![PM5544_with_non-PAL_signals](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/PM5544_with_non-PAL_signals.png)
The Philips PM5544 is a
television
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
pattern generator
A pattern is a regularity in the world, in human-made design, or in abstract ideas. As such, the elements of a pattern repeat in a predictable manner. A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes and typically repeated l ...
,
most commonly used to provide a television station with a complex
test card
A test card, also known as a test pattern or start-up/closedown test, is a television test signal, typically broadcast at times when the transmitter is active but no program is being broadcast (often at sign-on and sign-off).
Used since the ear ...
commonly referred to as a Philips Pattern or PTV Circle pattern. The content and layout of the pattern was designed by
Danish
Danish may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark
People
* A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark
* Culture of Denmark
* Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...
engineer
Finn Hendil (
da; 1939–2011) in the
Philips
Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters i ...
TV & Test Equipment laboratory in
Brøndby Municipality
Brøndby Kommune (), a municipality ( da, kommune) in the former Copenhagen County (now Region Hovedstaden), is on the east coast of the island of Zealand (''Sjælland'') in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of , and has a total p ...
near
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
under supervision of
chief engineer
A chief engineer, commonly referred to as "ChEng" or "Chief", is the most senior engine officer of an engine department on a ship, typically a merchant ship, and holds overall leadership and the responsibility of that department..Chief engineer's ...
Erik Helmer Nielsen in 1966–67. The equipment, the PM5544 Test Pattern Generator,
which generates the pattern, was made by engineer Finn Hendil and his group in 1968–69. The same team would also develop the Spanish
TVE colour test card in 1973.
Since the widespread introduction of the PM5544 from the early-1970s, the Philips Pattern has become one of the most commonly used test cards, with only the
SMPTE
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) (, rarely ), founded in 1916 as the Society of Motion Picture Engineers or SMPE, is a global professional association of engineers, technologists, and executives working in the m ...
and
EBU colour bars
The EBU colour bars is a television test card used to check if a video signal has been altered by recording or transmission, and what adjustments must be made to bring it back to specification. It is also used for setting a television monitor ...
as well as the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
's
Test Card F
Test Card F is a test card that was created by the BBC and used on television in the United Kingdom and in countries elsewhere in the world for more than four decades. Like other test cards, it was usually shown while no programmes were being ...
coming close to its usage.
The Philips PM5544 pattern was later incorporated into other test pattern generators from Philips itself, as well as test pattern generators from various other manufacturers. Various configurations and modifications exist. Other related test card generators and patterns by Philips are the PM5400 family (with support for
widescreen
Widescreen images are displayed within a set of aspect ratios (relationship of image width to height) used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than t ...
and
PALplus
PALplus (or ''PAL+'') is an analogue television broadcasting system aimed to improve and enhance the PAL format by allowing 16:9 (or 1.77:1) aspect ratio broadcasts, while remaining compatible with existing television receivers, defined by ITU re ...
), PM5515/16/18,
PM5519, PM5520 (monochrome),
PM5522 (PAL),
PM5534,
PM5538 (see section below),
PM5540 (
monochrome
A monochrome or monochromatic image, object or palette is composed of one color (or values of one color). Images using only shades of grey are called grayscale (typically digital) or black-and-white (typically analog). In physics, monochrom ...
), PM5543, PM5547,
PM5552, PM5631, PM5643,
PM5644
The Philips PM5544 is a television Video signal generator, pattern generator, most commonly used to provide a television station with a complex test card commonly referred to as a Philips Pattern or PTV Circle pattern. The content and layout of th ...
and PM5572/73/74.
Operation
![PM5644 Variants](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/PM5644_Variants.jpg)
Rather than previous
test card
A test card, also known as a test pattern or start-up/closedown test, is a television test signal, typically broadcast at times when the transmitter is active but no program is being broadcast (often at sign-on and sign-off).
Used since the ear ...
approaches that worked by a live camera or
monoscope
A monoscope was a special form of video camera tube which displayed a single still video image. The image was built into the tube, hence the name. The tube resembled a small cathode ray tube (CRT). Monoscopes were used beginning in the 1950s ...
filming a printed card, the Philips PM5544 generates the test patterns fully using electronic circuits, with separate paths for
Y,
R-Y R-Y indicates a color difference signal between Red (R) and a Luminance component, as part of a Luminance (Y) and Chrominance (C) color model.
It has different meanings depending on the exact model used:
*V in YUV, a generic model used for analog ...
and
B-Y B-Y indicates a color difference signal between Blue (B) and a Luminance component, as part of a Luminance (Y) and Chrominance (C) color model.
It has different meanings depending on the exact model used:
*U in YUV, a generic model used for analo ...
colour components
(
), allowing engineers to reliably test and adjust transmitters and receivers for signal disturbances and colour separation, for instance for
PAL
Phase Alternating Line (PAL) is a colour encoding system for analogue television. It was one of three major analogue colour television standards, the others being NTSC and SECAM. In most countries it was broadcast at 625 lines, 50 fields (25 ...
broadcasts.
In simple terms, the displayed pattern provides reference levels of black, white and colour saturation, to which a receiver can be set. Displayed image geometry (image centering, correct proportions of the circle, etc.) can also be corrected. More technical adjustments are also possible.
Main technical features of the test card:
*Circle with b/w and colour information
**Square wave - Repeating black and white (75%
amplitude
The amplitude of a periodic variable is a measure of its change in a single period (such as time or spatial period). The amplitude of a non-periodic signal is its magnitude compared with a reference value. There are various definitions of amplit ...
) blocks (same amplitude as the color bar);
**Colour bar - Yellow, cyan, green, magenta, red and blue with 100% saturation and 75% amplitude (
EBU colour bars
The EBU colour bars is a television test card used to check if a video signal has been altered by recording or transmission, and what adjustments must be made to bring it back to specification. It is also used for setting a television monitor ...
