Kitt's voice modulator....
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- knighttwothousand
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Kitt's voice modulator....
Hi everybody....
How many different types of voice modulators have been shown??
I think there are many. In the 1st season itself, they tried quite a few.
How many different types of voice modulators have been shown??
I think there are many. In the 1st season itself, they tried quite a few.
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Well there was:
A) the "box" modulator, which seemed to basically be what sound engineer's would call a peak light (being it lit every time the volume in KITT's voice rose above a given point).
B)the "three line" modulator, generally considered the most popular, which was in concept a little more advanced. Instead of just a peak, it showed actual volume levels. Presumably the level in the middle was the overall volume where the two on each side might represent the volume of left and right channels. ( Of course traditional level indicators don't go up AND down from a center point, but I'm sure that was just an aesthetic decision)
C) the revised level modulator, which didn't appear until the 4th season I think. The only real difference was the levels seemed to go higher and there seemed to be less of a difference between the middle level and the two on the side.
D) KARR's voice modulator, which had the middle level indicator, and then the two side ones that started at zero in each of the four corners and came downward to meet in the middle. WHo knows why that happened other than the level indicators going in opposing directions probably gave more of a sinister impression (aesthetics again).
Never quite realized the simularities between KR's voice modulators and a digital sound board until now.... nice.
Of course all of this begs the question....of all KITT's systems why did the voice have to have its own monitor. None of his other functions had separate activity monitors.
A) the "box" modulator, which seemed to basically be what sound engineer's would call a peak light (being it lit every time the volume in KITT's voice rose above a given point).
B)the "three line" modulator, generally considered the most popular, which was in concept a little more advanced. Instead of just a peak, it showed actual volume levels. Presumably the level in the middle was the overall volume where the two on each side might represent the volume of left and right channels. ( Of course traditional level indicators don't go up AND down from a center point, but I'm sure that was just an aesthetic decision)
C) the revised level modulator, which didn't appear until the 4th season I think. The only real difference was the levels seemed to go higher and there seemed to be less of a difference between the middle level and the two on the side.
D) KARR's voice modulator, which had the middle level indicator, and then the two side ones that started at zero in each of the four corners and came downward to meet in the middle. WHo knows why that happened other than the level indicators going in opposing directions probably gave more of a sinister impression (aesthetics again).
Never quite realized the simularities between KR's voice modulators and a digital sound board until now.... nice.
Of course all of this begs the question....of all KITT's systems why did the voice have to have its own monitor. None of his other functions had separate activity monitors.
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Maybe since KITTs speech and voice recognition abilities are his most advanced. Even today we can't get speech to sound that human, or get computers to understand speech from humans as well as KITT could. (Even thought I do realize that it was William Daniels that provided the voice.)Ghost-Unmade wrote:Of course all of this begs the question....of all KITT's systems why did the voice have to have its own monitor. None of his other functions had separate activity monitors.
Also I always thought KITT's voice box served as his "mouth" per say. It seems only reasonable to put a physical display on his speech, like we have mouths for when we talk.
- JL
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There were even two versions of that, though the first version only showed up in the pilot episode.Ghost-Unmade wrote:the "box" modulator, which seemed to basically be what sound engineer's would call a peak light (being it lit every time the volume in KITT's voice rose above a given point).
Version 1: squared-off edges to the box and the three mode indicator lights (pic)
Version 2: rounded-off edges (pic)
- Knight2000
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Hmmm.... I think that the reason the two versions were shown was because one was a crude product, designed to show off what the car could do so the people could get money (someone help me out here).
Just like the way the nose on KITT was different.
From what I know, they produced a kind of teaser to get money, so when they showed KITT, it was a regular Trans-Am with a light array thingy stuck on (the scanner). Later, when they got the money, they could afford to refine the vaious things such as the voice mod, and giving KITT a nose extension.
PS I really liked the 'purple' light for Pursuit mode when they showed it (only in a few eps, methinks)
Just like the way the nose on KITT was different.
From what I know, they produced a kind of teaser to get money, so when they showed KITT, it was a regular Trans-Am with a light array thingy stuck on (the scanner). Later, when they got the money, they could afford to refine the vaious things such as the voice mod, and giving KITT a nose extension.
PS I really liked the 'purple' light for Pursuit mode when they showed it (only in a few eps, methinks)
- Knicks4973
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From what I can remember, his Pursuit light was either blue or red. Depending on the lighting and angle it could look purple. If you have a pic of a purple Pursuit light, could someone please post it.
