"Geoff Mackenzie" wrote in message
...


Question - why on earth is it so difficult to find this "hidden" test
card? Much discussion around my learned friends at the Rat and
Gynaecologist (local pub, we thought the original name was silly) came up
with the rather weak possibility that punters with TV sets might be
tempted to fiddle with settings and do damage, thus leaving the BBC open
to lawsuits. Surely not? Any better ideas?

Unlikely, since for decades the Test-Card was transmitted for several hours
a day on the main network where anyone could see it. Of course that was in
the days when daytime TV was worth watching.

I've made up a number of DVDs with a selection of test-cards on them, each
accompanied by original test-card music appropriate to that card. Since the
cards have no movement it is possible to push the video bit-rate down as far
as it will go without loss of picture quality, so even with a high audio
bit-rate the playing time is long. They make a pleasing alternative to 21st
C daytime TV.

David.