TV Home Forum

Did the BBC 2 Test Card ever have the 1986 "TWO" ident?

(July 2020)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
GE
thegeek Founding member
I have heard that some test patterns do have moving images now and there is a version of the PM5544/5644 that has a moving feature. I know the BBC test card has a moving part now across the bottom, I'm not sure of the technical name.

Testcards J and W have a moving element - the little square at the top of the right hand grey scale column blinks on and off.

You meant left hand column, didn't you?
There are PLUGE dots in the top and bottom part of the greyscale column, which should flash on and off
Archive.org has saved the comprehensive guide!
IS
Inspector Sands
Yes I meant left hand column. I had my phone, er, upside, er.... down Laughing
GE
thegeek Founding member
Or you were looking at it from the clown's point of view?
IS
Inspector Sands
I knew that the generator that produced the alternating flashing block wasn't replaced when TV Centre closed and therefore it doesn't do it any more... but I hadn't realised that they had one in Scar that didn't either. Makes it a bit pointless if what you're seeing could be the static one!
MA
Matt7924
I have heard that some test patterns do have moving images now and there is a version of the PM5544/5644 that has a moving feature. I know the BBC test card has a moving part now across the bottom, I'm not sure of the technical name.

Testcards J and W have a moving element - the little square at the top of the right hand grey scale column blinks on and off.


I was thinking more of the features like the moving white line on some versions of the PM5544/5644
SP
Steve in Pudsey
I knew that the generator that produced the alternating flashing block wasn't replaced when TV Centre closed and therefore it doesn't do it any more... but I hadn't realised that they had one in Scar that didn't either. Makes it a bit pointless if what you're seeing could be the static one!


I believe a certain Mr Currie of this parish has admitted to transmitting either J or W from a still store before now, as a filler when the Ceefax generator wouldn't play ball.
GE
thegeek Founding member
I occasionally see W on circuits originating in Salford (though probably won't again until the Premier League season starts again), but will have to have a closer look to see if theirs flashes.
CO
commseng
I must have spent hours with BBC TWO showing the test card on a monitor in front of me during the exact time that the white lettering logo was in use, and for the life of me I cannot remember what the lettering said on the test card.
It wasn't the one that said BBC 2 Colour that much I recall.
It really didn't seem as important back then!
CO
commseng
I think I have found a VHS on youtube which shows what was used in 1990.
There is OU continuity with the TWO logo and then the test card with the double stripped BBC 2 text.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCQFrhEvXaM
That must be the correct answer.
Do I win a clown doll?
MM
MMcG198
I must have spent hours with BBC TWO showing the test card on a monitor in front of me during the exact time that the white lettering logo was in use, and for the life of me I cannot remember what the lettering said on the test card.
It wasn't the one that said BBC 2 Colour that much I recall.
It really didn't seem as important back then!


Any idea why, any time the test card was shown just after close (in the 90s), the source was never synched with NC1/2 or OU Con (hence the picture jump in your YT example from 1990)? But when shown in the morning, prior to Ceefax, they could mix/cut away from it cleanly.
JA
james-2001

Do I win a clown doll?


You win the one from Poltergeist.

*
commseng and thegeek gave kudos
IS
Inspector Sands
Cross posted from the Twitter thread, here's Bubbles the clown with that other nightmare inducing object, the Picture Box


Newer posts