AA/ DST Spotlight- Classic Geological Tricorder

Item Name: Classic Geological Tricorder
Manufacturer: Diamond Select Toys



Diamond Select released the Classic Geological Tricorder as a boxed Entertainment Earth Exclusive.



The Rundown: Remember that old saying "third time's a charm"? Well, we're about to see just how true that is... because today we're taking a look at DST's Geological Tricorder! This is the third tricorder release from Diamond Select, following the Classic Medical and Classic Science versions. How's this Geological version stack up? Well, not to spoil the review too much... but pretty darn well!



The basic body and construction is the same as the previous 2 tricorder releases. Accurately sized, with opening panels just like the screen-used props. There's a strap attached that's sufficiently long enough to fit a Trekkie of the adult variety.



Just like the previous 2 releases, the top portion of the tricorder features a screen readout, 3 buttons, 3 lights, and a small speaker area. Each version of the tricorder has a different image displayed on the viewscreen, with this new Geological release containing my favorite of the bunch. The colors used here are bright and vibrant, causing the screen to immediately grab your attention when opened. The speaker area has also got a fresh paint job this time around, opting for a nice gold finish that helps it "pop" a bit more. Lastly, the center light on this version is now red (as opposed to the yellow light of the previous 2 releases).



Moving down to the second panel, we get to see the biggest difference in this release. Instead of the spinning moire and "tape discs" of the first 2 versions, the geological tricorder has a large lighted area with what appears to be a small cylindrical sensor off to the side. You may be scratching your head at this point and thinking "man... I sure don't remember a tricorder looking like that... I really wish he'd tell me what this was based on". Well, wish no more!



In the third season episode "That Which Survives", senior geologist D'Amato beams down with the landing party carrying his trusty tricorder. Without spoiling too much for those who haven't seen it (shame on you), D'Amato at one point... umm... no longer has need for his tricorder, so it is set on "automatic distress" and left on a rock outcropping to warn of impending danger. We get a very clear shot of D'Amato's tricorder, appearing quite different from the standard version. Thus, the "Geological Tricorder" was born! Got it? Then let's get back to the review...



DST did an insanely nice job of recreating the look and function of the second panel area. While the little cylinder thing was supposed to be removable with motion effects, cost-cutting caused it to be permanently affixed (grumble). Thankfully, the lighted area makes up for that drawback by being simply awesome. The lights blink in sequence with the sound features (more on this later), and the effect itself is much cooler (and quieter) in my opinion than the spinning moire of the previous 2 versions.



The third panel opens to reveal the same battery compartment/ storage area of the science and medical releases. And just like the other 2, the door has a nice feature that allows it to be fully opened, or stopped midway depending on your display preference.



As stated earlier, unlike the other versions this release doesn't include a removable scanning device to place in the storage area. The geological release instead includes 2 small vials that can be inserted into a plastic clip attached to the door.



The 2 vials are removable from the tricorder and contain "ore samples". Hmmmm...



Is it just me, or do the ore samples look suspiciously like "Pop Rocks"? Must... resist... urge to eat them. Maybe it would be safe to just try one or two... As long as I didn't follow them up with a Pepsi, I should be fine, right? Let's see...

Yeah. They aren't Pop Rocks. Let's just put those right back in there...



After my disappointment in not having a clip installed for the scanners on the medical/ science versions, I was really pleased to see the inclusion of the "vial stand". It holds the vials snugly so that they aren't rattling around inside the tricorder.



So now that we've covered the basic construction differences, let's move on to what really sets this release apart: The electronic features! The three buttons up there activate the features- Press the button closest to the tricorder "wall" and you start the "monitoring" mode, while the middle button activates the "scanning" mode. Each of those features will continue until the same button is pressed again to deactivate it. The button closest to the viewscreen plays the "computer voice" phrases. Check it out!



As opposed to the inclusion of the Spock/ McCoy voice effect on the first 2 versions, the computer voice works incredibly well here. Let's face it, having your tricorder talk like McCoy, while a fun novelty, doesn't make much sense. Talking like the enterprise computer though? Yeah, I like that. A lot.



Maybe it's partly that "new car smell", but this geological version is currently my fav of the three tricorders. The lighted second panel rocks, and the computer voice is ridiculously cool. While the loss of the removable scanner is a bummer, the medical version stunk anyways and I'm glad DST put that money towards making the tricorder itself as cool as possible. Oh, and the little ore samples are a really neat touch. All around, a fantastic release. Even if you own one or both of the others, this one is definitely worth picking up for all the different features included.

This guy is available now for $44.99 as an exclusive though Entertainment Earth... but that doesn't mean you have to buy it there. Rick over at New Force Comics has it as well... and he even has damaged box versions for a little cheaper at only $34.99!

Mego Spotlight- Tricorder

Item Name: Tricorder
Manufacturer: Mego Toys Corp.



