Home Life before cable TV
[Generation X]
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That must be a thought that most of us want to forget.
My family gathered around to watch CHIPS, or BABA Black sheep, or MASH. We also gathered out on the porch, because we also had no air conditioner and talked, listened to music and danced. The children were usually ran off the porch if we got in the way. But most of the time we would be outside playing until after dark.
My family gathered around to watch CHIPS, or BABA Black sheep, or MASH. We also gathered out on the porch, because we also had no air conditioner and talked, listened to music and danced. The children were usually ran off the porch if we got in the way. But most of the time we would be outside playing until after dark.
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I was cleaning my mom's garage out after she died and I found the receipt for our first vcr. It was 1980- something and cost $339. Holy cow! For a VHS VCR.
We had about nine channels and two of those were fuzzy. At least everything was in color. I remember scanning the TV guide every sunday for shows I wanted to watch. Wow what memories.
We had about nine channels and two of those were fuzzy. At least everything was in color. I remember scanning the TV guide every sunday for shows I wanted to watch. Wow what memories.
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Hey me too! I still have actually.
I never grew up knowing what cable tv was like anyway since we never had cable till I was in college because I had (finally!) moved out. I also remember when we got our first vcr, holy shit was I happy! We watched movies at home, friends would have movies to watch and it was lots of fun. Plus I got to see many movies they would never let kids in to see like Porkys and Delirious. (so, I snuck it from my parents' rentals and I had already watch the ones they got me for when they were gone, no big deal!). I have a ridiculous library of blanks right now still because mine hasn't died yet and I refuse to give up the freedom of taping what I want and watching it years later if I choose lol.
I never grew up knowing what cable tv was like anyway since we never had cable till I was in college because I had (finally!) moved out. I also remember when we got our first vcr, holy shit was I happy! We watched movies at home, friends would have movies to watch and it was lots of fun. Plus I got to see many movies they would never let kids in to see like Porkys and Delirious. (so, I snuck it from my parents' rentals and I had already watch the ones they got me for when they were gone, no big deal!). I have a ridiculous library of blanks right now still because mine hasn't died yet and I refuse to give up the freedom of taping what I want and watching it years later if I choose lol.
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48 Posts
You're also a Gen Xer if you remember listening to the TV as opposed to actually being able to see it because either the reception was too bad or you had to stand behind the TV in a specific location with a piece of tin foil or something. We lived out in the country and *finally* got decent reception when we installed an eyesore of an antennae tower over our house. Until then, we had the dreaded "rabbit ears" (lol).
Speaking of TV Guide, every December we would go through it and take the time to watch Christmas specials because they were only shown *once* per year and it was a wonderful bonding time for our family.
Speaking of TV Guide, every December we would go through it and take the time to watch Christmas specials because they were only shown *once* per year and it was a wonderful bonding time for our family.
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I remember watching Tom Baker as Dr. Who on PBS. Most of the time, however, it was "go outside and play."
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2,009 Posts
So, I'm Generation X. That's nice.
This is weak, guys. You're making me feel old.
we had 4 channels. i remember watching Bob Ross, Carl Sagan and Justin Wilson on PBS. MASH!! Friday night videos!! and old Jerry Lewis movies on Sundays. Once a year they would play Wizard of OZ.
otherwise, i was outside in the woods mainly by myself. if i had a good stick, a bucket and a rope; i was a happy kid. :happy:
otherwise, i was outside in the woods mainly by myself. if i had a good stick, a bucket and a rope; i was a happy kid. :happy:
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831 Posts
*laughs*
God help your tv plans if the president was going to speak though.
God help your tv plans if the president was going to speak though.
Yep - we had 3 channels on our one and only balck and white TV. I remember when PBS and then FOX got added. We used to go to grandpa's Sunday nights to watch "World of Disney" in color (it always came on after "Flipper" and "Lassie").
We got cable my senior year in highschool, with HBO. The major selling point back then was that cable was commercial free (because we PAID for it).
Our first computer was a Commmodore 64, with magnetic tape back up. I only used it to play "Zork", back when it was a text only game. I refused to learn DOS at work, favoring, even then, our Mac. I recall my hubby coming home, excited because Microsoft was going to create a Mac-like interface for PCs called "Windows".
Man, the changes we have seen already. I cannot imagine what else is to come, can you?
We got cable my senior year in highschool, with HBO. The major selling point back then was that cable was commercial free (because we PAID for it).
Our first computer was a Commmodore 64, with magnetic tape back up. I only used it to play "Zork", back when it was a text only game. I refused to learn DOS at work, favoring, even then, our Mac. I recall my hubby coming home, excited because Microsoft was going to create a Mac-like interface for PCs called "Windows".
Man, the changes we have seen already. I cannot imagine what else is to come, can you?
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1,349 Posts
wow, things were so "over the top" back then. quite an intro to a movie.
My first TV was also black and white and you had to manually tune in the channels like a radio. It was cool.
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Hey, at least siblings watched cable TV together... Before teh interwebs.
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Or maybe you're Generation Y but were born in a small town in West Virginia and lived up in dem dere hills where we couldn't get cable even if we had wanted it (unless you got a satellite it seriously was impossible in our particular neighborhood).
That being said, I fucking love PBS. PBS 4EVA. <3
That being said, I fucking love PBS. PBS 4EVA. <3
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14,801 Posts
The first time I saw HBO was on a recorded VCR tape. Like, my grandfather's wife had recorded HBO movies on to tapes at her sister's house in the city, where they could get cable.
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831 Posts
OMG I loved 3-2-1 Contact!!!!!!
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