The Most Important Device in the Universe - Blinking Tubes Without Function New Compilation (Part 1)

This device has been spotted in numerous science-fiction movies and tv shows. It is the ultimate re-used prop, and there is not a single of its numerous appearances where its purpose would be explained or hinted at. The prop is described as 'dual generators with rotating neon lights inside an acrylic tube, light-controlled panel with knobs and buttons, or simply as 'blinking tubes without function.
The first time we see it is in the Regula lab in Star Trek II Wrath of Khan. They are also visible in the Enterprise-A's shuttlebay in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.
They also appear in a number of Star Trek episodes: Star Trek: The Next Generation episode 'Datalore', Star Trek: The Next Generation episode 'Suddenly Human', Star Trek: The Next Generation episode 'The Quality of Life', Star Trek: Voyager episode 'Retrospect', and Star Trek: Voyager episode - 'Inside Man'. Finally the prop can be seen in Soong's hideout. as well as on the research station in Star Trek: Enterprise episode 'Cold Station 12.
It also appears in the background of various science labs in Star Trek: Lower Decks , in cartoon form. The tubes appear in other science fiction series and movies, as well, such as V (the 1983 miniseries), The Last Starfighter , The Incredible Hulk Returns (1988 TV movie), The Flash in episode 'Deadly Nightshade,' Star Crystal , Alien Nation , as well as Airplane II: The Sequel (with William Shatner, who would again encounter it in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier which he directed and starred in), in Lois & Clark season 2 episode 8 with Denis Crosby.
and Finally in season 2 of "Future Man"
Patreon: / nitpickingnerd
sci fi reviews channel: / @nitpickingnerd
All parody Edits : / @grinroom9766

[@MajorGrin]

part 2 of the compilation : kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqnMgaiMqZxqjZo part 3 of the compilation : kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6GbqamPhLB2qck

[@iamthebesties]

Jesus Christ lol

[@CoreyKearney]

Wait, there's more?

[@jackroyaltea5034]

What was the first one? With Shatner? I don’t recognize the spoof.

[@TheBunnyodeath]

goddamn I never knew my life would be complete if I just had those blinky lights how empty has my life been up till now. blinky lights will give my life meaning.

[@TheBunnyodeath]

@@jackroyaltea5034 airplane 2

[@GeneTurnbow]

It was built at Modern Props - Modern Props owner John Zabrucky designed it. It dates to about 1977 or so, but was updated several times. I worked there around 1984-1986, so I worked directly with this piece on a regular basis.

[@scotchbox]

Let it forever be known as the "Zabrucky-Turnbow Drive"

[@markhamilton2938]

Are you able to share that switching circuit with a fellow EE?

[@thethirdchimpanzee]

You sir, are a hero. I second the nomination to call it the Zabrucky-Turnbow device.

[@dodaexploda]

Just putting this out there. I would love to watch a video of you talking about this thing with Adam Savage.

[@scotchbox]

Now that Modern Props has shut down, I wonder where it lives? I can't imagine it being mothballed or, god help us, struck. It deserves to be in a museum.

[@adaeptzulander2928]

Whoever designed that prop, needs a lifetime achievement Oscar.

[@kenbee1957]

Well, apparently he's somewhere in these comments Top comment I believe

[@Scifi4Wifi]

The designer is John Zabrucky. The original laser bench design may predate the formation of his company Modern Props.

[@jcmick8430]

@gene turnbow

[@rexasaurus3853]

Gotta be the richest person in Hollywood.

[@chuckcrunch1]

Pool and Spa Parts Depot WATERCO | DELUXE VINYL LINER IN GROUND SKIMMER

[@alisterfolson]

Prop Master: I need an ambiguous machine to use in Sci Fi shows for decades Engineer: No problem, fam

[@jamessmyth3952]

It’s not a reused prop. It’s a very common piece of technology that many civilizations developed to perfection that’s why they look so similar.

[@Loxly1888]

Just like Swedish Meatballs.

[@armastat]

Okay ... Am I the only one that is craving Swedish Meatballs now?

