Tv programme codes

[Steve1961]

What was it called when you put the number printed after the programme title in the newspaper into your video to record?

[Richard1978]

What was it called when you put the number printed after the programme title in the newspaper into your video to record?

It was called Video Plus

I've got a DVD recorder that would use the numbers but they aren't printed in the listings any more. After the digital switchover I had to change the channel to the correct digital one, but otherwise it still worked.

[George 1978]

I started a thread about Videoplus+ around three or four years back - it was a great way of saving time timer recording programmes, but the newspapers and TV listings magazines stopped publishing the codes in around 2012 when the final UK regions' analogue transmitters were switched off for the final time. As I am so used to VCRs even now it was a huge blow, and sometimes I guess the number to get close to the start and finish times of something which needs to be recorded.

I often saw patterns in the numbers such as the same three digit number for a half-hour peak time programme on the same day of the year each year for example.

[George 1978]

There were also the barcodes that Amstrad VCRs used to use and that the Daily Mail TV listings used to publish, mostly for specialist channels like Sky Movies and all that. Roy Hudd made a joke about them on the News Huddlines saying that he recorded some supermarket groceries on tape as a result of the barcodes.

[Richard1978]

There were also the barcodes that Amstrad VCRs used to use and that the Daily Mail TV listings used to publish, mostly for specialist channels like Sky Movies and all that. Roy Hudd made a joke about them on the News Huddlines saying that he recorded some supermarket groceries on tape as a result of the barcodes.

I remember The Radio Times used to also have barcodes printed in especially for films.

[80sChav]

A totally useless device in the extreme I always found (s it needed TV Progs to run on time) or not different timings as Papers and TV Guides give.

It cost me more recordings on videos ..... no doubts!

[sofiya85]

That is cue number

[Semi42]

Yes, I remember videoplus being introduced and when I bought a new video recorder, it had this feature. Used the videoplus a couple of times but a few times it would start recording way before the programme start and miss the end off. I thought the codes were synchronised to the programmes but apparently not. Seems it was just for specific timings .
i reverted to manual settings to which I usually added an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the end time.
incidentally, talking to a guy at work who was discussing the “post office vs mr bates” programme, he said he had “taped it” . Funny how some folk still use that phrase

[Richard1978]

Yes, I remember videoplus being introduced and when I bought a new video recorder, it had this feature. Used the videoplus a couple of times but a few times it would start recording way before the programme start and miss the end off. I thought the codes were synchronised to the programmes but apparently not. Seems it was just for specific timings .
i reverted to manual settings to which I usually added an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the end time.
incidentally, talking to a guy at work who was discussing the “post office vs mr bates” programme, he said he had “taped it” . Funny how some folk still use that phrase

I was lucky to get a VCR with Programme Delivery Control which would usually start & end the tape when the programme did! I think only the BBC & Channel 4 implemented it fully, but I can't remember make too many timer recordings from ITV & Channel 5.