I got a modern test pattern recently when my local news station had an on-air hiccup. It was a full on test card with timer, not just color bars either.
I contacted WRLH-35 and Fox Richmond told me they never used a Test card and only a TV Slide And had over 500 tunes to pick from to run overnight. It never got old and with a Stereo hook up you pretty much had a radio playing in your house minus ads
+Christopher Sobieniak I agree-- 400 Hz & 1 KHz test tones may have their place for technical, test, & calibration purposes, but it's much more pleasurable and ear-appealing when they're playing music instead. From the 60s to about the 80s, BBC TV in the UK played easy-listening instrumental music regularly when they would air their "Test Card F" during their off-time in the morning & early afternoon hours when no programming was scheduled. This music was usually compilations put together on tape by the Beeb of library music tracks in their archives, to be played over the air with the test card. In fact, the "test card" music the BBC used gained a cult following among those in Britain who tuned in to listen (many a housewife in the country would usually turn the telly on to BBC1 and listen to the test card music whilst doing housework and such) , with home-brew (and commercial) compilation CDs being released of the tunes used for such being traded amongst fans of the music. Apollo Sound has released a few volumes: www.apollosound.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=62
+Ryan Schweitzer - The Test Card F pattern (not only used by the BBC but also the ITV franchises) was made up of two transparencies, greyscale info printed in black-and-white, and the photo of the girl with the clown and chalkboard with tic-tac-toe written thereon plus various tints, printed in color, and the two meshed together precisely and put together in a slide casing. Tele-Measurements' test patterns as seen here via WRC, WOLF and (in extremely fuzzy form) WLVI, however, printed all info - greyscale and color - in color (presumably Ektachrome), thus when the test slide's colors faded over time the greyscale likewise got distorted.
wmbrown6 Yes, some of these slides look like they've had quite a run being used in their respective film chains/islands. :) I read that about Test Card F--that it was actually two separate transparencies layered together. I'm guessing the BBC went that way for accuracy's sake for proper registration (I've read that the left center "X" in the Tic-Tac-Toe grid is supposed to be the center of the frame), or if one were to prematurely fade. So it was Tele-Measurements that made these slides for stations--did they also offer unbranded generic test patterns on slides as well? I remember a company a while back that offered such...
Tele-Measurements had a few other test slides and transparencies - including the 1956 RETMA/EIA chart, in both slide form and for 10" x 8" illuminators onto which cameras were pointed for pertinent adjustments. As for these designs, they also offered blanks for stations to add their own logos.
Test Patterns can be surreal but they also had a charm to them. It's also depends on if the viewer enjoys high or low pitched tones or music/radio played during the wake up time. I enjoy the 400 tone as it has a lovely low pitch I find relaxing And I even compare it to myself as a calling tone to the high pitched one
I agree, to me it feels like you’re seeing something you’re not supposed to see, or something outside of the plan of television, which gives them a special feeling because television was always so planned.
That would have been early on in its existence (if you're talking about the old-style, 8-color wedge TP). Someone took a picture off a TV screen, and there is a repro somewhere around Flickr.
I found the song on you tube its from the movie The falcon and the snowman 1985 and is called Dalton Lee made by Pat Metheny You were kinda right as it is a thriller so the same idea
your welcome. I was very excited hearing this in full for the 1st time. An Amazing ground breaking song for 1985. I figured Fox would had grabbed something that was popular at the time and also help from a FB group into classic TV HELPED me nail it
No its from a 1985 film called The Falcon and The Snowman. The song is called Dalton Lee by Paul Metheny. The song in Spanish on SIN is called Duelo a Caballo. A mexican friend ID'ED IT FOR ME
0:58 as a kid I remember watching this on tv on afternoons. I lived in India but I was getting foreign cable channels because of my tv provider. They would be in crap quality, so this would scare the shit out of me, I used to have nightmares. I finally found the mystery of my nightmare word wabc
+kargaroc386 Recorded them years ago on vcr machines using big TV antennas waiting for the right conditions to bring in stations hundreds of miles away
its a recorded signal with 2 cameras aimed at the screen making 2 pictures in one making the colour bars as one picture with the tone playing thru a machine. The colour bars make up your picture with the lower right greys called "HUE" and the tone for sound and balance. It's used as a screen to adjust your picture and sound while in the morning the TV station is setting up programs for the day under the bars.
