So long Ceefax, the text service offered by the BBC is now known as the BBC Red Button.
Red Button is an interactive TV service that provides access to a digital TV text service. As well as a news, weather and sport service, Red Button is used for extra sports services (used on Wimbledon), access to latest news reports, and additional TV clips and content.
The BBC Red Button service, formerly known as BBCi, is available on Freeview, Sky, Virgin, Freesat, BT Vision, TopUp TV and TalkTalk TV.
Using the service is straightforward – tune to BBC1 and press the red button on your digital TV service’s remote control. You should see the BBC Interactive menu appear over your TV picture.
Having a problem with the Red Button?
If you’re not able to access Interactive services using the red button, here are a few suggestions:
- Make sure your remote control is working, and other buttons are working.
- Make sure you’re using the right remote control. For example, if you’re watching Freeview via a set-top box connected to your TV, it’s the Red Button on the Freeview remote, not on the TV remote
- Not all digital TV channels support Red Button. Try BBC One, as this is the most consistent provider
- Try switching off the digital TV receiver, to reset it
- Perform a channel rescan. In 2011, in some parts of the UK, the Red Button moved to a different location. It might be worth re-scannin, just in case your receiver is affected by a channel move
- See if Red Button is working on another TV, or on a neighbour’s TV. If more than one TV are affected, it could be a problem at the transmitter site
- While most digital TV sets and set-top boxes support Red Button, some older receivers don’t have the required MHEG decoder needed for interactive services. Check your manual to see if Red Button Interactivity is supported.
Having a problem, or got a suggestion? Please add it in the comments section below.
Digital switchover took place in my area on 18th August and since that day I am unable to get the digital text service. My digital tv is a Philips.
I’ve got the same problem -used to be able to get red button, but not since switchover. Also a Phillips. Anyone got any ideas? I also have sky basic service, and red button works on that!
The red button itself seems to work okay, but very often when I want to go back from one of the sport multiscreen channels, all I get is an endless display of the four flashing balls in the top righthand corner of the screen. Nothing I do will get me off that channel except to press the tv guide button and start again. I am using Sky.
Like Sheila and Rob, I also am having problems with digital text since the switch over. Also a Philips! I see a trend here…
I also have a Phillips TV and each retuning went ok and still had all programmes and text up until the final retune for switchover and now can’t get the red button on BBC so unable to join in interactively with any quiz programmes, etc. Just a blank page on page 105 “Red Button” page.
BBC Red Button SPL Football News. When was goalkeeper Boruc transfered to Fiorentina ???????
The Celtic section last four paragrahs Lennon Hails Boruc contribution. Computer fault or Human error. 3/4 months is a long time to read about Boruc’s contribution.
Time after time when I want to view snooker via the red button, it just sticks! Nothing. Match missed. Thanks BBC
I can get at present both analogue and digital ceefax, but I prefer the former! Using digital gives a distracting picture next to the text. Am I doing something wrongly? Or is this inevitable, this backward step in technology?
So the digital Red Button is a better, sophisticated, faster interface to news and weather than the old analogue Ceefax and similar providers. Really? Analogue – access to 21 headlines of news, digital 5 (as illustrated above). Analogue pages instant access from one to next, or to a chosen page number with a whole page in one read. Digital – around 8 seconds to load only a half page needing a second page to complete it, with the distraction of live broadcast in half of screen, so needing to switch off sound.
The hard of hearing are already marginalised by audio content of broadcasts overladen with poor articulation, difficult dialects and background music pollution. Now further frustration with digitised text news and weather.
With added problems of sub-texts in other broadcasts lagging 10 or more seconds behind the action when are the UK’s 9 million deaf or hearing-impaired going to get a fair deal from broadcasters?
The Beeb said they weren’t doing Digital TV line-ups like the analogue pages 60x and 63x, and Ch 4
Ch 104 isn’t there anymore. Are they trying to force us to buy the Radio Times or TV Times?
The area I am in has just gone over to digital and in common with 4 of your other contributors I have lost the red button service from my Phillips digital TV. Prior to the switchover I received the service without a problem. Another TV we have (not a Phillips) receives the service fine. I have run a reinstall procedure several times without success.
Is their a problem which effects Phillips TV’s?
