# Why is there an Indian on old television test patterns? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 29, 2002, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503 "2002-12-29T14:28:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/1 "2002-12-29T14:28:07Z")
If you are less than 25-30 years old, you probably don’t know what I am talking about, but before 24/7 cable TV, television stations went off the air at about 2:00am, and broadcast a [test pattern of circles and lines](http://www.videouniversity.com/tvtestpa.htm) , accompanied by a an ear-splitting sine wave tone. This pattern usually had an image of an Indian in a full feathered headdress. Well, I woke up this morning at 4:00am, and the local independent station apparently goes off the air on Sunday mornings until 6:00am, and lo and behold, there is the indian head test pattern I remember from my youth (though without the audio tone), complete with the familiar Indian head. I did a little googling, and the best I could come up with was that it originated from the 1939 RCA TK-1 monoscope test pattern generator, but why it had an Indian instead of, say, a bald eagle or a Hudson Terraplane, was never revealed. Can anybody shed some light on why there is an Indian on my test pattern, or better yet who he is? ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/2 "2002-12-29T16:44:37Z")
> [@](#): > > These tubes could only handle black and white - no shades of gray hence they had to be simulated with a halftone dot pattern or a pattern of fine lines. This is a guess, but the graphic artist assigned to design the test pattern probably looked in his collection of graphic pictures and found a picture of an indian that fit the above [**description**](http://www.meldrum.co.uk/mhp/testcard/around_world.html) > [@](#): > > \*\*Back then, when there were only three broadcast networks, and Jack Paar was the last thing to watch before sign-off, we might fall asleep in front of the idiot box, only to wake up, in the middle of the night, to this unmoving image accompanied by a 1kHz test tone. It was a way to know that 2AM was late. Even television was asleep, and we knew [**we were supposed to be.**](http://www.moderntv.com/modtvweb/special/freegif-bw1.htm) ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/3 "2002-12-29T17:49:08Z")
Maybe the designer thought it looked good. Why is there a girl playing tic-tac-toe with a clown on British test patterns? (Yes, I know the girl is the daughter of the test patterns’ designer. That doesn’t explain why she’s playing tic-tac-toe with a toy clown.) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/4 "2002-12-29T18:08:00Z")
[http://www.meldrum.co.uk/mhp/testcard/faq.html](http://www.meldrum.co.uk/mhp/testcard/faq.html) ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/5 "2002-12-29T18:22:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\*[http://www.meldrum.co.uk/mhp/testcard/faq.html](http://www.meldrum.co.uk/mhp/testcard/faq.html) \*\* Very interesting! [http://www.meldrum.co.uk/mhp/testcard/bbc\_test.html](http://www.meldrum.co.uk/mhp/testcard/bbc_test.html) ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/6 "2002-12-29T18:42:53Z")
This board is really good - answers even _before_ posting the question! I was just wondering last night what test patterns were used outside North America. (I have the Indian-head pattern as one of the wallpapers on my PC.) I did speculate that the BBC might have used that same pattern, but with Queen Victoria instead of the Indian. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bbeaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@bbeaty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbeaty)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/7 "2002-12-29T23:40:21Z")
So why are graphic artists obsessed with Mandrills? And 3D solid modeling programmers are all funny about a certain type of teapot. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/8 "2002-12-30T03:06:18Z")
Just to follow the highjack, bbeaty, mandrills have nice colours, and the Utah Teapot was one of the first 3D models ever (by the Evans and Sutherland lab, IIRC). It was used as a benchmark/test case for quite a while. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/9 "2002-12-30T03:34:58Z")
I kinda miss test patterns. I mean, I’d rather look at a grid with an indian on it than “paid advertising”. (And chalk me up as another one who’s been wondering about test patterns recently.) ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/10 "2002-12-30T05:19:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\*[http://www.meldrum.co.uk/mhp/testcard/faq.html](http://www.meldrum.co.uk/mhp/testcard/faq.html) \*\* Is there something there that tells about the indian? If so I can’t find it. :o ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/11 "2002-12-30T05:42:48Z")
I couldn’t find this question answered in that FAQ; I’m sorry if I missed it. What’s the point of these test patterns? Were they so older televisions could be checked to make sure they were working properly? Could they be adjusted? Or were the patterns just for the broadcasters to test their equipment? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/12 "2002-12-30T06:36:42Z")
