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Designing for WebTV® - The Basics

So you want to know how to add that extra something to your WebTV friendly site. Well, you've come to the right place. Here are some useful tips , both documented and undocumented, about WebTV specific HTML. If you know of some other useful ideas for WebTV programming just drop us a note at sales@pactive.com! If you are interested in basic HTML programming, check out ProActive Books' HTML Page.

HTML: Background Sound
<BGSOUND SRC="URL">
Want background sound on a page - use MIDI, not WAV. They are not audio recordings, like WAV. Rather they are like sheet music that is played the WebTV MIDI synthesizer. This allows you to get more sound for less download time. Also, WAV files don't always work with all browsers as background sounds.
WebTV HTML: Adding a real-time Clock
<CLOCK format_options>
Puts a real-time clock on a web page that can include the current date and time.
CLOCK TAG
Option
Thanks
Option
Thanks
DAY Radd MONTH Radd
HOUR Radd SECONDS Radd
MINUTE Radd YEAR Radd
AMPM MIB
WebTV HTML: Setting DISPLAY parameters
<DISPLAY ADDRESS="text">
Hides the real page address when the user selects the info button. The text you enter is displayed in place of the URL.
<DISPLAY HIDEOPTIONS>
Hides the option bar that is usually across the bottom of the WebTV browsers. Great for pages that need just a bit more screen space. See http://www.pactive.com/credits.htm for an example.
<DISPLAY NOLOGO>
Disable that WebTV logo that pops up on your screen for no good reason. Like you didn't know you were using a WebTV terminal! See http://www.pactive.com/credits.htm for an example.
<DISPLAY NOSCROLL>
Eliminates the scrolling option on a page.
 
WebTV HTML: Page Credits
These additions to the body tag add extended features to the page information that appears when a WebTV user presses the info button while viewing your web page. You can see the affect by pressing your info button for this page.

<BODY CREDITS="URL">
Looking to add the credits to your page? Use this optional parameter on the BODY tag and you will now see a Credits button on the info screen for your page.
<BODY LOGO="URL">
Defines an image to use in place of a screen shot in saved favorites and on the info box for your page. Create an eye-catching graphic, store it on your server, and add the qualifier to your page.
<BODY INSTRUCTIONS="URL">
Add an instructions button to the info page that shows up when a WebTV user presses the info button. When a user selects the instruction button it will bring them to the page defined in the URL.
WebTV HTML: Transition Effects
<A HREF="URL" TRANSITION="blackfade">
Add the transition="type" qualifier to the <A HREF> tag to bring up the next page using a special transition effect.

Note: The Transition Tester has been removed as it has been brought to our attention that the program was no longer testing transition effects properly. Thanks to YTwoKbug@webtv.net for the notification.

Transition Types
Type
Effect
Thanks
blackfade Fades in new screen. Radd
pushdown Pushes new screen on from top moving old screen off the bottom. Radd
pushleft " from left " Radd
pushright " from right " Radd
pushup " from bottom " Radd
slidedown Slides new screen on from top over old screen.
slideleft " from left "
slideright " from right "
slideup " from bottom "
wipedown Writes new screen over old starting at top.
wipeleft " at right. Sandro
wiperight " at left. Sandro
wipeup " at bottom.
zoomfrom Brings the new page out from the hyperlink region. Lance
zoomin Screen zooms in from middle. Kirk & Pam
zoominh MIB
zoominv MIB
zoominout Pulls existing screen in and pushes out new one. Kirk & Pam
zoomout Screen zooms out from middle to top and sides. Radd
zoomouth Screen folds out from middle and pushes left and right. Lance
zoomoutv Screen folds out from middle and pushes up and down. Lance