Ekranitekstide

Ekranitekstide, also known as teletext or videotext, refers to a system that allows users to access text-based information directly from television screens. Developed in the late 20th century, this technology enabled viewers to browse menus and retrieve data such as news, weather forecasts, sports scores, and program guides without the need for additional hardware beyond a compatible television set.

The system operates by transmitting encoded text pages over the same broadcast signal used for television programming. These pages are stored in a database and can be accessed by pressing specific buttons on a remote control, typically labeled with numbers or letters corresponding to different content categories. Early implementations, such as the UK’s Ceefax and Germany’s Antenne Text, became widely adopted in the 1970s and 1980s, offering a precursor to modern interactive television services.

Ekranitekstide relied on a grid-based layout, where each page was divided into fixed positions for text and graphics. While limited in interactivity compared to today’s standards, it provided a simple and cost-effective way for broadcasters to deliver supplementary information to audiences. The technology declined in popularity with the rise of digital television, the internet, and smartphones, which offered richer multimedia experiences and more dynamic content delivery.

Despite its obsolescence in many regions, ekranitekstide remains a historical milestone in broadcasting, illustrating early efforts to bridge the gap between passive viewing and interactive media consumption. Some niche applications and legacy systems may still exist in certain countries, though they are largely obsolete in modern broadcasting landscapes.