Firefly "The Message" Voice Recorder

Hi.

I found the little thing the Firefly prop department used as the voice recorder on the Firefly Episode "The Message". It's a "Mini Radio" from a chinese company.

Here is a screencap of the scene in Firefly:

And a link to the Radio:
http://www.sz-wholesale.com/promotional-pr...NI%20RADIO.html


Anyone know where to buy such a radio? Would be a nice addition to my Firefly Prop Collection

 

Nice find, F-N-S. I'd suggest scouring dollar and discount stores in your area. That's likely where this was originally found.

 

Amazing find. I spent hours searching mp3 players, voice/memo recorders but never came up with anything. Never thought of searching radios.
If anyone finds a source for them please share

 

Awesome find, I'd love to get one as well. What about a group of us getting together and placing an order from that company? I can't see them costing more than a dollar each, heck we could all buy 5 each and still be quite satified I bet.

 

I believe I saw those radios for a decent price at a local store that deals in freight type goods.

I'll check back and see if they still have them, and if they are indeed the correct model. I'll post back my findings when I get to look.

 

i would be in for one.


quote=dr_slurpee,Jan 29 2006, 04:59 PM]
Awesome find, I'd love to get one as well. What about a group of us getting together and placing an order from that company? I can't see them costing more than a dollar each, heck we could all buy 5 each and still be quite satified I bet.

[snapback]1170917[/snapback]​

[/quote]

 

i would be in for one.


quote=dr_slurpee,Jan 29 2006, 04:59 PM]
Awesome find, I'd love to get one as well. What about a group of us getting together and placing an order from that company? I can't see them costing more than a dollar each, heck we could all buy 5 each and still be quite satified I bet.

[snapback]1170917[/snapback]​

[/quote]

 

Sounds like a great idea. I know I'd be in for a handfull

 

Great find F-N-S. And welcome to the board.

I'd definitely be in for at least two. I always buy extras of things that I could potentially screw up when modifying it.

 

yeah, I'd like one as well, if you can get extra.

 

I'd be in for one.

Berry

 

So who's going to try and modify one of those small mp3 players to fit inside and actually play the message?


This one looks like it's pretty close to the same size, the guts might fit in the radio.

 

Thats what I'm gonna try and do, it's why I'm gonna try and get 5 or 6 of them. It'll give me a chance to play around and make a few mistakes before getting one just right

 

I think I'll want to get a few for the same purposes then.

This one might be even better, it's really small.
http://jcpros.trustpass.alibaba.com/produc...on_4_In_1_.html

 

That would be great, but you'd have to find a tiny speaker to actually play it out loud since MP3 players are normally meant to be played with headphones or larger external speakers.

It can be done.

 

d3rby at "The Verse" forum put in a request for the radio being made in the right color.
Maybe we get an answer soon. Keep your fingers crossed.

http://pryce.100megs12.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=419#419

 

I found another shop that sells our little radio. Unfortunatly the min. quantity is 100 ;(

http://dayspringpromotions.com/index.php?s...roduct_id=49225

 

Great work. Although not listed in the 'Available colours' section there/ The 'additional cost' for 'extra colour' might mean we'll be able to get the right colour for an extra $0.50 per unit. Although if thats the case the total order will end up looking like this:

Set-up Charge = $50.00
Cost of 100 units = $299.00
Cost of extra colour to 100 units: $50.00
Total = $399.00

Making the cost per unit only $3.99, but then the shipping needs to be added to that.

 

I am doubting that they would end up making it in a copper colour, besides you'd still have to sand the writing off so the finish would look icky. I am happy to just paint the sucker, which is more than likely what they did in the show.

So am I reading that site right? They are $2.99 each? My lord, that is crazy, you can get a million different FM players at dollar stores for $1...

 

Yeah thats $2.99 each not including the set-up fee or shpping.

 

I think that colour imprint is referring to having a logo or something put on it, colour imprint doesn't really imply a custom coloured player.

 

Yeah probably, but finding the right colour paint for it is gonna be one of the easiest colour matches in the world, so its no biggiel if they can only do the blue or silver. Maybe somewhere else will turn up that has a smaller minimum order and lower price :lol

 

Looks like you can order 1 "sample" if you wish. Anyone trying that?

 

Looking thru promotional product pages is boring as hell, but yet again, i found another shop.

http://www.promoplace.com/ws/webstore.dll/...9&Rec=121234708

2,93$ apiece

 

i'm givin that one a shot.... we'll see what happens...

 

Do you think we can get enough people to buy all 100 radios? :confused

I'll take 3...so 97 left to go.

 

I just ordered a free sample in silver.

There's a section of the form that asks when you need it and I put Feb. 3rd... which is next Friday.

I'll post here when I get it.

They also ask for a company name.... I just made up something. They will probably print it on the radio.... no big deal, though.

- Jim :fettrotj

 

My wife works for a promotional product/embroidery company. She's going to have a look through some catalogs for me tomorrow to see if she can get these. Will post with results when I find something out.

Edit - she just sat down and found a vendor for me. :lol

She's going to call tomorrow to get a price quote. Ordering through her company will almost certainly be less than the $3 per unit that the vendor quotes, and since there's no need to get a logo imprinted on them, they'll probably waive the 100-unit minimum order as well.

Sooo...I'll find out all this info and share the results tomorrow evening. Assuming everything pans out and I can get them, I'd have no problem with paying for them up front and distributing them to everyone at actual cost.

We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

-Rick

 

That would be great Rick. Let us know how it works out.

...now to look for some copper paint. Maybe some Rub 'N Buff with a clearcoat?

