Philips PM5544

The Philips PM5544 pattern is geared towards the PAL colour-coding system, but NTSC and SECAM versions exist. The most obvious difference is the absence of PAL specific test features (to two normally invisible outmost vertical bars). The 512-lines NTSC versions use different spatial frequencies. One of the NTSC variants, used in Philippines, Taiwan[19] and Japan (multiburst portion slightly modified for NTSC-J), has the checkerboard pattern near the top of the circle at 300 kHz and the multiburst gratings at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 MHz. A second variation, used by CBC Montreal in Canada, had different gratings and added extra colour bars.

A widescreen-capable Philips Pattern generator, the PM5644 PALplus test pattern generator,[20] was introduced by Philips in the 1990s and featured support for the emerging PALplus widescreen standard. This version of the test card retains the signals present in the original, and features additional signals to test signal and picture quality, including Television lines resolution and correct overscan and image centering. As with PM5544, the widescreen Philips Pattern was adopted by various other manufacturers of test pattern generators (ex: Fluke PM5420).[21]

It was used by broadcasters such as RAI (Italy),[22] BRT (Belgium),[23][22] RTL-TVI (Belgium/Luxembourg),[24] Ned3 (Netherlands),[25] TVE (Spain),[26] 2RN (Ireland)[27] and El Trece (Argentina).

A squared version of the Philips PM5544 test pattern, called PM5538, was used by some stations in some parts of the Middle East like Dubai 33[28] and Jordan Radio and Television Corporation (JRTV) in Jordan.

China Central Television used a heavily modified version of the PM5544 called the GB2097 inspection chart.[29][30]

• 
  Recreation of NTSC variant as used in Philippines, Taiwan and Haiti - Notice the dark green castellation square (left border, second from the top), absence of PAL specific signals, and different resolution gratings. (NHK's configuration was very similar to this image albeit with the multiburst portion slightly modified for NTSC-J; WNYW's configuration removed the side colour bars).
• 
  Recreation of SECAM variant as used by TDF (France), with different resolution gratings and no side colour bars.
• 
  Recreation of Philips PM5644 widescreen television test pattern.
• 
  Components of the PM5644 widescreen pattern.
• 
  Recreation of Philips PM5538 (PM5544 squared variant).
• 
  Recreation of CCTV variant "GB2097 inspection chart".

Many broadcasters that adopted the 625-line PAL system used some form of the Philips PM5544 pattern.

The BBC occasionally used a slightly modified version called Test Card G[31] from 1971 until the late-1990s, in conjunction with Test Card F. The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) initially used this card in the 1970s, also in conjunction with Test Card F, but eventually abandoned Test Card G and developed a unique test card called the ETP-1, which was brought into use on ITV from 1979 onwards.[32] However, London Weekend Television (LWT)[33] and ITV Channel Television, two constituent franchisee companies in the ITV network structure, continued to use Test Card G well into the 1980s and 1990s. The PM5544 was also used by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ)[34] in the Republic of Ireland (in conjunction with the EBU colour bars shown after the Irish national anthem was played at closedown) from the start of its regular colour broadcasts in 1972.[35]

The PM5544 was also in widespread use in Australia for many years, most notably with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)[36] from its launch of colour broadcasts in 1974–75 and Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)[37] from its launch of television services in 1980. Some commercial stations also used it.[38][39] In New Zealand, it was used by TVNZ from its launch of colour broadcasting in 1973.[40]

In Southeast Asia, the PM5544 test card was first introduced by Radio Television Singapore (RTS; now Mediacorp) (in conjunction with a modified version of Test Card F) upon the start of regular colour broadcasts in Singapore in 1974.[41][42][43] The PM5544 was later introduced in Malaysia by its public broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM)[44][45] during its introduction of regular colour broadcasts in 1978–1980, replacing the monochrome Pye Test Card G, and was also used by said country's first commercial station TV3 from the launch of its television service in 1984 until it switched to a 24/7 schedule in 2014.[46] The PM5544 was also used by the Indonesian national TV broadcaster TVRI from its launch of colour broadcasts in 1979–1982 until it switched to a 24/7 schedule in 2021.[47]

In the People's Republic of China, the PM5544 was used by its national broadcaster CCTV[48] as well as some provincial/regional broadcasters such as Shenzhen Media Group[49] and Television Southern[50] in Guangdong Province, Xizang STV[51] in Tibet Autonomous Region, Yuyao TV in Zhejiang Province and Ningxia Television[52] in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. CCTV also later used a heavily modified version of the PM5544 called the GB2097 inspection chart.[29][30] Nowadays, many modern Mainland Chinese test card designs, like in Hong Kong, incorporate elements of the PM5544, PM5644 and Snell & Wilcox test card designs. In Hong Kong, the PM5544 was used by RTV/ATV[53][54] and TVB[55][56][57] from the 1970s (replacing the RMA 1946 Resolution Chart and EIA 1956 resolution chart) until approximately 2007–2009. TVB then switched to its own test card designs incorporating elements of the PM5544, PM5644 and Snell & Wilcox SW2 designs.