KITT's voice modulator did change quite a bit, as was mentioned.
In season 1, he had the square box, the rounded square box, the greyish looking square box, the 3 line box, and a lter version of the 3 line box.
Season 2 had seasons 1 3 line box with blue Pursuit light and had the red pursuit light with a better 3 line box.
Season 3 had a new voice modulator with a larger 3 line box.
Seasonj 4 had a 3 line box that seemed smaller and Normal Cruise was just Normal.
KITT's voice modulator did change quite a bit, as was mentioned.
In season 1, he had the square box, the rounded square box, the greyish looking square box, the 3 line box, and a lter version of the 3 line box.
Season 2 had seasons 1 3 line box with blue Pursuit light and had the red pursuit light with a better 3 line box.
Season 3 had a new voice modulator with a larger 3 line box.
Seasonj 4 had a 3 line box that seemed smaller and Normal Cruise was just Normal.
- Knight Industries 3000
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If that's the case, then KITT's voice graph should have had a scale on it. Flashing LEDs by themselves mean nothing... although they look cool.KnightCrusader99 wrote:Maybe since KITTs speech and voice recognition abilities are his most advanced.Ghost-Unmade wrote:Of course all of this begs the question....of all KITT's systems why did the voice have to have its own monitor. None of his other functions had separate activity monitors.
Yup. That's the "real" reason behind the flashing voice box. It's also more visually interesting than the glowing but steady red "camera eye" of HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey.KnightCrusader99 wrote:Also I always thought KITT's voice box served as his "mouth" per say. It seems only reasonable to put a physical display on his speech, like we have mouths for when we talk.
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- JL
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The greyish-looking square box probably had more to do with the lighting and the angle they were filming from rather than the actual color of the dash.Knicks4973 wrote:In season 1, he had the square box, the rounded square box, the greyish looking square box, the 3 line box, and a lter version of the 3 line box.
Actually, the Pursuit light was red all during Season 2. While it made the dash seem a little monotonous (since red was the predominant color of the LEDs on the first dash), it showed up better. Come to think of it, the only times the blue Pursuit light actually looked blue was when it wasn't lit!Season 2 had seasons 1 3 line box with blue Pursuit light and had the red pursuit light with a better 3 line box.
Blue looking blue because it's off (Knight of the Phoenix) Click me!
Blue looking white (Knight of the Phoenix) Click me!
Blue looking purple (Deadly Maneuvers) Click me!
And now it's red (Goliath) Click me!
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Ever notice how when a vehicle "talks" in a movie or TV show/advertisment, there's usually some sort of light blinking involved in the process? It's rare for the two not to happen together. The most recent example I can think of is when Burt Reynolds female car starts talking in a Maaco ad.
I can't quite tell if it was mentioned, but there is also that mono box vocal display that had the Knight Industries Two Thousand printed below it. (Seen in only one shot in KOTP.)
Other things had their own LED monitors. You just have to look closer. (That general sensor that Michael reached for all the time upon leaving KITT is one of the more commonly seen ones in close ups.)
I can't quite tell if it was mentioned, but there is also that mono box vocal display that had the Knight Industries Two Thousand printed below it. (Seen in only one shot in KOTP.)
Other things had their own LED monitors. You just have to look closer. (That general sensor that Michael reached for all the time upon leaving KITT is one of the more commonly seen ones in close ups.)
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The only example I can think of off the top of my head in which a computer voice ever sounded without any kind of flashing light is Star Trek. (And of course HAL didn't flash). I guess it just makes people more comfortable to associate a voice with some kind of "mouth".
Which maybe explains why HAL was a just a steady light. He was designed to make the audience just a little uncomfortable with him.
Which maybe explains why HAL was a just a steady light. He was designed to make the audience just a little uncomfortable with him.
- Knicks4973
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Sorry, JL, your statment isn't quite right. The episodes Return to Cadiz, Brothers Keeper and Merchants of Death had the blue Pursuit light. Though in Brothers Keeper the light was red in a couple of shots. I think Ring of Fire had the blue Pursuit Light, but I'm not sure.Actually, the Pursuit light was red all during Season 2. While it made the dash seem a little monotonous (since red was the predominant color of the LEDs on the first dash), it showed up better. Come to think of it, the only times the blue Pursuit light actually looked blue was when it wasn't lit!