I to have a Phillips tv and can no longer get digital text on bbc. I can get it thro a set top box but not tv itv channels are ok
i have a pace set top box( note pace is philips owned) we too have a blank screen red button service……….. looks like philips are not updating software.
philips lcd tv model 37pfl5522d had a problem no red button ie no text on ch 105 or bbc 3/4 due to change in spec mheg at digital switchover at sandy heath tx called philips on 0800 331 6015 excellent service id model as known fault arranged engineer free of charge very good
Me too. I also have a Philips TV and the service has disappeared, but my BT Vision, on the same TV, gets red button fine.
Perhaps we should all contact Philips and complain.
Joe
I have a Matsui TUTV1 (model TOPD2) works fine but BBC Red Button does not function. Lost since the number of channles went over 100 , now 106. Have reset and retuned many times. Channel 105 does not function either, blank screen. Text works ok on ITV. Do not believe it is my red button failing , more the BBC has changed software and Matsui set tob box not able to cope. Software level is 1.14.
same here: philips tv, sandy heath area. no red button action. lg, humax and toshiba are all fine except my philips.
Further to April 29th comment I notice the radio channels 701- 6 now have sound but have no picture, or update.
Below is from FAQ’s on Phillips UK website. The fix didn’t work on mine but when I phoned the freephone number at the end they arranged for the TV to be collected, fixed and returned all at their cost and in two days. Have an exact note of the model number and exact serial number to hand, they are on a label on the back.
I am missing my red button interactive services?
If your TV has a menu button on the side of the TV or is part of the model range below:
xx5522D, xx5521D
You may have to reset your TV back to full factory settings to restore the services.
To reset your TV follow the instructions below:
1.Hold down the menu button on the top or side of your TV for at least 10-15 seconds
2.An on screen menu will appear asking you to enter the time, date and location settings
3.Follow the onscreen instrucitons, and once completed your TV will reset to factory settings
If the reset has resolved the problem you will have access to the RED BUTTON interactive services again.
If the reset does not restore the services, your TV may require the over the air upgrade which will be sent over the area at a specific time during the digital switch over period.
For more information about the over the air upgrade please contact us for free on 0800 331 6015, and we will be happy to help you further.
I have a Sony Bravia Digital and, up to NOW have had no trouble with red button. However, I cannot access the Live Tennis from Roland Garros. All else is ok. It tells me the service is temporarily unavailable (since Sunday?) “Complaints” on line suggested I retune but it does NOT tell me how, where to or where I might find that kind of info and there is nothing on the tv “help” guide to tell me either. It is STILL “temporarily unavailable” and is still advertising itself…There are other friends with the same problem. Other friends who have not. The rest simply go to eurospsort or sky (not an option for me). Any ideas?
Help! My Samsung TV always got test service no problem, but since retuning on June 1st, it was very erratic, and now it’s gone completely. I just get a blank screen when I try channel 105 or 101 as suggested on the website. This is a funny improvement in service!!
Digital switchover is a con by the failing television industry to give the public something they never wanted in the first place. Analogue picture and particularly sound quality, when television receiving apparatus is set up correctly, is far superior to digital. Digital television channels promised “more choice”. More choice of what? According to a “Radio Times” statement at the foot of Freeview listings, “all digital programmes are repeats unless otherwise stated”. Some of the repeats of repeats are now so familiar that this great choice we were promised is becoming ever narrower. Even Jim Bowen has hair in some of the early editions of “Bullseye”, and Les Dennis looks like a teenager in some “Family Fortunes” shows! What next – Anne Robinson pre-facelift?
I am able to choose either BBC2 main service (eg Federer), or an option of one other match (eg Tsonga) using the red button but according the the BBC I was supposed to be able to choose any of three other options. There is not way I can do this. The same happens on both sets ( one a Panasonic and the other a Sony Bravo, both fed by the same aerial. Anyone else having this trouble, or able to find an answer
Valerie Wood June 24th, 2011 at 15.16
We are having the same ^problems with the Red Button and have a Phillips TV. We can not get the whole interactive service. Just two options of matches at Wimbledon. Any suggestions.
