🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <JIM.93Jan5183518@hunter.cs.strath.ac.uk>
jim@cs.strath.ac.uk (Jim Reid) writes:

>TV teletext services already do this (at least in the UK). However, it
>is up to the broadcaster to determine the accuracy of the teletext
>time information. Some may be less bothered about this than others - I
>have seen cable-supplied teletext with times minutes away from GMT. [UK
>broadcasters sync their teletext clocks to the UK MSF signal.] This
>would add extra complexity in the user interface to household gadgets
>that are already over-complicated. [eg - how do you tell the VCR what
>timezone it's in or which channel's teletext to believe?]

Actually this is exactly what my VCR (Philips VR 813) does. This deck
is equipped with a teletext decoder to enable programming via teletext
(VPT) and program start/end detection (PDC). Given the fact that it
already contains a teletext decoder, using it to synchronize the clock
shouldn't cost much extra.

It always uses the teletext signal present on the first preset channel
to synchronize clocks. So you should program your channels in such a
way that the first one contains a reliable teletext clock of your own
timezone. This may take away some freedom in channel allocation (though
not much in my opinion), but it doesn't complicate the user interface
at all.

Ewout Brandsma (ebrandsm@prl.philips.nl)