So there I was, minding my own business, doom-scrolling my way through Facebook posts when I happened upon one that hit me straight in the nostalgia. A photo of a 1980s home computer, a cassette player and some tapes. The text underneath proclaimed "In the 1980s, people could download video
Are you referring to Teletext, or something else?
That reminds me. They did used to broadcast software over teletext over TV https://teletext.mb21.co.uk/gallery/ceefax/telesoftware/
There was also a system where some TV screen pixels were used to send data, but I’m struggling to remember how you were supposed to get it into the computer.
I suspect that you needed to build some light sensor with a serial cable, that you held to the screen, but I’m not sure.
This was in the Netherlands, not sure if it was done elsewhere.
I had heard of this but your comment sent me searching for more info. I think you might be referring to Visicode.
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerWorld1985-07/page/286/mode/2up?q=visicode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxo1Gs46ti0
It was Intercast