Boston TV Test Patterns (NE+NYC) - 80s

Television Test Patterns. Aired in Boston Area, 1982-88.
*The WSMW-27 dates back to the very early 1970s, and the WPRI-12 dates back as well.
*The 'click' you hear is an artifact of the final rendering of my videos to this size.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Test
• Pattern
• TV
• Television
• WSBK
• WNEV
• WPRI
• WSMW
• WPIX
• WLVI
• WJAR
• WGBH
• WHLL
• WCBS
• WBZ

[Nokorola]

My local ABC affiliate runs a test pattern 2 nights a week from ~2:30am till 3:00am.

[MSTS1]

@Nokorola - Would that be a circular pattern, or color bars?

[CWM480]

at the 1:05 mark

the WBZ 4 logo

what does the "GROUP W " mean?

[MSTS1]

Group W was the corporate name for the division of Westinghouse which owned radio and television stations.

[FCDKJ1]

where these years of test patterns were recorded exactly? could you tell me, please?

[MSTS1]

Here's my recollection of the years I recorded each of these:

TV-38: '86-'87. SE7EN: '82. WNEV-7: '87. WPRI-12/WSMW-27: '82. WPIX: '87. WLVI-56: '85-87. WJAR-10: '82. WGBH bars: '85-'86. WHLL bars: '86-'87. WCBS: '87. WBZ: '85-'87. WBZ (antenna): '86-'87.

[uncleskizo]

I'd rather have these on my TV at 3 AM instead of the shit TV reruns and infomercials they have now.

[markojameow]

Kevin Trudeau is a flim-flam man, trying to trick little old ladies and not-too-bright insomniacs into buying his books. Okay! I'd rather see an Indian Head test pattern or another repeat of some ancient series than that guy, any night.

[shibainuwalker]

Ahhh before there was 24 hour television and cable we had test patterns. Kids today don't know what a test pattern is??

[kyle1081]

I wish they would still show test patterns instead of those stupid infomercials.

[kyle1081]

Wow, I was proved wrong on two points today:

1- I thought the circular test patterns were only used through the 60s. Guess I was wrong.

2- I also though all stations used a 1000 Hz tone...guess I was wrong there too...

[imbwinkle]

@MSTS1 GroupW was the WestingHouse broadcast company

[Nokorola]

@MSTS1 It's just the generic bar pattern with their logo overlaided on the bottom right. pic: bit DOT ly/cJ177A

[wmbrown6]

The Group W branding and accompanying font were first introduced at all Westinghouse stations on May 20, 1963; both were designed by Lippincott & Margulies (which later brought us the infamous red-and-blue "N" logo for NBC in 1976). It is they who created what was approximated by freeware font designer Ray Larabie as "Anklepants."