The Wand Company TOS Tricorder is coming!

[blspro]

Wouldn't that be cool if you could pair the tricorder to a cellphone, like the Communicator, and then be able to access online content.

Actually, the back of the Tricorder CAD references Antenna PCB. While that is likely an antenna to "scan radio frequencies" (as indicated on the Interest/FAQ page), it could also reference a wi-fi and/or bluetooth antenna. That way you could get your pairing or direct online access - though with the small size of the screen, I don't know how useful that would be.

As to the discs working like an SD card, I suspect that would involve too much new engineering/design. Given the reference to the "Data disc detection PCB" on the same CAD image, I suspect it may be either a simple trigger device OR, if they went to more trouble, some magnetic striping or the like embedded in the "data disc" which produces different results depending upon which disc is inserted in a given position (I've seen something similar used by Adam Savage on his Captain's Chair with the colored 'data tape' squares from TOS - depending upon which square you insert into the 'data tape' slot, it will trigger a different response).

What would be nice is if they do use SD cards or the like in the innards of the Tricorder, thus allowing the community to modify/expand the content.

 

[Starbase101]

...with the small size of the screen, I don't know how useful that would be.

People have been buying "smart" watches having screens smaller than the tricorder's and they seem to be working out okay...

I agree, internal SD card reader, or a few GB of flash storage, for uploading content would be a great way to personalize the device. I've also read about the device's "recording" function, and if they're being true to the in-universe device then there will need to be a camera on it somewhere for pointing the tricorder at subjects to scan and record for playback. At the proposed $250 price point I do hope they go both-feet-in on this!

 

[R5D4]

I guess it’s going to work like a tube TV screen

 

[blspro]

People have been buying "smart" watches having screens smaller than the tricorder's and they seem to be working out okay...

Yes. But they've been using apps designed to operate on the small screen (much the way TWC will be doing with whatever visuals it programs into the device). The watches don't typically surf web pages or the like, which is what I was trying to indicate.

As to your idea about "the device's "recording" function...there will need to be a camera on it somewhere for...recording for playback", I noted the FAQ only references the Tricorder will "record audio". It struck me that the omission of "record video" seemed *very* deliberate. And - so far as I can tell - the CADs don't seem to show any sort of video camera or video recording capacity.

That said, when reviewing the original (larger and more detailed) frontal CAD image to see if I could identify any sort of camera, I noticed it shows a "SanDisk 1GB microSD" design in the top left corner of the flip unit. So, while that is a decidedly small amount of space, it looks like we might be getting our wish in that respect at least (though I'm not sure they'll be easily swappable - hard to tell anything about a port for it - though if there IS a port, that means there will be an open slot on the side of the flip unit. If true, I'm not sure I like the idea of messing with the clean lines like that. Would have preferred it being in the lower enclosure - or something accessible by opening the back, which it looks like we will be able to do).

 

[Starbase101]

Well, I can recall a number of episodes where away-mission recordings were played back on the tricorder, and Spock's hacking of the media in "City on the Edge of Forever"....so having at least photo-taking capability (if not 4K HiDef video!!) wouldn't be too hard to include using a CMOS image sensor and basic image processing. They are after all striving to make the device as "real" as possible. I personally wouldn't regret giving up the lower compartment "storage" area in exchange for more realistic functionality.

 

[blspro]

having at least photo-taking capability (if not 4K HiDef video!!) wouldn't be too hard to include

I didn't speak to the difficulties that might be entailed in trying to include a camera. Personally, I think it could be a cool feature (though its personal logistics could be very problematic - like trying to take a picture with your watch). I just stated it seems to be *pointedly* absent from their designs and their capability references. And, given the supposed general release date of the Tricorder, it is highly improbable any design changes will be made at this late date - especially *significant* ones like adding a video camera and the processing ability for it.

Software changes - maybe. Major hardware changes - unlikely.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

I personally hope that they design the Tricorder so that you have to link it up to a series of vacuum tubes, wired in sequence onto a broken board on a bed, in order to enable the playback feature—and that all images are in grainy black and white...

 

[Fett_Ish]

I personally hope that they design the Tricorder so that you have to wire it up to a series of vacuum tubes wired to a broken board on bed in order to enable the playback feature and that all images are in grainy black and white...

View attachment 1444553

I was hoping for stone knives and bear skins....

 

[blspro]

Here are a couple the images someone at Hobbytalk said they grabbed, at the end of January apparently, from TWC's site. He said "I guess they were put up in error and are now gone. But I grabbed some of the photos."

If you'll note, the bluish screen is essentially one they showed everyone as far back as last year on the teaser video and on the "Interest" pdf they gave (and are still giving) everyone:

It appears to be the 'Start' screen, as it were, for the Tricorder.

The other image seems to be the 'Apps' screen, if you like:

It gives you an idea of some of the capabilities TWC anticipated for the Tricorder as recently as January:

Compass / Temp / Audio Rec / Acceleration / Pressure / Em Field / Humidity / FM Radio

It looks like you maneuver around the screen by pressing the the left or right silver buttons. When you land on one of the selections it gives you a general reading at the bottom of the screen (in this image a yellow "pressure" bar with the pressure identified in m(ili)bars). And, given the green, yellow, green bars at the bottom - below the pressure bar), it looks like you can press the center silver button and it will take you to a new screen with "Details" about the selection (in this case, about the "pressure").

