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BBC High Definition test card

The BBC are now providing a test card to set up your HDTV

The BBC are now providing a test card to set up your HDTV
published on UK Free TV

If you have a HDTV with Freesat or Sky HD, you may need to adjust your set or amplifier to get the best possible HDTV picture.

The BBC HD channel now provides a testcard and audio signal to help you do this, see A Christmas Present from the HD Channel! BBC Internet Blog.

But, as they point out, DO NOT leave the test card on screen for more than 2 minutes if your screen is less than three months old or more than 5 minutes on older screens. Make sure you go back to the promo for several minutes before using the test card again.



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Comments
Thursday, 14 April 2011
D
Digitaleditor
2:56 PM

I'm about to move house from London to Polperro Cornwall. I'll be nearly at the top of a hill and facing south towards the sea. At the moment in the smoke I subscribe to SKY but I'm thinking of tightening my belt. Is Freeview HD available? Might I need planning permission for a mast? I say this because regular freeview reception is lousy in some nearby areas and don't get me started about mobile phones.....What was Marconi thinking of?

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Digitaleditor's 2 posts GB flag
D
Digitaleditor
3:13 PM
Looe

Just checked the Postcode gizmo. The local transmitter is the other side of the valley. Think I'll have to invest in Freesat. Is 3D ever likely to be on freeview. Thinking of the Olympics and all......

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Digitaleditor's 2 posts GB flag
Digitaleditor's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
M
Mike Dimmick
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

7:04 PM

Digitaleditor: The Caradon Hill transmitter should give good results at that postcode. Don't just look for the nearest, there are wildly varying power levels and only the main transmitters provide a full SD service. (All transmitters that have switched over provide the four HD channels.)

The Polperro transmitter gives a slightly higher probability of reliable reception, but it's a 'Freeview Light' transmitter - it doesn't broadcast the commercial multiplexes.

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Mike Dimmick's 2,486 posts GB flag
Thursday, 1 December 2011
J
john65
9:25 PM

would anyone no if I connect my v-box to my tv using the hd connector on the v- box to the dvi port on the tv if I would get hd
pictures, also how would you know if you
are recieving hd (apart from a more definative picture so they tell me.? thanks.

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john65's 1 post GB flag
Friday, 2 December 2011
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

12:46 PM

john65: It would be of considerable help to anyone giving an answer to your question if the make / model of TV you are referring to was known.

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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
Thursday, 5 January 2012
D
David
10:11 PM
Romford

Hello, I have a Sony Bravia t.v which is receiving freeviewHD . The reception is good-no complaints, however, the signal indicator is not showing maximum strength. Am i losing HD picture quality and is there a minimum strength/ quality signal required for HD reception? I live in the RM7 area. Thank you for your help.

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David's 1 post GB flag
David's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

11:45 PM

David: So long as you have 100% quality, then the picture is as good as it can be.

So long as there is a strong enough signal to produce a stable/reliable picture (100% quality), then that is sufficient.

In any case, switchover is only three months away and the strength of the signal will be increased then.

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Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
Saturday, 22 December 2012
Peter
9:49 PM

So the BBC are saying 'don't leave the Test Card on for longer than a specific period of time' - what about all those station logos etc that we have to contend with, then? Why can't they be disabled by pressing the green button on the remote control - like the Red "Press" which brings up the BBC Teletext can - in order to reduce the possibility of a burn-in? In LCDs, burn-in can develop because pixels permanently lose their ability to return to a relaxed state after displaying a static image for a prolonged period, as this BBC recommendation confirms.

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Peter's 4 posts GB flag
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

10:09 PM

Peter: Back in 2008 (when the article is dated), there were still quite a few plasma displays that could get burn-in, and you still found the odd CRT.

Modern LCD displays do not suffer from this problem, on the whole.

Channel idents and overlays have brightness levels chosen to prevent burn-in.

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Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Sunday, 23 December 2012
Peter
5:08 PM

Brian:

I believe it was a widespread myth for a while that transmissive displays like LCD weren't subject to burn-in - or rather image persistence, as it should more accurately be described - but in my view it would really be more precise to say that they are less subject to burn-in, as the words on the whole in the last line of your kind response imply.

The effect with LCD displays is similar in appearance to CRT burn-in and is the result of the constant voltage produced by a static image causing the crystal voltage-response curve to change, which results in them letting more (or less) backlight through when compared with surrounding pixels. OK, technically its not burn-in but the effect, which can occur after just a few hours, is very similar.

There are several things you can do to effect some sort of cure for image persistence (just Google!) but at the end of the day prevention is better. Whilst screen dimming will help reduce burn-in with the old CRT displays, dimming or darkening an LCD backlight won't help preserve your pixels!

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Peter's 4 posts GB flag
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