Test card

PUB QUIZ QUESTION: Who is the person who has been seen on TV for the greatest number of hours? No, it’s not Bruce Forsyth, Gary Lineker or even Ant or Dec (although it often seems like it).
ANSWER: Carole Hersee (and her friend Bubbles) on the Test Card is the correct answer.

There are a number of grainy VHS videos already uploaded to UToob displaying Test Card F. I was amused to find that you can currently view a pristine digital widescreen version of the Test Card (Test Card W) on Freeview. It is hidden in plain sight and can be accessed by performing the following:-

Navigate to Channel 250. Let the screen load text and also the Red Button logo. Then press the Yellow button on your remote control. Next change to a different channel and then change back to Channel 250. Once again wait for text and also the Red Button logo to load. Then press the Green button on your remote control. This will bring you to a technical screen (that even appears to flash the word “secret” in the top right corner). Press the Green button once more and you will finally have reached the BBC TEST CARD W.

In 1995 I purchased a Philips Matchline 6770C 28in TV. At the time it was pretty much unique due to it’s stylish (once so-common) mahogany timber surround and matching stand. After a few years the vertical/horizonal hold began playing up so around 2003 I replaced it with a Philips Blackline 32PW9586C 32in TV. This beast weighed 64kg including stand and was the end of an era as it also sported much mahogany too. This was the time when large flatscreen TVs were gaining popularity and even the shop puzzled why I wanted a retro/on the point of being phased out TV containing an enormous cathode ray tube that protruded three feet behind the screen. I doubt many fifteen year-old flatscreen TVs are still functioning. My 32PW9586C is still used every day. Of course it is now limited by a lack of hdmi connectivity.

PS: You may be able to hang modern TVs on the wall but you certainly can’t stand an ever-changing display of ornaments/photos/cards/ashtrays/dinky toys/Batman models etc etc on the top like you can with mine.