);
**Crossed lines - at the center of the circle, they allow to check for proper
interlace;
**Definition lines - sine wave gratings with
TV line
''TVLine'' is a website devoted to information, news, and spoilers of television programs.
History
In late 2010, ''Entertainment Weekly''s Michael Ausiello announced that he would be leaving ''EW'' after nearly two years in their employ to est ...
frequencies corresponding to 0.8, 1.8, 2.8, 3.8 and 4.8
MHz
The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that one he ...
;
**Stair case -
grayscale
In digital photography, computer-generated imagery, and colorimetry, a grayscale image is one in which the value of each pixel is a single sample representing only an ''amount'' of light; that is, it carries only intensity information. Graysca ...
with 6 levels (can display up to 10);
**White black step with needle pulse;
**Colour step - Red on yellow background colours, 75% amplitude;
*To the left of the Circle:
**Vertical bar -
line alternating positive and negative
R-Y R-Y indicates a color difference signal between Red (R) and a Luminance component, as part of a Luminance (Y) and Chrominance (C) color model.
It has different meanings depending on the exact model used:
*V in YUV, a generic model used for analog ...
signal;
**Vertical bars - positive and negative R-Y signal;
**Two rectangles - G-Y signal;
*To the right of the Circle:
**Vertical bar - line alternating positive and negative
B-Y B-Y indicates a color difference signal between Blue (B) and a Luminance component, as part of a Luminance (Y) and Chrominance (C) color model.
It has different meanings depending on the exact model used:
*U in YUV, a generic model used for analo ...
signal;
**Vertical bars - positive and negative B-Y signal;
**Two rectangles - G-Y signal;
*Background:
**Grid - made from 14 horizontal x 19 vertical lines;
**Background Level - adjustable between 0 to 80% amplitude;
**B/W border castellations;
Variations
While the basic specifications of PM5544 normally remain consistent, there are often small variations to the Philips Pattern depending on the brand and type of generator used to produce it, as well as how the broadcaster has chosen to configure it. Some television stations have included a digital clock and/or date, as well as the
station logo or ID, inside the "circle" of the PM5544 test card. This practice was common in
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
and some parts of
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, as well as in South Africa.
SECAM
The Philips PM5544 pattern is geared towards the
PAL
Phase Alternating Line (PAL) is a colour encoding system for analogue television. It was one of three major analogue colour television standards, the others being NTSC and SECAM. In most countries it was broadcast at 625 lines, 50 fields (25 ...
colour-coding system, but
SECAM
SECAM, also written SÉCAM (, ''Séquentiel de couleur à mémoire'', French for ''color sequential with memory''), is an analog color television system that was used in France, some parts of Europe and Africa, and Russia. It was one of th ...
versions exist (for example, it was used by
TVP in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
and
TDF in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, without side bars, as well as
ERT in
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
and
VTV in
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
, with side bars). The most obvious difference is the absence of PAL specific test features (to two normally invisible outmost vertical bars). Less noticeable is the change to the multiburst gratings, due to the differing TV system.
NTSC
Likewise, there are 512-lines NTSC versions of the pattern. One of the NTSC variants, used in
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
,
Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
and
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
(by
NHK
, also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee.
NHK operates two terrestri ...
, with the multiburst gratings slightly modified for
NTSC-J
NTSC-J is the informal designation for the analogue television standard used in Japan. The system is based on the US NTSC (NTSC-M) standard with minor differences. While NTSC-M is an official CCIR and FCCNational Television System Committee (1 ...
), has the checkerboard pattern near the top of the circle at 300 kHz and the multiburst gratings at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 MHz. (
WNYW
WNYW (channel 5) is a television station in New York City, serving as the flagship of the Fox network. It is owned and operated by the network's Fox Television Stations division alongside Secaucus, New Jersey–licensed MyNetworkTV flagship W ...
's configuration simply removed the side colour bars.) A second variation, used by
CBC Montreal in
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, had different gratings and added extra colour bars.
PM5534
In the late-1970s Philips introduced the PM5534 which replaced the original PM5544. It was fundamentally a very similar design using a mixture of analogue and digital circuitry to generate the pattern however no longer required an external sync generator and colour encoder (typically a PM5532 or PM5530 and PM5545 or PM5554/PM5555). reducing the rack footprint from
6RU/12RU to
3RU.
PM5644
Some time during the late-1980s Philips introduced a new design of colour pattern generator bearing the model number PM5644. The PM5644 improves further upon the PM5534 reducing the overall size to just
1RU.
It also differs from the PM5544/PM5534 in that its pattern generating circuitry is entirely digital, stored in
EPROM
An EPROM (rarely EROM), or erasable programmable read-only memory, is a type of programmable read-only memory (PROM) chip that retains its data when its power supply is switched off. Computer memory that can retrieve stored data after a power s ...
chips allowing easy reprogramming and modification of patterns. This has an additional advantage that higher resolution text or graphics can appear in areas of the pattern designated for customisation by the Broadcaster whereas a standard PM5544 was typically restricted to 7 (top box) and 11 (bottom box) characters of text programmed by an array of physical links on a card inside the unit, limiting what the broadcaster could display in these areas without specially designed assemblies.
Many variations of the PM5644 are known to exist, each with different purposes and capabilities:
4:3 models
The earliest design shares a chassis and some modules with the PM5631 colour generator and has 576 KB of pattern ROM. It uses around 700 visible digital samples per line and is effectively hard wired for 4:3 patterns typical of the earlier PM55xx series as it assumes that the edges of the pattern are composed of repeating sequences. The pattern produced by these units is nearly identical to the PM5544 however the reflection check in the bottom box is omitted. These units are able to display a minor variation of the pattern with cuts-outs for a clock, or a clock with date. The generation of the clock and date must be performed by either a PM8546 or an external
teletext
A British Ceefax football index page from October 2009, showing the three-digit page numbers for a variety of football news stories
Teletext, or broadcast teletext, is a standard for displaying text and rudimentary graphics on suitably equipp ...
generator supplied by the Broadcaster. Variations exist for every video standard. This model is able to replace every type of PM55xx pattern generator.
