Star Trek Tos Communicator comparison

[@B-and-O-Operator-Fairmont]

This reminded me of how I made these out of wood and cardboard back in the mid-1970s. Somewhere in the basement I found a gold or copper colored wire "screen" which made a pretty decent flip-lid. They were all held together with a lot of tape. Alas, no lights, no sound effects, just a ten-year-old's imagination. And it was fun.

[@williamsherman1089]

The big difference there you were ten, this guy demoing these has to be forty plus 😆🤣😂😅

[@Rockin_Ross]

Glad I wasn’t the only one. 😉🖖

[@Mrpaulaustin08]

or that tiny one that we all built dozens of times from the "Star Trek Exploration" model kit in the 70s

[@josephwonderless1258]

You did more than what I did at 10 years old. And I was into science and electronics.

[@whuffer5103]

That first one is the winner

[@raymondneal7423]

Yep the most authentic

[@grantmcclellan777]

The 3rd communicator is Star Trek the Experience and is a Clone of the Master Replica Communicator

[@riogrande5761]

I watched many of the original episodes when originally aired in the 60's As i teen I would have loved to have these and phasers. Now I'm old but still think these are cool.

[@MrSFSTUDIOS]

That one made by Wand is amazing!

[@muzzcovw7674]

I was lucky enough to buy one when they were $130. I wish I had bought a few with what they're selling for now!!!

[@Eagledocstew]

I got the Communicator from the Wand company and it blue-toothed to my phone! When I got a call the communicator beeped and I flipped it open and said, “Kirk here”!!! And it worked! I just couldn’t use it in the hospital for privacy reasons….but it was great!

[@ah7910]

Thanks for sharing your wonderful collection with us Grant. You should be very proud. I wish you could have talked more and given us a critique of the items you were showing, hearing which of the communicators was your favourite and why - would have made my day. I’m guessing the one with the velcro behind it gets shown-off the most! Live long and prosper ⭐️

[@Bobalicious]

I once had a pair of ST Communicator walkie-talkies.

[@sam-jams6689]

Diamond Select and Experience seem to be the best ones, I'm glad as I have the DS one!

[@DarkStar-wu9nq]

The first one is the nuts

[@JasonKahn]

Ive got the wand company model, and love it. Also got mine signed by Anson Mount.

[@unitedstatesirie7431]

I like the 'DIAMOND SELECT' the best !

[@lonophonic117]

Excellent never knew you could by makes of these, but it’s inevitable to make the StarTrek TOS communicators!!

[@NeoGee]

I just have the Playmates one, along with the Phaser, Cage Phaser, and Tricorder

[@larryaldrich4351]

I have a hefty resin communicator from the first newsprint catalog of the early 70s.

[@dangahlinger62]

I wish someone could have gotten their hands on a TOS Communicator made by "New Eye Studios" it was a 2-way radio (basically walkie-talkie) that looked like a communicator

[@josephwonderless1258]

Look at this page for the communicator by New Eye Studios www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-e&q=new+eye+studios+%2F+star+trek+communicator#ip=1

[@gregorydahl]

I still have mine . I was going to put a flip phone in it 10 years ago . Never did .

[@Terminus_El_Camino]

I have a Playmates, Diamond Select, and that IPI one. Even though it has a metal antenna, I think the IPI one is the most disappointing. Don't have a Wand communicator, but have the phaser. It's a very nice prop.

[@Technichian462]

Not to be nitpicking (ok, maybe I am) but arent those two buttons supposed to be like POTs. As in potentiometers? I can clearly remember Kirk turning them.

[@yourcompassioncorner]

I have the star trek communicator app on my phone. It's great

[@dpsamu2000]

The funniest thing is our phones are more capable than the communicator, and tricorder combined. Given the speed, and funding of the development of the computer industry it has the potential to be a starship itself by mind transmission.

[@patrickarseneault7407]

personally 1st one ticks all the boxes

[@hemaccabe4292]

Thank you so much for sharing.

[@rmadara]

The first flip phones

[@davelawler7599]

Nice collection. I have three Wand communicators and two Diamond Selects. One of them doesn't work. How did you find that Star Trek Experience one? That's new to me. Thanks

[@dsh5564]

I have all of those too

[@jackilynpyzocha662]

Is this where the Palm PDA was inspired?

[@aldolajak1267]

Mine is an IPI, and it works perfectly.

[@TrentBecerra]

The first one is the best

[@00bikeboy]

I bow to your superior nerd cred 🖖

[@charleslanphier8094]

The Motorola engineer who invented the first working cell phone said he got the idea as a kid from Star Trek TOS

[@tyro244]

Back in the 70s, if you went to a Con, you could find Communicators that looks as good as these, but did nothing. You could not buy one for less than $500.00. AMT Exploration Kit was under $5.00 and came with a Phaser Type II, a Communicator and a Tricorder. That I bought, but when you put them together, they were a bit undersized.