People, Philips will update your TV for *FREE* if you call them, they can’t fix it if you don’t!
when i contacted Phillips they admittd there was a problem and said thy hoped to have a solution by the end of the summer 2011 and would then issue advice on retuning again thro the media. I have not heard anymore has anyone else?
New Sony TV, just tuned and I can only get one other option of a Wimbledon match yesterday afternoon (which initially was the Nadal match which was on the BBC anyway!) despite Sue Barker continually saying that ythe Federer and Tsonga matches were both available on the red button – not on my TV – any advice much appreciated
As Fiona. Sony TV but trying to see matches other than those on BBC1 & 2 is not an option as only 2 games listed as available via the Red button.
This is progress?
I am using a Sony Freeview box and have had no real problems using the red button until a few weeks ago. I can see the channels 301 etc and have the red button and can select the channels. However, after a couple of seconds it reverts to BBC1 unless I leave some form of menu up – doesn’t seem to matter what freeview menu. I have auto tuned many times to try and resovle the issue but it doesn’t seem to do anything. Any suggestions?
I bought my Dad a new Samsung HD Freeview TV just for the switch over, we couldn’t get the interactive channel on BBC with the Red Button. He was more Grumpier than usual when I took his Ceefax away with this all wonderful TV. We got all the Channels ok but the Red button just won’t give us interactive on any channel.
My TV is a DMTECH and I have lost my red button too NOT IMPRESSED BBC
Why do I not have red button on BBC News any more? we used to have it then about four weeks ago it just disappeared we thought it was just a glitch and it would come back but it has not why?
We get our signal from North Yorkshire Choppgate I think.
The items on index in particular the Science and Technology sections are what I am mostly interested in as these are relay shown or covered in any detail on the main News. The main news in my opinion is becoming more and more like a women’s magazine program with more time spent on the careers of pretty but fairy unknown starlets than the items I am interested in.
Ray Ord
I have been using digital text service for several months without problems, that is until changeover on 18th Aug. I have now lost it. All other chanels and services are OK. My post code is NG22 0NY
It was neccessary to call a engineer to effect the changeover on our Philips television ( a nearly new eaxmple) he was unable to resurrect ‘teletext’ and the ‘red button’ and stated that was a major problem with the majority of Philips sets. Question. Who is going to re-imburse me for the engineer’s fee and who is going to sort out this failure to receive services that we are paying for?
When the changeover was made from ‘town gas’ to natural gas, engineers visited every household to carry out the neccessary adjustments. No-one asked for this change and it seems to have caused nothing but inconvenience..Was it nothing more than a ploy to pursuade viewers to replace their televisions?
THIS DIGITAL LARK IS A DISGRACE. WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ANALOGUE. BETTER PICTURE, BETTER SOUND, CEEFAX MUCH BETTER THAN RED BUTTON. WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH. ?PROGRESS ITHINK NOT.
Digital switchover took place in my area on 7th september and since that day I am unable to get the digital text service or red button services. My digital tv is a Philips.
My mother in law relied on Ceefax. Her digital TV (a Sony) does not have a red button on the remote and there is no Freeview remote as the digital TV is built into the set. How can she get access to the new service? The BBC is a public service and needs to make sure its services are available to the public who pay for them.
I’m assuming your mother-in-law has a TV set with built-in Freeview. If so, it should be a case of tuning to a BBC channel and pressing the red button on the tv remote control. If there is no red button, tune to Freeview Channel 105
HI does anyone know if it is possible to remove the video window from the digital text display (Other than for ‘index’), as my Mum finds having the video and text side-by-side very distracting.
Are there in fact any personal prefrences available?
My Philips digital tv has also lost the teletext facility since the changeover! Previously it was working fine.
I can get a Sky version but I want the BBC one.
My Digi box on the other tv, (not a Philips), picks up all BBC teletexts jut fine.
No help from expensive phone technical help, even though tv is guaranteed for 5 years. Never buying Philips again!!
I use a digital reciever scart (much cheaper than a digibox etc, only £15), but this has also lost the text service. I just get the message “No Information Available”. I am in Reading & am able to recieve signals from 2 transmitters i.e. Crystal Palace & Hannington, both through a split aerial & both have no text.
