Hidden testcard

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  • 2Bdecided2Bdecided Posts: 4,416
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    Works fine with a Pace Twin and Panasonic 16:9 CRT. The status page is 4:3 and the test card is 16:9. The loading time is very slow.

    The test card looks OK on screen, which is surprising given the low quality of the file when viewed on a PC. I guess CRTs are quite good at hiding artefacts - so the actual content of ITV4 must be a series of square blocks! ;)

    Cheers,
    David.
  • prkingprking Posts: 9,791
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    jack plug wrote: »
    Here's the download off BBCi using DC-DVB

    http://www.sendspace.com/file/9hta3r

    The testcard is called DELTA.DAT in the G subfolder. It's a single frame mpeg. 37KB!

    There's another hidden code like the one for the testcard. See if you can find it and what it does.

    Runs to turn on his Nebula and dump the MHEG cache. Bet someone beats me to it though!
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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  • prkingprking Posts: 9,791
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    Had a good look at the MHEG dump and I can't find anything else hidden apart from some sort of pop-up. Anyone else found this other hidden screen?
  • WeightyWeighty Posts: 101
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    Big-les wrote: »
    Yes, all set up correctly.

    Before selecting 105 (BBCi), go to a channel broadcasting a widescreen programme. Go to 105 and press yellow, go back to that same channel, then back to 105 and press green.

    I get the proper image if I do this. If I select a channel broadcasting 4:3 instead (eg Sky Sports News), I get a zoomed in test card.

    May just be my set-up (Humax 9200 and Toshiba WS CRT).

    Hope this helps.
  • Big-lesBig-les Posts: 2,695
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    Weighty wrote: »
    Before selecting 105 (BBCi), go to a channel broadcasting a widescreen programme. Go to 105 and press yellow, go back to that same channel, then back to 105 and press green.

    I get the proper image if I do this. If I select a channel broadcasting 4:3 instead (eg Sky Sports News), I get a zoomed in test card.

    May just be my set-up (Humax 9200 and Toshiba WS CRT).

    Hope this helps.

    Thanks I'll try it when I get home, mine's a 9200TB and a Panasonic WS CRT. My F2-FOX T just does it though with no bother connected to a 19" LCD.
  • Ulysses777Ulysses777 Posts: 741
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    jack plug wrote: »
    There's another hidden code like the one for the testcard. See if you can find it and what it does.

    Credits ;)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,930
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    Woodlands Canteen?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 382
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    Ulysses777 wrote: »
    Credits ;)

    Project Zoom Movies Templates Release (?)

    Not very exciting, think I prefer the test card ;)
  • sleeper77sleeper77 Posts: 408
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    Works on my cheapo Bush whatever it is model. However for getting a zoomed up image, it doesn't display any different so maybe it depends on what freewview box you have.
  • Jason100Jason100 Posts: 17,222
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    Does your box get badily affected if you force region on the set-up screen before? Will you get the BBC channels from a different region?
  • NetizenNetizen Posts: 5,041
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    Nah it doesn't do anything destructive, and your box forgets what region you set it to after you turn it off anyway. It's impossible to receive another region unless you're in the scope of the region's transmitter.
  • Tony RichardsTony Richards Posts: 5,742
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    The Test Card came up fast and like a dream on my Philips IDTV. Pity it's not a bit more detailed but it's great to see it again!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,151
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    The Test Card came up fast and like a dream on my Philips IDTV. Pity it's not a bit more detailed but it's great to see it again!

    What detail is lacking? It looks great on my STB fed CRT's and also on the one small LCD I've got if lacking a little contrast c/w the jpeg version. As I said earlier perhaps we at least have the common static reference in the upscaled LCD v CRT discussion.
  • Jason100Jason100 Posts: 17,222
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    It looks great on my freeview DVD recorder too.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,367
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    Works with the Nebula TV card, although it's 4:3 and i assume it's meant to be 16:9

    If it has a letter W on it underneath Miss Hersey, it should be in Widescreen - J is the Digital 4:3 card. Both are based on F
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5,258
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    Geordie_Cy wrote: »
    If it has a letter W on it underneath Miss Hersey, it should be in Widescreen - J is the Digital 4:3 card. Both are based on F

    Does it detect setting and display the correct test card.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 382
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    pkc wrote: »
    Does it detect setting and display the correct test card.

    That would be nice, but seems not.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,109
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    vacumtoobs wrote: »
    Bat-man wrote: »
    Just shows how nerdy I can be.
    When I got my first VHS recorder I made a three hour tape of Test Card 'F' !"

    But the $64,000 question has to asked,WHEN did you get a VHS ??????

    Got mine in 1983 and on the first 1 hour tape (which came "free" with the VCR,but think cost 8quid in the shops (God knows how much a 3hour one was) I did record and still have a bit of TV AM starting up + IBA Test card...................happy days;)

    When I purchased my first, AKAI, VHS recorder back in 1978 - £750!!! The price of a 3hr tape was about £32

    & for that money is came with a clock - Turn on ONCE only in a 23hr,59 min period.

