1983: DOWNLOADING Software Via RADIO and CEEFAX | Micro Live | Retro Tech | BBC Archive

Micro Live looks at a few exciting new ways to get the latest software direct to your microprocessor.
Datarama is a Radio West show, hosted by Tim and The General (Tim Lyons and Martin Schimmer) that broadcasts computer programs over the airwaves, for listeners to record and load into their computers. The system has proved a hit with listeners, who claim that all the programme's programs load every time.
The BBC, meanwhile, has launched a new service, dubbed "BBC Ceefax Telesoftware" - using the existing Ceefax system coupled with a teletext adapter (costing just over £200) to deliver software from your television set to your home computer. Lawson Brown, the manager of the service, demonstrates it to Micro Live host Ian McNaught-Davis.
Originally broadcast 2 October, 1983.
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[@ajs41]

I remember watching Ceefax in 1983 when I was 4 years old. It was one of the most futuristic things around at that time.

[@80ssynthfan48]

It had been around for a few years before that. To 70s kids it must have been mind-blowing.

[@CallousCoder]

Back in 1999 I managed the internet teletext for the Dutch broadcast association. It was back then they most used web site in the country. Often trading places with the Dutch Telegraph newspaper. We had 6000 views a minute on that little 64MB 200 MHz Silicon Graphics O200. We upgraded it to a dual 200MHz and 128MB and much to our amazement it was slower! It took me a couple of weeks to find out that the issues was with a Netscape (http served) plugin that got the images from a dedicated teletext grabber machine running on windows. It turned out that the new server also had a newer version of Irix Unix. And the Irix 5 handled any exclusive lock as an opportunity lock, and the idiot programmer decided to lock all the 899 pages for each new page. So I changed it that it would only lock the actual teletext page that was being updated. And whooooom we went for 6000 views a minute to 10000 And even today the site is still running. I don’t know if it gets any traffic but I just checked and it’s still there 😂

[@chrisgironde6669]

I was 20 then

[@stephenbarrette610]

My BBC B micro still works after 40+ years. Loved this show when it came out and it probably was the reason I ended up with a career in IT! Also loved CEEFAX.

[@Opel_Guy]

Watch the RIFA caps in the PSU as they will blow! Known problem but can be replaced by better one's. I had to do it on mine I originally got in '84. Works fine now.

[@stephenbarrette610]

@@Opel_Guy Hi, thanks for that info.

[@ianlove1215]

I loved killing time reading CEEFAX pages! Sport, news, catch up with soaps, they even did flight arrival times for holidays

[@MusicFanatical1]

"Well you see Ian, the software is free but ad-supported. There's a non-skippable ad splash screen each time you connect. Also, we're selling your data." "Oh that'll never catch on"

[@RickP2012]

I like the way the presenter criticises every single thing about this service and the guy being interviewed just looks like he's thinking "what are you doing to me?".

[@spectrumdays]

We talk about this quite a bit in the podcast, we both remember downloading games on the radio...not sure I remember it working all the time though!

[@reaper378]

The sound of my childhood 😊

[@ceefaxbbctv8788]

These were amazing times for those who remember living through them. Thank you for this archive footage. It’s fascinating, nostalgic and very interesting.

[@electron8262]

There will never be an exciting time like this again. I wish I had been around to live through it.

[@DavidPaulMorgan]

I remember this too. I was working at the BSO (now the CSO) in Newport as part of my degree course, '82 - ''83. We formed our own micro user group for lunchtimes - BSO_MUGS or Micro User Group (support). BBC, Sinclair, Dragon etc etc. I do recall having success with Spectrum BASIC programs recorded onto cassette off the radio. This was our Google Play Store!!!

[@Rr0gu3_5uture]

When I was a kid in the 8-bit era, I always remember being kinda disappointed with home computers. My kid brain wasn't developed enough to fully understand the limits of the hardware. I thought; if I just put the hours in an got epic at BASIC, I'd be able to make my own photorealistic graphics, lol.

[@TheStevenWhiting]

I was similar. Was older, about 12 or 13 near end of 80s. Remember finding a Spectrum game in the front room but we never had a Spectrum. We had a zx81. I remember like it was yesterday, I looked at that cassette and said to myself. This is why I dislike computers and their games. The art on the front cover will be nothing like what the game will look like when I look at the back screenshots. I proved my theory right and worse it would always say something like "screenshot from c64". I had little imagination then, didn't realise people would just use their imagination. In my adult life I've turned into an IT engineer :)

[@Thunderpuddle]

100% - 80s Movies and TV series also played their part in this, for me as a child.

