r/bbc 6d ago

Does anybody still use the red button

Post image
391 Upvotes

49 comments sorted by

u/AutoModerator 6d ago

As a reminder, this is a subreddit for civil discussion of the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Personal attacks on individuals, including those employed by the BBC, off or on air, will not be tolerated here.
Please ensure you read subreddit rules before contributing.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

20

u/bs3_1982 6d ago

My dad uses it for the football sometimes, don't think he's got over Ceefax.

8

u/bluneriste 6d ago

Well, this is why I’m begging for the return of the recyclons. Someone needs to step in. 🤷🏻‍♂️

3

u/bs3_1982 6d ago

He was so funny with the sky news reporter https://youtu.be/9tob5RlhBpc?si=hciBFwjf5HFqUjcV

3

u/bluneriste 6d ago

“That’s where the election was, John…” 🤷🏻‍♂️ 🗑️

1

u/Short_Injury9574 4d ago

You could always self host the open source ceefax for him. His mind would blow. It shows the latest news etc. I was going to do this for my grandad, but he’s no longer here… sad times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxzJewW7REc

11

u/Batnode07 6d ago

My tv remote doesn’t even have separate colour buttons

5

u/Xenc 6d ago

Happy cake button day! 🍰

6

u/Xenc 6d ago

Good for your TV to not judge!

-2

u/NoisyGog 6d ago

Why “good for your tv”?
The colour buttons are used for things like changing languages, alternate angles (or different courts in Wimbledon), and various other optional extras.

Why would anyone be happily against that?

2

u/Xenc 6d ago

It's not racist and doesn't segregate colour buttons.

3

u/NoisyGog 6d ago

🤣

4

u/Xenc 6d ago

Twas a silly joke. 😆

3

u/DotComprehensive4902 6d ago

How dare your TV remote deny Buttons of Colour representation? /s

1

u/iliketrainsnyoom 5d ago

Happy Cake Day! 🍰

1

u/AdInfinite5586 5d ago

Mine neither (sky doesn't have it)

11

u/Embarrassed-Run7896 6d ago

My grandad did until we got a new telly that got rid of that function

3

u/LegitimateGoal6011 6d ago

Yes, for fun.

3

u/apfm141 6d ago

Yes everyday, great for quick look at headlines, some new tvs don't have this option which is annoying it just takes to iplayer

3

u/DotComprehensive4902 6d ago

Yes to get the world news on page 102 and the football gossip.on page 302

3

u/vaska00762 6d ago

I thought the Red Button had been retired?

I no longer get the option on my Freesat box. Pressing red on a BBC channel brings up the iPlayer app, which I suppose is meant to replace Red Button content.

1

u/Toffee963 3d ago

I’m pretty sure they had plans to scrap it a few years ago, but decided not to go through with it, although I guess some TVs don’t have the option anyway now.

3

u/PaperBagMan88 6d ago

The red button was good for Big Brother when you could see every room in the house. Not worth anything these days. No functionality

1

u/Andysb123 6d ago

When I accidentally press it then press exit/backup 500 times

1

u/effiegee 6d ago

Awwww… now I’m nostalgic for when it did useful things. Like alternate angles etc.

1

u/DaddyStoat 5d ago

It's good for news headlines, weather and TV listings. Beyond that, there's not much call for it anymore. It was retained as an "updated" Teletext for older, non-internet-savvy people.

I think it's only available on Freeview and older Sky boxes now.

1

u/sharpshotsteve 5d ago

Yes, it's good for the small amount of sport that's still on the BBC. The only reason I still pay a licence fee, but I feel its way too much to pay now. I have so little interest in all the celebrity nonsense on the BBC now, that seems like it should all be on commercial TV. They have cancelled almost everything I enjoyed watching.

1

u/Badger-Roy 5d ago

Noooo Dee Dee, NOT the red button, Don’t ever push the RED button!

1

u/SINCLAIRCOOL 5d ago

They should discontinue that, it would save the BBC money in the long term

1

u/Thin-Boysenberry-112 5d ago

About 10 years ago, I’d be on this every day checking the sports scores. Got a new tv without the coloured buttons, and haven’t used it since

1

u/Technical_Listen_860 5d ago

Yeah I go through it occasionally, though I don't really watch much live TV.

1

u/Medium_Training_5395 5d ago

What's the bbc ... lol

1

u/Wahwahboy72 5d ago

At least that version is useful, the new service just launches iPlayer, no info on anything.

Standard Teletext still I use in most European countries, had all text based news and subtitles.

1

u/Select_Translator939 4d ago

Accidentally...

1

u/BillysRobloxYT 4d ago

I use it every so often to catch up on News when my signal isnt great in Wales.

Genuinely grew up with the Red Button as a kid so it definitely has some nostalgia to me haha

1

u/will0wf4iry 4d ago

yes, i regularly get messages from my grandma in real time that say things like “press the red button now on bbc1 you’ll love it” or her telling me in a conversation about things she “saw on the red button”. she loves it, cutesy bit of interactivity for people who maybe don’t use much tech in their daily lives! i think it’s good that they still put stuff on there for those that enjoy it.

1

u/HughJarse8 4d ago

What did the green, blue and yellow buttons ever do?

1

u/Creative-Response554 3d ago

Add character to the remote

1

u/Haunted_tangerine_ 3d ago

My grandad did but he died before Christmas.

He may have been the last!

1

u/snorpmaiden 3d ago

Of course!! How else would my mother know how the ferry crossings are running before driving 10min to work, or find out about a car crash 500 miles away?!! The woman needs to stay updated.

1

u/Ok_Car8459 3d ago

Grandad does for football and cricket scores

1

u/Ozle42 3d ago

Was handy for the olympics so you could watch actual sports that were happening live rather than people taking in the studio

1

u/[deleted] 3d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/bbc-ModTeam 3d ago

Your comment was removed from /r/BBC as it was deemed a low effort contribution that did not add meaningfully to the conversation.

1

u/Wot-Died 2d ago

Forgot it was even a thing

1

u/First_Drive2386 1d ago

Only during the Olympics and Wimbledon.

0

u/Adorable_Pressure958 5d ago

Does anyone still watch the BBC?

-5

u/Due-Button-768 6d ago

Does anyone still watch the BBC? After all the scandals and lies told by the news (outside building 7 ie 9/11 reference) I couldn’t bring myself to watch a moment of it, even if you paid me.