Another variation exists using 4.5 MB of pattern ROM which utilises around 1040 visible digital samples per line and can generate an arbitrary rasterised pattern with no restrictions. The only known example is a PAL model which is programmed with the “
Indian head Indian Head can refer to:
Coins
* Indian Head cent, U.S. one cent coin (1859–1909)
*Indian Head eagle, U.S. $10 gold piece issued between 1907 and 1933
*Indian Head gold pieces, U.S. coins issued between 1908 and 1929
*Indian Head nickel, U.S. f ...
” pattern however it can be programmed with a 16:9 colour circle pattern and was likely used for other customer specific patterns.
FuBK models
Two variations bearing the model numbers PM5644G/50 (PAL B/G) and PM5644G/70 (YCbCr) were available programmed with the
FuBK pattern.
16:9 models
The earliest known 16:9 models are PM5644G/90 and PM5644G/924 which use the same hardware as the 4:3 models, however, both are programmed with the well-known 16:9 circle pattern alongside several other simple patterns. They generate an
anamorphic
Anamorphic format is the cinematography technique of shooting a widescreen picture on standard 35 mm film or other visual recording media with a non-widescreen native aspect ratio. It also refers to the projection format in which a distorted ...
signal thus both do not support
PALplus
PALplus (or ''PAL+'') is an analogue television broadcasting system aimed to improve and enhance the PAL format by allowing 16:9 (or 1.77:1) aspect ratio broadcasts, while remaining compatible with existing television receivers, defined by ITU re ...
.
The last known design has controls and a display on the front panel and is labelled PM5644 PALplus test pattern generator and bears the model number PM5644/85. No other variations of this hardware are presently known. This design also generates the well known 16:9 colour circle pattern but unlike the previously mentioned G/90 and G/924 models, it is capable of encoding a
PALplus
PALplus (or ''PAL+'') is an analogue television broadcasting system aimed to improve and enhance the PAL format by allowing 16:9 (or 1.77:1) aspect ratio broadcasts, while remaining compatible with existing television receivers, defined by ITU re ...
signal. It also is capable of generating the 4:3 pattern of the original PM5544.
16:9 test card
There are two known variations of the 16:9 circle pattern which differ slightly in the details of the TVL circles. It is presently observed that the variation using smaller centre circles is produced by the earlier non-PALplus design. Other 16:9 patterns are known which resemble those generated by the PM5644, such as versions with square boxes inside the TVL circles, without TVL circles (such as the one used by
2RN in Ireland), and/or with moving elements, however these cannot presently be attributed to any known Philips hardware.
The 16:9 test card retains the signals present in the original, and features additional signals to test signal and picture quality, including
Television lines
Television lines (TVL) is a specification of an analog camera or monitor's horizontal image resolution. The TVL is one of the most important resolution measures in a video system. The TVL can be measured with the standard EIA 1956 resolution cha ...
resolution, corner circles and correct
overscan
Overscan is a behaviour in certain television sets, in which part of the input picture is shown outside of the visible bounds of the screen. It exists because cathode-ray tube (CRT) television sets from the 1930s through to the early 2000s were h ...
and image centering. The Philips/Fluke PM5420 is able to generate a visually similar pattern.
It was used by broadcasters such as
RAI
RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many ter ...
(
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
),
BRT
BRT may refer to:
Transportation
* Block register territory, a method for dispatching trains
* British Rail Telecommunications
* Brookhaven Rail Terminal
* Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, a former transit holding company in New York City
* Bro ...
(
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
),
RTL-TVI
RTL-TVI is a private French-language Luxembourg based television station in Belgium owned by DPG Media and Groupe Rossel, it was originally owned by the RTL Group until 31 March 2022. Within the French-speaking area of Belgium, it is the most ...
(Belgium/
Luxembourg
Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
),
Ned3 (
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
),
TVE (
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
),
KNR TV (
Greenland
Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is t ...
).
and
TVB J2
TVB J2 () is a Digital TV Channel specially established by Television Broadcasts Limited, a commercial television station which first began broadcasting in 1967, for their new and free digital TV network in Hong Kong. It was officially launch ...
(Hong Kong).
Squared version
A variation of the PM5544/34 pattern has been recorded where the circle generator is bypassed or faulty. This reveals the full contents of the central pattern elements, which are normally cropped. Anecdotally this pattern is referred to as PM5538, which was used in some parts of the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
like
Dubai 33 Dubai Channel 33 (originally branded as Ch33) was a national television channel transmitting terrestrially out of Dubai in English, targeting the expat community in the U.A.E. It was founded in 1977. Up until the late 1980s, it was a 12-hour channe ...
in the
UAE
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
and
Jordan Radio and Television Corporation
Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTV) is the state broadcaster of Jordan. It was formed in 1985 after the merger between Jordan Radio and Jordan Television.
Jordan's first radio broadcasts were received from other countries in the Mid ...
(JRTV) in
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
.
PM5549 and GB2097 inspection chart
Starting from the late-1990s,
China Central Television
China Central Television (CCTV) is a Chinese state- and political party-owned broadcaster controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Its 50 different channels broadcast a variety of programing to more than one billion viewers in six lan ...
and some provincial Mainland Chinese broadcasters began using a heavily modified version of the PM5544 called the GB2097 inspection chart.
At around the same time, another modification, called PM5549, began to be used at the
headends of some Mainland Chinese cable television providers.
Variation gallery
PM5544 NTSC variation.png, Recreation of NTSC variant as used in Philippines, Taiwan and Haiti - Notice the dark green castellation square (left border, second from the top), absence of PAL specific signals, and different resolution gratings.