Mego released this super cool Tricorder back in the mid-70's. Just like all the Mego boxed stuff, the box art is a real treat! Here's the back of the box if you'd like to see that too-



The Rundown: Mego did many great things with the Trek license during the years they had it. Sure, a great majority of the stuff took extreme "artistic license" when it came to reproducing things accurately, but they made up for their lack of realism with an overload of the fun factor. Take for example this Tricorder- sure, it may not match the real prop, but if you want to talk about a fun toy that probably saw plenty of play time back in the 70's, this one fits that bill perfectly. Combining the fun of a toy Tricorder with the abilities of a tape player makes this piece my favorite of all the Mego Trek role-play items! Let's take a look...



While it doesn't match the look of the TOS Tricorder, Mego at least captured the shape and basic design in this toy. The colors look like they were probably more inspired by the cartoon than the show, with vibrant shades of blue replacing the black and chrome of the original prop. There's a nifty little Trek logo imprinted on the top flap to remind you that "yes indeed, this is a Star Trek toy".



Flip open the top flap and you reveal a bunch of really nice decals depicting the "inner workings" of the Tricorder. There's shots of Kirk & Spock and a couple of nifty star charts. Great decals that really help sell the Tricorder's playability.



Beneath the decals are the Trciorder's controls. Theres a dial for volume, a switch that controls the functions of the player, a button for recording, and a small area for you to speak into while recording. The small multi-colored moire up there also spins while the tape is playing!



Speaking of the tape- Included with the Tricorder is a cassette tape for the owner to take on his or her Trek adventures. One side is left blank for recording your own logs, while the other side is filled with snippets from the episodes "Where No Man Has Gone Before" and "The Corbomite Maneuver". Listening to the tape recently I was reminded of being a child back before the days of DVD, DVR, and even before VHS was prevalent- back when the only method we really had to record our favorite shows was to stick the tape recorder in front of one of the TV's speakers and create our own "radio show" versions. Ah, the good ol' days...



Oh, and before I forget, I want to mention the amazing heft of this toy! When I took it out it's box, I was amazed by it's weight... and that was BEFORE I put the batteries in! A kid could have done some real damage to a rogue Andorian by whipping this beast around!



So there ya go... the Mego Tricorder! A great, affordable piece of Trek toy nostalgia! And practical too! Just be sure to test it before purchasing as the wiring is prone to coming loose over time.

-James

Remco Spotlight- Utility Belt

Item Name: Star Trek Utility Belt
Manufacturer: Remco



Remco released this set back in the mid-70's. Shown above is the Canadian style packaging.

The Rundown: Remco was one of the first companies to tackle Trek merchandise, releasing a few items way back during the original run of the show. Most of that early merchandise was related to Star Trek by name only; releases like the "Astro-Cruiser" had absolutely nothing to do with the series. In the 70's however, Remco put out some really nice stuff that was actually based on the show...like this utility belt set. Here's what ya got-



No utility belt would be complete without a phaser. The phaser has the Remco-style "Star Trek" logo on the side, a silver emitter area, and a rather large trigger up front. What's the large trigger for you ask? Why these of course:



The phaser comes with a pack of small disks for you to load up and fire! The mechanism sticks a bit, but this thing still fires after all these years.



Next up is your handy Tricorder. It lacks the strap of the original, and the design seems much more akin to the version included with the Mego figures, but it's still way cool. Perfect for the kid pretending to be Spock (which is what I would have done had I owned this as a kid).



The communicator is really my favorite piece in the set. It has a little flip open top, and the inside is actually fairly screen accurate (for a kid's toy). I could just imagine running around outside and flipping this open to call for a beam-out.



And the final piece of the set is the belt itself. There's little spots for each of your pieces of equipment so you can carry them with you everywhere! The belt is adjustable, and has a sweet logo at the buckle area. I would totally wear this if I could fit it.



The only drawback on the set is the size. This was made for kids, and as such everything is about half the size of the actual props. Really, who cares though? I'd have gone nuts for this as a kid! Sweet stuff!

-James

AA/ DST Spotlight- Classic Science Tricorder

Item Name: Classic Science Tricorder
Manufacturer: Diamond Select Toys



Diamond Select released the Classic Science Tricorder as a non-exclsuive boxed item.



The Rundown: Those of you that read my spotlight on DST's Medical Trciorder know of my disappointment in that item. That Tricorder had a bunch of issues that were not easily overlooked at it's price point. Although some of those issues are also present on this Science Tricorder, I'm still overall much happier with this version!



Let's start at the top and work our way down- The first change is in the viewscreen. Since the majority of the screen is in an orange color instead of the predominantly black of the Medical version, the light shines through much stronger and makes the screen look much clearer. It's a small change but it really helps the look allot.



