PM5544 1960s Complete Setup

The Philips PM5544 is a television 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 the pattern was designed by Danish engineer Finn Hendil ( da; 1939–2011) in the Philips TV & Test Equipment laboratory in Brøndby Municipality near Copenhagen under supervision of chief engineer 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 and EBU colour bars as well as the BBC's Test Card F 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 and PALplus), PM5515/16/18, PM5519, PM5520 (monochrome), PM5522 (PAL), PM5534, PM5538 (see section below), PM5540 (monochrome), PM5543, PM5547, PM5552, PM5631, PM5643, PM5644 and PM5572/73/74.

Operation

Rather than previous test card approaches that worked by a live camera or monoscope filming a printed card, the Philips PM5544 generates the test patterns fully using electronic circuits, with separate paths for Y, R-Y and B-Y colour components ($Y'U V$), allowing engineers to reliably test and adjust transmitters and receivers for signal disturbances and colour separation, for instance for PAL 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) 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);
**Crossed lines - at the center of the circle, they allow to check for proper interlace;
**Definition lines - sine wave gratings with TV line frequencies corresponding to 0.8, 1.8, 2.8, 3.8 and 4.8 MHz;
**Stair case - grayscale 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 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 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 and some parts of Europe, as well as in South Africa.

SECAM

The Philips PM5544 pattern is geared towards the PAL colour-coding system, but SECAM versions exist (for example, it was used by TVP in Poland and TDF in France, without side bars, as well as ERT in Greece and VTV in Vietnam, 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, Taiwan, Haiti and Japan (by NHK, with the multiburst gratings slightly modified for NTSC-J), 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's configuration simply removed the side colour bars.) A second variation, used by CBC Montreal in Quebec, Canada, 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 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 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” 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 signal thus both do not support PALplus.

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 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 resolution, corner circles and correct overscan and image centering. The Philips/Fluke PM5420 is able to generate a visually similar pattern.

It was used by broadcasters such as RAI (Italy), BRT (Belgium), RTL-TVI (Belgium/Luxembourg), Ned3 (Netherlands), TVE (Spain), KNR TV (Greenland). and TVB J2 (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 like Dubai 33 in the UAE and Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTV) in Jordan.

PM5549 and GB2097 inspection chart

Starting from the late-1990s, China Central Television 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 system used some form of the Philips PM5544 pattern.

Africa

In South Africa, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) made use of the PM5544 pattern since it started testing its first television system in 1975, but independent broadcasters M-Net, which launched in 1986, and e.tv, which launched in 1998, opted to use Telefunken FuBK instead.

In Zimbabwe, the PM5544 was used by Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) from the start of its regular colour broadcasts in the early-1980s, replacing the Indian-head test pattern.

In Niger.

In Western Sahara, a modified version of the PM5544 was used by RASD TV.

The PM5544 was also used in Algeria and Kuwait.

Asia

The PM5544 test card was first introduced by Radio Television Singapore (RTS; now Mediacorp) (in conjunction with a modified version of Test Card F) upon the start of regular colour broadcasts in Singapore in 1974.

The PM5544 was later introduced in Malaysia by its public broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia (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 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, 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, the PM5544 was used by its national broadcaster CCTV as well as some provincial/regional broadcasters such as Shenzhen Media Group and Television Southern in Guangdong, Guangdong Province, Xizang STV in Tibet Autonomous Region, Yuyao TV in Zhejiang, Zhejiang Province and Ningxia Television in Ningxia, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. 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 Limited, Snell & Wilcox test card designs. In Hong Kong, the PM5544 was used by Rediffusion Television, RTV/Asia Television, ATV and TVB from the 1970s (replacing the RMA 1946 Resolution Chart and EIA 1956 resolution chart) 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 has also used the widescreen PM5644.

In Israel, the PM5544 was used by Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and Israeli Educational Television (IETV) from their launch of colour broadcasts in the early-1980s, replacing its previous monochrome Philips PM5540 test card after a nearly decade-long delay in introducing colour television to said country for various sociopolitical reasons.

In Qatar, the PM5544 was used by Qatar Television, Qatar TV.

Saudi Broadcasting Authority (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 for many years, most notably with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) from its launch of colour broadcasts in 1974–75 and Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) from its launch of television services in 1980. Some commercial stations also used it.

In New Zealand, it was used by TVNZ from its launch of colour broadcasting in 1973.

