Star Trek: Questions you always wanted answers to

[somerset fox]

In a world where we are all familiar with zoom cameras on our computers, giving unflattering views up our nostrils, I always wonder where the camera for ship to ship communications is. Often, a perfectly framed shot of the captain talking to his adversary of the week is shown, which would mean the camera ‘should’ be floating free in the middle of the bridge somewhere. Is it supposed to be part of the view screen, on the frame, where?

 

[Astyanax]

In a world where we are all familiar with zoom cameras on our computers, giving unflattering views up our nostrils, I always wonder where the camera for ship to ship communications is. Often, a perfectly framed shot of the captain talking to his adversary of the week is shown, which would mean the camera ‘should’ be floating free in the middle of the bridge somewhere. Is it supposed to be part of the view screen, on the frame, where?

Good question. The same could be asked about holodeck emitters; I imagine those are behind the walls or something similar.

But as small as cameras can be even these days, I could imagine cameras in the 24th century being virtually microscopic and anywhere.

 

[Treadwell]

An image from any angle can be derived using data from internal sensors.

Likewise external sensors:

UHURA: Affirmative. Contact with the whales.
KIRK: Bearing!
UHURA: Bearing three two seven, range six hundred nautical.
KIRK: Put them on screen!
GILLIAN: How can you do that?

 

[DonCarlos]

An image from any angle can be derived using data from internal sensors.

Likewise external sensors:

UHURA: Affirmative. Contact with the whales.
KIRK: Bearing!
UHURA: Bearing three two seven, range six hundred nautical.
KIRK: Put them on screen!
GILLIAN: How can you do that?

Exactly. What we see "on screen" is actually a rendered representation of sensor data — not just a traditional camera feed. Moreover, the main viewscreen and other monitors don't display flat 2D visuals, but rather 3D or 2.5D data projections, maybe comparable to how a Looking Glass display works. In Voyager, the main viewscreen was a fully holographic interface, as revealed in Year of Hell, where the hologrid is visible behind the damaged screen.

image by Viewscreen

images by TrekCore

 

[Laspector]

I always figured it worked somehow off scanner waves.

 

[robn1]

Great, everything in the future is CGI.

 

[Cephus]

Great, everything in the future is CGI.

That may be the reason I watch so few modern movies.

 

[Bloop]

That reminds me, how does the universal translator work? Not only does it instantaneously translate whatever is said - even languages that were previously unknown - but it also manages to make everyone's mouths appear to be saying the translated words. And it seems to pick and choose which words to translate - we'll hear people speaking in English (or, "common"), then they'll say a word or phrase in snother language that doesn't get translated. There was a season 7 episode of TNG where they visited a Klingon colony that was celebrating Khalis's birthday or something, and they were watching a play of sorts on the street, with the characters play-fighting and singing in Klingon (don't get me started on the idea that Klingons would do cheesy fake fighting, even for an Opera). Beverley leans in to Worf snd says, "What's he saying?" Does the universal translator shut down when it hears music being sung in different languages or what?
Anyway, I know the answer is that it's just a means so that the viewer can be more connected to the story and not have to read subtitles all the time. It's also better for the avyors to be able to sct in their own language than some made-up stuff. Still, the implementation of the tech is lacking in reality, even for the far future.

 

[Treadwell]

COCHRANE: What's the theory behind this device?
KIRK: There are certain universal ideas and concepts common to all intelligent life. This device instantaneously compares the frequency of brainwave patterns, selects those ideas and concepts it recognises, and then provides the necessary grammar.

 

[Riceball]

Exactly. What we see "on screen" is actually a rendered representation of sensor data — not just a traditional camera feed. Moreover, the main viewscreen and other monitors don't display flat 2D visuals, but rather 3D or 2.5D data projections, maybe comparable to how a Looking Glass display works. In Voyager, the main viewscreen was a fully holographic interface, as revealed in Year of Hell, where the hologrid is visible behind the damaged screen.
View attachment 1943928
image by Viewscreen
View attachment 1943929 View attachment 1943930
images by TrekCore

Seeing this reminds me of how, in the TNG era shows, the view of any non-Federation Starship's bridge always seems to somehow manage to only ever show the Captain. You never see any other bridge crea in the background and certainly not foreground, almost like they're all deliberately designed toso that cres stations are always "off camera". Compare that to the picture of Picard walking up to the viewscreen, I wonder what the other side sees. Does the Enterprise have a smart camera that automatically accounts for the Captain walking up to the viewscreen and makes sure that the conn and helm stations are cut off and you see the person talking only from the shoulders up?