[@travisturner6783]

Everyone knows that's just the best design.

[@MrRobbyvent]

it is like convergent evolution...

[@lobsterminion693]

But what do they do?!

[@kebabsoup7617]

2:02 that's probably not the real blinking tubes, but a stunt double. The production team would never let the real blinking tubes play in this risky scene.

[@Scifi4Wifi]

No, it was probably the real blinky tubes. We never made a stunt prop, so they took a chance.

[@SirEpifire]

I was legitimately concerned for their safety in that scene.

[@glenchapman3899]

@@Scifi4Wifi Dont be silly - the false wig it was wearing was pretty obvious

[@rp9674]

It's a veritable technologically advanced village bicycle.

[@timberwolf1575]

The real question is who the body double was in the infamous nude tube scene.

[@domoarigato3000]

Wow, this is really impressive. Not only the longevity of the prop but the time it must have taken to compile this video.

[@alexxx4434]

There's also several versions of it. Looks like the design goes around.

[@dzhellek]

The video probably took more time.

[@douglasarnold4248]

....so many bad movies.

[@xlerosx]

@@alexxx4434 just painted with different additions.

[@xlerosx]

Some are different scenes from the same use. Too bad.

[@notmuch_23]

If I ever run a Starfinder home game, I'm putting these in it. "How well-equipped is this lab?" "Gimme perception (DC 5)" (pass) "It has the clear tube with the red lights that blink in a circle. That means it's _very_ well equipped." "Do these have any function?" "Gimme engineering (DC 35)" (fail) "They seem to have no function." (pass) "They definitely do not have _any_ function whatsoever."

[@jamesrowles9249]

That's impossible! They're so pretty!

[@notmuch_23]

@@jamesrowles9249 but that it: they're pretty. Just because something is pretty doesn't mean it's useful...

[@jamesrowles9249]

@@notmuch_23 omg, these props are an aligory of everything's that's happened in my life!

[@absalomdraconis]

You should have another check that you just don't suggest on your own- if they pass a test for something like sociology, they realize that the tubes (and some other conspicuous objects nearby) are actually just there to distract the uninformed from the boring-looking but important equipment that's placed elsewhere (maybe in a closet, partly covered by mops & the like).

[@gregsimoes8645]

Should be, pass/fail same as you have, but then: (Critical success): "The lights are blinking out of sequence" ________________________ (Expected result): If players can make them blink in sequence they get reward (probable result): Game gets derailed as players spend hours trying to decode the "message" that the lights are saying

[@fenrirtheicewolf2019]

One day this will confuse alien archeologists.

[@logicplague]

It must have been ceremonial.

[@TheMsLourdes]

@@logicplague At this point, it is :)

[@logicplague]

@@TheMsLourdes touché

[@johnbockelie3899]

This device is known throughout the galaxy.

[@KertaDrake]

One day alien archeologists will unearth the device... and then promptly say "They had those too?!"

[@sageoz9886]

Someone needs to make 2/3 size replicas and sell them with a glass top as coffee tables

[@GeneTurnbow]

I'm not working on ones that big, but I am developing a desktop version that will be offered as a perk to patrons of SCIFI.radio's Patreon campaign at patreon.com/scifiradio

[@sageoz9886]

Gene Turnbow rad

[@billyjo316]

Holy crap these lights have more credits then most actors Some one needs to make this into a scale version for action figures

[@GeneTurnbow]

I'm definitely working on this very thing. It will likely be offered as a perk for patrons of the SCIFI.radio Patreon campaign at patreon.com/scifiradio

[@FurryEskimo]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed how often they reused this machine. It’s impossible to overlook.

[@MB-em9hm]

The only prop re-used more is the light blue 90's dodge minivan with the wood panel sides from Studio Vehicles in Burbank. It has been in hundreds of films and shows, and once you've noticed it, you won't stop noticing it. I personally drove it three times in separate productions as transpo, and know of dozens more screen appearances, in films big and small.

[@brianfunke981]

I've always found it hilarious that some rooms have the crappiest lighting even though the room serves a purpose like engineering.

