HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey) - pg.5 final Update

Vader · Jul 21, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

SSR said:
Brushed Aluminum was all the rage for electronics in the 70s; likely the 60s as well. Not sure whether it was anodized.

Bearing in mind that black is not a natural colour of Al, so if it's black and brushed, it is anodised. Painting or powder coating will cover up the brushed surface structure.

[credentials]I work in the contemporary electronics industry, particularly and especially that part of it which is primarily concerned with keeping components cool. That means I work with aluminium a lot. Extruded, tumbled, bead blasted, brushed, or merely machined; bare, anodised, coated, chromated, or even polished ... I look at and design with all the variations of the material almost on a daily basis.[/credentials]

Judging from the images of the panel, I feel I can say with 90-95% confidence that the material in the panel is in fact black anodised brushed aluminium.

The 5-10% uncertainty is due to the fact that there are wood grains (I most often see them in some qualities of plywood) that would pretty much match that structure, but I'd second the suggestion that if it isn't brushed Al, it would certainly seem to be intended to look like it...

AP 333 · Jul 21, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

Thanks to Vaders expertise, I'm pretty much convinced that it really is anodised brushed aluminum.
It makes more sence, while looking at other vintage IBM
computers from the 60s and by compering the texture of brushed aluminum with the texture of the prototype HAL.

And as already mentioned the designers around Stanley certainly took their inspiration from technologie that was up to date around 1964.

But to play safe I'd like to get more Information about the prototype panel!

If you have any Information or if you have seen it in real life please tell us

I'm also interested how it looks like from behind and from the side
(of course with dimensions if possible)

-Who is the person with the glasses ?
-What do you think about the crossbar,
Is it even with the other trims or is it stuck in a little bit deeper ?
-Who ownes the prototype panel now ? who could I contact?
-Does someone have more pictures of it ?

P.S.: I re-linked all downloads on my frist post -> the contents are now in the attachment area

Mike J. · Jul 21, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

More (poor) pics.

-MJ

Mike J. · Jul 21, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

The 'grill' looks pretty flat in that second picture of yours. Do you think it could be a replacement?

I think it was speculated (the last time a big HAL thread came up) that the grill was breadboard - probably painted.

-MJ

AP 333 · Jul 21, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

wow nice pictures! thx

The glossy reflection on the the 3rd picture is due to a glass infront of the panel, right ?

About the grill:
The description at the auction site ,says (as far I understood~) the grill on the prototype panel was replaced, therefore I'm not refering to it.

The screenshots from the movie shows a corrugated shape (as far I can see),
which I tried to integrate in my 3D-print

The argument against a breadboard is the rectangular arrangement of the holes (on a breadboard they are usually arranged in a quadratic pattern)

And it's not possible to arrange 22x18 holes in a rectangular frame in a quadratic pattern (I tried~)

And you can see the trend on transistor radios from 1960 to 1964

Mike J. · Jul 22, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

I stand corrected

Yeah, I think the glossy reflection is from a glass display case.

-Mike J.

Architect · Jul 31, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

scotthm said:
It's looking very good, but doesn't it seem a little odd that the entire panel seems to be based on imperial units except for the label (and of course the lens)?

I thought it was all about the speaker grill. I've never seen anyone get that right yet.

---------------

speaking of the speaker grill. I did a test run with tools that are not quite made for it, and I am positive that making it out of metal would not be a problem at all. just tossing ideas back and forth with AP 333 on how the finished product needs to be, might need an interest thread for just the grill maybe? heh heh pics of my parts I am gathering now that thanks to the hard work done on the research, I know what to look for.

and yes I had to take two pictures of the eye cause it is all about the eye really when someone is looking at it and does not know that much about it, the grill is only important to us movie nerds

scotthm · Jul 31, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

Architect said:
the grill is only important to us movie nerds

Well..., yeah.

But then again, my wife would say that about the whole thing.

---------------

Lutso · Jul 31, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

I tell ya, that is one heck of a first post.

AP 333 · Aug 1, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

:lol

ok what are your opinions on the grid color?

Here a nice HAL -family photo:

I think the HAL panels on the centrifuge/bridge definitely have a metal grid with a natural darker tint or the material was darkened somehow afterwards.
... or it is old corroded material, but I don't think Staley would allow such a shabby look on his probs.

I'm not sure about the Pod Bay grid color. On some pictures you can see different shades between panel and grid, but it still seems to be darker than on the other panels ....maybe painted or also anodised?

BONUS : :love

1) There have been discussions, that the prototype panel was actually the panel above the brain room entrance, but I found a photo that disproves this theory (see 2nd attachment) -> It has also the bigger proportions.

2) A picture of Stanley holding the Nikkor Lens (little bit blurry)

Architect · Aug 1, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

I believe the whole premise of the sets confirms that stanley would not have allowed something shabby on the set either. the whole movie had a very ultra clean futuristic feel to it so why would he break that with a dirty speaker grill.

Architect · Aug 1, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

scotthm said:
Well..., yeah.

But then again, my wife would say that about the whole thing.

---------------

indeed I bet she would. XD

on the serious note though, what I was getting at is that the eye is what makes most people who see it from across a room to go "oh cool! its that computer thingy from that space movie!" and us prop guys and gals are the ones who see it and go over to inspect it up close so we're the ones who would appreciate the attention to the detail of the grill.

of course then there are those of us who would whip out the dial calipers and start looking to see just how accurate everything is too

milanSKINNER · Aug 14, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

My HAL9000 PC.

asemblyrequired · Aug 14, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

It quote George Contanza , " It moved..."

wow and double wow. great post and information.

-James

milanSKINNER · Aug 14, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

Talk about the pictures

Lens:

Front panel:

PC case:
This is not the momolyt TMA-1, but a Fractal Design - Define XL Black Pearl

Architect · Aug 14, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

that computer case mod is pretty sweet. it is kinda what I was planning for my panel. doubt most people though would be interested in a full size HAL now with the size of cases coming down in size and weight. "full size tower for your computer? man that is so 1993!" heh heh.

Stormy320 · Aug 14, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

I'm an apple guy, but I would love to have that sitting on my desk!

Scandvoice · Aug 17, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

I am so totally blown away by this thread. The obsession with detail is so over the top, and i love it! The only thing I can think of that would make this prop spot-on, would be a couple of good random samples of the voice - motion activated - so that everytime you pass the panel, HAL says something. ;-)

Architect · Aug 17, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

I have taken a stab at cleaning up the sound bytes a lot to get rid of the ships back ground hum. and made a good loop of that hum so it can be continuously played off another track so as not to have it break in and out when the sampled speech is played. could use some more clean up though for sure.

Scandvoice · Aug 18, 2011

Re: HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey)

Well, Douglas Rain (the voice of HAL 9000) is 83 years old now, so i guess he's not up for re-recording his lines. I aöso doubt that his voice sounds the same now. I found the original lines on the net (free download!) so I'm going to run them through my various sound filters and see if I can come up with something decent. I'll keep you posted. ;-)

HAL 9000 Panel (2001:A Space Odyssey) - pg.5 final Update

New Member

New Member

Attachments

Master Member

Master Member

New Member

Attachments

Master Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Sr Member

New Member

Attachments

Active Member

Active Member

New Member

Well-Known Member

New Member

Active Member

Sr Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Similar threads