Star Trek TOS Communicator from The Wand Company

[Macnmike]

If you choose to leave your Comm on the cradle always for display, I would unplug the microUSB when not consciously charging. That way you are not relying on TWC automatic protocols. I keep coming back to all my research indicating that you want to avoid total depletion or total charge. My sources encourage multiple top-offs rather than prolonged charge periods. Best. Mike.

 

[Quinn]

Does yours randomly do the power up and power down sounds when sitting on the cradle?

In 2016, I asked TWC about this issue. Here is their response:

"The Communicator will always turn on when placed in the charging stand (assuming that the charging stand is connected to a power supply). You'll also find that it will occasionally turn itself on again during charging, especially when the battery reaches full charge (i.e. when you see the blue and green pulsing on the charging stand). This happens because the charger will sometimes give small top-up charges when the battery is full (when you'll see the red/yellow pulsing again), and those top-up charges can kick the Communicator back into life."

 

[Macnmike]

In 2016, I asked TWC about this issue. Here is their response:

"The Communicator will always turn on when placed in the charging stand (assuming that the charging stand is connected to a power supply). You'll also find that it will occasionally turn itself on again during charging, especially when the battery reaches full charge (i.e. when you see the blue and green pulsing on the charging stand). This happens because the charger will sometimes give small top-up charges when the battery is full (when you'll see the red/yellow pulsing again), and those top-up charges can kick the Communicator back into life."

I've been doing my best to stay away from "full charge" by removing it from the stand. after an hour or hour and a half, before the status light changes. If I time it properly, within a few minutes by phone indicates that the charge is 90% and then drops to 70% soon after. I'm just guessing how accurate that info is. I just avoid draining completely or charging completely. Fortunately, the Comm gives an audible "power cell depleted" warning at around 30% according to my phone. Best. Mike.

 

[CessnaDriver]

I think I'm charging mine like once a year? LOL They pretty much are just on display and fussed with briefly now and then. No troubles so far.

 

[Trooper_trent]

In 2016, I asked TWC about this issue. Here is their response:

"The Communicator will always turn on when placed in the charging stand (assuming that the charging stand is connected to a power supply). You'll also find that it will occasionally turn itself on again during charging, especially when the battery reaches full charge (i.e. when you see the blue and green pulsing on the charging stand). This happens because the charger will sometimes give small top-up charges when the battery is full (when you'll see the red/yellow pulsing again), and those top-up charges can kick the Communicator back into life."

Ahh perfect. Thanks. Glad to know it’s intended to do this.

 

[RayR]

Regarding the Doctor Who David Tennant unit they make the wand company advised me they should be charged fully at least every three months for the best battery maintenance. I said a reminder on my phone calendar and every three months every problem with a lithium ion battery get a recharge at my house. That goes for my wand company phaser and communicator as well.

 

[KojiroVance]

Ahh perfect. Thanks. Glad to know it’s intended to do this.

I agree with others, do not fully charge your comm 24/7.

In my experience, I will connect the comm to an iOS phone regularly, but then set the audio back to the phone (use of iOS shortcuts makes this a snap; happy to share those shortcut details). When I'm done, I will disconnect the comm via Bluetooth settings. The comm will then shut down in 30 minutes ... on or off the "live charger" (plugged in).

Once in a while I'll leave the comm on the live charger, plugged in, in front of my TV ("TOS watching mode activated"), or more recently plugged into the lit-up Fametek USB power supply (which holds a charge quite a while as the TWC charger isn't drawing much at all when the comm is fully charged). I'm using the Fametek power supply (with Star Fleet Command logo) quite a bit, to power the charger, or a Chromecast Audio, topping off my iPhone SE, or.... You get the idea. The ability to turn the LED logo off while still operating is cool.

 

[Macnmike]

Just jumping in the middle. Between all my Lithium-run devices, including the Wands, I've used this as my Bible and they seem to know what they're talking about. Measuring the charge status of the Communicator is easy as I can do that from my smartphone for any BlueTooth device connected. What I'm trying to figure out now is: does anyone know of an easy way to measure the charge status of a Lithium Polymer battery in a device (as a TWC Phaser) through its mini USB port either with a meter or mobile or desktop app? Best. Mike. BU-808: How to Prolong Lithium-based Batterieshttps://batteryuniversity.com › article › bu-808-how-to-...

 

[XweAponX]

View attachment 497927 View attachment 497928

http://www.startrek.com/article/first-fully-working-communicator-coming-soon


If the quality is anything close to the phaser, this is a no doubt must buy.