Since digital switchover in my area (Waltham transmitter used, DE21 postcode) I am unable to get red button service at all, when before, I could on the Philips digital TV in lounge. Have extended warranty with Comet, they refuse to help, blaming it on presumed ‘aerial or signal’ problems. Funny how I have a certificate from the help scheme (who came out to convert my bedroom TV to digital) stating that signal quality is good and aerial upgrade is not needed. And my lodger’s TV in his room works just fine from same aerial. Philips themselves kindly sent an engineer out to do their ‘red button fix’ (new software and card in the back) but it did not work on my TV, he was surprised as he said every other TV he had tried this on had fixed the red button problem. I have heard no more from Philips, in the last two weeks, though their engineer said he would ‘raise another job’ to come out to me to fix red button. So what do I do? Are they still trying to work out a ‘cure’ for this model of TV? I have written to Comet as I want my TV working as it was when I bought it 4 years ago. No response yet after a week. Extended warranty was a waste of money, as Comet are passing the buck, blaming digital switchover and fictitious ‘problems’. Well the TV had a digital tick logo on when I bought it in 2007. I am an OAP on a low income and resent having to lose functions on my TV. I am not in a financial position to replace it.
I have a Philips model 32PFL5522D/05. It has totally failed to store programmes since the digital switchover. I have to reinstall them every day and every time the TV is switchoved. The 2 guys who tried to help us when the switchover was completed said they were inundated with problems connected to Philips TV’s and we should write to the manufacturers. To date they have ignored all contact.
Having noticed the same issue as discussed here (Phillips TV, no red button since switchover), I’ve literally just contacted Phillips support (free phone number) and they’re sending someone out free of charge to install a software upgrade which will hopefully fix this… watch this space….
James – FYI I have same model (bought early 2008) and have not experienced your issues, just the lost red button. I called the number in Dave’s post (on 16th May) after trying out the instructions first (also found the same info on the Phillips web site when searching by model no).
Hi I cannot access the LIVE TENNIS at the O2 Arena after 5pm, via the RED BUTTON. I have been able to access it before. The “switchover” is only due here next year.!!!???? I am SO DISAPPOINTED. The housing assoc of these flats sent some aerial company to install ‘new’ aerials overhead, in preparation for the ‘big switchover’. HELP ?? Please email me back asap.Hopefully before the Tennis is finished.
Does anyone know how to get rid of the red button on the corner of the screen. I have not and don’t want access. I get fed up keep pressing the green button.
I’ve also lost all access to TEXT services. Red Button on the 100+ channels only brings up quizzes – no news at all. (Area: East Anglia, and TV: Daewoo). Before switchover in November, Ceefax was pretty good, and Red Button also got all text features on Digital. Now: nothing! I also never liked the mixed TV/text screens – I want full-screen text. No hope?
Philips TV 32PFL7962D/05 – been in contact with Philips for over 2 months (usually me chasing them as have failed, on numerous occasions to return the call as promised), “there is a fix” – “not a fix for that model” – “there is a fix” – “not a fix for that model” – just had it returned from the repairers “we did what they suggested and now it’s fine” – whoopee I thought, until I got it home – EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM! Called them again, spoke to someone else tonight “they just reset it” – “you mean like I did over 2 months ago?? Under your direction??” – “yes, don’t know why they told you it was fixed – we are working on the problem with the software but can’t give you an idea when it will be fixed…….” – customer service, WHAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!
Along with other comments I have read, similarly I have a Phillips TV that since the digital switchover in November, has lost BBC Red Button/Text. I have emailed Phillips and had a response which suggested I should wait until final switchover; this has now occured, but there is still no red button service. Following a telephone call to Phillips, they have my details on record, was talked through yet another ‘reset’ but again to no avail. Please, please can someone help as Phillips promised I would hear from them in a week or so, but nothing!
Another 19″ Toshiba TV upstairs in a bedroom, with portable arial works fine with digital channels and red button/txt
Unable to get any text on Red
Button, all the simple stocks &
Shares etc are ruined. Must
Remember to sue the Beeb.
I agree with pretty much all the comments here. We have lost much with the switchover.
Rather than there being faults with our hardware at home, it seems that the transmitters are not sending out the text service, at least some of the time. I have a set-top box, and I have had the text on it at times, but currently it is not there. It has been off for over a week.
It’s time they fixed it permanently.