gkmac
@gkmac.bsky.social
Part-time teletext and retrotech dabbler. Maker of QTeletextMaker.
Pinned
gkmac
@gkmac.bsky.social
· 21d
QTeletextMaker v0.8.1-beta released. No new features but the Level 2.5 #teletext editor has had a major bug squashed that sometimes caused the central page editor widget to get "lost" or squashed into a tiny corner of the main window.
Windows .exe from the zip as usual:
github.com/gkthemac/QTe...
Windows .exe from the zip as usual:
github.com/gkthemac/QTe...
Were colour bitmap graphics possible in #teletext ?
With Level 3.5 DRCS they could have been. But hopelessly impractical; all the bitmap data is stored across 8 subpages and you'd need to wait for them all to come around.
Just for that one picture that's the biggest size possible in 16 colours.
With Level 3.5 DRCS they could have been. But hopelessly impractical; all the bitmap data is stored across 8 subpages and you'd need to wait for them all to come around.
Just for that one picture that's the biggest size possible in 16 colours.
November 12, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Were colour bitmap graphics possible in #teletext ?
With Level 3.5 DRCS they could have been. But hopelessly impractical; all the bitmap data is stored across 8 subpages and you'd need to wait for them all to come around.
Just for that one picture that's the biggest size possible in 16 colours.
With Level 3.5 DRCS they could have been. But hopelessly impractical; all the bitmap data is stored across 8 subpages and you'd need to wait for them all to come around.
Just for that one picture that's the biggest size possible in 16 colours.
Reposted by gkmac
QTeletextMaker v0.8.1-beta released. No new features but the Level 2.5 #teletext editor has had a major bug squashed that sometimes caused the central page editor widget to get "lost" or squashed into a tiny corner of the main window.
Windows .exe from the zip as usual:
github.com/gkthemac/QTe...
Windows .exe from the zip as usual:
github.com/gkthemac/QTe...
October 26, 2025 at 3:05 PM
QTeletextMaker v0.8.1-beta released. No new features but the Level 2.5 #teletext editor has had a major bug squashed that sometimes caused the central page editor widget to get "lost" or squashed into a tiny corner of the main window.
Windows .exe from the zip as usual:
github.com/gkthemac/QTe...
Windows .exe from the zip as usual:
github.com/gkthemac/QTe...
QTeletextMaker v0.8-beta released. The Level 2.5 #teletext editor now renders DRCS characters and slightly improved diacritical'd G0 capital letters.
Grab a Windows exe from the zip at github.com/gkthemac/QTe... (mind the SmartScreen warnings!) or compile the source on Linux with #Qt6 and CMake.
Grab a Windows exe from the zip at github.com/gkthemac/QTe... (mind the SmartScreen warnings!) or compile the source on Linux with #Qt6 and CMake.
October 14, 2025 at 3:53 PM
QTeletextMaker v0.8-beta released. The Level 2.5 #teletext editor now renders DRCS characters and slightly improved diacritical'd G0 capital letters.
Grab a Windows exe from the zip at github.com/gkthemac/QTe... (mind the SmartScreen warnings!) or compile the source on Linux with #Qt6 and CMake.
Grab a Windows exe from the zip at github.com/gkthemac/QTe... (mind the SmartScreen warnings!) or compile the source on Linux with #Qt6 and CMake.
Reposted by gkmac
All the tellies up and running at #ChunkyFringe
October 4, 2025 at 1:39 PM
All the tellies up and running at #ChunkyFringe
As if black foreground wasn't controversial enough, should modern Level 1 and 1.5 #teletext decoders obey the double width and double height control codes?
The ETSI spec says they are Level 2.5 only, but in real life some Level 1 and 1.5 decoders made since about 1999-ish do interpret them.
The ETSI spec says they are Level 2.5 only, but in real life some Level 1 and 1.5 decoders made since about 1999-ish do interpret them.
October 2, 2025 at 9:21 PM
As if black foreground wasn't controversial enough, should modern Level 1 and 1.5 #teletext decoders obey the double width and double height control codes?