+Jack Smith MB OWN SFTB TJTF EDCP VGCP (ジャック・スミス) Yes. These are recordings of stations hundreds of miles away. They were recorded on vcr machines years ago using big tv antennas. The proper conditions would bring in stations far away. Most people with local clear reception of these stations probably considered these test patterns as boring or a nuisance and never recorded them. That is why they are usually fuzzy.
+stevations - A shame so many had that attitude. I myself, grew up on test patterns, especially the round types, and have been fascinated by the various differences and nuances. That WRC test pattern would have been first put into service in 1978, for example; the one for WOLF would have dated to when that station first went on the air in 1985; and that of WLVI in Cambridge/Boston, MA was first seen around 1975/76. All patterns of that type came from a company in Clifton, NJ called Tele-Measurements (which is still in existence, selling various products and services to the broadcast industry), and the '70's version was designated 'TM-501'. They also served other parts of the country and even abroad (i.e. El Salvador), though it's a shame that, because of that mentality of "test patterns are SO boring," we can't tell which stations west of the Mississippi (with K calls) used these designs. However, I was able to gauge, from various sources including vintage trade magazine ads, that the '70's TP variant (as from WLVI and also WRC albeit in upside-down form) was also used by two San Francisco stations, KGO (Channel 7) and what was then KQEC (Channel 32).
+PittsburghPenguinsFTW NashvillePredatorsFTL Could be that this is at the end of the tape which can get stressed. Also, playing VHS tapes on the machine it wasn't recorded on effects quality.
I got a modern test pattern recently when my local news station had an on-air hiccup. It was a full on test card with timer, not just color bars either.
I contacted WRLH-35 and Fox Richmond told me they never used a Test card and only a TV Slide And had over 500 tunes to pick from to run overnight. It never got old and with a Stereo hook up you pretty much had a radio playing in your house minus ads
I love it when test patterns come with music! I think WTOL here in Toledo still does it on it's Saturday and Sunday mornings before sign-on.
I like the beeping
+Christopher Sobieniak I agree-- 400 Hz & 1 KHz test tones may have their place for technical, test, & calibration purposes, but it's much more pleasurable and ear-appealing when they're playing music instead. From the 60s to about the 80s, BBC TV in the UK played easy-listening instrumental music regularly when they would air their "Test Card F" during their off-time in the morning & early afternoon hours when no programming was scheduled. This music was usually compilations put together on tape by the Beeb of library music tracks in their archives, to be played over the air with the test card.
In fact, the "test card" music the BBC used gained a cult following among those in Britain who tuned in to listen (many a housewife in the country would usually turn the telly on to BBC1 and listen to the test card music whilst doing housework and such) , with home-brew (and commercial) compilation CDs being released of the tunes used for such being traded amongst fans of the music. Apollo Sound has released a few volumes: www.apollosound.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=62
+Ryan Schweitzer - The Test Card F pattern (not only used by the BBC but also the ITV franchises) was made up of two transparencies, greyscale info printed in black-and-white, and the photo of the girl with the clown and chalkboard with tic-tac-toe written thereon plus various tints, printed in color, and the two meshed together precisely and put together in a slide casing. Tele-Measurements' test patterns as seen here via WRC, WOLF and (in extremely fuzzy form) WLVI, however, printed all info - greyscale and color - in color (presumably Ektachrome), thus when the test slide's colors faded over time the greyscale likewise got distorted.
wmbrown6 Yes, some of these slides look like they've had quite a run being used in their respective film chains/islands. :)
I read that about Test Card F--that it was actually two separate transparencies layered together. I'm guessing the BBC went that way for accuracy's sake for proper registration (I've read that the left center "X" in the Tic-Tac-Toe grid is supposed to be the center of the frame), or if one were to prematurely fade.