The lines are at different thicknesses and angles so you can adjust your TV sharpness controls. The shades of grey are so you can adjust the brightness and contrast. The colours are there for altering the colour. The boxes and lines are so you can adjust the horizontal and vertical holds. Basically, they’re standard pure and sharp images for adjusting your own monitor - much better than a moving image that may or may not be pure of line and colour in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/13 "2002-12-30T09:21:50Z")
**Guanolad** , I remember from _back in the day_ in Australia, we were occasionally given a British test pattern which had lots of grey-scale and contrast boxes and devices surrounding a photographic picture of a little girl holding a clown doll. Much more common, however, was the local Australian test pattern which had no photographic image at all, and therefore allowed a wider range of contrast, tone, and colour test areas within the pattern. I’ve often wondered which, from a technical viewpoint, was the better of the two. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/14 "2002-12-30T10:40:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > \*\ ***Guanolad** , I remember from _back in the day_ in Australia, we were occasionally given a British test pattern which had lots of grey-scale and contrast boxes and devices surrounding a photographic picture of a little girl holding a clown doll. Much more common, however, was the local Australian test pattern which had no photographic image at all, and therefore allowed a wider range of contrast, tone, and colour test areas within the pattern. > > I’ve often wondered which, from a technical viewpoint, was the better of the two. \*\* Anything’s better than those stupid SBS weather patterns. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/15 "2002-12-30T11:00:25Z")
I’ve seen the test pattern without the girl when I’ve visited and workd on TV shows. They use it for their own internal monitors and stuff. I guess there isn’t a real preference for either, as long as there’s an internal standard. ---
**Author:** ![Rogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@Rogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rogg)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/16 "2002-12-30T11:25:56Z")
\>\>What’s the point of these test patterns? There are laws (well, FCC rules and regulations) concerning the quality of the transmitted TV signal. It is necessary to have an engineer onsite at the transmitter at all times to ensure the signal quality. The use of a test pattern allows the station to transmit without an engineer onsite, because she can REMOTELY analyze the signal quality. Some elements of the patterns are meant for the naked eye. Using the convergent lines, such as on the “bowties” on the corners of the Indianhead pattern, you can analyze the vertical and horizontal resolution of the transmitter AND of your receiver by discovering at what point the lines melt into an inseparable blob. Other elements are judged on oscilloscopes. A vectorscope has a small box where each color should register. If the scan does not hit within the box for red, for example, a camera alignment may be in order. Some grayscale patterns generate a linear staircase display on an oscilloscope. If the stair steps are uniform in height, then video response is linear and everything is okay. Rogg. ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/17 "2002-12-30T11:29:41Z")
From : [http://www.wnpz.net/whitefield/testpat.html](http://www.wnpz.net/whitefield/testpat.html) > [@](#): > > The infamous Indian Head was added, apparently, because it gave the technicians a gray-scale picture and the feathers provided lots of linear features while the test pattern was still in view. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/18 "2002-12-30T16:24:05Z")
Moderators! Please add a “Turn your speakers down!” warning before the link in cckerberos’s post. YIKE! ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/19 "2002-12-30T21:19:52Z")
**kniz** , click on _previous_ and scroll down the page. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-an-indian-on-old-television-test-patterns/145503/20 "2002-12-30T22:25:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rogg \* > \>\>What’s the point of these test patterns? > > There are laws (well, FCC rules and regulations) concerning the quality of the transmitted TV signal. It is necessary to have an engineer onsite at the transmitter at all times to ensure the signal quality. > > The use of a test pattern allows the station to transmit without an engineer onsite, because she can REMOTELY analyze the signal quality. > > Some elements of the patterns are meant for the naked eye. Using the convergent lines, such as on the “bowties” on the corners of the Indianhead pattern, you can analyze the vertical and horizontal resolution of the transmitter AND of your receiver by discovering at what point the lines melt into an inseparable blob. > > Other elements are judged on oscilloscopes. A vectorscope has a small box where each color should register. If the scan does not hit within the box for red, for example, a camera alignment may be in order. Some grayscale patterns generate a linear staircase display on an oscilloscope. If the stair steps are uniform in height, then video response is linear and everything is okay. > > Rogg. My new computers also come with a diagnostics program that produces test patterns for the video monitor. The help file says the diagnostrics program is used by technicians to recalibrate the monitor, if needed. However, no Indian design. ☹