The ETSI spec says they are Level 2.5 only, but in real life some Level 1 and 1.5 decoders made since about 1999-ish do interpret them.
The ETSI spec says they are Level 2.5 only, but in real life some Level 1 and 1.5 decoders made since about 1999-ish do interpret them.
Reposted by gkmac
October 1, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Reposted by gkmac
Another reminder that the #ChunkyFringe teletext editing system is online for anyone to have a go at creating real teletext pages:
blockparty.zxnet.co.uk
Channel your inner @mrbiffo.bsky.social* and come and admire your creations in all their chunky glory on CRT tellies in Harrow this Saturday!
blockparty.zxnet.co.uk
Channel your inner @mrbiffo.bsky.social* and come and admire your creations in all their chunky glory on CRT tellies in Harrow this Saturday!
October 1, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Another reminder that the #ChunkyFringe teletext editing system is online for anyone to have a go at creating real teletext pages:
blockparty.zxnet.co.uk
Channel your inner @mrbiffo.bsky.social* and come and admire your creations in all their chunky glory on CRT tellies in Harrow this Saturday!
blockparty.zxnet.co.uk
Channel your inner @mrbiffo.bsky.social* and come and admire your creations in all their chunky glory on CRT tellies in Harrow this Saturday!
Ahh, good old #teletext with no cookie pop-ups, no registrations or sign-ins, no autoplaying videos... and no sudden geo-blocks either.
September 30, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Ahh, good old #teletext with no cookie pop-ups, no registrations or sign-ins, no autoplaying videos... and no sudden geo-blocks either.
For the upcoming #ChunkyFringe the #WeeklyTeletextArt prompt is "Chunky" and/or "Fringe".
Here's a #teletext nod to an old chocolate advert; regrettably trademarks have had to be altered for legal reasons.
Here's a #teletext nod to an old chocolate advert; regrettably trademarks have had to be altered for legal reasons.
September 28, 2025 at 5:50 PM
For the upcoming #ChunkyFringe the #WeeklyTeletextArt prompt is "Chunky" and/or "Fringe".
Here's a #teletext nod to an old chocolate advert; regrettably trademarks have had to be altered for legal reasons.
Here's a #teletext nod to an old chocolate advert; regrettably trademarks have had to be altered for legal reasons.
Reposted by gkmac
One week today... we're going to be doing a whole bunch of nonsense at Chunky Fringe. It's all the fun of Digi Live without us having to spend a fortune on props. Details here: www.arbitraryfiles.com/events/cf25/...
September 27, 2025 at 9:49 AM
One week today... we're going to be doing a whole bunch of nonsense at Chunky Fringe. It's all the fun of Digi Live without us having to spend a fortune on props. Details here: www.arbitraryfiles.com/events/cf25/...
Reposted by gkmac
The ChunkyText user pages magazine has been cleared out ready for next weekend, and the edit server is LIVE NOW.
blockparty.zxnet.co.uk
I thought since we have a week to go until Chunky Fringe maybe we should call those a #WeeklyTeletextArt prompt for anyone needing a bit of artistic inspiration 😁
blockparty.zxnet.co.uk
I thought since we have a week to go until Chunky Fringe maybe we should call those a #WeeklyTeletextArt prompt for anyone needing a bit of artistic inspiration 😁
September 27, 2025 at 6:43 PM
The ChunkyText user pages magazine has been cleared out ready for next weekend, and the edit server is LIVE NOW.
blockparty.zxnet.co.uk
I thought since we have a week to go until Chunky Fringe maybe we should call those a #WeeklyTeletextArt prompt for anyone needing a bit of artistic inspiration 😁
blockparty.zxnet.co.uk
I thought since we have a week to go until Chunky Fringe maybe we should call those a #WeeklyTeletextArt prompt for anyone needing a bit of artistic inspiration 😁
My first ever attempt at getting a Level 2.5 #teletext DRCS bitmap onto a real TV!
24 monochrome characters is the maximum you can have on screen; the bitmaps (or Pattern Transfer Units as they're called) are downloaded from a separate hidden page.
DRCS rendering in QTeletextMaker coming soon...