Europe

In Denmark, where the PM5544 was invented, it was used by its national broadcaster DR (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; as well as its first nationwide commercial channel TV 2 (Denmark), 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 also later used the widescreen PM5644 for widescreen broadcasts from the 1990s. In Greenland, the PM5544 are used by its public broadcaster Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa (KNR) since its launch of television services in 1982. A modified variant of the PM5644 is used by the Faroe Islands, Faroese public broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya (KvF) alongside the EBU colour bars during off-air hours.

The BBC in the United Kingdom occasionally used a slightly modified version called Test Card G from 1971 until the late-1990s, in conjunction with Test Card F. The Independent Broadcasting Authority (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, which was brought into use on ITV (TV network), ITV from 1979 onwards. However, London Weekend Television (LWT) and ITV Channel Television, 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 British Forces Broadcasting Service#BFBS Television, BFBS/SSVC Television's low-powered terrestrial broadcasts serving British Armed Forces personnel in West Germany and West Berlin in the 1980s and 1990s. A modified version of Test Card G was also briefly used on Sky One alongside the Simplified Telefunken FuBK pattern in the early-1990s.

The PM5544 was also used by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) in the Republic of Ireland (in conjunction with the EBU colour bars shown after the Amhrán na bhFiann, Irish national anthem was played at closedown) from the start of its regular colour broadcasts in 1972 until they were replaced by RTÉ Aertel, overnight in-vision teletext in mid-1996.

In the DACH, DACH countries, the PM5544 test card was used by the Germany, German commercial terrestrial channel RTL (German TV channel), RTL and the German public-service channel Phoenix (German TV station), Phoenix. The Austrian public broadcaster ORF (broadcaster), ORF 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, its national broadcaster RAI 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 also used a heavily modified version of the PM5544 in the 1980s.

In Spain, the PM5544 was introduced by the Television in Spain, various autonomous and private channels in the early-1980s notably by TV3 (Catalonia), TV3, El 33, Telemadrid, Antena 3 (Spain), Antena 3, EITB and Canal+ (Spanish TV channel), Canal+ Spain, as well as on point-to-point terrestrial and satellite links operated by Retevisión and Telefónica, 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, the PM5544 was used by its national broadcaster RÚV 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, launched in 1986, and Sjónvarp Símans, launched in 1999, opted not to use the PM5544.

In the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, SFR Yugoslavia, the PM5544 was used by its national broadcaster Yugoslav Radio Television (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, the privately owned nationwide broadcaster BTV (Bulgaria), bTV introduced the PM5544 in November, 2000 with the start of its new program scheme, replacing the EBU colour bars, 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, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.

South America

In Argentina, the PM5544 was used by América TV, El Nueve and El Trece.

SECAM broadcasts

SECAM users of the Philips PM5544 test card included TDF (TF1, France 2, Antenne 2, France 3, FR3, Canal+, France 5, La Cinquième and M6 (TV channel), M6) in France, Iraqi TV in Iraq, VTV in Vietnam and SNRT in Morocco. ERT in Greece and TVP in Poland 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-DT, CBFT and CBMT-DT, CBMT in Quebec, Canada, WBOY-TV and WNYW in the United States, DZBB-TV in the Philippines, Myawaddy TV in Myanmar, Korean Broadcasting System, KBS and Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, MBC in South Korea, Taiwan Television, TTV, CTV (Taiwanese TV network), CTV, CTS Main Channel, CTS and Formosa Television, FTV in Taiwan and Radio Télévision Nationale d'Haïti, RTNH in Haiti. The Japanese national broadcaster, NHK, 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 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, M1 (TV channel), MTV-1 (Budapest) broadcasting the PM5544 test pattern.
Philips PM 5544.jpg, Off-air screen capture of the RAI PM5544 PAL testcard.
K08 Wavre.jpg, Off-air screen capture of a RTBF La Une 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 PM5544 PAL test card (without border castellations) transmitted from the Dudelange Radio Tower, Dudelange transmitter in Luxembourg to the French Community of Belgium.
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 (Taiwanese TV network), CTV 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 transmitted in February 2014.
BTV BG PM5544 test-card.jpg, Off-air screen capture of PM5544 PAL variant used by BTV (Bulgaria), 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
* Telefunken FuBK
* ETP-1

References

External links

Philips TV Measuring Equipment, 1980






{{Standard test item

Test cards
Broadcast engineering
Philips