ancient history - *really* ancient

[JPSmit]

Not sure of their names, but I think they were used at startup in the morning and shutdown at night to adjust brightness and contrast and whatever you call all the other aspects of the TV signal. I also remember the Star Spangled Banner being played before they were displayed, usually with photos correlating to the lyrics.

You're getting old Mickey and the memory is starting to fade. Of course you are correct about the test pattern but it wasn't the Star Spangled Banner, of course it was the Canadian National Anthem. ;p

 

[NutmegCT]

OK Old Timers. What was the name of the test patterns used by stations when they were off the air? A couple of them were shown above. ...

Monoscopes!

 

[PC]

 

[pdplot]

They were called rasters and were used to adjust the picture so all elements were in synch. Remember when the horizontal hold would let go and the picture would break sideways, or worse yet, the vertical hold would go and the picture would start rolling violently up or down. Ah the early days of TV when they were only 3 channels, then 5, then 7 and now - who knows?

 

[JPSmit]

They were called rasters and were used to adjust the picture so all elements were in synch. Remember when the horizontal hold would let go and the picture would break sideways, or worse yet, the vertical hold would go and the picture would start rolling violently up or down. Ah the early days of TV when they were only 3 channels, then 5, then 7 and now - who knows?

I thought Rasters were part of a Jamaican sect?

and,