24 monochrome characters is the maximum you can have on screen; the bitmaps (or Pattern Transfer Units as they're called) are downloaded from a separate hidden page.
DRCS rendering in QTeletextMaker coming soon...
September 21, 2025 at 6:14 PM
My first ever attempt at getting a Level 2.5 #teletext DRCS bitmap onto a real TV!
24 monochrome characters is the maximum you can have on screen; the bitmaps (or Pattern Transfer Units as they're called) are downloaded from a separate hidden page.
DRCS rendering in QTeletextMaker coming soon...
24 monochrome characters is the maximum you can have on screen; the bitmaps (or Pattern Transfer Units as they're called) are downloaded from a separate hidden page.
DRCS rendering in QTeletextMaker coming soon...
Reposted by gkmac
I've finally got around to looking at how I could port teletext-twitter by mastodon.radio/@markpentler to the Bluesky api, and it turned out to be way easier than I expected! At least for the mode I wanted.
I've even added a couple of things teletext-twitter never had 😄
zxnet.co.uk/teletext/vie...
I've even added a couple of things teletext-twitter never had 😄
zxnet.co.uk/teletext/vie...
August 27, 2025 at 9:01 PM
I've finally got around to looking at how I could port teletext-twitter by mastodon.radio/@markpentler to the Bluesky api, and it turned out to be way easier than I expected! At least for the mode I wanted.
I've even added a couple of things teletext-twitter never had 😄
zxnet.co.uk/teletext/vie...
I've even added a couple of things teletext-twitter never had 😄
zxnet.co.uk/teletext/vie...
Reposted by gkmac
Dear friends, don’t buy this.
It’s shit. Just don’t, ok
If you do, it will drive you nuts
Thank you for your attention, we now return to normal programming
It’s shit. Just don’t, ok
If you do, it will drive you nuts
Thank you for your attention, we now return to normal programming
August 20, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Dear friends, don’t buy this.
It’s shit. Just don’t, ok
If you do, it will drive you nuts
Thank you for your attention, we now return to normal programming
It’s shit. Just don’t, ok
If you do, it will drive you nuts
Thank you for your attention, we now return to normal programming
Reposted by gkmac
My word, you lot do love #Teletext don’t you. Well done
BBC Videobook of British Garden Birds was the 1st LaserVision Disc with Teletext
BBCs Service was called Ceefax =
See Facts
CAV
Dual Sound, Birds one track, David in other
Index & Subtitles
Technical marvel in its day
#LaserDisc
BBC Videobook of British Garden Birds was the 1st LaserVision Disc with Teletext
BBCs Service was called Ceefax =
See Facts
CAV
Dual Sound, Birds one track, David in other
Index & Subtitles
Technical marvel in its day
#LaserDisc
August 13, 2025 at 3:52 PM
My word, you lot do love #Teletext don’t you. Well done
BBC Videobook of British Garden Birds was the 1st LaserVision Disc with Teletext
BBCs Service was called Ceefax =
See Facts
CAV
Dual Sound, Birds one track, David in other
Index & Subtitles
Technical marvel in its day
#LaserDisc
BBC Videobook of British Garden Birds was the 1st LaserVision Disc with Teletext
BBCs Service was called Ceefax =
See Facts
CAV
Dual Sound, Birds one track, David in other
Index & Subtitles
Technical marvel in its day
#LaserDisc
Reposted by gkmac
Been working on a Betamax Digitising Job this afternoon
I always run the tapes to end, you sometimes find something that’s been forgotten
About 10 mins after the Wedding Video finishes, in all its Analogue Glory
About 30 mins of Ceefax in Vision
Oh happy days
Yes yes, I am grabbing it
I always run the tapes to end, you sometimes find something that’s been forgotten
About 10 mins after the Wedding Video finishes, in all its Analogue Glory
About 30 mins of Ceefax in Vision
Oh happy days
Yes yes, I am grabbing it
August 12, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Been working on a Betamax Digitising Job this afternoon
I always run the tapes to end, you sometimes find something that’s been forgotten
About 10 mins after the Wedding Video finishes, in all its Analogue Glory
About 30 mins of Ceefax in Vision
Oh happy days
Yes yes, I am grabbing it
I always run the tapes to end, you sometimes find something that’s been forgotten
About 10 mins after the Wedding Video finishes, in all its Analogue Glory
About 30 mins of Ceefax in Vision
Oh happy days
Yes yes, I am grabbing it
Reposted by gkmac
There may be no Digi Live this year, but Chunky Fringe just will not stop, ever. On Sat 4 Oct you can get your teletext on back in the fine, familiar surrounds of Harrow Arts Centre. “Mad” “props” to David Walford for organising another free retro tech feast.