 

Thats great news
Can't wait to hear more.

 

I ordered one of the samples in silver as well and apparently they've noticed a LARGE increase in the number of requests for samples of this model.
When I called to give my credit card info for the shipping charge ($6.00) I was asked if it was for a convention and how I found them. I just played dumb. :angel

Todd

 

Okie dokie folks, here's the scoop.

My darling wife did the legwork for us today, and she can get the radios for $2.00 per piece. As we suspected, there's no minimum order due to not needing a logo imprint, so we can pretty much get as many or as few as we'd like. The vendor only has the blue ones, but since they're going to get a new paint job, I'm guessing that won't be an issue for anyone.

My plan is this: on either Wednesday or Thursday, I'm going to have my wife place an order for 50 radios. I will pay for these myself up front. When they arrive, I'll post a thread in the Junkyard, and will happily send them out for actual cost ($2) per radio plus whatever shipping comes out to be, which likely won't be much at all. Donations for buying padded envelopes would be graciously accepted, though. :lol

I had thought about trying to collect some money ahead of time, but I think things will work faster and smoother this way. I also don't mind eating a few dollars worth of little blue radios if the supply exceeds the demand. I can always find something to do with them. The great thing is, they are fairly readily available if we do need to get more of them out into the 'Verse.

Does this sound like a workable plan to everyone?

 

Sweet. Cheapest prop ever.

 

Wowie.

OK...in the interest of not cluttering up the Prop Forum with what's basically become an interest thread, I've transposed all of the names and quantities into an actual interest thread in the Junkyard. It is a no-obligation signup, and no money will need to change hands until I actually have the radios and am able to send them out.

If you can't post in the Junkyard, feel free to send me a PM with the number of radios you're intersted in acquiring and I'll add your name to the list. RedTwoX, I already gotcha.

If the demand keeps creeping up like this, I may order 75 instead of 50 just to be safe. Can't really afford to get more than that up front right now, but there's always another order close to my next payday if we run out on this round

-Rick

 

What color are folks going to use to paint it?

 

Holy crap, I've just had to close the interest list in the Junkyard. Wow.

 

Great News. Thanks very much to you and your wife for making it possible to get this prop.
I just woke up and read this. Thats really a good morning

 

Cool find. Well done, F-N-S and Pilot's wife.

BTW, you folks wanting to MP3 the message know you'll have to contend with the background music, right?

 

What about using that "blooper" reel that was posted in the Off Topic section? Can't remember if it had music... :confused

 

That would've worked as there is no background score. EXCEPT for about halfway through the scene they start in with this goofy la-la music.

 

Actaully, I'm giving consideration to simply re-recording it. A couple of friends and I could do a reading and whoever sounds best will go in my prop replica. Of course, this assumes I find a resonably dirt cheap MP3 player with "guts" that will fit in the radio. I'm concerned with getting the MP3 controls to function with the case swap :confused Not to mention jamming a tiny speaker in there. That's why I'm in for 5... I expect to loose a few test subjects in the process. I'll do one static that's just a repaint, and have 4 to chop up until I get it right.

What's this "blooper reel" of which you speak SurferGeek?

 

SHAZAM.

 

Hey guys, please be careful with the "I want one", and "I'll take 5" posts. Those kinds of posts are meant for the JY only. I know this evolved from a research thread, and it gets a little tricky at times to know when a thread turns from a show-off or research thread into an Interest or For Sale thread. Still, the staff would appreciate it if everyone kept the appropriate posts in the correct forum. I've pruned out some of the more blatant posts.

Pilot, thanks for taking on this project. It sounds like you have a lot of interest, and hopefull you'll be making a lot of members quite happy. Still, be careful about taking orders via PM from new members. I'm not saying that new members have the plague, and should be shunned. But we have long-established rules in place about access to the JY in order to help our members protect themselves.

If you have any question, please feel free to shoot me a PM.

Thanks,
Lonnie

 

Hay guys, what's this?






Corporate order + in-state vendor = free next day shipping. :lol

Before everyone gets *too* excited and starts sending me money, keep in mind that I still need to pick up packing supplies. I can't weigh them out and quote accurate shipping until I have them in the proper packaging.

Also keep in mind that I just checked onboard a brand new ship today (whoo, Navy. *sigh*) and my schedule for the next few days is a bit uncertain at best. I *should* be off early enough tomorrow to grab what I need and start assembling packages for people, but please be patient with me in case I can't get to them until the weekend.

I've got them in my grubby little paws though, so half the battle is won already.

-Rick

 

Most excellently cool, Rick. Thanks for fronting this. Let us know when you're ready, and the money will be yours.

 

It came. It came. Thank you so much.

Umm.. so does the belt clip come off the back then? And what kind of paint does it need? Am I right in guessing the wheel and buttons stay unpainted, as is? Does it stay the full length, or does it get cut down lengthwise any?

 

got my "factory sample" in today as well :lol

i have the same questions as kaylee on this one.

good lord you can go deaf with this thing. that volume is TOUCHY......



now someone with some talent tell us how to paint this sumbitch.

chris

 

I am guessing that some nice copper paint would do the trick. The knobs and dials stay chrome. I am not sure about the length, looks like they MIGHT have cut it down from the screen grab that was posted.

 

To answer my own questions..
there's a couple glimpses of it around 12:51, 17:36 The base of the pocket clip is still there, but the clip itself is removed.

The base itself IS cut off -- we see the full height in Kaylee's hand at 17:58
There's a great shot of it as well at 42:38.

 

i want one