So that gives us at least a hint at what is coming.

EDIT: paying attention to the CAD images, I just noticed it looks like the middle button functions differently than the other two buttons:

The diamond-like shape on the board under the button suggests it is like a sort of rocker-style button (similar to the button on the right in the Communicator - *edit*: which I've learned from the Comm diagram they call a "five-way jog switch"). As such, one may actually maneuver around the screen just by rocking the button up/down/left/right. If so, that would certainly be bit easier than the method I previously imagined. That said, given its apparent importance and how often it will be used (likely far more than the communicator rocker button), I hope it is a very ROBUST controller.

 

[JiminSTLouis]

And, given the supposed general release date of the Tricorder, it is highly improbable any design changes will be made at this late date - especially *significant* ones like adding a video camera and the processing ability for it.

What hardware and processing capabilities does the Tricorder currently have? I haven’t seen any announcements from TWC, but may have missed an update.

It looks like you maneuver around the screen by pressing the the left or right silver buttons. When you land on one of the selections it gives you a general reading at the bottom of the screen (in this image "pressure" in m(ili)bars). And it looks like you can press the center silver button and it will take you to a new screen with "Details" about the selection (in this case, about the "pressure").

So that gives us at least a hint at what is coming.

SHOOT... how am I missing these details? Can you post where you read the function of the buttons and screens?

Thanks

 

[blspro]

What hardware and processing capabilities does the Tricorder currently have? I haven’t seen any announcements from TWC, but may have missed an update.

TWC hasn't announced any particular specifications yet. All the conclusions made are based on what was written in TWC's FAQs for the Tricorder (which is on the "Interest" page) and the images (including the CAD schematics) posted by TWC so far, which purport to show the design of the Tricorder.

That said, one of the images on TWCs Tricorder page does show an unspecified ARM CPU from ST, if that helps:

I will note, however, that the configuration of the board doesn't seem to match the boards visible in the CAD images given to us thus far, so I'd take even that minimal info with a grain of salt.

Can you post where you read the function of the buttons and screens?

As I stated in my post, I said "It LOOKS like" this is the function of the buttons - given they are the only controls available for operating the screen, and given the layout and wording *on* the screen (not to mention given how phone buttons and screens used to function *before* touch screens).
As to the images, I identified where I found those them: the website hobbytalk - in a very short thread devoted to the announcement of the Tricorder.

Basically I've just been searching around anywhere I might stumble across information, and then I've tried to put it all together "logically".

While I've tried to indicate how I've reached my conclusions, I'll be happy to answer any questions about how I came to any particular conclusion if you like.

 

[blspro]

I personally hope that they design the Tricorder so that you have to wire it up to a series of vacuum tubes wired to a broken board on a bed in order to enable the playback feature and that all images are in grainy black and white...

View attachment 1444553

I guarantee *someone* WILL make that!

 

[blspro]

Oh, I hadn't really paid much attention to the image before (from the emailed Update 3), but I think I just discovered there will be a power port (?) on the lower left hand corner of the back of the case:

See the tiny oval shape in the red circle on this rendering of the interior back flap of the case? (A flap one seemingly will be able to unscrew and open; given the screw in the rendering; given a screw's existence on the back of the prop in that place; given the rotation bar at the bottom of the rendering; and given some of the in-universe 'Starfleet' technical data ["This tricorder is the property of [indistinct]...Starbase[?]...[indistinct]"] which faces toward the back of the Tricorder, which is visible in the original front CAD image:

And which one would be able to read were the flap opened).

That oval on the flap seems exactly the right size for a power port. And there is nothing there on the original prop, so the opening is not for the sake of authenticity.

 

[blspro]

Another "Oh". As I mentioned in a previous post, it appears there is a SanDisk MicroSD card shown in the Flip top of the Tricorder:

However, I wasn't sure about its swapability, given the design of the original Tricorder. Moreover, with all the 'clutter' in the image, I couldn't determine if there was a slot for it cut in the side of the flip top (and wasn't sure how much I liked the idea of one). But I just noticed on the scan/CAD overlay comparison picture from the emailed Update #3 that I may have been correct about a slot:

If you'll notice, there seems to be a slot in the above red circle. And that seems to be in the exact spot where the microSD card is drawn in the original frontal CAD image. So it appears the SD card WILL be swapable.

It will be interesting to learn WHAT capabilities TWC is going to give us that requires such swapability.

 

[Funky]

I only want it to do one thing. Let it be able to show the video of Edith Keeler in City on the Edge of Forever. So long as it does THAT, anything beyond that is a bonus.

 

[NakedMoleRat]

Richard, Chris, of you’re reading this. Don’t be alarmed. Theses are just wish book ideas. I’ll be happy with whatever you give us as it will be awesome.

