I cannot imagine changing the channel on a flat screen, you have to find buttons on the bottom, left or right. Hopefully the input is correct and then find the channel up/down button, one at a time. Buy a new remote! I am sure others do it on a daily basis but they are tougher than I am
and his ears had tinfoil on them. and he went to bed at midnight. and we had to click through all 13 channels although only 3 of them ever had a picture on them. and even with only 3 to chooses from our parents had to get a little book each week to figure out what shows were going to be on. the little book cost $0.10 a week……..
Reminds me of when we used to wrap a small piece of tinfoil around the twin-lead from theantenna and slide it up and down a few inches until the picture cleared up. Sort of like adjusting theswr on the thing. When it was at the best place we just squeezed the foil until it stayed put.
I always liked sitting on the floor to watch TV because it was a tight squeeze on the couch. So I would be the one to change the channels. We had the rabbit ears antenna but the picture was usually ok unless some neighbor started mowing his grass or using some other electrical tool, then the screen went all flippy. I don’t miss those days!
Fond memories of being on the roof adjusting the antenna for my dad to get the Browns game on a Toledo Chanel because the local station had a black out. The neighbors thought we were nuts.
I was that person, waiting for the tube set to warm up, no rabbit ears at first, but a non adjustable roof antenna. Channel 2 only came in clear when it rained.
Ah – the good old days. Having to adjust the horizontal and vertical holds, planes flying overheard could make your picture start jumping. Black and white – color came later and then only to Prime time for years. And of course they were huge and usually in some type of cabinet. My uncle was a tv repairman and travelled all over the region. If we could wait, we usually got the repair free – if it was just a tube that had blown.
thank goodness I’ve never had to deal with thee antenna. But I still had to change the channel. My father said that’s what kids are for, getting stuff done for them while they sit. :J
Uncle Ted should first ask Wilberforce to fetch some fresh batteries. So who knows – can one even change channels on modern televisions without the remote? Rabbit ears, 3 channels, test patterns after midnight, actual knobs that required one to get up to change the channel, adjust the volume, etc. However did we survive! But thanks for Uncle Ted on Sunday Chip. Nice peaceful way to start my day and get ready for church.
My flat screen for my small home is only 40 inches, the speakers were not up to par for me so I bought a soundbar for it – what a difference and the Bass is full considering I do not have a sub woofer.
I was looking at the television I bought recently and tried the buttons on top (on/off, volume, channel, etc.). They don’t appear to be functional. Everything is operated by the remote. (I plan to reread the manual to see if I need to do something to make those buttons operational.)
before we moved away we went to say goodbye to some acquaintances and i was distracted the entire time by the wide screen tv that they left on during our entire (short) visit. it took up most of the room and i was wondering how much it cost to feed the thing…
Obviously in the universe of the Thornapples, even modern TVs have channel changing controls that a six-year-old can easily access and operate. But Uncle Ted will have to have a talk with the little guy about what rabbit ears are and what technology was like when he was young.
We lived in a very rural area in northern British Columbia, so rabbit ears did not work, ergo the antenna up on the peak of our roof. That was okay for the early years when all we had was CBC North and CBC Kamloops, both on the same tower on Dragon Mountain. The challenge came in the late 60s when we got CTV out of Vancouver, but it was up on a different mountain in the opposite direction. So, when we wanted to watch the news, or Hockey Night in Canada or The Wonderful World of Disney, it was CBC…but if we wanted to watch Star Trek or Night Gallery or the CTV movie of the night, the antenna had to be spun around. My Da did it the first couple times, but after climbing in and out of his truck all day at work, he was tired, and at 8 years old I was pêrfectly capable of navigating the old wooden ladder and snowy was a bit of an adventure, in fact. And later in the winters when there was more snow, it was fun just to slide off the roof into the massive piles around the house….again, lots of fun.
