Battlestar Galactica Prop Made from CD-4 Parts?

[Quad First]

I received an email from a person who recently viewed my quad webpage. It wasn't the usual quad related topic, but instead concerned a request to identify a movie prop that appears to have been made from part of a quad receiver. I am familiar with most of the quad hardware sold in the USA, and much outside of here, but this one I can't recognize. Perhaps some of the members can help this man out, or at least have an idea of what brand and/or model this came from. Movie buffs will no doubt want to watch the mentioned show again to see where this was used. Below is a copy of his email to me and the picture he sent of the display in question. His contact information is also below if anyone can help him. Thanks, Nick

>>Hi
I have a photo here and it's a prop used in Battlestar Galactica from 1978. It uses a CD-4 display, I was wondering if you can identify which brand and model stereo it came from??? It would be a great help for me...Thanks Joe
[email protected]

 

[JonUrban]

Funny, I remember seeing this in Battlestar Galactica when it first aired, and chuckling as I pointed out to my wife!

 

[Obbop]

Ain't a phaser or a tricorder.

 

[dauQula]

Ain't a phaser or a tricorder.

Maybe the CD-4 stands for "Cylon Detector - Mark 4"

Wow, maybe in a parallel human culture Quadraphonics became the mainstream musical medium. Perhaps when they find their way back to earth we will know if they managed to solve the that vexing question of inter-cosmic quadraphonic importance: discrete or matrix??

 

[Surround Hound]

My guess is it was an adjustment tool for a CD-4 Demodulator. Probably was origianally connected to the demodulator via a wire. It probably checked for decible levels to help set up the discreet system. The red switch looks like an add on.
Just a guess but they did have things like that for calibration.

 

[Surround Hound]

correction: after looking again, it is black not red, duh! and it may be that it switched from speaker to speaker with each click.

 

[JonUrban]

I remember this display was in the face of a receiver. I forget which one.

 

[bizmopeen]

Shame they had to cut up a perfectly good quad receiver! At least on Star Trek they only modified electic razors to get their phasers and whatnot...

 

[Obbop]

Read somewhere that Bones' medical sensors were fancy salt shakers.

 

[Q-Eight]

Very close, wouldn't you say?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=50596&item=5762643825&rd=1

 

[JonUrban]

So after 15 years, here are a few pictures of the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA COMMUNICATOR, which was created using some throw away parts from a quadraphonic device, presumably a receiver. Check it out. I do remember seeing this when the show first aired in 1979 and laughing about the CD-4 display (as noted in an old post by me above)

CLOSE UP OF THE DEVICE:

STARBUCK (Dirk Benedict) actually using it in the show:

 

[rustyandi]

Funny, I remember seeing this in Battlestar Galactica when it first aired, and chuckling as I pointed out to my wife!

If she was like my wife She would say yes dear and roll her eye.s

 

[MidiMagic]

Movie studios search for all kinds of discarded and even new devices for use in films.

Over the years I have seen quite a few items in films that I have owned or worked with:

Dune - The floating glowglobe is a small night light I used to have.
Dune - Gurney's weapon is a hand grip-strength tester with the meter missing.
Dune - The hunter-seeker is an oscilloscope probe I have.

Star Wars A New Hope - The restraining bolt on R2D2 is a Greenlee Chassis punch.
Star Wars A New Hope - The targeting computer is a small camera.

Star Wars Return of the Jedi - Leia's helmet on Tatooine is a slide projector housing.
Star Wars Return of the Jedi - Leia's helmet on the moon is a lawnmower fan shroud.
Star Wars Return of the Jedi - The bomb Solo sets is an industrial smoke alarm.

Prince of Space - His spaceship is a battery powered callus remover.

Star Trek - The communicators and phasers are TV remotes with the works removed.
Star Trek - Dr McCoy's instruments are conical chromed salt shakers.
Star Trek - Dr McCoy's portable medical computer is a traffic signal tester.
Star Trek - The transporter console is a stage lighting board.
Star Trek TNG - The cargo containers are 70 mm film cases.