Phillips PM5544.gif, Recreation of NTSC variant as used by CBC Montreal in Canada.
PM5544 (SECAM TDF variation).png, Recreation of SECAM variant as used by TDF (France), with different resolution gratings and no side colour bars. TVP Poland's configuration was similar to this but with a black background grid, ERT Greece's and VTV Vietnam's configurations included side colour bars.
Philips_Pattern_pm5644.png, Recreation of Philips PM5644 widescreen television test pattern closely resembling that of the PM5644/85 (PALplus)
PM5644G924 Composite.png, Digital reproduction of the pattern produced by a PM5644G/924 (PAL anamorphic). TVL circles and diagonal lines differ from design used in PALplus model. A sixth set of sinusoidal definition lines at 5.8 MHz is included.
Philips Pattern PM5644 description.png, Components of the PM5644 widescreen pattern.
PM5538.png, Recreation of Philips PM5538 (PM5544 squared variant).
Telefriuli monoscopio.jpg, Off-air screen capture of Telefriuli variant.
GB2097 test card (China).png, Recreation of Mainland China variant "GB2097 inspection chart".
Pattern extracted from a physical PM5644.png, 4:3 monochrome pattern resembling the RCA Indian-head extracted from a Philips PM5644 of likely European (PAL) origin.
PM5644 Composite.png, Digital reproduction of the pattern produced by a PM5644G/00 (PAL).
PM5644M Composite.png, Digital reproduction of the pattern produced by a PM5644M/00 (NTSC).
PM5644P Composite.png, Digital reproduction of the pattern produced by a PM5644P/00 (PAL-M).
Multiplexed Analogue Components transmission (real signal).png, PM5544 pattern featured in a simulated MAC transmission; from left to right: digital data, chrominance and luminance. Both fields (odd and even lines) are shown.
Worldwide usage
PAL broadcasts
Many broadcasters that adopted the 625-line
PAL
Phase Alternating Line (PAL) is a colour encoding system for analogue television. It was one of three major analogue colour television standards, the others being NTSC and SECAM. In most countries it was broadcast at 625 lines, 50 fields (25 ...
system used some form of the Philips PM5544 pattern.
Africa
In
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
, the
South African Broadcasting Corporation
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is the public broadcaster in South Africa, and provides 19 radio stations ( AM/ FM) as well as six television broadcasts to the general public. It is one of the largest of South Africa's state ...
(SABC) made use of the PM5544 pattern since it started testing its first television system in 1975, but independent broadcasters
M-Net
M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
, which launched in 1986, and
e.tv
e.tv (commonly referred to on-air as e) is the first and only privately owned free-to-air television station in South Africa. It is the fifth terrestrial television channel in the country, following three channels that are operated by the sta ...
, which launched in 1998, opted to use
Telefunken FuBK
The Telefunken FuBK (from the German ''Funkbetriebskommission'' for "''Television Service Commission"'') is an electronic analogue television test card developed by AEG-Telefunken and Bosch Fernseh in West Germany as the successor to the monochr ...
instead.
In
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...
, the PM5544 was used by
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation
The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) is the state-owned broadcaster in Zimbabwe. It was established as the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation (RBC), taking its current name in 1980. Like the RBC before it, the ZBC has been accused of bein ...
(ZBC) from the start of its regular colour broadcasts in the early-1980s, replacing the
Indian-head test pattern
The Indian-head test pattern is a test card created by RCA of Harrison, New Jersey, which became the standard image of the RCA TK-1 monoscope. It features a drawing of a Native American wearing a headdress and numerous graphic elements designe ...
.
In
Niger
)
, official_languages =
, languages_type = National languages[Télé Sahel
Télé Sahel is the national broadcaster of the West African state of Niger. Owned and operated by the government Office of Radio and Television of Niger, which also operates Radio Voix du Sahel and the TAL TV satellite station, Télé Sahel pr ...](_blank)
.
In
Western Sahara
Western Sahara ( '; ; ) is a disputed territory on the northwest coast and in the Maghreb region of North and West Africa. About 20% of the territory is controlled by the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), while the r ...
, a modified version of the PM5544 was used by
RASD TV
RASD TV is the Sahrawi state-owned satellite and terrestrial public-service television broadcaster. Its offices are located in the Sahrawi refugee camps of Tindouf Province, Algeria.
History
The channel was established in February 2004, bu ...
.
The PM5544 was also used in
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
and
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
.
Asia
The PM5544 test card was first introduced by Radio Television Singapore (RTS; now
Mediacorp
Mediacorp Pte. Ltd., doing business as Mediacorp and stylised as mediacorp, is a media conglomerate in Singapore. Owned by Temasek Holdings—the holding company of the Government of Singapore—it owns television, radio, and digital media prope ...
) (in conjunction with a modified version of Test Card F) upon the start of regular colour broadcasts in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
in 1974.
The PM5544 was later introduced in
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
by its public broadcaster
Radio Televisyen Malaysia
Radio Televisyen Malaysia ( en, Radio Television of Malaysia, abbreviated as RTM, stylised as rtm), also known as the Department of Broadcasting, Malaysia ( ms, Jabatan Penyiaran Malaysia) is the national public broadcaster of Malaysia. Establi ...
(RTM) during its introduction of regular colour broadcasts in 1978–1980, replacing the monochrome
Pye Test Card G, and was also used by said country's first commercial station
TV3 Channel 3 or TV 3 may refer to:
Television
*Canal 3 (Burkina Faso), a commercial television channel in Burkina Faso
*Canal 3 (Guatemala), a commercial television channel in Guatemala
*Channel 3 (Algeria), a public Algerian TV channel owned by EPTV ...
from the launch of its television service in 1984 until it switched to a 24/7 schedule in 2014.
The PM5544 was also used by the Indonesian national TV broadcaster
TVRI
TVRI (, Television of the Republic of Indonesia), legally ( Public Broadcasting Institution Television of the Republic of Indonesia) is a public television network and the oldest television network in Indonesia. Its national headquarters is i ...