www.arbitraryfiles.com/events/cf25/...
www.arbitraryfiles.com/events/cf25/...
Chunky Fringe 2025
www.arbitraryfiles.com
August 8, 2025 at 9:48 PM
There may be no Digi Live this year, but Chunky Fringe just will not stop, ever. On Sat 4 Oct you can get your teletext on back in the fine, familiar surrounds of Harrow Arts Centre. “Mad” “props” to David Walford for organising another free retro tech feast.
www.arbitraryfiles.com/events/cf25/...
www.arbitraryfiles.com/events/cf25/...
Reposted by gkmac
This is the best thing about Ceefax. No cookie agreements, no stupid pop-up sign up forms, no clutter - just the bare necessities and a three-digital number.
July 16, 2025 at 9:58 PM
This is the best thing about Ceefax. No cookie agreements, no stupid pop-up sign up forms, no clutter - just the bare necessities and a three-digital number.
Reposted by gkmac
🟦 CLEAN FEED | Opinion | Early signs of a more sustainable future for Freeview.
cleanfeed.thetvroom.com/22721/opinio...
cleanfeed.thetvroom.com/22721/opinio...
Early signs of a more sustainable future for Freeview - Clean Feed
Last week’s changes to the Digital 3 and 4 multiplex could point the way to a more sustainable future for Freeview.
cleanfeed.thetvroom.com
June 22, 2025 at 2:41 PM
🟦 CLEAN FEED | Opinion | Early signs of a more sustainable future for Freeview.
cleanfeed.thetvroom.com/22721/opinio...
cleanfeed.thetvroom.com/22721/opinio...
There's nothing that divides #teletext enthusiasts more than whether or not black foreground attributes should be interpreted on Level 1 decoders. ETSI spec says they shouldn't, in real life all decoders made since about 1990 do.
The test below shows the problems that can happen on old decoders.
The test below shows the problems that can happen on old decoders.
June 21, 2025 at 11:51 AM
There's nothing that divides #teletext enthusiasts more than whether or not black foreground attributes should be interpreted on Level 1 decoders. ETSI spec says they shouldn't, in real life all decoders made since about 1990 do.
The test below shows the problems that can happen on old decoders.
The test below shows the problems that can happen on old decoders.
Reposted by gkmac
Reposted by gkmac
Today’s Lesson from Archivist Andy
Don’t store CDs, especially CD-Rs, in these Fabric / Tea Bag sleeves. If the environment you’re keeping them is even slightly damp, you increase the risk of Disc Rot
These CDs have come from a wonderful collection
So badly damaged, even my Denon can’t cope
Don’t store CDs, especially CD-Rs, in these Fabric / Tea Bag sleeves. If the environment you’re keeping them is even slightly damp, you increase the risk of Disc Rot
These CDs have come from a wonderful collection
So badly damaged, even my Denon can’t cope
June 12, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Today’s Lesson from Archivist Andy
Don’t store CDs, especially CD-Rs, in these Fabric / Tea Bag sleeves. If the environment you’re keeping them is even slightly damp, you increase the risk of Disc Rot
These CDs have come from a wonderful collection
So badly damaged, even my Denon can’t cope
Don’t store CDs, especially CD-Rs, in these Fabric / Tea Bag sleeves. If the environment you’re keeping them is even slightly damp, you increase the risk of Disc Rot
These CDs have come from a wonderful collection
So badly damaged, even my Denon can’t cope