[@eviljoel]

I've never thought about it like that, but dark and gloomy labs make no sense. It's kinda like how nobody in horror movies will ever just turn on the lights before searching the house for a killer.

[@snapdragon9300]

Like the poor lighting in discovery?😆 or the blinding reflective surfaces and Lazer beam lights in the last few star trek movies?

[@DogsRNice]

Sci-fi has only two kinds of lighting Too dark Too bright

[@charlesbrown6581]

As a child growing up in the 1960s, I always imagined that I would have blinking lights everywhere in my home with buttons on them by the year 2020. Nothing today really looks that cool or futuristic. Most advanced piece of tech most people own is a phone. We had a black one with a dial in the 1960s.

[@MCNarret]

The cool stuff is in the labs, we're stuck with the flashy red tubes with some function.

[@zabchan]

Idk my rgb glass-sided desktop pc would probably look pretty futuristic to someone in the 70s-80s. Especially when I can make it rainbow light dance with the keyboard & mouse lol

[@dpsamu2000]

I think we went past that era already. Like we did with flip phone communicators. We had quite a little constellation of lights, and buttons when we had DVD player, 2 VCRs, cable box, and cable modem. Now we don't even have a clock on the cable box. Used to be there was a clock on everything even things that didn't really need a clock, all blinking 12:00 12:00.

[@xiloeteknowledgiesllc1973]

The flashing clock on the VCR killed any market desire for light accents... Now it's a feature if you can turn the blue lights off... or stick a piece of tape over them...

[@MCNarret]

Yet no one can figure out how to make a functioning printer. I literally have been hoarding broken printers so that I can make my own, I'm sure I can reverse engineer something decent that works, and can use any ink, well hopefully... I just want my computer to print to it and it not say offline for no reason...

[@Cartoonman154]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has noticed this, but this really has gotten around. This should be in a museum when it retires. Where's the Austin powers clip? 09/09/2024 Update: It is now in a museum in Ohio.

[@radioflyer68911]

It'll probably end up in a dumpster once it no longer has that gee wiz facotor.

[@illustriouschin]

It was auctioned off to a Chinese billionaire's son. It was destroyed on a Canadian highway during an illegal street race nanoseconds after he used it to make his Skyline achieve Warp 6.

[@helmsscotta]

It can't be retired. Science fiction movies can't be made without it.

[@varsityathlete9927]

the owner closed his prop company but did mention donating the items like that.

[@varsityathlete9927]

@@radioflyer68911 no. props sell for good money. when he closed the company there was a two day auction, but none of the sci fi items were in the catalogue, which means they were donated or someone else brought them. its so far not determined.

[@KMCA779]

Is it wrong that I want one of these as a conversation piece? Put them in a corner at work (doesn't matter where you work, just have it in the corner) and you'll either get knowing smirks or very confused people.

[@heichelb]

I'm thinking I may model a scale replica of one and 3D print it. Same idea as yours, just with a smaller amount of floorspace eaten up.

[@varsityathlete9927]

honestly someone should start making a small desk size one and sell it on etsy or something.

[@caronstout354]

I'd buy a tabletop sized version of this prop just for a conversation piece!

[@ecz28]

The 4 end parts are pool skimmers if you wanted to build one lol

[@suntech5868]

How about a micro version to hang on your keychain?

[@Paul_Wetor]

It's like seeing Robbie The Robot show up in various movies and TV shows.

[@grochomarx2002]

Not to mention just how many times the uniforms from the crew of Forbidden planet were used in other programs...and of course the Krell control room monitor lights...

[@jamesrowles9249]

Robbie: Look Jeff, I don't care if I am a has-been, the damn flashing light prop gets more gigs than me! Who's his agent?

[@Jan3Sobieski5]

the most astounding fact to me is that I've seen every single one of these shows/movies and have never realized. Well done

[@beekim]

I grew up watching that device. Every Scifi show I watched 70's to the 90's. Classic. Great video.

