Technicolor test patterns

This page is dedicated to cataloging the numerous test pattern types used by Technicolor Video Services, formerly known as VCA/Technicolor Duplicating Corp., S/T Videocassette Duplicating Corp. and Technicolor Videocassette, Inc., for over 40 years.

Test pattern types
The first four test pattern types listed below were used on tapes printed in the West Coast (and possibly the East Coast) from late-1985 to April 1989.
 * Black screen, 400 Hz tone
 * Black screen, 410 Hz tone
 * Black screen, 420 Hz tone
 * Black screen, 1010 Hz tone
 * White screen, Silent (only used on some Mexican tapes and tapes from 2006)
 * White screen, 1000 Hz tone (only used on Mexican tapes and possible carryovers from Deluxe Video Services printings)
 * From 1986 to 1987, some tapes released by Walt Disney Telecommunications & Non-Theatrical Company had a silent white screen (with black vertical lines). This usually preceded the black screen with the tone.
 * From 1989 to 2006, most tapes duplicated in the East Coast and Livonia in SP mode would open and close with DTMF tones. This is usually identifiable if there is/are generic prefix(es) on the printing on the tape spine, and no tape speed names next to the stock number on the printing.
 * Sometimes, the tones were heard twice (at either the beginning and/or the end).
 * Sometimes, in 1992, the tones were only heard in the linear track.
 * Most tapes had the tones played on the left audio channel. Sometimes, in early-to-mid-1993, the tones were heard on the right audio channel. However, the tones are identical if the linear track on your VCR is only mono, as it is hard to find a VCR with linear stereo.
 * During the 1990s, some tapes had shuffling color/black-and-white bars (usually 1-2 seconds if at the end of the tape; 1-6 seconds if it's a print-mastering error in the middle of the tape)
 * Some tapes printed in early 1993 had a silent white screen formed by black vertical lines at the end, possibly from the master tape being stopped.

Pre-1989 test patterns
NOTICE: Video Cassette Duplicating pressings are not listed.
 * Sleeping Beauty (Walt Disney Home Video, 1986) - Gray screen, 400 Hz tone
 * American Flyers (Warner Home Video, 1985) - A list of titles recorded on the master tape, Silent
 * Dirty Dancing (Vestron Video, 1988) - Gray screen, Silent

Post-1989 test patterns
NOTICE: Video Cassette Duplicating pressings are not listed.
 * Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Very Merry Christmas Songs (Walt Disney Home Video, 1990) - DTMF tones (twice)
 * Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah (Walt Disney Home Video, 1991) - DTMF tones (heard in the linear track only)
 * Fantasia (Walt Disney Home Video, 1991) - DTMF tones (the first tone is longer than usual)
 * 101 Dalmatians (Walt Disney Home Video, 1992) - DTMF tones (heard in the linear track only)
 * The Great Muppet Caper (Jim Henson Video, 1993) - DTMF tones (twice)
 * Pinocchio (Walt Disney Home Video, 1993) - DTMF tones (heard on the right channel)
 * The Fox and the Hound (Walt Disney Home Video, 1994) - DTMF tones (twice)

Other duplicators that used these test patterns

 * TBD (Black screen, 400 hz tone)