Here's a classic. This one is great for rectangular-mask sets. The famed "Indian Head" pattern. The original graphic isn't perfect, though, so the resolution marks are slightly blurred. I have been trying to find time to design a new test pattern.

I placed a printout of this under a TeleSensory "Chroma CCD" video inspection table unit that I use, connected its NTSC output to a VCR along with a 400-Hz audio source and hit "Record" so I now have a genuine test pattern tape for use in the shop.

Here's another classic. This one is good for rectangular-mask sets, but also has the side curves right for round-mask sets. The main circle was probably used for Zenith and other porthole sets. The original graphic isn't perfect, though, so the resolution marks are slightly blurred. I have been trying to find time to design a new test pattern.

I placed a printout of this under a TeleSensory "Chroma CCD" video inspection table unit that I use, connected its NTSC output to a VCR along with a 400-Hz audio source and hit "Record" so I now have TWO genuine test pattern tapes for use in the shop.

John,

I've got the Joe Kane Reference Laser Videodisc from a decade ago that has a full suite of TV test patterns. I select the pattern I want to use or color bars and pause the player. On laser I get 420 lines of horizontal resolution.

I discovered a much more recent offering on DVD that also plays on any computer's CD-ROM drive. At $49.95 it isn't too pricey, that was about half what the Joe Kane disc cost me. I'm not endorsing this product, just happened to find it on a Google search. I wouldn't mind picking one of these up though.

http://www.itworks.com/products/DVDref-suite.htm

There are also free test paterns available on the web and generator programs to work in your computer. Google search term "Test Pattern".

For what it may be worth - I found this on the web tonight. This gentleman says he has the ORIGINAL ARTWORK of the famous "Indian Head Test Pattern" and he is planning to have reproductions of it made and offer them for sale.

Anway, here's the information:

Chuck Pharis - The Indian Head Test Pattern (http://www.pharis-video.com/p4788.htm)

I have no financial or other interest in this - just sharing a link.

Best,

Wiggy

...

The CD and DVD test pattern disks from ITWORKS are generally available from that same company on eBay for $20. That beats the $50 list price!

You know, looking at the ITWORKS website, it says

"you can read this CD in your DVD player OR your computer CD-ROM"

which means this is a video CD. Not a DVD.

Correct me if I am wrong, but a video CD does not have the same resolution as a DVD. I have several VCDs I bought from Malaysia (no...not pirate stuff..totally legal TV shows) and the quality is no better than VHS. I don't know the numbers, but I will venture to guess that DVD has the capability of holding more info on each disc (more scan lines, pixels, whatever) and would have a much better quality picture than VCD.

Also, VCD does not have the ability to use a menu system. They cannot be authored like a DVD.

Just becuase it can be read in a CD-ROM does not make it a CD-ROM either. VCDs can all be seen on computers with CD-ROMs, so I have a feeling you won't get better resolution on your monitor either.

If I am right, and these are VCDs, 49.99 or even 19.99 is a huge ripoff! 6 to 8 bucks would be more like IF the CD had rare or interesting patterns on it like old Soviet patterns and stuff like that...

The Joe Kane DVD as well as the AVIA DVD (true DVDs) have hundreds of high-rez patterns on them and can actually help you calibrate your monitor/TV !

The difference is that it can accomodate NUMEROUS formats, and explains how Disney, say, could put games on a title for CD-ROM PC's or other types of audio, for example. CD-ROMS with CD and data files side-by-side have existed since about 1998.

Any number of data, audio and video formats are available on DVD. The common thread is basically the encoding system of compressed signal used for mastering them, a form of MPEG (4?).

If that helps.

Carrier is 90% CCW in phase---

Here is the RETMA test patter, well here is most of it as it's too big for my scanner.

Rob

Originally posted by MannyE
You know, looking at the ITWORKS website, it says

"you can read this CD in your DVD player OR your computer CD-ROM"

which means this is a video CD. Not a DVD.

Correct me if I am wrong, but a video CD does not have the same resolution as a DVD. I have several VCDs I bought from Malaysia (no...not pirate stuff..totally legal TV shows) and the quality is no better than VHS. I don't know the numbers, but I will venture to guess that DVD has the capability of holding more info on each disc (more scan lines, pixels, whatever) and would have a much better quality picture than VCD.

Also, VCD does not have the ability to use a menu system. They cannot be authored like a DVD.

Just becuase it can be read in a CD-ROM does not make it a CD-ROM either. VCDs can all be seen on computers with CD-ROMs, so I have a feeling you won't get better resolution on your monitor either.

Correct, VCD usually is said to have 352x240 resolution. Which implies it has about half the information that VHS does, but most people don't notice that. BUT, VCD also supports stills at 720x480 resolution, which is what DVD video is (normally). Therefore, a VCD can have still test patterns of the same resolution as a DVD. Also, VCDs do indeed support a menuing system with PBC. Not the same as DVD's menus, but still pretty decent.

The biggest drawback with VCD is their extremely limited constant bitrate of about 1.5Mbit/sec. Again, since the patterns are stills, this isn't a concern.

I agree though, a bit too pricey for a VCD.

I did not relize that the stills were able to be at that rez so I guess at least in that aspect, it isn't fishy.

BUT...the way the disc is titled is completely misleading, and if you don't pay attention to what you are reading, or if you are a newbie, you will think you are getting a DVD when you are not.

The Indian Head thing is such a great story! I always keep an eye out for old TV repair shops just becuase cool booty like that can always be hanging around.

An old TV station is the holy grail of TV collectable stuff, however, but it's not every day you stumble upon one being demolished!

I have a DVD I bought for $15 from electronix.com of test patterns. It has 6 patterns: Grey Staircase, Full Field NTSC Color Bar pattern, Split Field NTSC Color Bar pattern, Multiburst Bar Sweep from 0 to 4.5MHz, Cross Hatch Pattern, and 4 Rasters of White, Red, Blue, and Green. All test patterns also have audio test tones also that run in the background.

It doesn't have anything like the Indian Head Pattern or any old TV test patterns on it. But I do use it to calibrate both my b/w and color sets. It's something for now until I can obtain a real pattern generator.