[@Zoomer30_]

It's also in The Last Star- yep, there it is. Even as a youngster into sci-fi, I noticed that's thing. I think it was even in MacGyver. It's the Wilhelm Scream of Sci-fi props.

[@craigatkeycreative]

It’s also in Weird City (with LeVar Burton) Episode “The One” in the back of the lab in a few shots.

[@rmas32]

WOW! I've noticed this prop on my own from several programs but never realized how many times it has been used!

[@radioflyer68911]

That and another funky looking device gets a lot of mileage in science fiction movies and tv shows. It's sort of an odd bulky desk top computer. Then there's that large microscope looking thing the Spock used in Star Trek VI turns up a lot as well.

[@AlanCanon2222]

That might be the Burroughs B-205. Give it a Google and see if I guessed right.

[@susanfox6081]

Gene probably wired that too.

[@dreikelvin]

This thing deserves its own cosplay

[@OgdenThorntonFamily]

Brilliant! How can I go through almost 50 years of life and never have noticed this?

[@hifismiffy]

Asynchronous Photon Emitters working in the near infra-red part of the energy spectrum. Ensure that they oscillate within recommended parameters. Who spotted the hexagonal biscuit tins in the background ? A Star Trek favourite !

[@lucki4780]

These are actually Multiversal connectors that hold the entirety of on-screen sci-fi together. The last time one of these things was damaged, yknow what happened? The kelvin f*ckin timeline, that's what. Don't break em, don't even draw attention to them!

[@marqushio2752]

Well if it explains the Kelvin timeline, I'd say it must have caused SW Episodes 7-9 as well.

[@croycamaro]

This is an above average comment

[@footofjuniper8212]

If anybody else was wondering what show was at 2:34, I looked it up. It was an episode of "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" entitled "Shgoratchx," featuring Tony Cox as Private Zedth. I was sure it was ripping off "Time Bandits," but I looked them both up. This episode aired in March 1981, and the movie didn't premiere until November 1981. I dunno...maybe they saw some test footage or something.

[@Srcsqwrn]

I remember seeing a documentary mention these props before. Good compilation!

[@zcorpalpha2462]

I bet the My Pillow Guy knows what’s it’s for 🤣

[@phdtobe]

Obviously, it was used to throw the 2020 presidential election for Biden!

[@zcorpalpha2462]

@@phdtobe Anything at this point wouldn’t surprise me 🥃🔥🤣

[@IanCthrwd]

In all these years, no one tried to stand the bloody gizmo on its end. ..like an alien barber shop pole.

[@bradameerbeg2154]

The most ubiquitous piece of tech in all of sci-fi…

[@fourteen-bit]

You know a prop is prolific when it appears in a show that doesn't need physical props xD

[@avengingterrier3244]

VERY nice job on finding all of these clips! I too have noticed this piece of 'technology' in all of the shows you sampled. Guess when Paramount orders a prop, they use it to destruction!

[@milanondrak5564]

That mysterious device is the Swiss army knife of space. It does everything you want it to and sometimes does things you don't want it to do. If your spaceship, space station, space home, or space colony doesn't have at least one or two of these, buy one now, no space technology is complete without one.

[@eDDyL666]

Hardest working prop in sci-fi

[@kirikayumura6015]

really amusing that it showed up in an animated episode.. I mean, I can understand re-using a prop in live action, when you have easy access to it. But going out of your way to draw a previously overused prop? that's hilarious.

[@johnmalandrino7838]

Those lights make every scene look important.

[@jamesbutke1438]

I love that it’s in Lower Decks

[@ShelbyAQD]

Trivia like this makes me smile. That tube had quite a career.

[@Traumwandler]

This prop needs an own imdb page xD

[@samuraijaydee]

That's wild. That prop has earnt it's keep!

[@richardvennel9679]

This is the prop version of the Wilhelm scream.

[@jl.4563]

Kudos to the person that took the time to track all this footage down lol.

[@tylerschan4044]

Im so glad im not the only one who saw this thing everywhere. Especially in voyager

[@godalmighty1188]

3:03 Oh no! She's chewing up the scenery! Quick, save the device!