In the DACH countries, the PM5544 test card was used by the German commercial terrestrial channel RTL[58] and the German public-service channel Phoenix.[59][60] The Austrian public broadcaster ORF used a slightly modified version of the PM5544.[61] Use of the PM5544 in the DACH was solely confined to these broadcasters, as most TV stations in these areas instead preferred to use the Telefunken FuBK test card when they adopted colour television.

In Italy, its national broadcaster RAI[62] introduced the PM5544 test card in 1977 at the same time as it launched its first regular colour broadcasts, replacing heavily modified versions of the Indian-head test pattern. Later on, RAI then used the PM5644 widescreen variation for PALplus broadcasts. Telefriuli also used a heavily modified version of the PM5544 in the 1980s.[63]

In Spain, the PM5544 was introduced by the various autonomous and private channels[26] in the early-1980s notably by TV3, El 33, Telemadrid, Antena 3, and Canal+ Spain, as well as on point-to-point terrestrial and satellite links operated by Retevisión and Telefónica Sistemas de Satélites. Spain's national public broadcaster TVE however instead primarily used its own TVE colour test card from 1975 until the mid-2000s, although in the 1990s it did also briefly used the widescreen PM5644 pattern.

In South Africa, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)[64][65] made use of the PM5544 pattern since they started testing their first television system in 1975, but independent broadcasters M-Net, which launched in 1986, and e.tv, which launched in 1998, opted to use Telefunken FuBK instead.

In Argentina, the PM5544 was used by América TV[66] and El Nueve.[67]

In Niger, the PM5544 was used by Télé Sahel.[68]

In Israel, the PM5544 was used by Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA)[69] and Israeli Educational Television (IETV) from their launch of colour broadcasts in the early-1980s, replacing its previous monochrome Philips PM5540 test card after a nearly decade-long delay in introducing colour television to said country for various sociopolitical reasons.

In the former SFR Yugoslavia, the PM5544 was used by its national broadcaster Yugoslav Radio Television (JRT)[70] in conjunction with the Telefunken FuBK test card. Use of the PM5544 continued for some time afterwards in some of its constituent successor countries.

In Qatar, the PM5544 was used by Qatar TV.[71][72]

In Iceland, the PM5544 was used by its national broadcaster RÚV[73][74] from its launch of colour broadcasts in 1973–76, only fully replacing its heavily modified monochrome Philips PM5540 test card after 1982. RÚV subsequently replaced its PM5544 with a widescreen PM5644 in 2009, then discontinued all their on-air test card broadcasts in 2011. However, the privately owned subscription channels Stöð 2, launched in 1986, and Sjónvarp Símans, launched in 1999, opted not to use the PM5544.

The PM5544 was also used in Algeria,[75] Kuwait,[76] Hungary,[77] Belgium,[78][79] Netherlands,[80][81][82] Denmark,[83] Norway,[84][85] and Sweden.[86]

Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA) in Saudi Arabia used a heavily modified version of the Philips PM5544 pattern from 1982 until 2009, with the side "brackets" removed and 1/4 of the top half of the PM5544 "circle" replaced with a white and black background and colour bars.[87]

Some television stations have also been seen to have included a digital clock and/or date, as well as the station logo or ID, inside the "circle" of the PM5544 test card. This practice is common in Asia and in some parts of Europe, as well as in South Africa.

Since the Philips PM5544 pattern is geared towards the PAL colour-coding system, this test pattern is uncommon, though still used among some SECAM and NTSC broadcasters.

SECAM users of the Philips PM5544 test card included TDF (TF1, Antenne 2, FR3,[88] Canal+,[89] La Cinquième and M6[90]) in France, Iraqi TV[91] in Iraq, VTV[92] in Vietnam, bTV[93] in Bulgaria and SNRT[94] in Morocco. TVP in Poland started using the PM5544 for SECAM transmissions since the 1970s and continued using it after switching to PAL in the 1990s.[95]

NTSC users of the Philips PM5544 test card included CBFT[96] and CBMT[97][98] in Quebec, Canada, WBOY-TV and WNYW[99] in the United States, DZBB-TV in the Philippines, Myawaddy TV in Myanmar, KBS and MBC[100] in South Korea and TTV Main Channel, CTV Main Channel and CTS Main Channel in Taiwan and RTNH in Haiti.[101][102] The Japanese national broadcaster, NHK, also used a 525-line version of the test card, albeit with slight technical differences as compared to those used by the American and Canadian broadcasters so as to conform with the NTSC-J system.[103]

• 
  Philips PM5544 generator with top lid opened.
• 
  MTV-1 (Budapest) broadcasting the PM5544 test pattern.
• 
  Philips PM5544 used to display test pattern on a television set.
• 
  Off-air screen capture of the RAI PM5544 PAL testcard.
• 
  Off-air screen capture of a RTBF La Une PM5544 PAL test card (without border castellations) transmitted from the Wavre transmitter in 1987.
• 
  Recreation of the RTL-TVI PM5544 PAL test card (without border castellations) transmitted from the Dudelange transmitter in Luxembourg to the French Community of Belgium.
• 
  Philips PM5644 generator (NTSC variant).
• 
  Off-air screen capture of a PM5544 NTSC variant used by CTV Main Channel in Taiwan during the 1990s.
• 
  Off-air screen capture of PM5544 NTSC variant used by TTV Main Channel transmitted in February 2014.