I am trying to find some information on teletext sets supplied by Granada in 1981-2. There are two series of set I am looking for - I have not found any old brochures online with them in, so the best I can do is describe them. If anyone knows these two sets, I will be very grateful for the information.
First, from 1981, a Finlandia set, notable for having the need to press "PAGE" before keying a page number, no "half page expand", and at least on the one we had on a brief trial, the "TIME" key did the same as "MIX". On ours, also, the "channel indicator" was stuck on - this was, according to the installer, supposed to stay on if the tuning drawer was open, or for 5 seconds. Channel selecting buttons were not provided on the panel of the set, they were only in the tuning drawer. You were generally expected to use the remote control. (Were all Finlandia sets actually Salora?) Was there a chassis-equivalent of this set not branded Finlandia?
Second, from late 1982, a Granadacolour set, with a similar remote control in many ways, but "PAGE" was used to cancel "EXP". Page numbers could be keyed in directly. Pressing "MIX" changed to programme 7, if you were in TV mode. You had to be in text mode to actually reach mix. Pressing "TIME" displayed the teletext clock as expected. There was a set of channel selection buttons on the front panel. After the final failure of the GEC C2201H we had rented since 1976, we had a black 22" version of this teletext set on trial, and then rented a light wood finish 20" version for at least two and a half years. It needed only one service call placed, though it took two visits to correct one of the two faults as a part had to be ordered. Was there a chassis-equivalent of this set not branded Granadacolour?
"Yes, a bit of wet string may get you a good TV signal here on four channels, but you'll have to dry it out to get Channel 5!"
Can't help with the models but having to press PAGE before entering the number will almost certainly mean the set was fitted with the Texas Instruments XM11 TIFAX decoder. I believe there may was also an XM12 which had some quirks but I've never encountered one. Hope this helps.
John.
I have a Rank Arena Z718 teletext set fitted with the Texas Tifax decoder.
Interesting. Did the TiFAX decoder start with a top line of garbage rather than at page 100 as others did? If so it would fit with what I remember.
"Yes, a bit of wet string may get you a good TV signal here on four channels, but you'll have to dry it out to get Channel 5!"
Now that rings a bell now you've mentioned it, I think you could be right, I seem to remember that the header was random characters except the clock at switch on until Page was pressed or the first page number entered. Only very small numbers of Thorn teletext sets, a single 26" model were ever produced until the Mullard VM6101 came along.
John.
Having had a read up on the XM11, it has a suggestion to make the sound mute automatically during teletext viewing - a feature also found on the decoder in some early Luxor teletext sets - sound returned if a boxed page (newsflash or subtitles) was displayed. That automatic muting was not implemented on the Finlandia set, but I do remember it being a particular nuisance on the Luxor - Grandad hated mix mode and dad couldn't understand why we couldn't have "text and sound" on that set.
It was far better to leave the sound to be controlled by the user, as on all the teletext sets we had and Grandad's later model Luxor and Toshiba.
"Yes, a bit of wet string may get you a good TV signal here on four channels, but you'll have to dry it out to get Channel 5!"