However, teenage me was really, really glad when we got cable some years later…
codycab 3 months ago
Amazing how older TVs would take up more space compared to flat screens.
cracker65 3 months ago
Remember the Curtis Mathis tvs? They had a record player, 8 track tape player and all. I wish I still had one.
rekam Premium Member 3 months ago
Mom watched wrestling. “Change the channel”, “get away from that set”, “change the channel”, “don’t touch that dial”…
GROG Premium Member 3 months ago
And a penguin.
The dude from FL Premium Member 3 months ago
I cannot imagine changing the channel on a flat screen, you have to find buttons on the bottom, left or right. Hopefully the input is correct and then find the channel up/down button, one at a time. Buy a new remote! I am sure others do it on a daily basis but they are tougher than I am
Justanolddude Premium Member 3 months ago
and his ears had tinfoil on them. and he went to bed at midnight. and we had to click through all 13 channels although only 3 of them ever had a picture on them. and even with only 3 to chooses from our parents had to get a little book each week to figure out what shows were going to be on. the little book cost $0.10 a week……..
Renatus Profuturus Frigeridus Premium Member 3 months ago
If I were Uncle Ted I would change the batteries first.
KA7DRE Premium Member 3 months ago
Reminds me of when we used to wrap a small piece of tinfoil around the twin-lead from theantenna and slide it up and down a few inches until the picture cleared up. Sort of like adjusting theswr on the thing. When it was at the best place we just squeezed the foil until it stayed put.
thevideostoreguy 3 months ago
…last I knew, you couldn’t even manually change channels on the newer TVs. You’d have to buy a new remote. Or a new TV outright!
Macushlalondra 3 months ago
I always liked sitting on the floor to watch TV because it was a tight squeeze on the couch. So I would be the one to change the channels. We had the rabbit ears antenna but the picture was usually ok unless some neighbor started mowing his grass or using some other electrical tool, then the screen went all flippy. I don’t miss those days!
adadmp 3 months ago
Fond memories of being on the roof adjusting the antenna for my dad to get the Browns game on a Toledo Chanel because the local station had a black out. The neighbors thought we were nuts.
Zykoic 3 months ago
We had a very old house in the 50s and when the refrigerator turned on the TV picture narrowed for a couple of seconds.
nosirrom 3 months ago
We sure did have rabbits on our TV. Bugs Bunny, Ricochet Rabbit, The Trix Rabbit, and Nesquik Bunny.
The Reader Premium Member 3 months ago
Hop like a bunny and change the channel!
bobwigg761 3 months ago
I was that person, waiting for the tube set to warm up, no rabbit ears at first, but a non adjustable roof antenna. Channel 2 only came in clear when it rained.
angier3824 Premium Member 3 months ago
1990 or so I had a small CRT and used my hair dryer to warm it up so it would turn on!
Anters55 3 months ago
And don’t forget the occasional horizontal adjustment sometimes needed; fortunately the vertical adjustments were even rarer, by my recollection.
timinwsac Premium Member 3 months ago
But there were only three channels then so you didn’t need to change very often.
mindjob 3 months ago
Those first remotes were a single lever that only changed the channel forward. They didn’t do anything else
s_krumpe 3 months ago
use the camera on your phone to check the batteries
Strawberry King 3 months ago
I used to think the same thing as a kid.
Just-me 3 months ago
I served similar functions in our home growing up whether it was going out to adjust the big aerial outside, or changing channels.
pat sandy creator 3 months ago
could be a good side gig for Wilberforce…
Rose Madder Premium Member 3 months ago
Ah – the good old days. Having to adjust the horizontal and vertical holds, planes flying overheard could make your picture start jumping. Black and white – color came later and then only to Prime time for years. And of course they were huge and usually in some type of cabinet. My uncle was a tv repairman and travelled all over the region. If we could wait, we usually got the repair free – if it was just a tube that had blown.