[@caronstout354]

Please someone ask LEGO to make a Lego set of this prop so we all can have one of our own!

[@locutusofborg47AT]

Finally, someone acknowledges my favorite star trek movie

[@edp2260]

You mean to tell me that all those directors don't have the creativity to dream up their own 'Blinking Tubes Without Function' prop?

[@erccdang]

My god, the level of dedication here is impressive.

[@workonesabs]

Seemed that this prop got used again, again and again for over 4 decades...

[@ptdecker]

Omg, it’s the visual equivalent of the Wilhelm scream

[@dragonrabbit7410]

the thing i find most remarkable about this is that at some point someone thought "better make it two, one set of randomly blinking lights in a tube might not make enough sense." and clearly they were right!

[@SuperWoodspoon]

YES finally! someone else who had noticed these things popping up in almost everything

[@worldbestt-shirtshoodie-go6184]

That's primitive fusion reactor, which is using two side pulsed laser heat and ignite, to make plasma.

[@LoopyWolf]

OMG the camera LOVES this thing

[@SupremeLeader42]

5:25 That electrical effect was reused often in 80's/90's sci-fi, too.

[@stuartkynoch7289]

I need one of those pool skimmers for my Jacuzzi!

[@nopenada3449]

It's like the Wilhelm Scream of movie props!

[@anavan7]

Omg that is amazing!!!!! I hope this continues on to other sci fi platforms! Is this piece from Paramount?

[@ConcealedCarrier]

Grig seemed to be having trouble with it when he was chatting with Alex (before Xur showed up and melted a guy's head of course).

[@NeutronicalGaming]

Best guess from context in all these clips, ( yes i'm fully aware it's a stock prop with no real meaning or intended use ) it's being used as scientific equipment and in industrial settings pulsing lasers in gas with specific intervals and known targets ( something inside the machine ) my best guess would be a high precision event timer using lasers to bounce signals and calculate discrepancies in physical matter, which could be used to scan anything from air quality to signal distortions in data streams due to local spacetime discrepancies from gravitational lensing or the quality and consistency of grav plating in a ship or hangar using known targets or arbitrary samples with given resonant frequencies. as a bonus you could get meta data like temperature, vibration, density, chemical makeup and others from inserted samples too, which would explain it's prevalence in all places technological in the galaxy as materials, quality control of systems and sensor information aka data is highly valuable to an advanced society. Tldr, fancy scifi sensor of some kind.

[@reason1925]

Now I know what all the alien visits are about... We gots all the tubes.

[@tutekohe1361]

The Sci-Fi prop rental shop has done great business on this…..thing.

[@sparkynm156]

It's a Bird, it's a Horse, It's a Cow with a Hat On.....

[@Al-pz8xi]

That is epic. I will be looking for it everywhere.

[@exposingproxystalkingorgan4164]

That red light blinking things was on every show. That prop got more acting work than most set extras.

[@staffy73]

That they reused it in lower decks is genius!!!

[@tardisrider25]

I remember binging trek and suddenly noticing that thing was everywhere

[@RurouniKalainGaming]

Truly one of the greats.

[@baumer2504]

I feel for the dude that had to keep changing out those light bulbs.

[@Scifi4Wifi]

Because they were red neon, they operated at about 10w per tube. Neon like that can last decades. I don't remember them ever having to change them out.

[@ScoriacTears]

Functions perfectly as a prop, quick somebody carve it's likeness into a stone tablet, to mess with our future selves.

[@FirstDan2000]

I hope those things have been serviced and maintained regularly. After 40 years in sci-fi they could kill someone, or enhance someone, or freeze someone, or affect the brain, or beam them into a new galaxy if not properly maintained.

[@paulcooper8818]

Must be gratifying to see it being recycled in so many stories, even cartoons

[@andrewbranham6823]

WOW this puts Robby the Robots Sci Fi recycling carrier to shame!

[@unaphiliated5090]

Oh my, I'm going to see this thing forever now.

[@senormojo]

That’s just your basic turbo encabulator with parallax phase diverters mounted on a Hussmian cross panel configurated sliding beta grid table.

