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In the 1980s we also downloaded software from TV
Two fascinating techniques from retro TV land
That persistent glow, the high speed of the electron beam and the fact that the human eye can't perceive images quickly enough, combine to produce an apparent picture on the screen even though it's really just a dot whizzing back and forth. You pressed a button on your remote control and the TV picture was replaced by a screen of text from which you could read news, check sports scores, play simple quiz games etc. You can see the Visicode strips in the top right of this Database programme transmitted in 1985 (the bearded Amstrad exec being interviewed is none other than Lord Alan Sugar, Britain's answer to Donald Trump at least as far as The Apprentice is concerned)
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