BBC Testcard A ~ Test Card A was the first BBC test card. First broadcast in the late-1940s, it is credited as being the world’s first television test card to be transmitted. The 2.5 MC frequency grating was of most interest to engineers, hence its location in the centre of the circle. Although a great improvement on anything previously available, Test Card A and it’s successor, were criticised for not having sufficient testing features. Test Card B no longer exists. A photograph exists of a studio, with a partial view of Test Card B on a stand. BBC engineer George Hersee described it in his 1967 work, but it is believed that no copies of the full card remain in existence. With thanks to Andrew Emmerson for contributing the image.BBC Testcard BBBC Television Service Tuning SignalExperimental Colour TransmissionBBC TV TestcardBBC Colour TestcardBBC “Angel” Tuning Signal ~ With thanks to Andrew Emmerson for contributing the image.BBC Batwings TestcardTestcard C ~ Shown each weekday for the benefit of the Radio and TV Industry trade.BBC Testcard CBBC Testcard C Digital RecreationTestcard CPYE Test Card GBBC1 405 LinesBBC1 Reduced Power Testcard ~ With thanks to Andrew Emmerson for contributing the image.BBC1 Reduced Power Testcard ~ With thanks to Andrew Emmerson for contributing the image.BBC 1 Testcard ~ With thanks to Andrew Emmerson for contributing the image.BBC2 625 Lines TestcardBBC2 625 LinesBBC Testcard E ~ The frequency gratings on Test Card E were sinusoidal, and thus technically more useful than the square waves on previous test cards. However, as a result, some of the gratings looked soft and fuzzy – the lowest grating in particular. TV dealers complained about this and Test Card E was consequently scrapped, after c. one week on air. It was replaced by a modified version of Test Card C.BBC2 Test Card C ~ Thanks once again to Francois Frappe for this rare photograph of the BBC2 test card E. The photograph was taken in 1971 in the morning just before 9am.BBC2 Colour testcard ~ Thanks to Francois Frappe for the imageBBC TV Testcard ~ With thanks to Andrew Emmerson for contributing the image.BBC1 testcard FBBC2 Colour FBBC R&DTestcard JBBC2 Testcard FBBC2 Colour Testcard FBBC1Testcard girl ~ Grown upBBC Widescreen FBBC Widescreen Testcard FBBC Widescreen Testcard WBBC HD 1080 LinesPersonal Computer World ~ From December 1981, PC World Magazine shows a digital version of the famous testcard
Other non broadcast BBC Testcards used for lining up studio cameras
BBC Testcard No57BBC Testcard No61 ~ We believe the name of the name of the young lady in this BBC ‘Make-Up’ testcard is Lyn. At the time the chart was being prepared (around 1976) she was a secretary in TV Training Department (then based at Woodstock Grove (WG), subsequently moved to Elstree Centre in 1984). She was picked as she had won a Miss BBC competition.
