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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

Guides

As teletext recovery can be considered a bit of a dark art still, I have created a series of guides that explain various procedures you might go through when performing teletext recovery operations.

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
granada001.vbi 0012 15/12/2000 TBD TELETEXT ITV1 Catherine Cookson's A Dinner of Herbs S01E04 Y Y "Catherine Cookson"
Granada TV Rental VHS
Poor quality
A lot of ghosting.
Samsung SV-651B Pending Pending Pending
bbc2-19941119.vbi 0013 19/11/1994 15:00-15:15 CEEFAX BBC2 Glenn Miller: America's Musical Hero
Genome
N N/A TDK E-180
E 180 TV EE
Great quality
Second generation
Recovery GREAT, many perfect pages
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Download
1117 pgs
anglia-19941215.vbi 0013 15/12/1994 22:40-22:55 TELETEXT ANGLIA Marquee Y Y TDK E-180
E 180 TV EE
Great quality
Second generation
Recovery GREAT, many perfect pages
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Download
1345 pgs
bbc120081026.vbi 0014 26/10/2008 19:55-20:00 CEEFAX BBC1 Strictly Come Dancing
S6E12
Genome
N N BASF E180
267 8 S 24 082107 9
OK quality
Multi-generation
Recovery OK, mis-spellings
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending
bbc120081026.vbi 0014 13/12/2008 19:20-19:40 CEEFAX BBC2 A Life on the Box: Arthur Lowe
Genome
N N BASF E180
267 8 S 24 082107 9
OK quality
Multi-generation
Recovery OK, mis-spellings
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending
itv120071226.vbi 0014 26/12/2007 ??-?? TELETEXT ITV1 Y Y BASF E180
267 8 S 24 082107 9
OK quality
Multi-generation
Recovery poor
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending
CARLTON19931227.vbi 0016 27/12/1993 ??-?? TELETEXT CARLTON Wish You Were Here N N TBC OK quality
Multi-generation
Some recordings on this tape are good condition, others very bad
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending
C419971202.vbi 0016 02/12/1997 16:30-16:40 TELETEXT C4 Countdown N N TBC OK quality
Multi-generation
Some recordings on this tape are good condition, others very bad
Samsung SV-651B Download Download WIP
BBC120080414.vbi 0016 14/04/2008 TBC CEEFAX BBC1 Watchdog N N TBC OK quality
Multi-generation
Some recordings on this tape are good condition, others very bad
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending
ITV120080415.vbi 0016 15/04/2008 21:00-21:15 TELETEXT ITV1 The Duke: A Portrait of Prince Philip N N TBC OK quality
Multi-generation
Some recordings on this tape are good condition, others very bad
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending
BBC120080512.vbi 0016 12/05/2008 TBC CEEFAX BBC1 Watchdog N N TBC OK quality
Multi-generation
Some recordings on this tape are good condition, others very bad
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending
ITV120080512.vbi 0016 12/05/2008 TBC TELETEXT ITV1 Cops with Cameras N Y TBC OK quality
Multi-generation
Some recordings on this tape are good condition, others very bad
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending
TBC 0016 TBC TBC CEEFAX BBC2 Natural World N N TBC OK quality
Multi-generation
Some recordings on this tape are good condition, others very bad
Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending
BBC219911224.vbi 0017 24/12/1991 20:20-20:35 CEEFAX BBC2 Re-Joyce
Genome
Y N TBC TBC Samsung SV-651B Download Download Pending