[Ptarmigan]

I notice most TV stations in Houston do not sign-off, with the exception of channel 11 and 14, which they do on weekends or early Monday morning. I remember channel 8 use to sign-off on early Monday mornings, which they do not do. The last time I have seen channel 2 sign off was last year on a weekday. As for channel 20 and 26, the last time I saw them sign-off was in the late 1990s. I have not seen channel 13 and 39 sign-off. I wonder when it was the last time they signed off for the night?

[editor]

Ptarmigan, on Sunday, June 1st, 2008 @ 11:50pm, said:

I notice most TV stations in Houston do not sign-off, with the exception of channel 11 and 14, which they do on weekends or early Monday morning. I remember channel 8 use to sign-off on early Monday mornings, which they do not do. The last time I have seen channel 2 sign off was last year on a weekday. As for channel 20 and 26, the last time I saw them sign-off was in the late 1990s. I have not seen channel 13 and 39 sign-off. I wonder when it was the last time they signed off for the night?

All stations sign off every once in a while, usually about once a week around 2am Monday morning. It's required for transmitter testing and maintenance. Since the TV companies don't make any money off of it, they keep it to the least-viewed times.

[Ptarmigan]

Here is a recent video of KHOU signing off.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8rJcvmiMp5c

[stan the man]

This was the last time I recall seeing a signoff (not including YouTube viewings):

KPRC (Ch.2/NBC): around 2000
KUHT (Ch.8/PBS): Christmas 2007 (tried to record it but it was too late as KUHT went 24/7)
KHOU (Ch.11/CBS): last April
KTRK (Ch.13/ABC): never (the sign-on placeholder actually kicks off World News Now but I have never seen a REAL sign-off from this station)
KTXH (Ch. 20/MY): around 1999
KRIV (Ch. 26/Fox): around 1999
KHCW (Ch. 39/CW): around 1999

I would also like to know what Houston signoffs were like in the 70s and 80s (i.e. any TV Code stations, sermonettes, signoff news, vintage test cards, etc.)

Also, if anyone on HAIF has the guts to post a vintage signoff on YouTube or Dailymotion, it would be appreciated.

[editor]

stan the man, on Sunday, June 15th, 2008 @ 2:37am, said:

if anyone on HAIF has the guts to post a vintage signoff

Wha?

[houstonmacbro]

I guess since the advent of cable and 24-hour programming I haven't really noticed it. I remember the old test patterns though. Do they still exist.

[ricco67]

In the 80's Ch. 13's (it might have been ch. 11) was a terrific musical version of the Lord's Prayer and I THINK it was followed by the National Anthem.

[Absinthe_1900]

It was CH.11, and went back to the 1960s.

[ricco67]

Absinthe_1900, on Wednesday, June 18th, 2008 @ 5:29pm, said:

It was CH.11, and went back to the 1960s.

So it was ch. 11 that had the musical version of the Lords prayer and THAT version of it went back to the 60's? Doubtful, that version of the lord's prayer seems like it was made sometime in the late 70s at the earliest.

[Absinthe_1900]

No, it was running in the late 1960s when Ch 11 signed off after the Late Show (the movie they ran after the 10:00 pm news) I remember it from when I was a kid. back then Ch.11 signed off at 12:00 to 12:30 am.

The same version ran for many years. Musical version with nature scenes

Back in the early 70s when Ch 26 was KVRL they had a version with a person reciting the Lords Prayer, while an American Indian followed the narration in sign language.

[Ptarmigan]

Here is a sign off from KTRK, well more of a station and legal identification. They do it before World News Now on weekdays and before 5:00 AM on weekends.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UmBfwfGSL-g

[Ptarmigan]

stan the man, on Sunday, June 15th, 2008 @ 1:37am, said:

This was the last time I recall seeing a signoff (not including YouTube viewings):

KPRC (Ch.2/NBC): around 2000
KUHT (Ch.8/PBS): Christmas 2007 (tried to record it but it was too late as KUHT went 24/7)
KHOU (Ch.11/CBS): last April
KTRK (Ch.13/ABC): never (the sign-on placeholder actually kicks off World News Now but I have never seen a REAL sign-off from this station)
KTXH (Ch. 20/MY): around 1999
KRIV (Ch. 26/Fox): around 1999
KHCW (Ch. 39/CW): around 1999

I would also like to know what Houston signoffs were like in the 70s and 80s (i.e. any TV Code stations, sermonettes, signoff news, vintage test cards, etc.)

Also, if anyone on HAIF has the guts to post a vintage signoff on YouTube or Dailymotion, it would be appreciated.

Here are the stations I have seen sign off.
KPRC-Signed off once in September of 2007, which had a color and bars than static.
KUHT-Sometimes in 2007.
KHOU-I have not seen them sign on TV, only on You Tube. Still sign off as of today, only for 20 to 30 minutes on early Saturday and Sunday morning. There are two YouTube videos of it floating around.
KTRK-Never seen them sign-off, except with the station id and legal information. I am sure they have signed off in the past. I do not know when the last time they did that.
KTXH-Last time I saw them sign off was in 2000 and went static.
KRIV-Signed off once in October of 2006, in which it went static.
KHCW-Last time I saw them sign off was in 2000 and went static.