[@bmw328igearhead]

Hehehehe technical jargon overload hehehe... I LOVE that video hehe.

[@richardm1062]

It's an Illudium PU-36 explosive space modulator. They keep moving it to keep Marvin the Martian from finding it.

[@Still_anonymous1984]

I think it should keep red light savely contained somehow. (Or it is some kind of optical resonator).

[@arty2k]

Thank you so so much for this! I had noticed the starring role of the prop many decades ago but never knew it had so many starring roles. Is there an IMDB page for it? How about a Wikipedia page? Did you post a list of all the sources you shared? I would love to see a fee screen gems I have never seen. This video was as interesting as the life history OK the Knight Rider transport and the Airwolf helicopter. Note to others, check out Adam Savage Tested for cool prop videos, he recently featured the Echo-1!

[@susanfox6081]

Funny you should mention the Knight Rider transport. Gene did the wiring for those blinky lights too.

[@arty2k]

@@susanfox6081 thinking about those space shows from the 60s, Lost In Space, for example, which had a bank of flashing buttons. I think perhaps there were puppeteers who pushed the buttons to light them up. Such things inspired my interest in electronics in my childhood. I made many projects, but the one practical project was a simple Fm radio receiver mixed in was some random flashing LEDs just for fun. Unfortunately, a teacher at my school assumed it was a bomb and police were called. After my device was destroyed, the school purchased for me the most fancy Sony Walkman of the day! Anyway, I'm sidetracked, I recognize that the lack of transistors in those days would have required the use of tubes, extra power supply to power the tubes and giant capacitors and resistors to power higher voltage light bulbs. The circuit boards must have been huge. I think someday I'd like to assembly a tube device are learn the ancient tech of my grandfather(who was radioman in the army).

[@beehambonio3378]

I love this Highly Sophisticated Machine

[@rogueparticle2829]

I'm convinced it's a multidimensional SCP.

[@metalavenger23]

Damn that prop has gotten around

[@oakguard]

was going to say i recently rewatched TNG and was like they explain mostly everything except what that glowing blinky thing is maybe the temporal wars caused it to appear in other universes idk

[@Nozerone]

Truth is, it's actually a sentient being that can teleport around. It spies on us, and has the ability to make everyone who sees it think it's just meant to be there. It's a solitary creature, and is extremely rare to see more than 1 in the same place. The only people its ability doesn't work on are smooth brain people. This doesn't concern the creature though, as no one believes smooth brain people anyways and just thinks we are all crazy, or just dumb.

[@PerspectiveEngineer]

That’s a hexyldeximal password . I cried a rainbow

[@knutzendanny7760]

...dieses Gerät hält das Universum im Gleichgewicht..., mächtiger als die Infinity Steine...

[@Psi105]

That device has a function, you're just not permitted to know what it is.

[@underengineered_1077]

I must own this all important device.

[@84hansennr]

Universe's most reasonably priced space heater.

[@2fathomsdeeper]

Oh! The old zero point energy generator out of my lab!

[@Ant-dx8yt]

I saw those blinking tubes in the back of my microwave.

[@thegadphly3275]

Do one about cutting torch sparks. They appear in the most unlikely scenarios, but they are flashy.

[@PS4sos21]

What the eff is happening here? Am I in the bloody twilight zone? 🤔 Seriously, WTF is happening? Am I going mad? Please, I need an answer.

[@StevenHouse1980]

Photonic manipulation technology needed for high density media distribution

[@andrewthornley5172]

I know declare the any Sci Fi show that does NOT use this prop, cannot be called Sci Fi.

[@JessHull]

There are several prop rental places you can rent them from. They're the universal Sci-Fi background "interesting thing". They're still listed on several online catalogs.

[@GeneTurnbow]

There was only one place you could rent this prop from, and it closed in 2020. No other shop besides Modern Props had one. There was only one ever made.

[@jamesleetrigg]

Can it even be classed as science-fiction if you don’t have these Blinky lights? I think not. 😂

[@RadeFoxxy]

Too funny! Good editing and discovery!