So it was Tele-Measurements that made these slides for stations--did they also offer unbranded generic test patterns on slides as well? I remember a company a while back that offered such...
Tele-Measurements had a few other test slides and transparencies - including the 1956 RETMA/EIA chart, in both slide form and for 10" x 8" illuminators onto which cameras were pointed for pertinent adjustments. As for these designs, they also offered blanks for stations to add their own logos.
The mere silence of wabc is enough to scare me as a kid. Sin tv is scary asf
there is something creepy and cool about test patterns I can't explain it but it is to me for some reason.
Test Patterns can be surreal but they also had a charm to them. It's also depends on if the viewer enjoys high or low pitched tones or music/radio played during the wake up time. I enjoy the 400 tone as it has a lovely low pitch I find relaxing And I even compare it to myself as a calling tone to the high pitched one
Yes.
I agree, to me it feels like you’re seeing something you’re not supposed to see, or something outside of the plan of television, which gives them a special feeling because television was always so planned.
too bad I'm too young to have seen one of these live
then again i would get scared af
wen i was younger I got scared by movie logos :/
they were a tool to adjust your TV. The ones with tones were not exactly entertainment but the ones were music or radio was played was cool
Lloyd Duff oh i know, but I still would love to have seen one of these
they are fascinating now but after 2 mins they either get boring or the test tone drives you nuts or takes your hearing or both
Lloyd Duff true
If you want to enjoy a test pattern pick one with music. Pref. something with popular music at the time
2:50
"What's happening, on Channel 61."
*beeeeeeeep*
1:19 even this was my worst nightmare
Great collection!
4:20 - I remember WXTV having its logo on screen for the TP as well. And some good music pieces. Would love to see that again.
That would have been early on in its existence (if you're talking about the old-style, 8-color wedge TP). Someone took a picture off a TV screen, and there is a repro somewhere around Flickr.
Is there a name for that song at 0:13-0:26? I kinda like that music. It's got a neat noir vibe to it.
Cyan Glaciertooth ever find out? I really like that song too!
Cyan Glaciertooth ever find out? I really like that song too!
I found the song on you tube its from the movie The falcon and the snowman 1985 and is called Dalton Lee made by Pat Metheny You were kinda right as it is a thriller so the same idea
Thanks! I didn't think it was part of a movie soundtrack. Well, I'm satisfied! :D
your welcome. I was very excited hearing this in full for the 1st time. An Amazing ground breaking song for 1985. I figured Fox would had grabbed something that was popular at the time and also help from a FB group into classic TV HELPED me nail it
Stevations are you sure you want to tv old new color bars now?
3:31 Was WVIA about to sign on?
What's the WRLH song? Is it just stock music?
No its from a 1985 film called The Falcon and The Snowman. The song is called Dalton Lee by Paul Metheny. The song in Spanish on SIN is called Duelo a Caballo. A mexican friend ID'ED IT FOR ME
Test Pattren TV (July 1, 2011)
0:58 as a kid I remember watching this on tv on afternoons. I lived in India but I was getting foreign cable channels because of my tv provider. They would be in crap quality, so this would scare the shit out of me, I used to have nightmares. I finally found the mystery of my nightmare word wabc
🔥
did you ever catch anything on WCMH?
i've been hearing something creepy on my 1984 general electric tv on channel 19...i can't find any information about it.
What does it sound like and what is your location?
It is probably public service communications like fire or police radio
The Test Pattern from 3:01 is WLVI, I can see the Number 56 and WLVI. 3:22 is WHAG.
What's the other music from WXTV 4:10. And could anyone reply it to me.
