Caprica VR "Holo-Band" Thread

[PeterLC]

Great screengrab, I dident notice the difference on that holo band until you pointed it out, also Daniel's band from 1x02 sems to be different to, the ear pieces seem larger on one shot of the band.

I see that one of the headsets had a cable attached too. I think it was the on in Daniel's lab. All of the rest are cordless. I suspect the size issue was a perspective thing and possibly the size of the persons head.

I'm still looking for the correct Bluetooth or phone headset to make these, I can't come up with anything that has a regular earpiece then a smaller pieces on front of it, I'm thinking that the smaller pieces might be custom, made by the production so the silver bar can fit into it, any more help, any ideas?

I really do think it was based on the Plantronics Explorer 330 bluetooth headset shown before. It looks like they've just taken a mold of it and cast parts. I can't imagine them buying lots of $20 headsets and gutting them. They'd have left out the LED ring and switch and just replaced that whole middle "chromed" piece with a new custom part with no detail. Sometimes this bit looks golden/bronze and other times more silvery. Could be just a lighting thing. The "bulb" shaped parts at the front could be completely custom too but they remind me of something like the switch/volume control I have seen on some corded headphone. This part if you look closely appears to be two separate pieces - the main bulb and another piece that fits inside on the "eye" side containing the 3mm LEDs. Probably the only way they could get the LEDs in and wired. All of the flashing electronics would fit into one of the side pods, as the circuit would be pretty simple, especially small using SMD components.

I have found two very slightly different versions of these headsets.

The left one has a tiny hole or an LED towards the back and the whole middle chrome piece looks wider in the left one. The right one also looks a bit chunkier but this could be due to the colour and reflection in the photos. Personally I would use the left one as I think the wider middle piece looks more screen accurate. The extra piece where the tubing attaches really looks like it's a custom part, possibly to just add some size. Could be custom made using polystyrene sheeting though it looks almost too good a fit for the tubing. Might even be something like the end of a highlighter pen.

I might buy one and see how much room is inside them and how easy it might be to mold a couple of them along with custom middle pieces. This chrome piece might also just be part of the other mold and painted with metal paint. The bulb shaped parts could even be molded from a large turned wooden bead. My previous casting sadly has only ever to make one-off parts. I have no experience of molds for mass production. The tubing would be easy enough to get but might prove troublesome to bend without cracking the chrome. Might be able to make a brass one and get a friendly chromer to add it to a bigger job for a couple of dollars.


When I have some time I will look into it more.

 

[PeterLC]

kinda reminds me of this viewer at www.myvu.com

I must admit that the nosepiece does look a lot like the one on the MyVu Crystal headsets. I bet they don't sell them as spare parts or at least not unless you own one of the headsets.

A couple more looks.

This is a slightly more complete view of the nosepiece.

A clear one from the side.

Shows the attaching screws a bit.

 

[PeterLC]

OK. I made an offer on a couple of the Plantronics headsets. Will also take some days to come from the USofA.

 

[PeterLC]

I don't know where this image came from but the nose piece is held on using a completely different "clamp" assembly.

Also I'm not completely sure why the mounting seems reversed in this image. Actually on looking closer, it looks like the headset was maybe put on upside down? I can't see the screws on the bottom so maybe just a continuity problem.

 

[silverskyes402]

Yea, she proboly is using it upside down in that pic, I think it would make sense to have different nose pieces, maybe for different version of the holo band, i.e. ipod, ipod touch, iphone, I like the alternate attchment piece in the pic above.

I was thinking of the eye pieces and they proboly are custom made, very easy to make and it does look like they are two seperate pieces, witch makes sense since they would need electronics added inside them, I think im going to start by buying 4 sets of the bluetooths and cutting and bondo'ing them till I can get a good match for the screen used peieces, taking in mind that they need to to have lots of room for the tech inside, then start on the eye pieces, should be fairly easy, just need to find a source for the chrome tubing then start prototyping the electronics.

 

[Laffo]

They are different because the one the daughter uses was a special one commemorating the 1,000,000th holoband. Said so on the box.
That one is Gold the other is Silver and they have different nose clamps.
Am I remembering that right?
Laffo.

 

[silverskyes402]

Ahh, I dident remember that

 

[PeterLC]

They are different because the one the daughter uses was a special one commemorating the 1,000,000th holoband. Said so on the box.
That one is Gold the other is Silver and they have different nose clamps.
Am I remembering that right?
Laffo.

No the one that Daniel used in his office was in the commemorative box.

It has the nose piece with the "wrapped wire". The one Zoe uses also has the "wrapped wire" type mount. I'm not sure that the gold and silver aren't just a product of the lighting. Sometimes it looks gold sometimes not.

When Daniel and Lacey are in Zoe's room, Zoe's headset definitely had gold trim though and Daniel's looks grey/silver (the gold here is lighting I'm sure). Lacey is out of focus in this shot but you can see gold.

This is the one from his "office" at home when he invites Joseph around and it looks grey/silver.

Lacey's own headset from "Rebirth" has gold on the side but a different nosepiece.

 

[TridCloudwalker]

I haven't seen anyone mention it yet, and I've only seen the Pilot DVD, so I'm unsure it shows up in the proper series. In the scene where Daniel has Joseph try the holoband, there is a large glass case in Daniel's office that appears to have a collection of older model holobands starting from his original prototype. Some look clunky, some look like sunglasses, but unfortunately, none are ever really in focus.

