Test Card W is a test card, an image used to determine the quality of a broadcast television picture. It is an updated widescreen version of Test Card F (which was created by BBC engineer George Hersee), although it's based on the newer Test Card J. It first appeared along with J in 1999.
Today the test card is rarely broadcast. This is due to the onset of 24 hour television. The last known occasion that this card was broadcast on British screens was Friday, 9 January 2004, when early morning tests were carried out on BBC ONE and BBC TWO. BBC TWO still regularly goes off-air for two or three hours each night, but usually broadcasts pages from Ceefax rather than test cards.
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