I dont know the name but I SWEAR I heard this on a 70's-80's film soundtrack as background music
The song is Primavera De Hoy by Kim All Stars Instrumental.
Where did you get these clips?
+kargaroc386 Recorded them years ago on vcr machines using big TV antennas waiting for the right conditions to bring in stations hundreds of miles away
If you are out of range of the stations but still tune in, do you get these patterns? Or did you find them when they were off-air for the night?
1:19 what is your name that song
Duelo a Caballo It's a Mexican song about two brothers who shoot each other because they fell for the same women
0:17 why is it named channel 35 when I remember receiving this in channel 200s?
It was an independent at the time. One year later, it became part of Fox, which back then was more of a syndication service than a TV network.
@@walterreyesproductions 📹📹
3:21 This sounds like a ghost 👻
Could Anyone play that jazz music from CPTV in 1985. 3:56. And anyone reply it to me.
Earl Klugh - Only One For Me
Question when i see colorbars what does that mean someone told me that mean the tranmiter is still on but there nothing running on it
its a recorded signal with 2 cameras aimed at the screen making 2 pictures in one making the colour bars as one picture with the tone playing thru a machine. The colour bars make up your picture with the lower right greys called "HUE" and the tone for sound and balance. It's used as a screen to adjust your picture and sound while in the morning the TV station is setting up programs for the day under the bars.
Interesting
I said reply to me, stevations, Because i can't hear the jazz music i don't know about what it's called.
1:18 song?
It called Duelo caballo by VICENTE FENANDEZ
Could anyone play the jazz please 3:56. Anyone play this jazz music, come on everybody.
It’s The Only One For Me by Earl Klugh.
I dont like the silent ones... it makes me feel mad uncomfortable lol
Is there always poor quality footage in these videos?
+Jack Smith MB OWN SFTB TJTF EDCP VGCP (ジャック・スミス) Yes. These are recordings of stations hundreds of miles away. They were recorded on vcr machines years ago using big tv antennas. The proper conditions would bring in stations far away. Most people with local clear reception of these stations probably considered these test patterns as boring or a nuisance and never recorded them. That is why they are usually fuzzy.
Thank you for letting me know.
+stevations - A shame so many had that attitude. I myself, grew up on test patterns, especially the round types, and have been fascinated by the various differences and nuances. That WRC test pattern would have been first put into service in 1978, for example; the one for WOLF would have dated to when that station first went on the air in 1985; and that of WLVI in Cambridge/Boston, MA was first seen around 1975/76. All patterns of that type came from a company in Clifton, NJ called Tele-Measurements (which is still in existence, selling various products and services to the broadcast industry), and the '70's version was designated 'TM-501'. They also served other parts of the country and even abroad (i.e. El Salvador), though it's a shame that, because of that mentality of "test patterns are SO boring," we can't tell which stations west of the Mississippi (with K calls) used these designs. However, I was able to gauge, from various sources including vintage trade magazine ads, that the '70's TP variant (as from WLVI and also WRC albeit in upside-down form) was also used by two San Francisco stations, KGO (Channel 7) and what was then KQEC (Channel 32).
+stevations Can you please upload the Spanish International Network sign off from 1984?
+PittsburghPenguinsFTW NashvillePredatorsFTL Could be that this is at the end of the tape which can get stressed. Also, playing VHS tapes on the machine it wasn't recorded on effects quality.
COOL VIDEO ! MONDAY 7/15/24 JULY 15, 2024
WSJT 65 Independent
WNEP 16 ABC
WRC 4 NBC
WSNL 67
1:18 song
its called Duelo caballo and a popular song in Mexico about 2 brothers having a gun face off for the one women they both loved
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP
What's that jazz music! And reply it to me please, you stevations. 3:56.
If you have a smart phone.....I think there is a app called Shazam that helps identify songs. I don't have a smart phone.
See, that’s why I hate analog? BAD QUALITY, POOR STATIC AND AT WORST, TOO MUCH STATIC!
I have fleas and cooties