[@tracynickels164]

I have one it's my cell phone, black!

[@wondergranny2299]

Interesting.

[@lurkerrekrul]

You can briefly see it in the video, but you neglected to mention that the Playmates Communicator has a big, molded plastic belt clip on the back, which can't be removed, except by cutting it off. That really pissed me off!

[@grantmcclellan777]

Yes, Sorry I missed that

[@lurkerrekrul]

@@grantmcclellan777 I was really disappointed in the Playmates Communicator. I wasn't expecting a movie-quality prop, but even at the time it was made, they could have made it much nice without impacting the cost very much. First, why mount a button on the side to make the sound of it being activated? Why not just put a nub on the hinge that pressed the button when the top is opened? Second, the belt clip. For literally pennies more, they could have made the clip able to be unsnapped from the back, and then included a smooth replacement piece that could be snapped on in its place. I've noticed this is a common theme with anything perceived as a toy. No matter how capable the technology is, no matter that making it more accurate wouldn't increase the price by any significant amount, they ALWAYS cut corners and sacrifice accuracy. It's like some exec looks at the prototype and says "This looks too good. Stamp a big honking logo on the back, make this part all one molded piece, make this part 50% larger than it should be and make sure the buttons to activate the sounds stick out like a sore thumb." When I hard that they were going to make toys based on the movie Small Soldiers, I figured that they'd looks exactly like the ones in the film. After all, they're toys to begin with, how hard can it be to mas produce copies of them? Nope, the actual toys looks really cheap and had way less detail.

[@mem1701movies]

@@grantmcclellan777what about the blue MEGO that had a 12 foot antenna?

[@allanbard6048]

The 1994 model clip was held on by small screws inside. Took batteries out and fiddled with the back until it came loose. Unscrewed the clip, put the shell back on. I remember it well...because I over- tightened a screw til it made a dimple! Got the DST model, but the Playmates anetnna lid will stay opened with that 45-ish angle. That 3rd grader was very pleased. And at 60, this is STILL my favorite prop of all time!

[@PieAndChips]

​@@lurkerrekrul It was a children's toy, not a movie prop replica.

[@Georges_1959]

I have one of that last shown, that one in the far right. But the wires, circuits and support for batteries are very bad quality, don't work anymore.

[@robertkees6048]

I bought the playmates in the early nineties at a Spencer's Gifts for maybe $20, it is not impressive. Just a toy.

[@CraigWells-k7h]

I agree that the wand communicator is the best but it would be even better if it had the diamond select chirping when lid was opened.

[@bobastu]

The wand company is programmable and directly connects via Bluetooth to your cell. It's the definitive functional Trek communicator. Alas, already passed push to talk tech, TNG communicators are less desirable to connect via Bluetooth. Bone conduction tech would make more sense for a rebooted TNG. It just go the whole "everyone is implanted with pico-circuitry for relaying video and audio." RF shielding would prevent all personal data transmission in secure areas. Think about how the spy's tech on The Expanse and how he can't transmit or receive while he is on-board the Rocinante.

[@robertgregory1927]

I have the Wand one which is excellent. I’d be interested in selling it if anyone wants one.

[@herohunted85]

Our future cell phones.

[@davedsilva]

Love it

[@rackattackgamer7928]

Wand looks and sounds best.

[@jonharris794]

You did not have a Master Replica for comparison?

[@grantmcclellan777]

The Star Trek Experience Comm is an exact copy of the Master Replicas comm..except the shape of the button on the back and the shell grain just runs the other way.

[@rioriggs3568]

I really hope the future is several years away. I'm not looking forward to replace my iPhone with one of these.

[@unitedstatesirie7431]

cellphone companies have started manufacturing flip phones again.

[@richardwarner3705]

Envious🖖😉

[@mikeschultz8509]

Nice collection.... Kirk Out😅

[@blueline308]

couldn't be bothered to rotate the phone, huh?

[@noeditbookreviews]

Gathering of communicators, is that like gathering of the Juggalos?

[@bretthoffman2128]

So get a Bluetooth headset for, hands free use and convenience, buy one of these to hold in your hand?

[@EasyGrowsIt]

Do you live in your parent’s basement still?

[@ah7910]

The irony is, he probably makes double what you earn to have a disposable income to afford to invest in memorabilia and extensive collections like this. I wish people like you would see yourselves what what you truly are - you don’t create videos, you don’t put anything if yourself up online, yet you hide behind your keyboard and try and make fun of strangers. Bet your parents are proud of you huh?

[@belowmeoff]

🤓 nerd

[@doctortimetv1577]

people do know they arent real right? i mean i love star trek but who would buy toys as a grown man.

[@spinnerrackstudios]

Probably the same people who would watch a video about Star Trek toys and comment on the video.