This project has worked out so well for them that they even made a second edition, they added some extra sound clips but otherwise it’s pretty much the same as the original. The complaint I have with mine is that the antenna Grill, is not brass but it is painted a brass color. And the paint comes right off, even when it is in its protective sleeve. I had to buy a leather sleeve for it and that protects it a little bit better. Chris Bernardo sent me the identification of the color that they used, I tried to order it on Amazon but they can’t ship that color to California because “it causes birth defects“. What? I am not going to be using this around any pregnant women!
Finally I was able to locate the colour at the local Graingers but local means a 20 mile drive.
And then it turns out you have to have a special skill set to apply the paint which I don’t have. So it kind of bubbled up as it was drying.
I have seen a lot of modifications made to this, I think in here as a matter of fact. You can order a kit to replace all of the metal parts with something that looks a little bit more like the original. But it is kind of a project to replace everything. They have kits for the phasers too, the problem I have with the phaser is that the handles keep getting scuffed up and rather than send me the paint identification, Chris wanted me to send the handle all the way back to Britain....
Anyways I signed up for the tricorder that they are making, that is going to be wonderous.
I never leave mine on the charger, I charge it up about once a month. Even when I am using it a lot it doesn’t really use that much power.

Just jumping in the middle. Between all my Lithium-run devices, including the Wands, I've used this as my Bible and they seem to know what they're talking about. Measuring the charge status of the Communicator is easy as I can do that from my smartphone for any BlueTooth device connected. What I'm trying to figure out now is: does anyone know of an easy way to measure the charge status of a Lithium Polymer battery in a device (as a TWC Phaser) through its mini USB port either with a meter or mobile or desktop app? Best. Mike. BU-808: How to Prolong Lithium-based Batterieshttps://batteryuniversity.com › article › bu-808-how-to-...

The communicator is difficult because it charges up wirelessly and there is no direct connection to the power supply on the inside. I have seen several battery replacement kits and there is a tutorial on how to do it on iFixit. As far as the phaser, I don’t know if there is anything that can measure, unless maybe you create a mini USB plug that can be attached to a volt meter or ammeter, But I don’t know if that is going to tell you the status of the internal battery, other than the voltage status. And the phaser does not connect to Bluetooth so you could not use a Bluetooth program to measure it either.

 

[Macnmike]

This project has worked out so well for them that they even made a second edition, they added some extra sound clips but otherwise it’s pretty much the same as the original. The complaint I have with mine is that the antenna Grill, is not brass but it is painted a brass color. And the paint comes right off, even when it is in its protective sleeve. I had to buy a leather sleeve for it and that protects it a little bit better. Chris Bernardo sent me the identification of the color that they used, I tried to order it on Amazon but they can’t ship that color to California because “it causes birth defects“. What? I am not going to be using this around any pregnant women!
Finally I was able to locate the colour at the local Graingers but local means a 20 mile drive.
And then it turns out you have to have a special skill set to apply the paint which I don’t have. So it kind of bubbled up as it was drying.
I have seen a lot of modifications made to this, I think in here as a matter of fact. You can order a kit to replace all of the metal parts with something that looks a little bit more like the original. But it is kind of a project to replace everything. They have kits for the phasers too, the problem I have with the phaser is that the handles keep getting scuffed up and rather than send me the paint identification, Chris wanted me to send the handle all the way back to Britain....
Anyways I signed up for the tricorder that they are making, that is going to be wonderous.
I never leave mine on the charger, I charge it up about once a month. Even when I am using it a lot it doesn’t really use that much power.

To Whom: I've had the first issue for about seven months, carrying it my soft shirt pocket or placing it on a desk or table top for the waking day. I let it rest in the provided pouch for the night. The pictures show scuffing from being placed on smooth surfaces and the others, I assume, are from friction on the hinge. The top and sides are clean as a whistle. I probably won't bother with touch-ups as my other is being kept as-new in case my workaday one goes ****-up. Your phaser issues surprise me more, as the finish on mine seems to be quite durable compared to my SD replacement handle. There might be something going on with variations from different TWC subs—who knows? Best. Mike.

The communicator is difficult because it charges up wirelessly and there is no direct connection to the power supply on the inside. I have seen several battery replacement kits and there is a tutorial on how to do it on iFixit. As far as the phaser, I don’t know if there is anything that can measure, unless maybe you create a mini USB plug that can be attached to a volt meter or ammeter, But I don’t know if that is going to tell you the status of the internal battery, other than the voltage status. And the phaser does not connect to Bluetooth so you could not use a Bluetooth program to measure it either.

Thanx. I sorta figured something along those lines. Micro-volt meters are readily available around the $10 price point. The trick is to mate it with the phaser mini USB in a meaningful way and be able to interpret the data correctly. I've reached out to a couple electrically-inclined friends, but nothing yet. Best. Mike.