I have the Wand company version of a communicator. I find that the Wand version is the most accurate with sound effects and has a very good case build, more sleek then either of these. However, the sound effects are difficult to manage because of the button setup. I saw the prop replicas at STE in Vegas, but they were way too pricy for the build quality. I was never willing to spend to get one at the Experience. The Wand company was actually the first one I felt comfortable investing in. If the STE shop had sold one as high quality as the Wand version, I might have walked away with one. I recall that these props began at around $125 and went up from there. They looked good, but not $125 worth of good. Don’t know how much the Entertainment Earth version cost, but I assume it was likely similarly priced to the Experience version.
I agree. The Wand Company communicators are the best ones ever made. I wouldn't have paid $125 for the Experience version either. It's too toy like to command a price like that. I don't remember how much the Diamond Select ones were when they first came out but they were nowhere near the price of the Experience ones. Unfortunately the later Diamond Select versions got cheaper with plastic antennas instead of the metal ones.
@@outsider238 Around the time I was visiting STE, Star Trek conventions were still heavily in rotation around the country. You could probably pick up a fan made version that looked somewhat better for at or below STE’s price. Also at this time, toy companies like Hasbro and Mattel began to understand the value of higher quality adult collectibles as companies like Hot Toys began producing such adult collectibles. Master Replicas began producing super high quality light sabers with high quality electronics and lights. Unfortunately Playmates, who held the ST toy license at the time was still too backwater to produce something like Master Replicas quality. The only company doing high quality ST replicas like this was Rod Roddenberry’s company, but his were pretty much limited to TNG and newer shows at the time. It does seem that Rod Roddenberry did create a prop replica of the TOS communicator. I saw a picture of it on Flickr from 2011 showing the version his company was selling. The dark portion of the case seems a bit on the shiny side.
My Star Trek Experience Communicator has that odd chirping sound, after hearing the chirping sound on your video it sounds like a dull echo. What do you think?
@@outsider238 What's the odds, my wife helped me build my robot, we started in early fall of 1999 and finished it around in May 2000 about 10 months. Stapling the foam on the legs was not working, my wife had a new roll of saran wrap I cut into three sections she held the foam on the legs while I wrapped them until the glue dried. Now I'm working on my first scratch build model of The Invaders UFO and it's a big 21" across. If you would like to see a few pictures of the ufo let me know how to send them. It's about 80% complete.
I have the Wand company version of a communicator. I find that the Wand version is the most accurate with sound effects and has a very good case build, more sleek then either of these. However, the sound effects are difficult to manage because of the button setup.
I saw the prop replicas at STE in Vegas, but they were way too pricy for the build quality. I was never willing to spend to get one at the Experience. The Wand company was actually the first one I felt comfortable investing in. If the STE shop had sold one as high quality as the Wand version, I might have walked away with one. I recall that these props began at around $125 and went up from there. They looked good, but not $125 worth of good.
Don’t know how much the Entertainment Earth version cost, but I assume it was likely similarly priced to the Experience version.
I agree. The Wand Company communicators are the best ones ever made. I wouldn't have paid $125 for the Experience version either. It's too toy like to command a price like that. I don't remember how much the Diamond Select ones were when they first came out but they were nowhere near the price of the Experience ones. Unfortunately the later Diamond Select versions got cheaper with plastic antennas instead of the metal ones.
@@outsider238 Around the time I was visiting STE, Star Trek conventions were still heavily in rotation around the country. You could probably pick up a fan made version that looked somewhat better for at or below STE’s price. Also at this time, toy companies like Hasbro and Mattel began to understand the value of higher quality adult collectibles as companies like Hot Toys began producing such adult collectibles. Master Replicas began producing super high quality light sabers with high quality electronics and lights.
Unfortunately Playmates, who held the ST toy license at the time was still too backwater to produce something like Master Replicas quality. The only company doing high quality ST replicas like this was Rod Roddenberry’s company, but his were pretty much limited to TNG and newer shows at the time.
It does seem that Rod Roddenberry did create a prop replica of the TOS communicator. I saw a picture of it on Flickr from 2011 showing the version his company was selling. The dark portion of the case seems a bit on the shiny side.
I love communicator props! Very cool stuff!
I do too! And to think the old flip phones were probably inspired by the original communicator. 😁
@@outsider238 Absolutely! Are you saving up for the Wand Company's Tricorder? That's my must have item.
@kelvington4182 I'm on the list for when they become available. They've had a lot of setbacks so I hope it'll be really good!
@@outsider238 It looks incredible, but if it's less than a grand I'll be shocked!
mine is very similar
My Star Trek Experience Communicator has that odd chirping sound, after hearing the chirping sound on your video it sounds like a dull echo. What do you think?
Yeah it's a muffled sound and it also sounds like it's created artificially and not a direct recording of the original sound effect.
@@outsider238 Is that a full-size B-9 robot, did you build it?
@@carlhumphreys9024 It is! My dad and I built him back in 1999/2000. It was a 10 month project!
@@outsider238 What's the odds, my wife helped me build my robot, we started in early fall of 1999 and finished it around in May 2000 about 10 months. Stapling the foam on the legs was not working, my wife had a new roll of saran wrap I cut into three sections she held the foam on the legs while I wrapped them until the glue dried. Now I'm working on my first scratch build model of The Invaders UFO and it's a big 21" across. If you would like to see a few pictures of the ufo let me know how to send them. It's about 80% complete.
What year was your DS model released?
The copyright mark on the back says 2007. I got it right when they were first released. It doesn't seem like it was 15 years ago but maybe it was. 🤔