Anyone know if this display case shows up again?

 

[silverskyes402]

The colors I've sen so far are silver, yellow and red, I think zoe was using a red one, again, I just chalk it up to different colors being sold kinda like iPods, and I haven't seen the display case pop up again, I remember I'd had those generic glass heads holding the bands.

 

[CB2001]

The colors I've sen so far are silver, yellow and red, I think zoe was using a red one, again, I just chalk it up to different colors being sold kinda like iPods, and I haven't seen the display case pop up again, I remember I'd had those generic glass heads holding the bands.

Or like sunglasses. Not only different styles, but many brands have the same style and different colors.

I think that the Holoband that Graystone uses is a rather limited edition, which explains why its silver. As on the plaque, it said that it was in acknowledgement of one million units sold. Think of it like a special edition of a car or a computer that the manufacturer, it's possible that the Graystone Industries did the one Daniel uses as a once in a lifetime limited printing, a rare item not meant for anyone except the person who designed it. That would explain why we've seen various different colors used, but we have only seen one silver one (because Graystone uses his limited, once in a lifetime printing of the holoband he created).

 

[silverskyes402]

Exactly what I was thinking, well put

 

[PeterLC]

Or like sunglasses. Not only different styles, but many brands have the same style and different colors.

It is possible too that like an iPod, there might be a couple of models with different features. A basic one and a more expensive one. Might explain the simpler looking nosepiece on Lacey's headset.

and I haven't seen the display case pop up again, I remember I'd had those generic glass heads holding the bands.

I assume these are the "heads" and "headsets" you referred to?

The one on our right looks like a regular computer headset with some clear acrylic added. The middle one looks like those sunglasses with MP3 player builtin and the left one looks an older more basic version of the current ones.

Sorry my caps aren't too clear (small laptop and SD video files). I need some HD grabs to get some more detail. Oh roll on the Blu-Ray release of series one unless someone can grab them for us to see.

 

[Laffo]

No the one that Daniel used in his office was in the commemorative box.

Whatever. The point stands.

Here are your exact heads:
http://www.pier1.com/Catalog/Gifts/.../ProductName/Recycled-Glass-Head/Default.aspx

Laffo.

 

[PeterLC]

Whatever. The point stands.

Here are your exact heads:
http://www.pier1.com/Catalog/Gifts/.../ProductName/Recycled-Glass-Head/Default.aspx

Yeah I've seen the same or very similar ones here but never had a use for one. Maybe now I do. I think they've tended to be in "homewares" shops and decorating places.

Prop builders and modders have it a bit easier in the US as some commonplace items just cannot be found here. Plus getting even small items sent here to Australia can cost a small fortune in shipping. I found some acrylic cabochons on a site in the US for $5.00 or so for 50 of them (I only really wanted one or two) and the shipping was going to be about $50.00. A small metal fishing fly tin (6"x3.5"x1") was going to cost $68.00 to ship here by one seller. Just ridiculous how bad some of USPS overseas rates are..

It can cause even some fairly simple props to be economically unviable to make.

 

[PeterLC]

Well after watching episode 3 of Caprica, it looks like they've redesigned the holoband headsets significantly. The whole ear/temple part is different (looks more like a covered speaker inside now than an ear plug) and whole body is thicker, and the nosepice now seems to be the two separate wires with black pads. It looks like it might have been totally scratchbuilt and its lines look much cleaner. And I just ordered two of the Plantronics headsets.

When Zoe Cylon was interfacing to the network in Daniel's home office (no earloops and much thicker)

The image in an inset shown on television (no earloops)

Closeup of Lacey putting on headset to meet Zoe Avatar (earloops but completely different shell).

She is also wearing it above her ears not over them.

Another closeup

Another showing cleaner lines

In the earlier part of the episode though the headsets in Daniel's office are still the original ones.

Might have to build two completely different units now but I have no idea where to look for revamped parts.

 

[silverskyes402]

Those are soem great screencaps, thanks! and yes, the one in Daniels office looks completely different, I hope they keep consistancy in the pieces througout the show though, here is a pic of Zoe's red holoband:

In the pic where lacy is wearing the yellow band I think the actress is just wearing it wrong above her ears, prob so she can hear better while doing the scene.

 

[PeterLC]

Those are soem great screencaps, thanks! and yes, the one in Daniels office looks completely different, I hope they keep consistancy in the pieces througout the show though, here is a pic of Zoe's red holoband:

I'm suspecting that the original units were made for the pilot using mostly stuff that was easily available due to budget constraints. That the show has been picked up as a series meant that a slightly bigger budget was given and so they probably had money to redesign them into a more custom look. I read an article recently about the full sized cylon figure having to be made on a fairly tight budget and quickly, so there was likely not a huge amount of money for anything.

Having said that, I'm sure I've seen something not long ago that looks very similar to those newer main body "ear parts" for the headsets. The shape of it looks a lot like the "handles" on the indicator control stalks in some cars.

 

[PeterLC]

Here are grabs from episode 7 showing the new "limited edition" holoband advertised during the Pyramid match.

 

[kevinericon]

I noticed the "cubit sign" in the ads! That's the first time we're seeing that I believe.