Over the last Weekend, there were a lot of news from the San Diego Comic Convention 2023 i.e. SDCC. What got me interested were the Studio Models and the Star Trek: The Next Generation props. In this YouTube video, Norm from Tested was with Barry, showcasing the so-called studio models of the Enterprise-D (light leaks), Enterprise-A and the Excelsior, followed with the
These models costs anywhere from USD15,000 (yeap, that’s about RM68,302.50 to us Malaysians) to USD17,000. The length is between 31″ to 39″ which, well, is awesome as a display. Sadly for that price, which is roughly the price of a car, I was expecting some form of interactivity. Sure, these Studio Models does nothing but just sits there and lights up. But you know, maybe they can include the starting up, the Warp effect, some photo torpedoes and with sounds would be nice.
However, what distracted me were the subtle light leaks from the Enterprise-D model which after that, I kinda lost interest in what they have to offer. Also, the lighting effect on the Enterprise-A was not what I was expecting, especially on the Saucer and the Warp pylons. The ring of lights on the A’s deflector dish was quite nice but the ones on the D was just so-so. There was no orange glow behind the dish.
THE MEDICAL TRICORDER
This is the part where I, well, literally went bonkers. For once, there is now a TNG Tricorder and it is not from Playmates. However, after a few days, I revisited the video with a calmer state and saw a lot of things that does not gel well. For one, the body of the Tricorder is not a MkVII but more like an early MkVI without the latch. First the screen looked odd, then the Power button’s red LED is too big and so are the GEO, MET & BIO.
Here is what Myron Stapleton of Stapleton Productions has to say, “…let’s hope it’s just a prototype problem. Right now it has the body of an early VI. The hinges of a mark X the medical head of a VII, and the scanner of an early mark VI with the lights on the scanner like the VII had. Kind of a frankencorder at the moment.”
From Barry, “… Replicas that replicate the props as a homogenised whole…” which I take is as the Factory Entertainment’s Medical Tricorder is an idealised version. So, unfortunately, there is a very high chance that this means the unrefined and stunted MKVI body could be here to stay. And I prefer the MKVII body. Still, if I want a nice MKVII Tricorder I can get them from Myron Stapleton but if I want to play with it daily, I’d have to get my Playmates version up and running soon. Or even, maybe the TS-595E which is still in R&D stage…
Finally, “Are they 100% screen accurate? No.” And that’s it folks.
The LEDs flashing sequence is correct and the animated screen is beautiful but that’s about it.
WILL I GET THEM?
Heavens forbid. No. The asking price is insane and with me being a clumsy fool, they’d be broken faster you can say, “Make it so”.