 

[Astyanax]

Seeing this reminds me of how, in the TNG era shows, the view of any non-Federation Starship's bridge always seems to somehow manage to only ever show the Captain. You never see any other bridge crea in the background and certainly not foreground, almost like they're all deliberately designed toso that cres stations are always "off camera". Compare that to the picture of Picard walking up to the viewscreen, I wonder what the other side sees. Does the Enterprise have a smart camera that automatically accounts for the Captain walking up to the viewscreen and makes sure that the conn and helm stations are cut off and you see the person talking only from the shoulders up?

Great question. I'm absolutely sure it's a Captain's preference thing. But respectfully, I have to disagree with your premise: it actually varies wildly throughout the show. We've seen the Romulan bridge once or twice, depending on the speaker. Pakleds too, and Tamarians, just off the top of my head. I'm sure there are plenty more.



Just like Zoom today where we have some control over how we are seen, It makes sense any ship can tailor that as needed. Picard generally wants to come across as non-threatening, while little Ferengi have such insecurity that they want to dominate your view. Heck, the Ferengi even wash out their background to white; how overcompensating is that? And for a certain well-known Romulan Ambassador Commander who was an adversary for Picard and Riker a few times, I'd say the same thing: he wants to come across as imposing. On Zoom today, when someone blurs their background in a staff meeting, we know they're hiding personal stuff and trying to draw your focus. When they don't, you know they're showing off their book collection or whatever.

So the way a ship's commander decides to be seen on the other end can tell you a great deal about what the conversation is going to be like: A giant head on screen obviously wants you to be intimidated, so you already have an advantage.

 

[CB2001]

I remember watching a YouTube video somewhere that someone pointed out how odd it was that in the TOS, there was an episode where Kirk had the camera of the view screen zoom into something, and it looked like a camera zooming into it, indicating some sort of 3D visual tech that was able to somehow move around the bridge of the opposing ship or something. I can't really remember the video clearly. It was years ago.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

I remember watching a YouTube video somewhere that someone pointed out how odd it was that in the TOS, there was an episode where Kirk had the camera of the view screen zoom into something, and it looked like a camera zooming into it, indicating some sort of 3D visual tech that was able to somehow move around the bridge of the opposing ship or something. I can't really remember the video clearly. It was years ago.

They were probably referring the images of the “Flight Recorder Visual” played during the scenes in “Court Martial”…

This was a Trek trope that reappeared in the replays in Star Trek III…

…and Trek IV:

 

[CB2001]

It might have been, but I remember it showing footage of a bridge of a Romulan vessel that the Enterprise crew were after. I could be wrong about it though.

 

[Treadwell]

In "The Mark of Gideon", the guy on the planet who's BS-ing Spock pushes a button to end the call, and on the Enterprise viewscreen, IT CUTS TO A CLOSEUP OF HIS HAND while he does it.

 

[Captain Dunsel]

In "The Mark of Gideon", the guy on the planet who's BS-ing Spock pushes a button to end the call, and on the Enterprise viewscreen, IT CUTS TO A CLOSEUP OF HIS HAND while he does it.

The Enterprise view screen had an AI cinematographer program that apparently had access to the script…

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Seeing this reminds me of how, in the TNG era shows, the view of any non-Federation Starship's bridge always seems to somehow manage to only ever show the Captain. You never see any other bridge crea in the background and certainly not foreground, almost like they're all deliberately designed toso that cres stations are always "off camera". Compare that to the picture of Picard walking up to the viewscreen, I wonder what the other side sees. Does the Enterprise have a smart camera that automatically accounts for the Captain walking up to the viewscreen and makes sure that the conn and helm stations are cut off and you see the person talking only from the shoulders up?

I started rewatching TNG again and was thinking the same thing. There was an episode in the second seasons where they were talking to Klingons and Worf was at his station behind Picard (who was standing between the two forward stations). Worf comes down and the Klingon didn't act like he saw Worf until he was around the chair where Troi sits.

 

[anamorphicWayne]

Why?
Rebooting Star Trek TOS