I would like to see vintage sign off from Houston TV stations. I am sure someone has recordings of sign offs.

This post has been edited by Ptarmigan: Saturday, June 21, 2008 at 11:46 PM

[Ptarmigan]

Here is a recent video of KTRK signing off. Well, it is more of a station and legal stuff. They also play the American Anthem.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UmBfwfGSL-g

[Ptarmigan]

Here is a KTRK-TV sign-off, well not really, SSB (Star Spangled Banner), and Meditations, which is a sermonette from 2001.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=-9qJ4aWU63Q

[Heights2Bastrop]

I don't think they sign off with a prayer any longer. Something to do with 'separation of Church and Station' I believe.

[Retama]

In the old days Channel 13 used to post the FBI's Most Wanted list prior to sign-off. That's where I first learned about Katherine Boudain and Bernardine Dohrn (wife of Bill Ayers, Obama's friend).

[LTAWACS]

I'm either in the garage or in bed at those times.

[ddavenport]

Did any of the Houston stations subscribe to the TV Code?

[Ptarmigan]

Retama, on Wednesday, October 29th, 2008 @ 3:57pm, said:

In the old days Channel 13 used to post the FBI's Most Wanted list prior to sign-off. That's where I first learned about Katherine Boudain and Bernardine Dohrn (wife of Bill Ayers, Obama's friend).

When was the last time did Channel 13 signed off for the night. I don't remember seeing them signing off? I have seen Channel 2, 8, 11, 20, and 26 signing off though, but only once a week.

Heights2Bastrop, on Tuesday, October 21st, 2008 @ 2:27am, said:

I don't think they sign off with a prayer any longer. Something to do with 'separation of Church and Station' I believe.

I am sure they still do that, but you have to stay up really late.

[dbigtex56]

ddavenport, on Thursday, November 6th, 2008 @ 8:22pm, said:

Did any of the Houston stations subscribe to the TV Code?

I was only dimly aware of the TV Code, but am reasonably sure that all of them did after reading this article from The Museum of Broadcast Communications website. Interesting stuff.

And welcome to HAIF, ddavenport.

[Absinthe_1900]

Retama, on Wednesday, October 29th, 2008 @ 3:57pm, said:

In the old days Channel 13 used to post the FBI's Most Wanted list prior to sign-off. That's where I first learned about Katherine Boudain and Bernardine Dohrn (wife of Bill Ayers, Obama's friend).

When I was a kid, I remember Ch.13 had Ray Conaway doing Conaway Comments just before Wanted By The FBI, this was back when they showed Laurel & Hardy shorts very late at night.

[djrage]

I'd like to see one of KTRK's sign on or off from the late 70's/early 80s. I used to wake up early Saturday mornings just to watch it before the saturday morning cartoons came on when I was a kid... with Charlie Harrison doing VO.

[Ptarmigan]

djrage, on Thursday, November 13th, 2008 @ 11:47am, said:

I'd like to see one of KTRK's sign on or off from the late 70's/early 80s. I used to wake up early Saturday mornings just to watch it before the saturday morning cartoons came on when I was a kid... with Charlie Harrison doing VO.

I never saw KTRK sign off at night. I too would like to see a video of KTRK signing off.

[RedScare]

Ptarmigan, on Thursday, November 6th, 2008 @ 10:46pm, said:

When was the last time did Channel 13 signed off for the night. I don't remember seeing them signing off? I have seen Channel 2, 8, 11, 20, and 26 signing off though, but only once a week.


I am sure they still do that, but you have to stay up really late.

I saw Ch 13 sign off just last week, though it was only for about 15 minutes. I saw no prayer, but they did play the national anthem.


EDIT: Actually, it appears they sign off for only 6 minutes.

http://abclocal.go.c...o...&id=5755252

This post has been edited by RedScare: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at 1:26 AM

[RedScare]

OK, at 3:15 am, Channel 13 put up a logo screen while the announcer goes through the station ID spiel. At 3:16, the station signed off with the National Anthem. Immediately after the anthem played, they went to an ABC pest control commercial, then joined ABC News Now already in progress.

That is the extent of ABC13's signoff. Now you do not have to stay up for it.

[Ptarmigan]

RedScare, on Wednesday, November 19th, 2008 @ 3:19am, said:

OK, at 3:15 am, Channel 13 put up a logo screen while the announcer goes through the station ID spiel. At 3:16, the station signed off with the National Anthem. Immediately after the anthem played, they went to an ABC pest control commercial, then joined ABC News Now already in progress.

That is the extent of ABC13's signoff. Now you do not have to stay up for it.