Chris 3 months ago
thank goodness I’ve never had to deal with thee antenna. But I still had to change the channel. My father said that’s what kids are for, getting stuff done for them while they sit. :J
NoNameOntheBullet Premium Member 3 months ago
Seems to be a theme to some of our comics today. “Daddy’s Home” had TV remote joke today as well! Also, this “theme” opened the nostalgia flood gates!
raybarb44 3 months ago
Different terms for different times. However, the rabbit ears term did put a smile on my face…..
MuddyUSA Premium Member 3 months ago
Uncle Ted has Wilberforce just a little confused…..
Brent Rosenthal Premium Member 3 months ago
Uncle Ted should first ask Wilberforce to fetch some fresh batteries. So who knows – can one even change channels on modern televisions without the remote? Rabbit ears, 3 channels, test patterns after midnight, actual knobs that required one to get up to change the channel, adjust the volume, etc. However did we survive! But thanks for Uncle Ted on Sunday Chip. Nice peaceful way to start my day and get ready for church.
Brent Rosenthal Premium Member 3 months ago
Hey Chip – reading Agnes today got me wondering. Are we sure Agnes’s bio parents aren’t Brutus and Gladys? She is definitely a Born Loser!
ChessPirate 3 months ago
…And then stand there, holding the Rabbit Ears, for better reception… ☺
KEA 3 months ago
I’m not sure I could change the channel on my TV without a remote.
jconnors3954 3 months ago
The sound was better.
cuzinron47 3 months ago
Thanks for the trip down memory lane, glad it’s just a memory.
Moonkey Premium Member 3 months ago
Uncle Ted could just say “yes” and be amused by her next hundred questions.
namelocdet 3 months ago
We had a wire coat hanger covered with aluminum foil on our TV!
Niko S 3 months ago
Same arc as on today’s “Daddy’s Home”
MT Wallet 3 months ago
I’m having trouble getting comments to load so let me just say it’s unlikely anyone in this day and age can change channels without a remote.
Smeagol 3 months ago
My flat screen for my small home is only 40 inches, the speakers were not up to par for me so I bought a soundbar for it – what a difference and the Bass is full considering I do not have a sub woofer.
Laurie Stoker Premium Member 3 months ago
And yet … those really were the good ol’ days. ❤️
KimmiesAndrews 3 months ago
I remember the TV antennas on top of roofs in the 60’s and the rabbit ears to to fine tune.
adrianrune 3 months ago
I was looking at the television I bought recently and tried the buttons on top (on/off, volume, channel, etc.). They don’t appear to be functional. Everything is operated by the remote. (I plan to reread the manual to see if I need to do something to make those buttons operational.)
gopher gofer 3 months ago
before we moved away we went to say goodbye to some acquaintances and i was distracted the entire time by the wide screen tv that they left on during our entire (short) visit. it took up most of the room and i was wondering how much it cost to feed the thing…
paullp Premium Member 3 months ago
Obviously in the universe of the Thornapples, even modern TVs have channel changing controls that a six-year-old can easily access and operate. But Uncle Ted will have to have a talk with the little guy about what rabbit ears are and what technology was like when he was young.
beharford about 1 month ago
We lived in a very rural area in northern British Columbia, so rabbit ears did not work, ergo the antenna up on the peak of our roof. That was okay for the early years when all we had was CBC North and CBC Kamloops, both on the same tower on Dragon Mountain. The challenge came in the late 60s when we got CTV out of Vancouver, but it was up on a different mountain in the opposite direction. So, when we wanted to watch the news, or Hockey Night in Canada or The Wonderful World of Disney, it was CBC…but if we wanted to watch Star Trek or Night Gallery or the CTV movie of the night, the antenna had to be spun around. My Da did it the first couple times, but after climbing in and out of his truck all day at work, he was tired, and at 8 years old I was pêrfectly capable of navigating the old wooden ladder and snowy was a bit of an adventure, in fact. And later in the winters when there was more snow, it was fun just to slide off the roof into the massive piles around the house….again, lots of fun.
However, teenage me was really, really glad when we got cable some years later…