Hacker News Reader

Comment by adenylyl | Hacker News Reader

Someone recorded the SEGA Channel's menu interface on VHS back when it was in operation and has subsequently uploaded it to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMRLZcBiN-k&t=72s

An interesting detail of the SEGA Channel is that it was a one-way modem. There was no way for the cartridge to communicate anything back to the headend. Instead, there was a constant broadcast of

Game 1, Menu program, Game 2, Menu program, Game 3, ...

looping forever. When you selected a game, it would just wait for it to come around on the loop and store it locally.

View on HN

The looping you describe sounds similar to how teletext worked. You would enter a page number, and wait for the page to load. If it was a common page (e.g. the default page '100') it would be transmitted more frequently, so the average wait time would be lower.

> how teletext worked

How teletext works! In Europe, it is still used. There is weather, classifieds, LOTS of "seeking partner" ads usually for the older generation, etc...

Really neat technology/"hack" when you think about it

"In Europe, it is still used."

Wow. Your comment prompted me to ask my dad whether he still uses teletext. I assumed the answer would be 'no', because he can read and watch news on his iPad.

But apparently he still uses teletext for quick access to news headlines and share prices.

I have also seen people who use the online version/simulation of teletext. Probably because it is so brief and has very few distractions. E.g.:

https://nos.nl/teletekst

That's really cool. Thanks for the link.

In Switzerland, subtitles are on TT page 777.

That's also how the auxiliary content in digital TV works -- the content that isn't video, audio or subtitles.

The channel guide and semi-interactive text content (i.e. "modern" teletext) are special packets in the MPEG stream, and are cached by the receiver.

Yep, and the MPEG streams in Europe still carry actual Teletext on some DVB-T/C streams and even IP-TV.

That is true. However, XBand signed a deal with Sega to build their modem into the Sega Channel adapter, enabling multiplayer gaming.

I believe the multiplayer adapter was piloted in a few select regions, but I cannot say for certain.

Anyway, I did have a friend with Sega Channel growing up. It was revolutionary. I would see nothing like it again until well over a decade later.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com