Videoplus+

Random thoughts and questions related to Videoplus+


The first and most obvious - won't it be effectively obsolete along with videos by digital switchover?


Secondly, digital channels still carry the codes but considering you have to ensure your equipment is on the right channel at the right time, why is a code for 7-8pm on ITV2 for example different to BBC3?


And thirdly - and process in the introduction of some form of PDC onto PVRs. It seems a massive step back now having to programme them so they tape a couple of minutes earlier/later - while if they overrun I think you're pretty much screwed - or will they carry on recording if the EPG is updated accordingly?



And summing it all up, do you think it's worth listings mags still including the Videoplus+ codes - or do you think in the future Sky+ and Cable/Freeview PVRs might be upgraded so they too can be programmed with a Videoplus+ code?

TV channels have never 'carried' Videoplus codes. All the code does is produce start, time, end time, date and channel and then enters that into the recorder. It does this using a special algoriithm

The channel is needed so the VCR knows which channel to change to before recording. Normally (with analogue channels) this is via the internal tuner, but the more modern ones (such as mine) can control set top boxes. Mine learns the channel numbers so that every time I type in a Videoplus code from BBC4 it turns my cable box over to 107 etc.

The original Videoplus devices were remote controls that you programmed and then left in front of the video - they then changed channels and sent a record command at the apt time. IIRC they could also change the early set top boxes

It's always amazed me that listings magazines include the codes at all, considering it's a proprietory thing that just clutters up the columns. The makers of VideoPlus must be paying a packet for that sort of exposure - and over many years, as well.

I don't think I've ever actually seen a VideoPlus thingy anyway - how widespread are they?

There was another idea around the same time (think it was Panasonic) of having barcodes in listings magazines and a scanner on the remote control. It took up even more space and was never fully implemented (they sold a laminate with diffrent times/dates/days on)



The Videoplus devices were discontinued after manufacturers started putting them into machines, not many video recorders didn't have one

It most definitely will be obsolete. Any videos, DVD or HDD recorders produced after DSO will use a digital tuner and will therefore be able to use a built-in EPG.

If anything, it'll probably be the same concept, but different technology where you text the code to a number and your box will record.

How the data gets to your box unless it's via satellite is another matter, unless freeview are prepared to use part signal to transmit it.

Our old video machine had extra non-tunable channel numbers that Videoplus codes related to for set top boxes. I don't really know exactly how it worked but you only saw them if you used one of the codes.

That's right.

I bought a DVD recorder with DTT a few months ago and have found time recording much easier.

It has video plus, but these will only tape the analogue channels. Instead, all you do is access the EPG and select the programme you want to record. Programmes currently on (and therefore on the far left) would normally at that point select that channel. But for those programmes in the future, it is immediately added to the timer recording list. Saves me having to get the tv guide to find the number.

I don't know if this is true of any other brands, but certainly Panasonic has stopped manufacturing DVD recorders with no DTT. It seems as though DTT recievers are being phased out, as most TVs and DVD recorders sold are digital ready.

Not really. Key in a VideoPlus+ code for something on ITV2 and most devices will want to you to tell it where ITV2 can be found. Any decent model after that that you feed a VideoPlus+ code to will set to record off this new channel automatically.

In fact Gemstar publish on their website:





Channels don't carry the codes. All generated by algorithms.

Codes are probably different between the digital channels because it's probably possible by now I would have thought to get videos to control Sky/Freeview boxes and those that can do this can change the channel to BBC Three to record something.



Programme Delivery Control is effectively hidden signals in the Teletext signal.
On a Digital platform there is no Teletext, therefore there is no PDC.

Theoretically it should still be possible (and it probably is under the Sky channels that use PDC and still have a traditional Teletext service) but I think next generation PDC will have to evolve first, and on a DTT service this will very much depend on how good your box is, bearing in mind some of them make a pig's ear out of some of the digital text services.



Videoplus+ numbers in listing magazines - Yes, for the time being.
In the future, with any luck, find something you want to watch in the EPG, get the VideoPlus+ number from there. And with more wishful thinking, select said number and video/HDD recorder programmes itself.

Yes if you entered a code for a programme on, say Sky One onto a VCR it would either prompt you for a channel number or select one itself whther it exsisted or not. There is a universal code within V+ for each channel

On VCRs with remote senders you could set which channel you wanted it to tune to.... the first time you typed in a V+ number for Sky One it displays ??? and then once you enter 106 it remembers it for next time

Radio Times published barcodes also in 1990 & 1991 ISTR to go with this system.

Videoplus is like G-Code I take it?

They were handy while you had a VCR although now that we have the EPG (and TV networks that tend to give or take ten minutes from start times) they're a bit pointless. I've never found a way to make it start ten minutes early and finish ten minutes late so it ended up falling out of use in our house.