Star Trek TOS Tricorder help

[drsyn71]

So I want to buy one of the Diamond Toys plastic deals, but I don't know what to get. Science, Geological, Medical? I don't know what does what. What are the main differences? Different Sounds? Screens? And what about the removable scanner? Differences there? Do they actually spin? And it's hard to find out EXACTLY what I'm buying when some websites just say "Original Series Tricorder". I found a seemingly cheap deal here on Amazon for $35 for a tricorder and communicator. I saw it on Target.com as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Selec...UTF8&qid=1419325139&sr=8-3&keywords=tricorder

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

[robn1]

That's a great price for the two-pack, less than the tric by itself. That's the geo model, seen only in one episode "That Which Survives". It doesn't have a scanner, but has soil sample vials. It also has different details under the flip down door.

The med and science models do have scanners. The med has McCoy's scanner, it spins but is not motorized, it must be spun by hand. The science model has the longer thinner scanner with a multi-colored light. Both trics are the same except for the screen graphics.

 

[DrMcoy]

Actually, the 3 AA tricorders all make different sounds and/or play different dialogue sound clips taken from various episodes (med tricorder has McCoy clips, science tricorder has Spock clips, GEO tricorder has unique library computer voice clips) -- all share some of the electronic "whistle" sounds, but as I recall, each also has electronic sounds unique to that tricorder.

the middle compartment of GEO tricorder also different than med & science, which share the same middle compartment details.

screens are different on all three, again, unique to function.

if i were getting just one, it would be a coin toss on med & science, depending on which scanner you prefer or sound clips you prefer -- although i always thought it was weird that would have them make dialogue sounds, as that's just silly!

 

[drsyn71]

Awesome! Thanks for all the info you two!

 

[CmdrWilliamB]

Also, a couple of noted criticisms from past reviews... The view screen of the Medical version has a black background which doesn't show very well as the light isn't bright enough to shine through and illuminate it very well. Also, in terms of the various voice clips utilized, the Med version features voice clips from Dr. McCoy with Mr. Spock providing voice clips for the Sciences version--both appropriate If one assumes that these are communications devices (which they are not). The Geo version, however, has voice clips of the ship's computer (aka Majel Barrett-Roddenberry), which seems much more appropriate. One additional note re: the sound clips... The voicing on the Med version is known to be plagued by sound board of a somewhat sketchy quality as many have reported that Dr. McCoy's voice is sped up to the point of resembling that of Marvin the chipmunk.

 

[drsyn71]

TARGET has a deal for a tricorder and communicator for $35.99. The picture shows a hand scanner. I went ahead and ordered 2 sets. One for me and one for my brother. I already have a communicator, but for THAT price, I can always use another. They were offering free shipping on orders $50 and more, so I couldn't pass that up. Still have to pay tax, but I can live with that. Total came to $77.02. So, $38.51 for a tricorder and communicator - not too shabby. I'll report back once they arrive if indeed they have the hand scanners or not.

http://www.target.com/p/diamond-sel...pid=14846098&gclid=CPiG6-GJ3sICFQwyaQodB7cAmw

 

[asalaw]

Also, a couple of noted criticisms from past reviews... The view screen of the Medical version has a black background which doesn't show very well as the light isn't bright enough to shine through and illuminate it very well. Also, in terms of the various voice clips utilized, the Med version features voice clips from Dr. McCoy with Mr. Spock providing voice clips for the Sciences version--both appropriate If one assumes that these are communications devices (which they are not). The Geo version, however, has voice clips of the ship's computer (aka Majel Barrett-Roddenberry), which seems much more appropriate. One additional note re: the sound clips... The voicing on the Med version is known to be plagued by sound board of a somewhat sketchy quality as many have reported that Dr. McCoy's voice is sped up to the point of resembling that of Marvin the chipmunk.

I have the medical version. McCoy's voice plays at normal speed; it's just that the sound quality could be better. I'm sure the circuit components are just cheap crap, especially the speaker.

 

[CmdrWilliamB]

I have the medical version. McCoy's voice plays at normal speed; it's just that the sound quality could be better. I'm sure the circuit components are just cheap crap, especially the speaker.

Asalaw: You are correct in that I should have been more clear in stating that SOME have reported this problem, rather than inferring that all are plagued by this sound board issue, which is NOT the case. Mine, like yours also plays at a normal speed. The overall crappy sound quality, however, does seem to be universal, at least to the med version. As I don't have either the Sciences or Geological versions, I can't directly compare their sound quality.

 

[CmdrWilliamB]

TARGET has a deal for a tricorder and communicator for $35.99. The picture shows a hand scanner. I went ahead and ordered 2 sets. One for me and one for my brother. I already have a communicator, but for THAT price, I can always use another. They were offering free shipping on orders $50 and more, so I couldn't pass that up. Still have to pay tax, but I can live with that. Total came to $77.02. So, $38.51 for a tricorder and communicator - not too shabby. I'll report back once they arrive if indeed they have the hand scanners or not.

http://www.target.com/p/diamond-sel...pid=14846098&gclid=CPiG6-GJ3sICFQwyaQodB7cAmw

Forgot to note... Though the listing does not specify it as such, if as depicted, I believe that this is the 2013 general retail version and it included the "Sciences" version of the tricorder which does include a hand scanner. This is also a great price as the MSRP was around $75 and even discounted, the average going price is about $60.

 

[vidman]

I have all 3 and the med tric sounds almost to chipmunk speak LOL, My science sounds fine and the Geo tric works just fine also. My disappointment was/is the med scanner, the

sound does not work and the spinner was supposedly going to be motorized which it isn't.

Other than that I like them all

 

[Funky]

and the spinner was supposedly going to be motorized which it isn't.

Argggg! Stop reminding me! I will never forgive them for that! :facepalm

 

[asalaw]

Yeah, I just took mine apart to salvage the clear plastic tops and junked the rest. A med scanner is on my projects list. I might do that when I do my scratch-built tricorder, which is the project after next.

 

[CessnaDriver]

There is a jumper mod you can do and hook to a switch to get the sounds of all three on one tric.

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=258104&page=5

 

[drsyn71]

Wow, that's great!

 

[asalaw]

There is a jumper mod you can do and hook to a switch to get the sounds of all three on one tric.

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=258104&page=5

Awesome!!!! Thank you!

 

[drsyn71]

Got the 2 communicator/tricorder sets today. I'm happy. They're science tricorders with the hand scanners. They have a sticker of the front of the clear plastic window saying so. I was worried at first when I opened the cardboard shipping box and I didn't see the hand scanners in the packaging. I figured they'd want to show off the hand scanners. I thought maybe Target.com had used the wrong stock photo on their website and in fact were selling the geological tricorders with the vials. But that WASN'T the case, I was happy to find the scanners in their little compartments inside the tricorders.

I AM a little sad Diamond has cheapened their communicators now making the covers out of colored plastic instead of metal like they used to. But, I already have an old one with the metal cover, so I can't complain AT ALL for what I paid for the sets