I don't consider that a signoff. Well, okay sort of. More of a station ID and legal stuff. As for why they play the Anthem, they just choose too.

[scrubba]

Sign off???????????????????????????????? What............. Man you must have done some bad drugs in the 60's man. When I came to Houston in the early 70's , I was thrilled at the fact that 24hr T V was a reality! Well, at least Wednesday thru Saturday. Channel 11 if I remember correctly had some guty sitting in a wing back chair and he would have call ins , contests , heck all kinds of worthless trivia to share . Hell, it was a hoot! The "bumper music was Whatever gets ya through tha night . man , what I would give to relive those times too............
Ed Shaver,scrubba

[Ptarmigan]

scrubba, on Sunday, November 23rd, 2008 @ 10:56am, said:

Sign off???????????????????????????????? What............. Man you must have done some bad drugs in the 60's man. When I came to Houston in the early 70's , I was thrilled at the fact that 24hr T V was a reality! Well, at least Wednesday thru Saturday. Channel 11 if I remember correctly had some guty sitting in a wing back chair and he would have call ins , contests , heck all kinds of worthless trivia to share . Hell, it was a hoot! The "bumper music was Whatever gets ya through tha night . man , what I would give to relive those times too............
Ed Shaver,scrubba

I don't mind 24 hour TV, but there are too many infomercials. I used to remember they would air movies or syndicated shows back than. Now, it's infomercial land. 

[Absinthe_1900]

scrubba, on Sunday, November 23rd, 2008 @ 10:56am, said:

Channel 11 if I remember correctly had some guty sitting in a wing back chair and he would have call ins , contests , heck all kinds of worthless trivia to share . Hell, it was a hoot! The "bumper music was Whatever gets ya through tha night . man , what I would give to relive those times too............
Ed Shaver,scrubba

That was Roger Grey on ch. 26.

[cottonmather0]

I'm not watching it if it's not in HD.

[RedScare]

I've never seen a station signoff in HD.

[Ptarmigan]

Here is KPRC-TV signing off.



http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ZInuzbzi7D0

[ChannelTwoNews]

Ptarmigan, on Saturday, January 17th, 2009 @ 10:54pm, said:

Here is KPRC-TV signing off.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ZInuzbzi7D0

That was quick! I only uploaded it the day before.

I recall seeing some lengthy legal spiel-esque piece from KHOU (early 90s) like what KTRK does nightly these days, so I'll upload that when I find it.

[Ptarmigan]

If KTRK signed off, did it go static or did they use a test pattern? Same goes with any Houston television station that signed off in the 1970s to early 1990s. When I was a kid, the only station I remember seeing signing off was KUHT and they did it early enough for me to see. They would play the American anthem and go all static. 

[Ptarmigan]

Absinthe_1900, on Saturday, June 21, 2008 at 10:04 PM, said:

No, it was running in the late 1960s when Ch 11 signed off after the Late Show (the movie they ran after the 10:00 pm news) I remember it from when I was a kid. back then Ch.11 signed off at 12:00 to 12:30 am.

The same version ran for many years. Musical version with nature scenes

Back in the early 70s when Ch 26 was KVRL they had a version with a person reciting the Lords Prayer, while an American Indian followed the narration in sign language.

Are you talking about this one? This one is from a Tulsa station in the 1970s.



http://www.youtube.c...h?v=UReVVrbL8xs

[ChannelTwoNews]

Ptarmigan, on Monday, August 10, 2009 at 12:49 PM, said:

If KTRK signed off, did it go static or did they use a test pattern? Same goes with any Houston television station that signed off in the 1970s to early 1990s. When I was a kid, the only station I remember seeing signing off was KUHT and they did it early enough for me to see. They would play the American anthem and go all static. 

The maybe two times I've seen that happen this decade on 13, it was static.

[Ptarmigan]

ChannelTwoNews, on Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 12:03 AM, said:

The maybe two times I've seen that happen this decade on 13, it was static.

I didn't know that KTRK signed-off outright in this decade. I figured that would be common in the 1970s and 1980s. If 13 went static, it probably happened in 2000 on a weekend. I did see 13 do their so-called sign off and they went to World News Now. The only station that signs off is 11 and they do it on Saturdays and Sundays around 4:00 AM. It's for 20 minutes.

[Absinthe_1900]

Ptarmigan, on Monday, August 10, 2009 at 12:50 PM, said:

Are you talking about this one? This one is from a Tulsa station in the 1970s.



http://www.youtube.c...h?v=UReVVrbL8xs

The one ch 26 ran was different, this site has a copy of the original one I saw back when 26 was KVRL / KDOG :

http://www.macfilms....s%20181-190.htm

MIXED ADS 189
10) PSA: The Lord’s Prayer: Shows an elderly American Indian man performing the Lord’s Prayer in Native American sign language——performed by Chief Shatka Bear-Step, voice-over by Walt Conley, contributed by the Appaloosa Horse Club.