How to build sliders timer electronics

Thank you very much for your long reply. I agree with what you posted. Happy to see this is moving forward... :)

One last thing, if you allow me to to do so : If the price is high, and considering this prop needs to be put in the spotlight again, this means that you ( or this guy ) mustn't expect a " flash sale " like ThrowingChicken's Portal guns, for instance. I would suggest to create a run to be sold over a course of a year ( or more ) on his website, so people like me can save up and/or discover the thread some times afterward, and still be able to buy the board.

Again, just my two cents. Looking forward to see this post in the junkyard, and see how it goes ! :)
 
Here is the final revision of the sliders timer electronics build guide:

http://timerslide.com/guide.zip

I'm working on an alternate guide as well using other ic's. stay tuned for that :D

please note the schematics in the guide arent updated, but the written how to step by step guide is complete with all revisions.


I would love to work on the project myself but the link doesn't go anywhere is there an alternate I can use? thanks.
 
Hi thedarkotaku,

After years of careful research I came up with a screen accurate Original Timer function list. I've had so many requests for this after posting it on another site! Haha. I hope it helps you in your quest in return for the amazing open info you're giving to the Timer community :)


Original Timer - Screen Accurate Electronic Details

[ ] indicates Timer's buttons.

The perfect original timer would display like this at different times:
Pilot Episode - First Slide Routine

1. Switch on [PWR]. The GEnSEr sequence is displayed. 000-00:00:00 is displayed along with four of the bargraph LEDs on, one on the top and bottom of each.

2. Set countUP time. Use [NAME/MENU] to select character and [FCN] to change number. To begin countUP press [END].

3. CountUP begins and only the Bargraph is activated fully throughout this phase until time has been reached.

4. When time is reached, for example 00:15:00, the 7-segments (HH:MM:SS only) wraps-around twice anti-clockwise after 00:14:59 then 00:15:00 is displayed and the top emitter turns RED for 5 seconds (vortex is auto-activated) bargraph reverts back to step 1.

5. Timer is ready for another countUP time to be set.

Note: If the vortex is activated early using [1] during any time in this phase the timer's emitter turns RED for 1 minute and goes into 'Burnout Routine' (Seasons 1-3).

Seasons 1-3 - Burnout Routine

1. Timer displays GEnSEr sequence and begins random countDOWN anywhere from 00:01:00 to 029-24:59:59 (who's gonna wait more than a month!)

2. During countDOWN four of the bargraph LEDs on, one on the top and bottom of each, and the ZETA LED always on. The TAU and DELTA LEDs alternate every half a second.

3. CountDOWN continues but when 5 minutes are left the ZETA LED flashes in time with the TAU LED. When 1 minute is left the timers bargraph LEDs are activated fully. Note also that the original timer bargraph slides up and down when fully activated rather than randomly like the egyptian timer.

4. When the timer reaches 00:00:00 all LEDs in the bottom half of the timer goes out accept the four bargraph LEDs in step 2. The 7-segment display doesn't wrap-around as originally thought. The 4 red half second LEDs between the HH:MM:SS stays on and the 7-segment 00:00:00 go out half at a time from each side and the top emitter turns WHITE (vortex activated) for 1 minute when [1] is pressed. (vortex is not auto-activated during this phase) When 1 minute has passed the timer would then display the GEnSEr startup and begin counting down at random.

Note: [1] must be pressed between 00:00:01 and 00:00:00 otherwise the timer goes into a 'sleep' mode. (29 years stuck on that world) Secret: To get out of sleep mode and revert back to First Slide Routine press [NAME/MENU].

Note: In any timer mode the 4 red half second LEDs between the HH:MM:SS has two quick flashes in a second.

Note: To save battery life and allow the timer to be closed and put into pockets it has a 'power saving' feature. Pressing [4] will turn on/off this feature, which turns all displays off while still counting up/down except for the 4 red half second LED's between the HH:MM:SS. These remain constantly on in this mode to indicate power..
Do you make and sell the original timer prop replicas? Do you make and sell the parts for the original timer? Looking at purchasing parts and original timers..
 
'Genser' sequence...

That's funny! I built the original screen-used timers for the show in Vancouver, in 1994, along with Mike Caluori - whose name also appears in the power-up preamble (except spelled 'CALUrI' because of the 6-digit display restriction). I did the electronics and programming, and Mike modified the phone housings. The displays were non-multiplexed (ie. camera-safe and bright) and therefore used a huge amount of energy (consider 20mA per display segment / bargraph segment / status LED). No white LEDs back then, so an energy-wasting incandescent bulb ('fuse' style, if I remember correctly) in the business end. Also no LiPoly cells back then, so the 'hero' (functional) unit had an external battery pack on a tether. Nearly 2 Amps with everything lit, as I recall.

The CPU was a 68HC11E2 (2k internal eeprom) and I just recently stumbled across the original assembler source-code. There were several story-specific software mods made along the way. LEDs were driven from addressable 74HC595 parallel latches. There was no dedicated real time clock - just a real-time interrupt (among others - the whole thing was interrupt-driven), divided down from the crystal. It was also one of my early surface-mount boards.

Putting my last name (twice), amongst the jibberish in the preamble was a private joke. Nobody on the show even noticed until the second season. I also gave the same treatment (nearly identical preamble) to a digital countdown timer on a bomb for a Roger Moore MOV called 'The Man Who Wouldn't Die', in 1993.

Almost 20 years later... still building props!

SG
Hi Rocket,
Great job on the original timer props. I have been a huge fan of yours as well as the Sliders tv show for many years. I am looking at trying to purchase a fully assembled and working sliders timer. Do you know of anyone who makes and sells replicas exactly like yours. If you do not know of anyone who sells replicas like yours, would you be up for selling one of yours? Any help and direction you give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
 
Does anyone still have the look-up tables and preamble source code, shared by Rocket some time ago? The files had disappeared from the forum somewhy.
 

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