Remember the old black and white sets? The antennas screwed on the back of sets and had to be twisted and turned in order to get a good picture.Each channel was different.then a tuner on the set had to be also adjusted.There were all kinds of gadgets on the market all claiming a better picture,out door antennas bolted to a chimney or roof.When the set wouldn't work there were tv repair men that would come to the house.The man would come with a case of tools and tubes,while he worked in the back a large mirror would be placed in front of the set so he could see the picture.Bills for repairs were never very much usually around $8.00,if the set didn't need a new tuner.Some manufactures were known to have bad tuners,only way to find out is when you bought one.I think we only had four channels,2,5 7 9 ? Saturday night kids would come over to watch Shook Theater and Marvin as host showing horror films Dracula,Frankenstein,and Wolfman.
Didn't the stations sign off the air at a certain hour ? I seem to remember some ridiculous geometric symbol would be displayed when they stopped programming.
Yes they did sign off around midnight after the late night movie,other stations without movies went off the air earlier.
I bought a Sony portable 12"color set for $400 1970 no remote,that was all we could afford. Look what can be purchased today for the same amount of money.
Quote from: buzz on May 14, 2015, 05:27:19 PM
Didn't the stations sign off the air at a certain hour ? I seem to remember some ridiculous geometric symbol would be displayed when they stopped programming.
(http://www.jetcityorange.com/wallpaper/RCA-test-pattern-1280x800.jpg)
When TV arrived, programming was limited to a few hours a day. Equipment was in constant need of adjustment. The test pattern provided both transmitters and receivers a tool to tweak the signal for the clearest picture. In addition to the V-hold, H-hold, contrast, brightness and fine tuning knobs on the front, there were several adjustments on the rear of the chassis made with a "special" tool.
Yep, that's it.
The black and white sets had a big picture tub,and many small ones.
And the early color sets had those oval screens rather than rectangular. A family down the street got a RCA color set around 1958 or so. I remember going over there with my dad to look at it. My dad said if I even look at that set the wrong way I'll get slapped! But I remember that the snow on the screen between stations (like Channel 6) even was in color!
I think it wasn't until about 1963 or 64 that rectangular screens appeared on color television.
And the early color sets had those oval screens rather than rectangular. A family down the street got a RCA color set around 1958 or so. I remember going over there with my dad to look at it. My dad said if I even look at that set the wrong way I'll get slapped! But I remember that the snow on the screen between stations (like Channel 6) even was in color!
I think it wasn't until about 1963 or 64 that rectangular screens appeared on color television.
1971 we bought Motorola works in a drawer color 27' console,cost six hundred dollars.That year I had more company especially for sports programs.