Bought some parts yesterday, let see what May brings for me in terms of scheduling......
I have a rough idea on how to start those 7-segment displays.
I have a rough idea on how to start those 7-segment displays.
Sliders Timer Electronics
- Thread starter evlares
- Start date
subxinu
Active Member
Yay! :thumbsup
OhioAstromech
Well-Known Member
I have an old motorola phone just waiting to turn into one of these.
I like the idea of making my own breadboard electronics though.
I like the idea of making my own breadboard electronics though.
PeterLC
Sr Member
I like building my own stuff too however I have no idea how to program MCUs which is really needed here to save space since I am using a real Motorola T-A-C Ultra Lite. I may make another using a Motorola 550 that I have which is almost correct.
My point is that using ordinary discrete compnents will probaly make a circuit that is way too complicated to get all of the functions working. I have no problems with building the whole thing as long as I can get either a programmed MCU or the raw code to program in myself. Circuit building I am fine with; it's just the programming issue.
OhioAstromech
Well-Known Member
subxinu
Active Member
My DPC550's model number is F09HLD8415AG but, I believe, the DPC 550 had several model numbers and only the last four characters differ in your model number.
exoray
Master Member
As an Ex-Motorola employee that made too many of these phones, let me state there were dozens upon dozens of 550 like models, as well as the other flip phones at that time... Motorola was making a ton of 'niche' market small run versions/variations of all their phones for delivery worldwide at that time... The same plastic housings were used on dozens of different phone models worldwide, and in multiple shades of gray and black under different model numbers... They were also getting the housings made from two main outsourced manufactures, and they varied every so slightly from manufacture to manufacture, enough variation that sometimes we had to shut down production because the top half from one manufacture didn't match close enough to say the bottom or flip parts from another... Fun times...
PeterLC
Sr Member
The T-A-C Ultra Lite (actual model used I believe) is on the left and the 550 I have is on the right.
Obviously I'll be using the Ultra LIte but I have a couple of the 550s so might try to do something with them. I think that even a couple of the batteries I have work OK. I hope so as I plan to use the one of the oriiginal batteries to power the electronics. That way I can just use the charging base. I know the black Li-Ion battery works but not so sure about the older Ni-Cd ones. Unfortunately it's the Ni-Cds that are the correct shape. I don't really want to be cutting battery packs open to swap their internals about.
It's almost a shame to rip the guts out of these phones as they are fully functional. Admittedly they have no hope of working here in Australia as we no longer have analogue phones. Maybe I should do a retro refit of one of the 550s with a cheap 3G phone guts.
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PeterLC
Sr Member
The one I have here says model number 76282WNFSB, MSN A23GWP 5B50. May be a model made for Canada as it says Canada and some numbers.
PeterLC
Sr Member
I have realized that the keypad they used was part of a larger keyboard. I have attached a picture of what the keypad would probally look like, although I extrapolated some of the keys. I am hoping someone here recognizes it
It might have been a part of a keypad but more likely a whole custom keypad that was just laying about the props junk box. The specific labels may well have made perfect sense on the equipment it was from. It might also have been from a run of keypads for something that never went into production and of course it might have simply been a custom fake pad made for the timer. The reason for choosing those specific key labels might have been worked out or could have mostly been random.
Yeah I know that chances of finding it are extremely low, still thou I am gonna email the picture to some keyboard manufacturers, might get lucky :cool
Thermalized Plastics
Well-Known Member
I don't want to step on anyone’s toes. But that key pad came from a calculator of the same time frame.:love Remember, They took a perfectly working phone ($650.00) of that time and made it into a prop!:eek And they used different phones threw out the series. :confused
thermal:lol
subxinu
Active Member
Very true about the cost and usability of the phone (as analog was still in use at the time of the show). Where I beg to differ is the Micro T-A-C Ultra Lite came out in 1992 and Sliders first aired in 1995 so, at best, the phone was two years old if the prop designer started working on it in 1994. The original phone was likely a used/salvage phone or even a personal used-phone of someone involved in the show (maybe the prop maker?). I could be wrong though. :confused
PeterLC
Sr Member
I don't think you're stepping on anyone's toes Thermal. If you know where the found items came from then that is excellent. My comments were purely speculation on my part at best. Based on the labels printed on the buttons it didn't look to me as if it had come from any sort of calculator that I'd ever seen.
Of course since I'm supposing the prop doesn't really need a working keypad then I might just be using a printed dummy one. Though I could make a custom keypad from scratch if really needed. While a bit fiddly, a working membrane keypad can be made quite simply.
fifth_beatle
New Member
Hi. New to the board. I recently picked up a Motorola T-A-C, and I am currently gutting it to put the electronics in it. Ran into a snag, though. I can separate almost the entire phone in half, but I am having trouble with the bottom part (the base of the phone), where the flip portion is. I can't figure out how it is attached. Should I just forget about trying to separate it in half, and start dremeling an opening for the project box? Thanks!
PeterLC
Sr Member
It does come apart but I must admit that it is damned more difficult than taking the Motorola 550 apart. I tried using the same method as the 550 and it didn't work so I've not separated mine yet. I would have thought they would be quite similar in construction but there are definitely differences. I would there is enough people on here who have done it already to be of some help though I know some cheated and just cut it apart as they had a spare flip for it.
Lightbenders » Blog Archive » In the workshop: Sliders’ timer
hi all, found this today looks very interesting
hi all, found this today looks very interesting
PeterLC
Sr Member
I was actually about to start building something very similar using a PIC microcontroller for a pistol I'm making. Also plan to use a LM3914 with stacked LEDs for a battery power indicator as I'm powering the gun from a 14500 3.6V Li-Ion battery. I could it with the PIC too I guess, but not pushing things for a first try. Maybe I can redo the circuit later just using the PIC to do everything.
It's not an exciting gun. It's just a mindless little project based around a Scorpion 3 PS2 gun, and will just have a laser and a couple of LEDs in the "business end".
It will be a learning exercise as far as the PIC goes so hopefully that will lead to being to do something with a PIC for the Slider's Timer. Given that Lightbender's Pulse Rifle counter is US$70, I can only assume that the way more complicated Timer circuit will be really expensive (probably more than I can afford).
It's not an exciting gun. It's just a mindless little project based around a Scorpion 3 PS2 gun, and will just have a laser and a couple of LEDs in the "business end".
It will be a learning exercise as far as the PIC goes so hopefully that will lead to being to do something with a PIC for the Slider's Timer. Given that Lightbender's Pulse Rifle counter is US$70, I can only assume that the way more complicated Timer circuit will be really expensive (probably more than I can afford).
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exoray
Master Member
This year has been hell for me on a personal level causing me to back off a majority of my prop related products, including this project... In fact pretty much everything ceased moving anywhere for a good portion of the year... I still want to get this done, the box full of Thermal's parts and my prototype builds sits in the corner of my desk as a constant reminder to get to it, but right now I really can't give a time frame... I want to wrap it up probably just as bad as anyone wants it but life has a way of taking turns in directions you don't want to go...
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