Date   : Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:09:15 +0200
From   : rick@... (Rick Murray)
Subject: WinTTX / teletext server

Hello all!

I am considering releasing the sources for WinTTX, just checking the 
comments to make sure there's nothing stupid in there... :-)
[ http://www.heyrick.co.uk/software/winttx/ ]


What I was thinking was about the feasibility of converting WinTTX (or 
maybe a fork version) that instead of talking to a receiver, it will 
communicate with a website which can use some PHP or the like to respond 
to requests such as:
   http://site.url.here/ttxfetch.php?frame=101.2

This will reply with a 2048 byte block matching that received by the 
SAA524x (1KiB page data, 1KiB "ghost rows"), though if it is easier to 
serve some other format, it can be translated.
Subpages are possible, if the header flags "this is a subpage", then 
WinTTX can run a timer for fetching the next. All the server needs to do 
is return the first subpage for any out of range value (I don't recall 
if there is a 'last page' flag? I'll need to RTFM!).

I propose this as, due to my lack of connectivity, I won't be able to do 
the actual hosting. Is anybody else interested? I am not sure exactly 
what/how will be the possibilities for access to snapshots of Ceefax 
(copyright issues), but certainly we could all build up a rich tapestry 
of Acorn/Beeb related content fairly easily. And how retro to make it 
look like teletext?! :-)

Anyway, this is just ideas, and may help the concept live on a little 
longer as although making my own teletext inserter sounds a nifty idea, 
it isn't something for everybody, plus you'd need the content to begin 
with. Here, the content is fetched on demand.

What do you think?


Best wishes,

Rick.

-- 
Rick Murray, irregular internet access at local library.
BBC B: DNFS, 2 x 5.25" floppies, EPROM prog, Acorn TTX
E01S FileStore, A3000/A5000/RiscPC/various PCs/blahblah...