The electronic functions have allot more going on in this version. The Medical Tricorder functions basically consisted of pressing a button and hearing a sound effect while the moire spins. The Science Tricorder one-ups that function easily. Press the first button, close the Tricorder, and one of 2 scenarios will play; the Tricorder will play a 'hail' effect or a 'malfunction' effect until opened. Once you open the top, a Spock line will play related to either effect. In the case of the 'malfunction' effect, an explosion sound effect will also play (that whole scenario is directly from "Arena" when the Gorn fed back the Tricorder's impulses and caused it to overload). This feature adds a really great fun factor to the Tricorder missing from the medical version.



The look and build of the Tricorder is basically the same here, meaning the lower door still works a little oddly. You pull it open a bit, and the side's have a small catch at the end to keep it semi-open.



To open it fully, you'll have to kinda pinch in the sides to get them past that catch. When fully opened, the side of the bottom panel look a bit odd. It's probably the only way to make the feature work, but it still looks somewhat strange.



Again, there's an empty portion down there designed to hold the scanner, but no clip to hold it in place unfortunately. A small clip really should have been placed in there.



And here's the scanner. I was greatly disappointed in the medical version, but I'm really happy with the science version!



Flip the switch, and the scanner emits a light from the top. The light cycles through various different color and 'blink' patterns. Much better than the crummy sound effect of the medical version!

So overall, I'm much happier with this guy. Sure, a couple of the minor annoyances are still present, but there's so much more great stuff going on with this one that they are much more easily overlooked. If you're only going to buy one Tricorder, skip the medical and grab this one instead!

-James

AA/ DST Spotlight- Classic Medical Tricorder

Item Name: Classic Medical Tricorder
Manufacturer: Diamond Select Toys



Diamond Select released the Classic Medical Tricorder as a boxed Entertainment Earth Exclusive.



The Rundown: AA/ DST seemed to be on a winning streak when it came to doing replicas of the equipment from Classic Star Trek. Their Phaser and Communicator replicas are both fantastic! When they first announced the Tricorder, I was ecstatic! Then came the production delays...and the loss of the scanner motor...and the price increase. So now that it's finally here, how does it measure up?



Let's start with some positives- the first thing I noticed (obviously) was the size! After only having the Playmates version for years, it was really nice to have a pretty accurately sized Tricorder in my hands! Take a look at him up there next to his "little Playmates brother". Oh, and the box itself is pretty huge too!



The strap on the Tricorder is sized for an adult (thankfully) and is made of a very nice leather-like material. Pretty sharp!



Once the play feature is turned on, the Tricorder will automatically light up when the top section is flipped open. The first 2 buttons produce sound effects which will also cause the moire to spin. The sound effects are loud and crisp, and the moire spin is great. The sound effects also stay on for quite awhile when pushed. The screen is nice, though I wish the lights were a bit brighter.



Okay, time for some not-so-positives- The the third button activates the voice chips. The Dr. McCoy voice chips on the three that I played with (and allot of the ones I'm hearing reviewed on line) are pretty poorly done. The voice is pretty sped up and high-pitched, making McCoy sound like one of the chipmunks. Lines like "He's dead Jim" sound like "hesdeacha!". And it's not the batteries either. It's a faulty voice chip and it's not an isolated problem. And what really stinks is that since this a mail order exclusive and you can't actually test the chip before buying, you have to take a real gamble when ordering.



While not as big a problem as the cruddy voice chip, the bottom panel is also somewhat of a nuisance. It's made to come part of the way open and then stop, or if you want it all the way open, you push in the sides to get it all the way open. That's all fine, but it doesn't work all that well and looks kinda funky when fully opened.



And here's the worst travesty of the whole thing: the medical scanner. This thing is CHEAP. When they first announced it, this puppy was going to have a motor to spin and electronic sounds. Then we got our price increase, and then they said they couldn't get both options into it, so they figured fans would want the sound. WHAT!?! What fan would have chosen the sound!?!? When did they take that poll!?! Um, hello? Can't the sound just come from the Tricorder instead? It smacks of DST cheaping out and trying to come up with an excuse. As it stands now, you have to spin the scanner manually with a little disk while attempting to hold down the button at the same time! Oh, and you can't just press the button and let it go and have the sound effects continue...you actually have to keep it pressed down! What moron thought it would be possible for someone to turn a dial while keeping their thumb stationary on the button!?! Oh, and the sounds are INCREDIBLY low on mine, and the one my friend opened.



Lastly, there's no clip to hold the scanner in place! It just kinda rattles around in there! Would it really have cost that much to put a simple clip in there? The whole thing is incredibly lightweight anyway (almost to the point of feeling cheap) and it might have added a little weight.

I can excuse allot of stuff, but when a product is this expensive (WITH a price increase over the original suggested retail) and is delayed as long as this one was, this kind of stuff is pretty inexcusable. And I didn't even go into details on the paint flaws on the ones we ordered since that's a pretty random thing. All this stuff adds up to a product I would have been hesitant to buy had I actually seen it in stores, especially at full price. Buyer beware on this one folks! It's still a cool piece to have, but the flaws are pretty disappointing.

-James