Red Button (digital television)

Red Button is a button on the remote control for certain digital television set top boxes in the UK, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and By Directv in the USA. It is for interactive television services such as BBC Red Button and Astro (Malaysia). When interactive programmes are broadcast a Press Red icon will appear on the television screen.

British Sky Broadcasting previously used a video of a dog and a duck playing together and saying "press the red button" to promote the red button to its viewers. Pop Idol used the red button as a voting device.

The feature also enables several different feeds from an event, thereby enabling viewers to select between events or sporting matches that may be taking place simultaneously. For example, when the 2006 FIFA World Cup was aired, viewers could choose to view matches from multiple camera angles.

Using the red button for interactive television services is also available outside of the UK on various satellite services.

The adoption of the mantra: "If you'd like to know more and are watching us on Digital TV, you can press the 'red button' now" throughout the industry caused one unforeseen side effect; that many remote controls have two or even three red buttons - the second one is the on/off button, viewers trying to 'go interactive' switched off their TV.^{[citation needed]}

References

• "Red-button ITV Services". The ITV Dictionary. The ITV Dictionary & Business Index. 2006. http://www.itvdictionary.com/definitions/red_button_itv_service_definition.html. 
• Jane Hoskyn (2006-06-01). "How to take advantage of interactive TV services: Press the red button to find out how interactive applications can change the way you watch the box". Computeract!ve (VNU Business Publications). http://www.computeractive.co.uk/ca/pc-help/1907089/how-advantage-interactive-tv-services. 
• Matthew Leach (2005-07-21). "Zip Television’s interactive TV study identifies which programmes will attract new digital interactors" (Press release). immediate future Ltd. http://www.e-consultancy.com/news-blog/360549/zip-television-s-interactive-tv-study-identifies-which-programmes-will-attract-new-digital-interactors.html.