 

[blspro]

Here's a bit of deductive speculation:

When the frontal CAD image was released, as well as the back interior rendering, I was struck by the apparent size and need for a "moire step motor" which took up such a large area of the interior of the Tricorder.

A similar moire on TWC Communicator doesn't need even CLOSE to that much room. So why the change to something *much* more bulky? A couple potential reasons came to mind, so I didn't give it too much thought. But, after Update #3 - specifically this picture:

a new idea came to mind.

This rendering shows the data discs, with some of them 'ejected' from the Tricorder disc "library". When I first saw it, something immediately jumped out at me about the design of these discs. We've never seen these discs removed from the Tricorder. As such, we don't know what they actually look like. But what we HAVE seen of the design has always seemed to suggest just a smooth, shiny undetailed metal disc (much like the smooth rectangular undetailed 'memory tapes' used on the ship itself). Yet TWC has apparently chosen to design the data discs with a large depression of some sort rather than just smooth discs. Why?

Moreover, the shape of these discs looks unaccountably like the shape of the moire circle built into the Tricorder, which is shown in that same image looking uncannily like one of the memory discs.

That makes me wonder - IS the moire circle built into the Tricorder? What if IT is not just a seemingly random design, but is actually one of the discs on a recessed 'reader'? What if the moire effect is a disc's data BEING accessed?

This isn't such a far fetched idea. After all, how exactly are the data discs used on a tricorder? We've always seen how they are apparently *stored*, but we've never seen them removed, let alone used. And there is no apparent mechanism on the Tricorder for the data to be 'accessed'.

Now, it may be the case that data is 'accessed' simply by putting them in the 'storage' rack. That was certainly my initial thought, especially when seeing reference to a "Data disc detection PCB" on the back interior rendering. But that doesn't explain the data disc's similar design to the 'moire' disc.

And, interestingly enough, in their Update # 2, TWC provided a link to what they identify as a 'nice summary' of the history of the tricorder props. One of the images on that site shows the original design of the Tricorder by its creator Wah:

You'll note his drawing is very close to the final design. And, you'll also note that there is a 'reader' for the data discs built into the Tricorder. So the data discs *were* designed to be accessed by a 'reader' on the Tricorder. And, it should be further noted, the Wah data disc even has the same recessed design as the TWC data discs AND the 'moire' disc on the final product, suggesting a relationship between them.

So I wonder if TWC didn't do some cool imagineering for the Tricorder. Perhaps ALL the data discs have a 'moire' built into them, with the separate stepper motor to run it when placed into a recessed circular 'access port' on the front of the Tricorder? That would certainly explain greater amount of space devoted to the 'moire motor'. The data disc could be held held in place magnetically(?), and could be swapped with other data discs with the same 'moire' center built into them.

Additionally, the fact that 'moire' disc seems to have the SAME slot design in *its* center (for a spindle to fit in it and rotate it, which is how the 'moire' is apparently run) as *all* the data discs also seem to have:

This suggests the possibility that the 'moire' disc is a data disc - that you pop out one data disc from that spot and pop in another and it is 'read' by the Tricorder.

(One wonders the purpose of those center circles on the data discs if they are not for the step motor spindle)

Who knows - TWC might even make different style centers to the data discs, to match the differences between the 'moire' discs and the other non-'moire' prism-style 'discs' which were shown on different Tricorders in TOS (something also noted on the same 'good summary' site recommended by TWC):

As I said, all of this is speculation based on VERY limited information. It could easily be wrong. That said, it does fit the given information, and - thus far - I haven't seen any information which directly contradicts the idea.

Either way, it is definitely a COOL thought! And if that IS what TWC has done, that would be *awesome*. It would make the Tricorder that much more functional/real.

No matter what, I *really* can't wait for this baby!

 

[AnubisGuard]

This rendering shows the data discs, with some of them 'ejected' from the Tricorder disc "library". And something immediately jumped out at me about the design of these discs - discs we have never seen removed from the Tricorder, so we don't know what they actually look like. Yet TWC chose to design them with a large depression of some sort. They aren't just smooth discs.

Moreover, the shape of these discs looks unaccountably like the moire circle built into the Tricorder, which is shown in that same image looking uncannily like one of the memory discs.

That makes me wonder - IS the moire circle built into the Tricorder? What if IT is one of the discs on a 'reader'? What if the moire effect is a disc's data BEING accessed?

You're ringing a bell for me -- and I don't know where I'm getting this from -- that that was the design intent behind the moiré. It was supposed to be one of the data disk in "read" mode.

 

[CessnaDriver]

The comms had a very similar moire going on too. I'd always thought it was some kind of sensing antenna, tricorder gotta detect stuff. Spock always held the interesting side to the camera as well to show it off, but it would make sense if the moire was a sensory antenna of some kind.

 

[blspro]

The comms had a very similar moire going on too. I'd always thought it was some kind of sensing antenna, tricorder gotta detect stuff. Spock always held the interesting side to the camera as well to show it off, but it would make sense if the moire was a sensory antenna of some kind.

I've thought that sometimes. But the 'moire' is also used on the bridge, specifically at Spock's science/computer station. And it's not being used there as a sensor. So one can only say a 'moire' is of indeterminate function.