:55 SKY TEXT SKY PREMIER Dr Dolitte (1998) N N/A "Dr Dolittle"
TDK E-240 TV
AGOD 914
OK quality
Possibly 2nd generation.
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending