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Talk About Tulsa => Other Tulsa Discussion => Topic started by: mrburns918 on October 14, 2008, 08:52:47 am



Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: mrburns918 on October 14, 2008, 08:52:47 am
I was just sitting here doing a spreadsheet at work and got distracted thinking about cable television back in the 70's and 80's.

My question is... "Was HBO ever called the "Q" channel?" It seems like I remember it being called that. I also remember the channel showing alot of foreign films, including a short they always played about a pigeon dropping his load on people. I also remember being traumatized by the movie that was a rip off of "The Exorcist" called "Beyond the Door" Anyone else remember the type of shows on "Q"? If that was what the channel was called.

Any other names for stations(channels) that were on the cable system back in the70's and 80's?

Playboy channel = Escapade
USA Network - which had video concert hall and up all night. Great channel.

Yes, I am bored.

Mr. Burns.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: Ibanez on October 14, 2008, 09:01:32 am
HBO was originally called "The Green Channel." The name was changed to HBO in 1972.

USA Network is still around

The Playboy Channel has always been called that as far as I know.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: dbacks fan on October 14, 2008, 09:05:53 am
It wasn't called "Q" it was "Z" before HBO came along. I also remember when HBO did not start showing movies until 4:00 in the afternoon. I also liked that Tulsa Cable as it was back then showed the races from the speedway. My two favorite channels were KTVT from Ft. Worth and KXTX from Dallas, and then in the late 70's we got WTBS and WGN. I also loved the classic movies that they played on channel 5.

Escepade was the forerunner to the Playboy channel. I remember that the line up was HBO channel 14, Cinemax channel 15, and Escapade was channel 16.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: TheTed on October 14, 2008, 09:21:34 am
quote:
Originally posted by dbacks fan

and then in the late 70's we got WTBS and WGN. I also loved the classic movies that they played on channel 5.


It's too bad the superstations, like society as a whole, are getting homogenized. There's no longer anything on TBS that pertains to Atlanta at all.

At least WGN still has the news, Cubs baseball and a few Bulls games. Hopefully that won't change. I still hold a grudge against them for changing to eastern time when they talk about upcoming shows. They used to be the only channel to list shows in central time first.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: waterboy on October 14, 2008, 09:24:47 am
When I returned home from college to Tulsa in '73 my parents had "Q". Later on it was changed to "cable". There wasn't much on it but it was exciting for everyone. I remember we thought it would lead to real time interactive voting of some sort. It seems the name "Q" came from a movie at that time showing how real time voting on issues could take place. Even suggested it could be used for judgements in jury trials. The jury being the cable viewers.

I also remember seeing one of the channels showing a spread sheet with comparisons of grocery store pricing. It was pretty rudimentary cable.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: Hoss on October 14, 2008, 09:29:19 am
quote:
Originally posted by dbacks fan

It wasn't called "Q" it was "Z" before HBO came along. I also remember when HBO did not start showing movies until 4:00 in the afternoon. I also liked that Tulsa Cable as it was back then showed the races from the speedway. My two favorite channels were KTVT from Ft. Worth and KXTX from Dallas, and then in the late 70's we got WTBS and WGN. I also loved the classic movies that they played on channel 5.

Escepade was the forerunner to the Playboy channel. I remember that the line up was HBO channel 14, Cinemax channel 15, and Escapade was channel 16.



I also remember TCI having Kansas City ch 41 for as long as I can remember.  All those commercials about furniture stores in Raytown...I remember that pretty vividly.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: sgrizzle on October 14, 2008, 09:40:36 am
I just remember the "remote" ie. the box that you could put next to your lazboy with the channel push buttons.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: dbacks fan on October 14, 2008, 09:41:26 am
quote:
Originally posted by Hoss

quote:
Originally posted by dbacks fan

It wasn't called "Q" it was "Z" before HBO came along. I also remember when HBO did not start showing movies until 4:00 in the afternoon. I also liked that Tulsa Cable as it was back then showed the races from the speedway. My two favorite channels were KTVT from Ft. Worth and KXTX from Dallas, and then in the late 70's we got WTBS and WGN. I also loved the classic movies that they played on channel 5.

Escepade was the forerunner to the Playboy channel. I remember that the line up was HBO channel 14, Cinemax channel 15, and Escapade was channel 16.



I also remember TCI having Kansas City ch 41 for as long as I can remember.  All those commercials about furniture stores in Raytown...I remember that pretty vividly.



I forgot about that one. They had the guy that hosted the old movies, Elvira, and the commercial I remember was the one for Blue Springs Datsun/Nissan.

It was KSHB, and I think it was discontinued because TCI could not carry two channels from the same owner. In this case I thinke it was Scripps Howard, and they owned KSHB and KJRH(KTEW) channel 2 in Tulsa.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: patric on October 14, 2008, 09:55:16 am
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle

I just remember the "remote" ie. the box that you could put next to your lazboy with the channel push buttons.


It was the size of an encyclopedia with a long brown wire that tangled and frayed easily, and some of the channels were letters (like "Q") instead of numbers.  
HBO was A, Cinemax was B, Escapade C, etc.

Tulsa Cable.  That was when Turner was hip and cool.

Here is a photo of the smaller, newer box they introduced later:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/16/JerroldRemoteControl.JPG)


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: iplaw on October 14, 2008, 01:04:39 pm
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle

I just remember the "remote" ie. the box that you could put next to your lazboy with the channel push buttons.

And the selector switch and roll dial on the side.

Oh the hours spent trying to fine tune a scrambled Playboy channel with that damned thing...




Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: mobboss on October 14, 2008, 01:52:56 pm
i remember the HUGE control box with 3 rows of letters you could push ala "jukebox" style..if you pressed 2 at the same time and used the fine tune you could get scrambled escapade network, ahhhh "emmanuelle in bangkok" or some women in prison pron!

 HBO showed the kraftwerk short film of the song 'Autobahn" often, i had heard that Video Concert Hall was programmed out of tulsa, later the creator , Bob Pittman, went on to form MTV..
(i also remember the theme music to VCH, carouselambra by led zeppelin)


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: Breadburner on October 14, 2008, 02:25:13 pm
Don't forget Skinemax.....


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: mrburns918 on October 14, 2008, 03:02:38 pm
quote:
Originally posted by mobboss

i remember the HUGE control box with 3 rows of letters you could push ala "jukebox" style..if you pressed 2 at the same time and used the fine tune you could get scrambled escapade network, ahhhh "emmanuelle in bangkok" or some women in prison pron!

 HBO showed the kraftwerk short film of the song 'Autobahn" often, i had heard that Video Concert Hall was programmed out of tulsa, later the creator , Bob Pittman, went on to form MTV..
(i also remember the theme music to VCH, carouselambra by led zeppelin)



I remember watching Emmanuelle in Bangkok! I remember a scene where a ping pong ball pops out of her uh you know what and they actually showed it! I would sneak into the living room and watch Escapade while my parents slept. My jaw hit the floor everytime I would see the ping pong scene.

Ahhh, to be 32 years old again.

Mr. Burns


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: monterey1967 on October 14, 2008, 03:15:14 pm
quote:
Originally posted by iplaw

quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle

I just remember the "remote" ie. the box that you could put next to your lazboy with the channel push buttons.

And the selector switch and roll dial on the side.

Oh the hours spent trying to fine tune a scrambled Playboy channel with that damned thing...




i remember that if you pushed 2 buttons down at the same time [like 5 and 9] and if it was raining outside the playboy channel would come in real good.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: dbacks fan on October 14, 2008, 05:06:56 pm
quote:
Originally posted by patric

quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle

I just remember the "remote" ie. the box that you could put next to your lazboy with the channel push buttons.


It was the size of an encyclopedia with a long brown wire that tangled and frayed easily, and some of the channels were letters (like "Q") instead of numbers.  
HBO was A, Cinemax was B, Escapade C, etc.

Tulsa Cable.  That was when Turner was hip and cool.

Here is a photo of the smaller, newer box they introduced later:
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/16/JerroldRemoteControl.JPG)



When I was in high school, my mother would stretch the cord across the living room and turn out the lights, so that when I came in later than I should, I would snag the cord, it would hit the floor and scare the cats to let her know what time I came in.

Z Channel (http://"http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/11/26/DDGIEA0OK11.DTL")


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: MDepr2007 on October 14, 2008, 08:23:09 pm
quote:
Originally posted by monterey1967

quote:
Originally posted by iplaw

quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle

I just remember the "remote" ie. the box that you could put next to your lazboy with the channel push buttons.

And the selector switch and roll dial on the side.

Oh the hours spent trying to fine tune a scrambled Playboy channel with that damned thing...




i remember that if you pushed 2 buttons down at the same time [like 5 and 9] and if it was raining outside the playboy channel would come in real good.



I think it was 5 + 7


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: DolfanBob on October 15, 2008, 09:39:19 am
I worked for Tulsa Cable from 79 to 91 and loved my job until TCI came in and DESTROYED a wonderful Company, The beginning to the end was when United Artist came in and the spiral downward was completed by TCI. The big box that you are talking about with the fine tuning roller was hated by everyone and replaced with the smaller jerrold unit pictured here but it took some time for the change out to take place and remember getting your new line up stickers every so often. I think I had 4 or 5 on my box before we went to the new pay per view box. The very first pay per view movie available was Batteries not Included and it started at 7 a.m. the morning it was released on VHS and it sparked a huge outcry from the video rental companies and they went to the 1 month video release first before hitting pay per view. It has now went even further than that with todays releases. I watched Up all night with Uncle Ed on the what I called superstation out of KC 41 and I also like KTVT out of Dallas. The FCC then regulated that cable companies could only carry 2 distant superstations per system and Tulsa decided on WGN and TBS. Remember the pay service IT TV that was a line of site setup that was way before it's time. Unscrambled satellite dishes was the bomb until they started being sold in the areas where cable tv was available. HBO was the first to employ the scrambling method around about 1985. I believe Tulsa Cable started around 1973 or 1974. I remember running down every Cable truck I saw asking when they were going to be in my area, and that was 31st and 129th E Av area. Great times.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: patric on October 15, 2008, 11:15:41 am
quote:
Originally posted by DolfanBob

I watched Up all night with Uncle Ed on the what I called superstation out of KC 41 and I also like KTVT out of Dallas. The FCC then regulated that cable companies could only carry 2 distant superstations per system and Tulsa decided on WGN and TBS.


You can thank KTUL for that.
They and the other local stations screamed bloody murder because they felt the distant markets cut into their advertising revenue (like im really driving to FTW to buy groceries).  They later got the right to pre-empt CNN Headline News with outdated "Local Editions" taped the night before.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: AngieB on October 15, 2008, 11:51:02 am
quote:
Originally posted by patric

Quote

You can thank KTUL for that.
They and the other local stations screamed bloody murder because they felt the distant markets cut into their advertising revenue (like im really driving to FTW to buy groceries).  They later got the right to pre-empt CNN Headline News with outdated "Local Editions" taped the night before.



That reminds me of "Syndicated Exclusivity" or SYNDEX that United Video had to contend with back in ~'89. I worked there at that time and we had to replace any syndicated program that was shown on any local channel at any time with a show that wasn't shown locally. This affected WGN and KTVT and one other I can't remember right now. So if The Andy Griffith show was on KTUL and WGN, we had to switch off WGN's signal and run Fibber McGee and Molly or some such crap in place of Andy Griffith. I don't know how that ever was resolved and went away, but for a time it was a nightmare. United Video was a cool place to work in those days though.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: jmikeh on October 15, 2008, 12:05:13 pm
What a great topic.  

My favorite was the big cable box with the mile long cord.  I remember that movie channel 5 and KC station with Dr. Gene Scott.  WCCW wrestling on KXTX. And who could forget the local sports show SportScene with Bill Land and Dean Blevins and others.

Did I mention what a great topic this was?


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: swake on October 15, 2008, 01:24:09 pm
quote:
Originally posted by TulsaMINI

quote:
Originally posted by patric

Quote

You can thank KTUL for that.
They and the other local stations screamed bloody murder because they felt the distant markets cut into their advertising revenue (like im really driving to FTW to buy groceries).  They later got the right to pre-empt CNN Headline News with outdated "Local Editions" taped the night before.



That reminds me of "Syndicated Exclusivity" or SYNDEX that United Video had to contend with back in ~'89. I worked there at that time and we had to replace any syndicated program that was shown on any local channel at any time with a show that wasn't shown locally. This affected WGN and KTVT and one other I can't remember right now. So if The Andy Griffith show was on KTUL and WGN, we had to switch off WGN's signal and run Fibber McGee and Molly or some such crap in place of Andy Griffith. I don't know how that ever was resolved and went away, but for a time it was a nightmare. United Video was a cool place to work in those days though.



KTLA was the other one.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: iplaw on October 15, 2008, 01:46:04 pm
quote:
Originally posted by jmikeh

What a great topic.  

My favorite was the big cable box with the mile long cord.  I remember that movie channel 5 and KC station with Dr. Gene Scott.  WCCW wrestling on KXTX. And who could forget the local sports show SportScene with Bill Land and Dean Blevins and others.

Did I mention what a great topic this was?

Dr. Gene Scott.  What a guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HPOCuU91kc&feature=related






Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: mrburns918 on October 15, 2008, 02:07:06 pm
quote:
Originally posted by iplaw

quote:
Originally posted by jmikeh

What a great topic.  

My favorite was the big cable box with the mile long cord.  I remember that movie channel 5 and KC station with Dr. Gene Scott.  WCCW wrestling on KXTX. And who could forget the local sports show SportScene with Bill Land and Dean Blevins and others.

Did I mention what a great topic this was?

Dr. Gene Scott.  What a guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HPOCuU91kc&feature=related




Oh Snap! I loved watching Dr. Gene Scott late at night. I remember him trying to raise 90 million for a building in downtown Los Angeles and being so passionate about it he would start yelling and cussing at the camera. His show is still around but his wife or daughter now do the preaching for him.

Mr. Burns



Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: DolfanBob on October 16, 2008, 08:08:20 am
Dr.Gene Squat(AKA Brent Douglas)What a character. That chalkboard with all the scribbling,and him still writing on it. The hat, cigar and glass of wine. And don't forget the hot babes at the race track.
Also about those long box cords, if you ever hit them with the vacuum cleaner they were done. And for some reason mice loved to chew on them, not to mention the dogs and cats. I agree this is a great topic.


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: DolfanBob on October 16, 2008, 08:53:39 am
My buddy here at work told me that I should watch his show now because there is a hot chick doing the preaching. We did a little research and found out that his Widow a Ex-porn star Melissa Scott for the last three years has taken over his ministry. They were married for ten years. She was taught by him and is also self taught in biblical learnings. She is very HOT. Here is a great Gene Scott rant as he cusses out some Austrailian group who wrote into him. They really got to him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3cc6qRfZ3Q&feature=related


Title: A question for "old skool" people about cable tv..
Post by: Kashmir on October 16, 2008, 09:04:24 am
When I was little, me grandma watched me during the day.  I would immerse myself in flipping all the remote box buttons one direction (pop pop pop pop) and then the other way (pow pow pow) until my grandfather...NOT my favorite...would yell "For God's sake, get the g**d*** remote away from that kid"

My other grandpa was MUCH nicer.