Post by zepplin on Jun 9, 2007 6:33:39 GMT
You know, I have seen all of seasons 1,3-7 and a lot of season 2, plus the movies, and yet, in all that time I still haven't figured out how on earth the communicators work.
You may assume that they are a radio system, but then its even more complex then that. How is it, they can activate the communicator by pushing the button, speak the name of the person they want to contact, and have the second person who they are trying to communicate with, receive the message in real time? an example would me "=/\=Lieutenant Munro, please report to the bridge=/\=." and he would hear that instantly, and give a response, the response part I am less interested in, and more the initial communication link.
Well there is a couple of theories I would like to rule out.
First of all, the idea that it is a giant radio network can't be the case, because otherwise you would hear a whole range of chatter in the background on every episode, in every conversation between any one or two characters who are using a comm badge, so thats not it.
Also, having it set on a delay can't be the case either, because otherwise there would be a delay as the communicator records the message, sends it to the desired communicator, which the computer or comm system would have to recognize in an instant as well, then play it back to the desired recipient, and give that person enough time to reply back, in seemingly real time, which doesn't work.
So I put it to you. How does a communicator 'actually' work? I'll entertain any hypothesis and naturally any factual evidence you may acquire from cannon sources.
You may assume that they are a radio system, but then its even more complex then that. How is it, they can activate the communicator by pushing the button, speak the name of the person they want to contact, and have the second person who they are trying to communicate with, receive the message in real time? an example would me "=/\=Lieutenant Munro, please report to the bridge=/\=." and he would hear that instantly, and give a response, the response part I am less interested in, and more the initial communication link.
Well there is a couple of theories I would like to rule out.
First of all, the idea that it is a giant radio network can't be the case, because otherwise you would hear a whole range of chatter in the background on every episode, in every conversation between any one or two characters who are using a comm badge, so thats not it.
Also, having it set on a delay can't be the case either, because otherwise there would be a delay as the communicator records the message, sends it to the desired communicator, which the computer or comm system would have to recognize in an instant as well, then play it back to the desired recipient, and give that person enough time to reply back, in seemingly real time, which doesn't work.
So I put it to you. How does a communicator 'actually' work? I'll entertain any hypothesis and naturally any factual evidence you may acquire from cannon sources.