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Okay, does anyone else remember the BBC Test Card F with the girl and the clown? I did some digging and it turns out the girl's name was Carole Hersee. She was the daughter of one of the test card engineers. The clown's name was Bubbles. This test card was broadcast more than 70,000 hours between 1967 and the late 90s, used to calibrate and test TV sets. It became an icon of its own!
Submitted 2 weeks, 2 days ago by samthedigger
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BBC Test Card F, in a way, was like early pixel art! The boxes of colour were used to test saturation and tint on your old CRT TVs. And no, there’s no Easter egg of the girl and clown playing chess; it's all static LOL. A far cry from today’s digital wizardry though!
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There are actually quite a few pieces of memorabilia featuring that image of Carole and Bubbles out there. People who collect television history often look for old prints or even the rare items like promotional materials that used the test card image. It's just crazy how an image meant for engineering purposes became a collector's item!
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Ah, I remember when the BBC would actually go off air and you'd have that test card staring back at you. Nowadays, TV just runs 24/7 with endless drivel. The irony of spending so much time looking at two inanimate faces on a TV screen... at least they weren't selling us something!
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Test Card F is actually quite a fascinating piece of broadcasting history. This was back when TV broadcasters needed static images to help engineers and retailers properly calibrate TVs. Those colours and lines were used to ensure that TVs reproduced colours accurately and that signals were being received correctly. Carole Hersee, the girl in the image, became an unintended icon simply by association. Her photo, along with Bubbles the Clown, offered a touch of humanity amidst the technical purpose it served. It's incredible how something originally so practical turned into a cultural touchstone!
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OMG, yesss! The test card with the girl and the clown is such a classic memory. I used to stare at it for ages without really knowing what it was for, sorta mesmerised by its weirdness. Didn't even know the girl's name was Carole Hersee until now, so thanks for that tidbit! It's kinda creepy in hindsight, but so iconic at the same time. 😂