, replacing its previous Telefunken FuBK test card, from the mid-1980s until it switched to a 24/7 schedule in 2021.
In the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, the PM5544 was used by its national broadcaster
CCTV
Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly t ...
as well as some provincial/regional broadcasters such as
Shenzhen Media Group
Shenzhen Media Group () is a media company based in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China. It owns twelve TV channels and four radio stations which broadcast Chinese music, report news and Chinese talk shows.
Channels and stations
Television cha ...
and
Television Southern {{Infobox Company
, name = Television Southern (TVS){{nobold, 广东南方电视台 (南方台)
, company_logo = TVS Logo.png
, type = Satellite television
, foundation = {{start date and age, 2001, 7, 1, df=y
, de ...
in
Guangdong Province
Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
,
Xizang STV
The Tibet Autonomous Region or Xizang Autonomous Region, often shortened to Tibet or Xizang, is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China in Southwest China. It was overlayed on the traditional Tibetan regions of Ü ...
in
Tibet Autonomous Region
The Tibet Autonomous Region or Xizang Autonomous Region, often shortened to Tibet or Xizang, is a Provinces of China, province-level Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People's Republic of China in Southwest China. I ...
,
Yuyao TV in
Zhejiang Province
Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Jiangs ...
and
Ningxia Television
Ningxia Television or NXTV is a television station located in Ningxia, China. It began broadcasting on October 1, 1970.
Channels
* Ningxia Television 1 (Economic Channel)
* Ningxia Satellite Channel
* Ningxia Television 3 (Public Channel)
* Ningx ...
in
Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
Ningxia (,; , ; alternately romanized as Ninghsia), officially the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (NHAR), is an autonomous region in the northwest of the People's Republic of China. Formerly a province, Ningxia was incorporated into Gansu in 1 ...
. CCTV also later used a heavily modified version of the PM5544 called the GB2097 inspection chart.
Nowadays, many modern Mainland Chinese test card designs, like in Hong Kong, incorporate elements of the PM5544, PM5644 and
Snell & Wilcox test card designs. In
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
, the PM5544 was used by
RTV/
ATV and
TVB
Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) is a television broadcasting company based in Hong Kong SAR. The Company operates five free-to-air terrestrial television channels in Hong Kong, with TVB Jade as its main Cantonese language service, and TVB ...
from the 1970s (replacing the RMA 1946 Resolution Chart and
EIA 1956 resolution chart
The EIA 1956 Resolution Chart (until 1975 called RETMA Resolution Chart 1956) is a test card originally designed in 1956 to be used with black and white analogue TV systems, based on the previous (and very similar) RMA 1946 Resolution Chart. It ...
) until approximately 2007–2009. TVB then switched to its own test card designs incorporating elements of the PM5544, PM5644 and Snell & Wilcox SW2 designs, although its sister channel
TVB J2
TVB J2 () is a Digital TV Channel specially established by Television Broadcasts Limited, a commercial television station which first began broadcasting in 1967, for their new and free digital TV network in Hong Kong. It was officially launch ...
has also used the widescreen PM5644.
In
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, the PM5544 was used by
Israel Broadcasting Authority
The Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA; ) was Israel's public broadcaster from 1948 to 2017.
History
The Israel Broadcasting Authority was an outgrowth of the radio station ''Kol Yisrael'', which made its first broadcast as an independent st ...
(IBA) and
Israeli Educational Television
The Israeli Educational Television (also known as IETV, he, הטלוויזיה החינוכית הישראלית, ''HaŦelevizia HaKhinuchít HaIsraelit'' or just ''חינוכית'' - ''Hinuchit'') was a state-owned public terrestrial televisio ...
(IETV) from their launch of colour broadcasts in the early-1980s, replacing its previous monochrome
Philips PM5540
The Philips PM5540 was an early electronically-generated, monochrome test card that is considered to be a black-and-white predecessor of the widely used Philips PM5544 test pattern. The content and layout of the pattern, as well as the generator, ...
test card after a nearly decade-long delay in introducing colour television to said country for various sociopolitical reasons.
In
Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
, the PM5544 was used by
Qatar TV
Qatar Television, ( ar, تلفزيون قَطَر); abbreviated as Qatar TV or QTV), is a Qatar Government owned public service national television channel in Qatar which is owned and run by Qatar General Broadcasting and Television Corporation
...
.
Saudi Broadcasting Authority
The Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA), formerly Saudi Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) and the Broadcasting Services of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (BSKSA), is a governmental entity of Saudi Arabia, organized under the Ministry of Media (Saudi Ara ...
(SBA) in Saudi Arabia used a heavily modified version of the Philips PM5544 pattern from 1982 until 2009, with the side "brackets" removed and 1/4 of the top half of the PM5544 "circle" replaced with a white and black background and colour bars.
Oceania
The PM5544 was also in widespread use in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
for many years, most notably with the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...
(ABC) from its launch of colour broadcasts in 1974–75 and
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is an Australian hybrid-funded public service broadcaster. About 80 percent of funding for the company is derived from the Australian Government. SBS operates six TV channels ( SBS, SBS Viceland, SBS World ...
(SBS) from its launch of television services in 1980. Some commercial stations also used it.
In
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, it was used by
TVNZ
, type = Crown entity
, industry = Broadcast television
, num_locations = New Zealand
, location = Auckland, New Zealand
, area_served = Nationally (New Zealand) and some Pacific Island nations such as the Cook Islands, Fiji, and the So ...
from its launch of colour broadcasting in 1973.
Europe
In
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
, where the PM5544 was invented, it was used by its national broadcaster
Danmarks Radio (DR) from its launch of regular colour broadcasts in 1970, immediately replacing Test Card F and Philips PM5552, and later on the monochrome Pye Test Card G and
Philips PM5540
The Philips PM5540 was an early electronically-generated, monochrome test card that is considered to be a black-and-white predecessor of the widely used Philips PM5544 test pattern. The content and layout of the pattern, as well as the generator, ...
