TV Test Pillow

Designed by Henriette Hyldgaard, this pillow shows a Philips PM5544 test card and costs $40-ish.

FULL DISCLOSURE: THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH THE CORRECT EDITION OF THE TEST CARD.

Product Page [Funktionalley via Funfurde]

[#1 posted by Trilby , March 2, 2009 6:50 AM]

If it was, say, Test Card J, with the clown and the little girl, then maybe.

[#2 posted by Alex_M , March 2, 2009 7:19 AM]

That's the Philips PM5544 test card. Used by a lot more than just the BBC. Swedish public television (SVT) has used it for a long time.

[#3 posted by djn , March 2, 2009 7:29 AM]

Ah, that's the only one I've seen live - both norwegian and swedish television use it exclusively and have done so since I started noticing.

Philips PM5544, I believe.

[#4 posted by dainel , March 2, 2009 7:33 AM]

That test card is being used today. In Malaysia.

[#5 posted by Keir , March 2, 2009 7:52 AM]

I think it was the first, or one of the first, testcards that were electronically generated, rather being on an actual card with a camera pointed at it.

[#6 posted by artichoke abattoir , March 2, 2009 8:25 AM]

It was used in Poland as well - I remember staring at it as a kid. It was more hypnotic than a Mexican Staring Frog of Southern Sri Lanka.

To be honest this test card was more interesting and inspiring for me back then than most of the tv shows now.

[#7 posted by toresbe , March 2, 2009 8:59 AM]

That is actually the PM5644, the widescreen-updated version of the PM5544.

The test card is used currently on Swedish SVT2, after the closedown there.

Test cards before this one were not electronically generated per se, nor were they usually generated by pointing a camera at a card, they were scanned by way of a monoscope; a camera pickup tube which scanned a grille of data.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoscope

[#8 posted by Anonymous , March 2, 2009 12:05 PM]

Ahh that brings back memories of waiting for the TV to start. Recognize that from Australia in the 80's (and probably 90's). Though it's sadly missing today.

[#9 posted by Anonymous , March 2, 2009 4:01 PM]

It's still used in Australia although test pattern is never usually scheduled.

[#10 posted by Anonymous , March 2, 2009 10:22 PM]

What, no FUBK version?

[#11 posted by vjinterkosmos , March 3, 2009 12:45 AM]

Finnish national broadcaster YLE offers a PM5544 screensaver (alas for win32 only) at their website (Finnish only: "Näytönsäästäjät:" -> first link on the page).

[#12 posted by larsrc , March 3, 2009 12:50 AM]

Feh. Printed. An embroidery shop downtown (Ã…rhus, Denmark) has the same idea, but embroidered.

[#13 posted by Rob Beschizza , March 3, 2009 7:33 PM]

Larsrc, GET PHOTOS!

[#14 posted by benkruisdijk , March 4, 2009 12:27 AM]

still like the work of European artist Conny Kuilboer (as was posted here: http://gadgets.boingboing.net/art/2008/08/24-week/ ) better.

but perhaps that's because I know here (and she made them a couple of years ago).

Ben