    I suppose if you could afford the price of the machine you could afford the price of the tapes!!!!!!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,332
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    mrfreeview wrote: »
    vacumtoobs wrote: »

    When I purchased my first, AKAI, VHS recorder back in 1978 - £750!!! The price of a 3hr tape was about £32

    & for that money is came with a clock - Turn on ONCE only in a 23hr,59 min period.

    I suppose if you could afford the price of the machine you could afford the price of the tapes!!!!!!

    was that back in the day when betamax came out as well? and did you invest in one of those?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,109
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    lean_go wrote: »

    was that back in the day when betamax came out as well? and did you invest in one of those?

    NO!.....

    Actually I was saving up for a Philips Video 2000 machine but then two other options emerged: VHS and Betamax with very little difference between the price.

    I looked at both and decided that the Betamax picture was actually slightly better than the VHS

    However what I didn't like about the Betamax cassette was that the two rolls of magnetic tape where stacked one above the other with the tape stretched at an angle between the two rolls. I saw this as being a potential source of problem in that the tape was being unevenly stretched when played or rewound and could lead to failure after continual use. Whereas the VHS system has the rolls of tape side-by-side meaning that the forces on the tape are constant across its complete width.

    Another point I didn't like was that the Betamax kept the tape threaded up when fast forwards or rewind so it was kept wrapped around the Video Heads where as the VHS unthreaded from the head and did a fast rewind or forwards with the tape just within the cassette. So less wear on the Video Heads and less stress on the tape.

    Then it was announced that the "Thorn" group of companies would be adopting the VHS system, meaning all the TV rental shops in that chain (DER, Radio Rentals Etc) would offer own branded VHHS machines for rental. So my view was that VHS would be adopted as the standard in this country.

    Also if I remember correctly that the Video 2000 was a 4 hour tape that you have to turn over after 2 hours where as the VHS was 3 hours and Betamax was 3 1/4 hours.
  • tellytart1tellytart1 Posts: 3,684
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    mrfreeview wrote: »
    NO!.....
    However what I didn't like about the Betamax cassette was that the two rolls of magnetic tape where stacked one above the other with the tape stretched at an angle between the two rolls. I saw this as being a potential source of problem in that the tape was being unevenly stretched when played or rewound and could lead to failure after continual use. Whereas the VHS system has the rolls of tape side-by-side meaning that the forces on the tape are constant across its complete width.

    Another point I didn't like was that the Betamax kept the tape threaded up when fast forwards or rewind so it was kept wrapped around the Video Heads where as the VHS unthreaded from the head and did a fast rewind or forwards with the tape just within the cassette. So less wear on the Video Heads and less stress on the tape.

    Betamax never had the tapes one above the other - tape layout was the same as VHS, side-by-side reels, but in a slightly smaller cassette.

    However, keeping the tape laced in FF/REW is true, and did cause a lot of premature head wear. At least VHS always partially unlaced the tape (Still had to have the tape running past the control heads to be able to read the control track pulses to operate the tape counter.
  • vacumtoobsvacumtoobs Posts: 1,514
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    mrfreeview wrote: »
    vacumtoobs wrote: »

    When I purchased my first, AKAI, VHS recorder back in 1978 - £750!!! The price of a 3hr tape was about £32

    & for that money is came with a clock - Turn on ONCE only in a 23hr,59 min period.

    I suppose if you could afford the price of the machine you could afford the price of the tapes!!!!!!

    Fair comment,but it was rented !!!!!!!!!

    I've just pulled out some early issues of Video magazines "Televison & Home Video" Ist issue Winter 1979/80........50p (must be worth at least 200 quid on Flea bay !?).Anyway in one of these later early issues the Sanyo
    Betamax VTC 9300 was reviewed,I nearly bought one of those. It was a snip at c 400 quid,but you risked sufffering a hernia when trying to pick it up ! About double the size of bog standard VHS machines..............hence me going rental............
  • vacumtoobsvacumtoobs Posts: 1,514
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    mrfreeview wrote: »
    NO!.....

    Actually I was saving up for a Philips Video 2000 machine but then two other options emerged: VHS and Betamax with very little difference between the price.

    I looked at both and decided that the Betamax picture was actually slightly better than the VHS

    However what I didn't like about the Betamax cassette was that the two rolls of magnetic tape where stacked one above the other with the tape stretched at an angle between the two rolls. I saw this as being a potential source of problem in that the tape was being unevenly stretched when played or rewound and could lead to failure after continual use. Whereas the VHS system has the rolls of tape side-by-side meaning that the forces on the tape are constant across its complete width.
    .

    That sounds like Grundigs SVR (Super Video Recorder),which was a modification of Phillips VCR....from pages 49 and 50 of Issue One TV and Home Video as mentioned previously...........

    The Tape certainly looks quite "boxie" and if I remember ,really going back into the depths of time now,Sony had a ..er Sonymatic,,which was VERY boxie or maybe it was a reel to reel machine........I stand to be corrected there..............
  • mfrmfr Posts: 5,597
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    Interesting that you can change the 'nation' on that first page too - changed mine to Northern Ireland but couldn't see any differences. There's a 'test' one too - not sure if that's any different.

    Very interesting. :)

    I'm guessing that may be used for red button functionality., rather than the BBCi text pages If, say, BBC Scotland wasn't showing news at a given time, it wouldn't show the "Press Red" icon.
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