; as well as its first nationwide commercial channel
TV 2 during its pre-launch tests and its downtime hours and subsequently also on most of the latter's regional and themed channels. DR, TV 2 and
TV 2 Film
TV 2 Film was a 24-hour two-star movie channel owned by TV 2.
It was launched on November 1, 2005, at 9 p.m. First to air was the Danish feature film ''The Green Butchers''.
The channel mostly shows American two-star movies. Each movie is shown ...
also later used the widescreen PM5644 for widescreen broadcasts from the 1990s. In
Greenland
Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is t ...
, the PM5544 are used by its public broadcaster
Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa
Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa (; officially rendered into English as the Greenlandic Broadcasting Corporation), also known by its abbreviation KNR, is Greenland's national public broadcasting organization.
Based in the country's capital city, Nuuk, ...
(KNR) since its launch of television services in 1982. A modified variant of the PM5644 is used by the
Faroese public broadcaster
Kringvarp Føroya
Kringvarp Føroya (KvF) (English: ''Broadcasting Service of the Faroe Islands'') is the national public broadcasting company of the Faroe Islands. It was founded on 1 January 2005 after a merger of the national radio and television networks, Útv ...
(KvF) alongside the EBU colour bars during off-air hours.
The
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
occasionally used a slightly modified version called
Test Card G
The following is a list of test cards used by the BBC at various points in broadcasting.
Tuning Signals
The first " Tuning Signals" test card was broadcast by the BBC in 1934. It was a simple line and circle broadcast using Baird's 30-line s ...
from 1971 until the late-1990s, in conjunction with Test Card F. The
Independent Broadcasting Authority
The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) was the regulatory body in the United Kingdom for commercial television (ITV and Channel 4 and limited satellite television regulation – cable television was the responsibility of the Cable Authorit ...
(IBA) initially used this card in the 1970s, also in conjunction with Test Card F and EBU colour bars, but eventually abandoned Test Card G and developed a unique test card called the
ETP-1
ETP-1 (or Electronic Test Pattern One) was a test card designed and used by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA). After test transmissions from the IBA's Engineering Regional Operations Centre (ROC) in Croydon from 1978 it was phased in ...
, which was brought into use on
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
from 1979 onwards. However,
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television (LWT) (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00 pm from 1968 unt ...
(LWT) and
ITV Channel Television
ITV Channel Television, previously Channel Television, is a British television station which has served as the ITV contractor for the Channel Islands since 1962. It is based in Jersey and broadcasts regional programme for insertion into the ...
, two constituent franchisee companies in the ITV network structure, continued to use Test Card G well into the 1980s and 1990s. Test Card G was also used on
BFBS/SSVC Television's low-powered terrestrial broadcasts serving
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces, also known as His Majesty's Armed Forces, are the military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, s ...
personnel in
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
and
West Berlin
West Berlin (german: Berlin (West) or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin during the years of the Cold War. Although West Berlin was de jure not part of West Germany, lacked any sovereignty, and was under mi ...
in the 1980s and 1990s. A modified version of Test Card G was also briefly used on
Sky One
Sky One was a British pay television channel operated and owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). Originally launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, it was Europe's first satellite and non-terrestrial channel. From 31 July 1989, ...
alongside the Simplified Telefunken FuBK pattern in the early-1990s.
The PM5544 was also used by
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidi (; ; also written Ragdi; born August, 1938) is a Tibetan politician of the People's Republic of China. He served as a vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress from 2003 to 2008, and the highest ranking Tibeta ...
(RTÉ) in the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...
(in conjunction with the
EBU colour bars
The EBU colour bars is a television test card used to check if a video signal has been altered by recording or transmission, and what adjustments must be made to bring it back to specification. It is also used for setting a television monitor ...
shown after the
Irish national anthem was played at
closedown
A sign-on (or start-up in Commonwealth countries except Canada) is the beginning of operations for a radio or television station, generally at the start of each day. It is the opposite of a sign-off (or closedown in Commonwealth countries exce ...
) from the start of its regular colour broadcasts in 1972 until they were replaced by
overnight in-vision teletext in mid-1996.
In the
DACH countries, the PM5544 test card was used by the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
commercial terrestrial channel
RTL and the German public-service channel
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
. The
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
n public broadcaster
ORF
ORF or Orf may refer to:
* Norfolk International Airport, IATA airport code ORF
* Observer Research Foundation, an Indian research institute
* One Race Films, a film production company founded by Vin Diesel
* Open reading frame, a portion of the ...
used a slightly modified version of the PM5544. Use of the PM5544 in the DACH was solely confined to these broadcasters, as most TV stations in these areas instead preferred to use the Telefunken FuBK test card when they adopted colour television.
In
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, its national broadcaster
RAI
RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many ter ...
introduced the PM5544 test card in 1977 at the same time as it launched its first regular colour broadcasts, replacing heavily modified versions of the Indian-head test pattern. Later on, RAI then used the PM5644 widescreen variation for PALplus broadcasts.
Telefriuli
Telefriuli ( Friulian language ''Telefriûl'') is an Italian regional television channel in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It broadcasts a variety of shows, including a talk show, Eis Café. The channel is also active in the promotion of Friulian lang ...
also used a heavily modified version of the PM5544 in the 1980s.
In
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, the PM5544 was introduced by the
various autonomous and private channels in the early-1980s notably by
TV3 Channel 3 or TV 3 may refer to:
Television
*Canal 3 (Burkina Faso), a commercial television channel in Burkina Faso
*Canal 3 (Guatemala), a commercial television channel in Guatemala
*Channel 3 (Algeria), a public Algerian TV channel owned by EPTV ...
