Remember that ugly round pattern on the tv when they were having temporary difficulties please stand by?

it gave me nightmares when I was a child. It was horrible!

it was the "test pattern" when TV went off the air....now it is ALWAYS on

I remember the Chief Pontiac picture, too. And remember the American flag with the National Anthem playing when some stations signed off at midnight?

Yes I do remember that, and now they have the Emergency Alert System TESTwith that annoying noise. I just mute it everytime it starts to come on. I treat it like a commercial, bye!!!

Did you see the movie Pleasantville? They had the test pattern on it that Don Knotts stood in front of in one scene. But why did they use Chief Pontiac's picture?

Brings back memories -- out here in the sticks it was never clear enough to read, and it wasn't always round.

(Chief Pontiacs picture was one of them used in Michigan -- maybe a Pontiac Michigan channel origin ?)

What's worse is the monthly or weekly "This is a test of the Emergency Broadcasting System....."screeeeecccchhhhhh

LOL @ morgan o....yep I remember that! Now they give you no warning, the screen just goes blank when my cable goes out temporarily

Those were the days. Funny how many more technical difficulties they had in the 1970s, isn't it?

My sister actually got up and stood by the t,v Thinking it would come back on.

HA! HA! What did you think the boogy man was coming?? I did not like it but it just meant that it was time to go to bed.