[@shingitai5882]

I actually did this I recorded the programs every week on Radio Four, believe me it wasn’t worth the effort. I also spent many hours before I could type inputting programs from magazines into my computer they never ever worked. I use to think it was done deliberately by the publisher’s to make you buy the next issue to get the corrections, early home computing could be quiet frustrating.😂

[@NickSBailey]

lol was better when they started using verification error codes with the type ins, then it'd show you if there were any mistakes and it always worked then

[@wispa1a]

10 Run 20 load page 30 ... I remember having to load in lines always starting like above.

[@wispa1a]

Spectrum magazine program sometimes had good game's. But spending 8 hours to play it for an hour was a nightmare.

[@hherpdderp]

I'm impressed its using teletext loke an API

[@sarahyoung3033]

That was broadcast on the day I was born and I loved watching this programme as it was more about the software and coding

[@daveac]

Had one back in the early 1980s - better than typing in from the 'yellow pages' of code in the BBC Micro Mag - Remember a Ten Pin Bowling game was one of the available games to download.

[@Janbaukeoelstra]

Wow ! Amazing !

[@cashawX10]

Basicode ! I had almost forgotten about this until now, was that what they were showing at the beginning ? I remember that transmitted code could be decoded by a wide variety of 8-bit machines, I think they actually used LW early on Saturday mornings to send the code. Obviously as the code ran on all of the 8-but machines, it was a very basic, text based affair.

[@videogamebookreviews]

When you could flick through the channels quickly. 2:31 Nowadays you have to wait two or three seconds between each channel.

[@jkmac625]

I don't remember downloading programs over the radio, but I got my BBC Micro in 1984 so they may have stopped using that method by then. I do remember the CEEFAX pages that contained computer programs, but they just displayed gibberish on a standard teletext TV and I didn't have the Teletext adapter to decode them. The only upgrade I did to my BBC Micro was add a 5.25inch floppy drive.

[@ChrisPollitt]

Awesome!

[@what-uc]

I didn't know (or maybe I just forgot) that BBC Basic had keyword abbreviations like P. for PRINT

[@ebridgewater]

7:37 Assuming it would be a he! How times have changed 😆

[@pressureworks]

When will this become available ???????????

[@kinetsievarvenfloot1237]

Gosh this was so innovative! I remember my excitement when I successfully downloaded _Bawdy Squirt Nurses From Planet Clunge_ directly via Ceefax page 279. Ah they were halcyon days... 😊

[@snotwurfit]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Jimfowler82]

Where’s there’s the will there’s a way 😂

[@davedogge2280]

I wouldn't google that video game. Not safe for work results !

[@cygil1]

This classic appears to have been lost to the mists of time.... I assume like "Leather Goddesses of Phobos" the title promised a lot more than it delivered.

[@ajs41]

This is 2nd October 1983, not 10th February 1983.

[@BBCArchive]

Of course it was - it even shows it on the screen! Have amended the text now, thanks.

[@speedbird737]

I would have bought the ceefax adapter without hesitation even at £200 !!

[@weymouthladuk]

Miss that wonderful sound of loading tapes and sometime after 10 minutes READ ERROR and start again 😂

[@simonray9999]

Watching this on a smartphone is a bit...well... something!

[@fidelcatsro6948]

Wow cant wait to download google app onto my android phone via AM radio broadcast!

[@ThomasMetal75]

Downloading software without bugs? Sounds nice 😂!

[@Firkinnel]

Phone no ending in 8055. Isn't that the Swap Shop phone number aswell ?

[@navalenigma]

Yes, it was, I was going to comment the same

[@Janbaukeoelstra]

Wow that was a long time ago i see snow on a televisionset😂

[@Janbaukeoelstra]

Or you wait about 40 years and the programs come trough Wifi😂

[@andromedaone3640]

Looks like Columbo on the thumbnail 😅

[@gan9e]

Error correction as you download without bugs? all thanks to the keen & inventive mind of Sir Reginald Checksum... Harry Tiktok on the other hand can take a running jump.

[@simmadpaul2880]

Back when the only people who used computers were geeky nerds. It was the beginning of the geeky nerd takeover. Now were all geeky nerds scrolling endlessly making the original geeky nerds billionaires.

[@geoffjoffy]

Haha, this looks as old as the Stone Age

[@mick_hyde]

Ceefax internet.

[@andybb]

When did this country go downhill when we were at the forefront of modern technology?

[@yakadoodledongywongy8718]

The television service paid not the.licene payer 😂 to my ears that means you all paid.

[@NAIVADA]

No future though