,
El 33
El 33 () is Catalonia's second public television channel. It belongs to Televisió de Catalunya, a subsidiary of the CCMA.
History
The idea of a second channel in Catalonia began in 1988, with a controversy between Televisión Española, whic ...
,
Telemadrid
Telemadrid is a public regional television station in the Community of Madrid, Spain, the flagship channel of the regional public broadcaster Radio Televisión Madrid (RTVM). It began its broadcast on 2 May 1989.
History First years
Telemadr ...
,
Antena 3,
EITB and
Canal+ Spain
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow und ...
, as well as on point-to-point terrestrial and satellite links operated by
Retevisión
Retevisión was a former Spanish telecommunications company; of which a portion of it continues to exist as Cellnex Telecom, which was spun off from Abertis in 2015.
History
Retevisión was founded in 1989 as a public company, a division of t ...
and
Telefónica Sistemas de Satélites. Spain's national public broadcaster
TVE however instead primarily used its own
TVE colour test card from 1975 until the mid-2000s, although in the 1990s it did also briefly used the widescreen PM5644 pattern.
In
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
, the PM5544 was used by its national broadcaster
RÚV
Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV) (pronounced or ) ( en, 'The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service') is Iceland's national public-service broadcasting organization.
Operating from studios in the country's capital, Reykjavík, as well as regional cent ...
from its launch of colour broadcasts in 1973–76, only fully replacing its heavily modified monochrome Philips PM5540 test card after 1982. RÚV subsequently replaced its PM5544 with a widescreen PM5644 in 2009, then discontinued all their on-air test card broadcasts in 2011. However, the privately owned subscription channels
Stöð 2
Stöð 2 (literally Station 2) is an Icelandic subscription television channel, owned and operated by Sýn. Founded in 1986, it was the first privately owned television station in Iceland following the lifting of the state monopoly on televisi ...
, launched in 1986, and
Sjónvarp Símans
Sjónvarp Símans ( en, The Phone's Television), formerly SkjárEinn (ScreenOne), is an Icelandic television channel owned by Síminn.
Sjónvarp Símans broadcasts both Icelandic and foreign television shows. Since its foundation in 1999 it has ...
, launched in 1999, opted not to use the PM5544.
In the former
SFR Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yug ...
, the PM5544 was used by its national broadcaster
Yugoslav Radio Television
Yugoslav Radio Television (''Jugoslavenska radiotelevizija''/Југославенска радиотелевизија or ''Jugoslavenska radio-televizija''/Југославенска радио-телевизија; JRT/ЈРТ) was the national ...
(JRT) in conjunction with the Telefunken FuBK test card. Use of the PM5544 continued for some time afterwards in some of its constituent successor countries.
In
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
, the privately owned nationwide broadcaster
bTV introduced the PM5544 in November, 2000 with the start of its new program scheme, replacing the
EBU colour bars
The EBU colour bars is a television test card used to check if a video signal has been altered by recording or transmission, and what adjustments must be made to bring it back to specification. It is also used for setting a television monitor ...
, used from the bTV's start on June 1st, 2000. Use of the PM5544 was in its test card broadcasts to February 17th, 2001 between 12:00 AM and 06:00 AM (the next day, bTV started its 24-hour program), and 2 times a year during the prevention of broadcast transmitters to 2013.
The PM5544 was also used in
Hungary
Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
,
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
, and
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
.
South America
In
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, the PM5544 was used by
América TV
América TV (call sign LS 86 TV) is an Argentine television station broadcasting on channel 2 in La Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, and one of Argentina's five national television networks. It is owned by Grupo América.
América T ...
,
El Nueve
Channel 9, known by its brand name El Nueve (stylized as elnueve) is an Argentine free-to-air television network based in Buenos Aires with programming centred on general entertainment.
History Origins and first Romay ownership
After the fall of ...
and
El Trece
Channel 13 (known by its current brand name El Trece, stylized as eltrece) is an Argentine free-to-air television network and the flagship station of the network of the same name, located in the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires. It is owned by ...
.
SECAM broadcasts
SECAM users of the Philips PM5544 test card included
TDF (
TF1
TF1 (; standing for ''Télévision Française 1'') is a French commercial television network owned by TF1 Group, controlled by the Bouygues conglomerate. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network.
TF1 is par ...
,
Antenne 2
France 2 () is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4 and France 5. France Télévisions also participates in Arte and Euronews.
Since 3:20 CET on 7 Ap ...
,
FR3,
Canal+
Canal+ (Canal Plus, , meaning 'Channel Plus'; sometimes abbreviated C+ or Canal) is a French premium television channel launched in 1984. It is 100% owned by the Groupe Canal+, which in turn is owned by Vivendi. The channel broadcasts several ki ...
,
La Cinquième
France 5 () is a French free-to-air public television channel, part of the France Télévisions group. Principally featuring educational programming, the channel's motto is ''la chaîne de la connaissance et du savoir'' (the knowledge network). ...
and
M6) in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Iraqi TV
Iraq was home to the first television station in the Middle East, which began during the 1950s. As part of a plan to help Iraq modernize, English telecommunications company Pye Limited built and commissioned a television broadcast station in the ...
in
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
,
VTV in
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
and
SNRT
The National Company of Radio and Television ( ar, الشَرِكَة الوَطَنِيَّة لِلْإِذَاعَة وَالتَلْفَزَة, ''; french: Société nationale de radiodiffusion et de télévision, SNRT''; , ') is the public b ...
in
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
.
ERT in Greece and
TVP in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
started using the PM5544 for SECAM transmissions since the 1970s and continued using it after switching to PAL in the 1990s.