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[quote="Ghost-Unmade"]The only example I can think of off the top of my head in which a computer voice ever sounded without any kind of flashing light is Star Trek. (And of course HAL didn't flash). I guess it just makes people more comfortable to associate a voice with some kind of "mouth".
Which maybe explains why HAL was a just a steady light. He was designed to make the audience just a little uncomfortable with him.[/quote]
KIFT did not have a voice modulator. Although he did have that line thingy which (in my opinion) was kinda blah.
And this is way off the subject but... Where I quoted Ghost-Unmade do ya'll see it in a box, or something like [quote] blah blah blah [quote]
Which maybe explains why HAL was a just a steady light. He was designed to make the audience just a little uncomfortable with him.[/quote]
KIFT did not have a voice modulator. Although he did have that line thingy which (in my opinion) was kinda blah.
And this is way off the subject but... Where I quoted Ghost-Unmade do ya'll see it in a box, or something like [quote] blah blah blah [quote]
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TRMK- I made a similar pic which was totally fictional, where it looks like KiTT's 3 graph display turned upside down in the middle. and intead of red, i did it in blue. I made it for another K.I.T.T. (Knight Industries Three Thousand) in one of my Knight Rider/Starfox Fanfics. It's actually like you say, It looks like it bites down.The Real Michael Knight wrote:KARR in my opinion in a much cooler looking voice modulator. I loved how the two yellow bars seemed to "bite down" in between the middle one.
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From what I can tell, KITT's voice modulator changed slightly between season 1 and season 2.
In season 2, the 3-line bar goes higher when KITT speaks. This is where the Pursuit light is red.
When the 3-line bar is smaller, the Pursuit light is blue.
The only 2 colors are red and blue. Blue may look like purple or white, depending on the lighting or angle, but it still is blue.
KITT's voice also slightly changes when he gets a different 3-line bar voice modulator.
I also know footage is resused in KR, so the footage of KITT's voice modulator being blue in season 2 might be footage from season 1.
KI may know why the Pursuit light color changed and what changes were actually done to KITT's voice modulator.
In season 2, the 3-line bar goes higher when KITT speaks. This is where the Pursuit light is red.
When the 3-line bar is smaller, the Pursuit light is blue.
The only 2 colors are red and blue. Blue may look like purple or white, depending on the lighting or angle, but it still is blue.
KITT's voice also slightly changes when he gets a different 3-line bar voice modulator.
I also know footage is resused in KR, so the footage of KITT's voice modulator being blue in season 2 might be footage from season 1.
KI may know why the Pursuit light color changed and what changes were actually done to KITT's voice modulator.
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I have noticed, it's only the middle line that keeps changing. The other 2 hardly ever change.
In "Blind Spot", the voice indicator does not change, even though KITT's voice gets more bass. The left bar should be a lot higher.
In "Knights in Disgrace", LaSalle overrides KITT's voice, but the display is still the same. It's like the centre line is the only indicator, the others are just for support.
Any idea why it's not flexible?
In "Blind Spot", the voice indicator does not change, even though KITT's voice gets more bass. The left bar should be a lot higher.
In "Knights in Disgrace", LaSalle overrides KITT's voice, but the display is still the same. It's like the centre line is the only indicator, the others are just for support.
Any idea why it's not flexible?
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Arjun wrote:I have noticed, it's only the middle line that keeps changing. The other 2 hardly ever change.
In "Blind Spot", the voice indicator does not change, even though KITT's voice gets more bass. The left bar should be a lot higher.
In "Knights in Disgrace", LaSalle overrides KITT's voice, but the display is still the same. It's like the centre line is the only indicator, the others are just for support.
Any idea why it's not flexible?
Yeeessss..... As I was explaining to begin with, the two bars on the side could be indicators for right and left channels, which means they would only change if for some reason one of the speakers which (presumably) transmitted KITT's voice into the interior of the K2000 was damaged or disconnected. This means that the left channel would not reflect additional "bass" at all because we are not talking about measuring frequencies, but stereo channels. Possibly extra bass would make the levels higher, but not nessecarily, especially if some other frequency were cut to create the boost. The middle indicator could possibly be indicative of the overall volume (both channels) which is why it is higher.
And the voice modulator for the K4000 might have looked "blah" to some, but if we follow this line of reasoning it would be even more advanced than the 3-bar indicator; in that it not only shows volume (in a scrolling form no less, so you can get an idea of the over all levels,) but the actual sine waves the voice creates.
I think Knight Rider 2000 was faulty in its realization, but the idea behind it was really good. But that's another thread.
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