UEIT - Universal Electronic Test Chart

UEIT - Universal Electronic Test Chart (УЭИТ - Универсальная электронная испытательная таблица) is a Soviet test card, designed to test TVs operating in the analog SECAM colour standard.[1][2]

Off-air capture of a UEIT test card
ТИТ-0249, monochrome predecessor of the UEIT test card

UEIT was developed by N. G. Deryugin and V. A. Minaev at the NII Radio Scientific Research Institute as the successor to the black-and-white ТИТ-0249 test card[3] with the informal name of "colour prevention table" (TCP).[4][5][6] This was the second attempt by the Soviets to create a colour test card, since a previous attempt from 1954 (the ТИТ-0154 test card)[7] developed in conjunction with an early prototype Soviet colour television system was abandoned along with said latter system. With the golden jubilee year of the October Revolution in 1967, SECAM colour broadcasts debuted in both Moscow and Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) on their respective local TV channels. Experimental broadcasts using the test pattern began from the Ostankino tower transmitter in 1970, with results being used to create the second (and current) version of the test pattern. This new version (UEIT-2), on air since 1971 (with several GOST-approved modifications until 1986) was used on terrestrial broadcast and on point-to-point links throughout the Soviet Union.[8]

The test card was used on Soviet television services: six national channels ("First Program", All Union Program, Moscow Program, Fourth Program, Fifth program and the Sixth Program) and regional stations. It was also used in some Soviet Republics like Estonian SSR,[9] Latvian SSR[10] and Lithuanian SSR.[11] It continued to be used on post-Soviet times in Russia and some former Soviet republics.[12]

The card was replaced by digital versions with the switch to digital broadcasting in Russia by late 2019.[13][14]

Usage and Features

The Universal Electronic Test Chart allowed to adjust image geometry and picture settings such as brightness, contrast and color saturation. Other more technical adjustments were also possible, such as Cathode-ray tube focus and raster distortions.

The card features the following elements:

  • Grid box - makes up the background of the table. Allows adjustment of CRT convergence and easy reference for test card elements by "line" numbers (as indicated below);
  • Small circles - at lines 3, 4, 17, 18, they have the same function as the Gratings;
  • Center crosshair - in the center of the large circle, allows further convergence and image centering adjustments on CRTs;
  • Table border - fiducial marks for setting proper image geometry and overscan;
  • Circles - provide a way to correct vertical and horizontal raster scan distortions;
  • Color bars - two sets of bars (75% saturation at lines 6 to 7; 100% saturation at lines 14 to 15) to adjust color saturation;
  • Gray scale - a set of bars on line 8, that allow setting brightness, contrast, white balance and black level;
  • Contrasting color stripes - located at line 9, they allow checking of color transitions;
  • Slanted stripes- located at lines 10 to 11, they allow checking of interlace accuracy ;
  • Smooth color transition - at line 12, it allows to check the color linearity over the full colour spectrum, or a green to magenta transition;
  • Gratings - located at line 13, these help to assess resolution and image focus. They are formed by bursts of sinusoidal signals with frequencies of 2, 3, 4 and 5 MHz, corresponding to resolutions of 220, 330, 440 and 550 horizontal TV lines;
  • Black and white squares- alternating squares at line 16, to evaluate the frequency response of the video chain;

See also

References
  1. "TV USSR Opening in 1980s" – via www.youtube.com.
  2. "TV-DX / R1-TSS-Leningrad--UEIT testcard" – via www.youtube.com.
  3. "Вы точно человек?" (PDF). cyberleninka.ru.
  4. Дерюгин Н. Г., Минаев В. А., Универсальная электрическая испытательная таблица, Техника кино и телевидения, 1970, № 10.
  5. Дерюгин Н. Г., Минаев В. А. Новая универсальная электрическая испытательная таблица [для контроля телевизионных изображений]. — Электросвязь, 1972, № 2, с. 1—5.
  6. Латыпова, С. М.; Безруков, В. Н. (February 8, 2015). "Обзор Испытательных Таблиц И Сигналов Для Систем Вещательнго Телевидения". Фундаментальные Проблемы Радиоэлектронного Приборостроения. 15 (5) – via eLibrary.ru.
  7. https://staroetv.su/forum/4-223-4
  8. "Vestnik svi︠a︡zi". Radio i svi︠a︡zʹ. February 7, 1975 – via Google Books.
  9. "TV-DX / R2-Eesti-UEIT testcard" – via www.youtube.com.
  10. "Latvia TV test card 1991 УИЭТ SECAM" – via www.youtube.com.
  11. "Lietuvos nacionalinis radijas ir televizija LRT UEIT 0167 test card via Es 1988" – via flickr.com.
  12. Holland, John Märsylä, Delfzijl (May 31, 2010). "John Märsylä's DX-Blog: USSR UEIT Test Card still exist".
  13. "Russia postpones digital switchover in 21 regions". Digital TV Europe. 2019-04-29. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  14. "Началась последняя волна отключения аналогового вещания в РФ". Interfax.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-09-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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