NTSC broadcasts
NTSC users of the Philips PM5544 test card included
CBFT
CBFT-DT (channel 2) is a television station in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, serving as the flagship station of the French-language service of Ici Radio-Canada Télé. It is owned and operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (known in Fren ...
and
CBMT
CBMT-DT (channel 6) is a television station in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, broadcasting the English-language service of CBC Television. It is owned and operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation alongside Ici Radio-Canada Télé flagship CB ...
in
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
,
WBOY-TV
WBOY-TV (channel 12) is a television station licensed to Clarksburg, West Virginia, United States, serving North Central West Virginia as an affiliate of NBC and ABC. Owned by Nexstar Media Group, the station maintains studios on West Pike Street ...
and
WNYW
WNYW (channel 5) is a television station in New York City, serving as the flagship of the Fox network. It is owned and operated by the network's Fox Television Stations division alongside Secaucus, New Jersey–licensed MyNetworkTV flagship W ...
in the United States,
DZBB-TV
DZBB-TV, Channel 7 (analog) and Channel 15 (digital), is the flagship TV station of Philippine television network GMA. The station is owned and operated by GMA Network Inc. with its studios are located at the GMA Network Center, EDSA corner ...
in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
,
Myawaddy TV
Myawaddy TV ( my, မြဝတီ ရုပ်မြင်သံကြား, abbreviated MWD) is a Myanmar military-owned propaganda network based in Yangon and Naypyidaw, Myanmar.
History
Myawaddy TV was launched on the 27 March 1995, in com ...
in
Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...
,
KBS and
MBC in
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
,
TTV,
CTV,
CTS
Cts or CTS may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Television
* Chinese Television System, a Taiwanese broadcast television station, including:
** CTS Main Channel ()
** CTS Education and Culture ()
** CTS Recreation ()
** CTS News and Info () ...
and
FTV in
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
and
RTNH in
Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
. The
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese national broadcaster,
NHK
, also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee.
NHK operates two terrestri ...
, also used a
525-line version of the test card, albeit with slight technical differences as compared to those used by the American and Canadian broadcasters so as to conform with the
NTSC-J
NTSC-J is the informal designation for the analogue television standard used in Japan. The system is based on the US NTSC (NTSC-M) standard with minor differences. While NTSC-M is an official CCIR and FCCNational Television System Committee (1 ...
system.
Usage gallery
Philips PM5544 Colour pattern generator.jpg, Philips PM5544 generator with top lid opened.
VIDEOTON Super Color (TS 3301...5313) televíziókészülék Fortepan 8949.jpg, MTV-1
The MTV-1 Micro TV was the second model of a near pocket-sized television. The first was the Panasonic IC model TR-001 introduced in 1970. The MTV-1 was developed by Clive Sinclair (Sinclair Radionics Ltd). It was shown to the public at trade s ...
(Budapest) broadcasting the PM5544 test pattern.
Philips PM 5544.jpg, Off-air screen capture of the RAI
RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many ter ...
PM5544 PAL testcard.
K08 Wavre.jpg, Off-air screen capture of a RTBF
The ''Radio-télévision belge de la Communauté française'' (RTBF, ''Belgian Radio-television of the French Community'', branded as rtbf.be) is a public service broadcaster delivering radio and television services to the French-speaking Commu ...
La Une
La Une () is a Belgian national television channel, owned and operated by the French-language public-service broadcasting organization RTBF. La Une is the equivalent of Flemish station Eén, of the Flemish broadcaster VRT.
History
INR
Expe ...
PM5544 PAL test card (without border castellations) transmitted from the Wavre transmitter in 1987.
MIRE RTL TVI Belgique CH 24.png, Recreation of the RTL-TVI
RTL-TVI is a private French-language Luxembourg based television station in Belgium owned by DPG Media and Groupe Rossel, it was originally owned by the RTL Group until 31 March 2022. Within the French-speaking area of Belgium, it is the most ...
PM5544 PAL test card (without border castellations) transmitted from the Dudelange transmitter in Luxembourg to the French Community of Belgium
In Belgium, the French Community (french: Communauté française; ) refers to one of the three constituent constitutional linguistic communities. Since 2011, the French Community has used the name Wallonia-Brussels Federation (french: Fédé ...
.
Philips PM5644 generator (NTSC).jpg, Philips PM5644 generator (NTSC variant).
Phillips PM5544 test card of China Television 1990s.png, Off-air screen capture of a PM5544 NTSC variant used by CTV Main Channel
CTV (formerly known as CTV Main Channel) is a free-to-air terrestrial television channel of the China Television company and is the second oldest free-to-air terrestrial television channel in the Republic of China (Taiwan) after TTV Main Channel. ...
in Taiwan from the 1990s–2008.
Phillips PM5544 test card of Taiwan Television 20140210.png, Off-air screen capture of PM5544 NTSC variant used by TTV Main Channel
TTV Main Channel is the primary free-to-air terrestrial television channel of the Taiwan Television company and is the first television channel launched in the Republic of China (Taiwan).
History
It was established on April 28, 1962, test trans ...
transmitted in February 2014.
BTV BG PM5544 test-card.jpg, Off-air screen capture of PM5544 PAL variant used by bTV transmitted with a digital clock between 2000 and 2002.
Philips PM5644 SECAM.jpg, Pattern generated by a SECAM Philips PM5644L/00.
See also
*
TVE test card
*
Philips PM5540
The Philips PM5540 was an early electronically-generated, monochrome test card that is considered to be a black-and-white predecessor of the widely used Philips PM5544 test pattern. The content and layout of the pattern, as well as the generator, ...
*
Telefunken FuBK
The Telefunken FuBK (from the German ''Funkbetriebskommission'' for "''Television Service Commission"'') is an electronic analogue television test card developed by AEG-Telefunken and Bosch Fernseh in West Germany as the successor to the monochr ...
*
ETP-1
ETP-1 (or Electronic Test Pattern One) was a test card designed and used by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA). After test transmissions from the IBA's Engineering Regional Operations Centre (ROC) in Croydon from 1978 it was phased in ...
References
External links
Philips TV Measuring Equipment, 1980
{{Standard test item
Test cards
Broadcast engineering
Philips