Xref: utzoo comp.misc:12854 rec.video:21326 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!torsqnt!hybrid!spocom!skypod!scott From: scott@skypod.guild.org (Scott Campbell) Newsgroups: comp.misc,rec.video Subject: Re: X*Press data service on cable ? Message-ID: <1991Jun6.081755.2891@skypod.guild.org> Date: Thu, 6 Jun 91 08:17:55 GMT References: <1991Jun4.071157.1@ssdvx2.mdcbbs.com> Organization: Skypod Communications Inc., Toronto, Ontario In article <1991Jun4.071157.1@ssdvx2.mdcbbs.com> lawson@ssdvx2.mdcbbs.com (Jim Lawson) writes: >I have discovered that my cable service offers a data service called >"X*Press", It looks like a one-way data feed over the existing cable line to >your home computer. > >Does anyone have input on this? I used to it here but the local cable company cancelled it due to lack of interest a year or so ago... What you get is a decoder box that feeds news and stock quotes into your computer at 9600 baud. The stock quotes were 15 minutes delayed. The news was straight off the major wires around the world (including ones from the USSR, China, Japan, etc.). There was generally about a 10-15 delay between an event and it showing up on your computer (ie. baseball scores would be 1-2 innings behind) Major articles would be repeated several times a day so if you miss it it will come back. The major problem I had with it was that the software (for DOS) really had problems -- most importantly, it fed the news into memory and would fill up in less than an hour. New news would be dumped until you deleted the news that you had (alot like cnews does :-(() A friend of mine was writing software to run under unix for it. Then Rogers went and cancelled the service. Hope that's some help scott -- Scott J.M. Campbell scott@skypod.guild.org Skypod Communications Inc. ..!gatech!dscatl!daysinns!skypod!scott 1001 Bay Street, Suite 1210 ..!uunet!utai!lsuc!becker!skypod!scott Toronto, Ont. (416) 924-4059 ..!epas.utoronto.ca!nyama!skypod!scott