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Scarfwearer's Console Room

Started by Scarfwearer, Apr 21, 2005, 04:32 am

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dematerialiser

Oct 14, 2005, 09:00 am #75 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 04:07 pm by scarfwearer
 That's a great use for a PC and four (  :o) screens Crispin   :) Those displays really do look brilliant.

One last question - where did you get the display designs/schematics from?

Chris

Scarfwearer

Oct 15, 2005, 04:14 am #76 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 04:07 pm by scarfwearer
 The layout of the displays was designed by yours truly. I wanted something that looked Gallifreian with a hint of 1970s, and definitely not like MS Windows, so I custom built the software from scratch using basic graphics. In the series you only ever see multicoloured pie-segments flashing in a pattern, but I felt that was a waste. Maybe I'll build a screen saver that does that one day.
It's actually somewhat incongruous seeing the computer boot up with the Windows logo appearing on the displays, though that normally only happens in the event of a power failure or the occasional system crash.
Since it's an embedded system running the lights and other things it's otherwise on all the time.

Crispin

dematerialiser

Oct 16, 2005, 11:34 am #77 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 04:07 pm by scarfwearer
 Hi Crispin,

Well I think your designs are very fitting to the '70's/Gallifreian' brief you set yourself  - great job!

Just thinking about your windows boot-up screen comment - I used to use some freeware to alter my startup screen (can't remember the name), but this looks very similar: http://www.screenbooty.com/
Would be nice to see a gallifrey-themed system boot-up displayed on that fantasic console of yours (although, assuming you don't have that many power failures, it might be something you'd never get to see very often ;) )

cheers
Chris

Scarfwearer

Oct 16, 2005, 05:05 pm #78 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 09:22 pm by Scarfwearer
I finished vacuum forming the rest of the roundels, and have all but a few halves fitted.
Here's a picture of the roundels on the door. If you click on the picture it will take you to the page on my website which talks about what was involved.

door-upward.jpg

Oh and thanks for the screen booty tip Chris!

Crispin

dematerialiser

Oct 17, 2005, 12:22 pm #79 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 04:08 pm by scarfwearer
 They look brilliant!

Just looking at your website again - have you ever been tempted to make a fan-film using your props/console room? (or perhaps you've already done one? - Apart from 'Scarf and Hat' of course.)
You'd have a serious head start over most fan film projects that's for sure - your console room looks like a tv-quality set to me (actually, it looks like a Gallifreian Time Machine to me, but that goes without saying ;) )

cheers
Chris

Scarfwearer

Oct 17, 2005, 06:55 pm #80 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 04:09 pm by scarfwearer
 Well, 'Scarf and Hat' was a sort of "warm-up". I'd certainly like to do a fan film, but it's mostly a matter of time and organisation. I expect I'll do one eventually, but probably not this year.
The console room is actually rather small for filming, and needs better lighting, but I think it could be done.

Crispin

dematerialiser

Oct 20, 2005, 12:00 pm #81 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 04:09 pm by scarfwearer
 Hi Crispin,

Great - if you do plan one eventually, and want an extra scriptwriter please give me a shout - although I'm a designer now, I have a TV production background. I still write corporate stuff as a freelancer occasionally, and seem to have several screenplay ideas on the go at any one time (Time - or rather free time, is the key - I've only completed one of them so far!) ; production-wise I've done most of the jobs going at one time or another :)

cheers
Chris

Scarfwearer

Oct 21, 2005, 01:27 am #82 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 04:09 pm by scarfwearer
 Thanks!
I'll keep that in mind, though as I say, it could be a while before I can do one - the next year is getting increasingly busy-looking.

Crispin

davidpk212

Mar 18, 2006, 03:37 pm #83 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 04:10 pm by scarfwearer
 Console Review
for ScarfWearer's Baker-era Console

What are the two worst panels?
The Computer and the Sensor Panel. The Computer Panel looks too static - the addition of a screen may help with this. The Sensor Panel grille just looks too "ugh" - its corners look unreal and could do with more attention. The Environmental Panel grille sets a good example.

What are the two best panels?
Gee - hard to say. The Environmental Panel is fantastic, and the doorknob is spectacular. The Drive Panel also looks absolutely wonderful - the drive levers couldn't be better.

And the other two?
The best of the other two is the Navigation Panel. The Coordinate Entry Panel looks a bit bare at the bottom, and maybe some more knobs or switches simply stuck on statically may do the job.

What do you think of the Time Rotor?
Attentional to detail here is spot on. Although sadly the plastics company didn't do the cover the right size for Crispin's Build, it worked splendidly. His is one of the few builds with a circular time rotor cover, or indeed one at all.


All the above is opinion only and no offence is intended.

Scarfwearer

Mar 18, 2006, 07:38 pm #84 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 04:10 pm by scarfwearer
 This seems like a pretty fair assessment.
As you noted, there are quite a few switches missing, I still have to add the fourth display on the computer panel and yes, the sensor panel grill is pretty much just propped there at the moment :)

As you probably know this console is still somewhat unfinished - I hope to get back to it in the summer. My top priority then will be getting the column to go up and down, though that doesn't necessarily mean that that'll be what I do first... :D

Crispin

davidpk212

Apr 12, 2006, 09:27 pm #85 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 04:10 pm by scarfwearer
 Here's an idea for what you could do with the telepathic circuits on the drive panel:

Install pressure pads underneath them. When you place your hands on both of them, the TARDIS takes off, waits, say, 30 seconds whilst in-flight and then lands again.

Alright, it's not a very good one as it isn't actually telepathic, but you get the point.

Scarfwearer

Apr 13, 2006, 03:45 am #86 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 04:11 pm by scarfwearer
 I've thought about either using microswitches behind the discs, so that they operate when you press on them, or possibly using some kind of electric proximity detector.
Either way the dematerialization process is already controlled by the large lever boxes on the same panel, so the telepathic circuits would have to do something else.... One day.

Crispin

Teletran

May 17, 2006, 08:05 am #87 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 04:11 pm by scarfwearer
 How thick are the doors? Is this accurate to the show?
(http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/1360/omni02g.jpg)

Scarfwearer

May 19, 2006, 04:07 pm #88 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 04:11 pm by scarfwearer
 The doors I made are 8.5" thick, which was my best guess from looking at screenshots. I've no idea whether this is accurate. It's also the width of two 2x4's and three 1/2" pieces of plywood, so my expediency may have had some influence here...

Crispin

Scarfwearer

Jul 27, 2006, 11:29 am #89 Last Edit: Apr 28, 2012, 09:14 pm by Scarfwearer
The console is coming together again.
I had another hard disk crash   :o, so I've been rebuilding the installation on the console computer. I backed up all the important data before the move, but I still had to reinstall windows and all the ancillary software. That took a couple of days. The computer and monitors run on 230V without any problems, but I'm using a 200W step-down transformer to run the PC speakers (3 sets) and the digital logic.
unfortunately the holes I used to thread the power plugs through are too small for British plugs...

working-on-console.jpg

As I think I've mentioned before, my console speaks (with an American accent  :(), so currently when it starts up it rattles off a long list of sub-systems that are not functioning normally... At least it's shut up about the doors not working for some reason.

Crispin