Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ut-sally.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!hao!seismo!ut-sally!barnett
From: barnett@ut-sally.UUCP (Lewis Barnett)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Front viewing screen
Message-ID: <3472@ut-sally.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 26-Sep-84 12:47:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: ut-sally.3472
Posted: Wed Sep 26 12:47:48 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 28-Sep-84 06:03:37 EDT
References: <1742@pegasus.UUCP> <975@ut-ngp.UUCP> <177@oliveb.UUCP>
Organization: U. Texas CS Dept., Austin, Texas
Lines: 34

[ Phasers, Mr. Sulu... ]
I think it's pretty clear that the front screen *is* for projection from
various sources:  in addition to the various communication and "visual
aids" we've seen on it, remember that there is a magnification factor
added to the screen when we're viewing the outside world.  (The most
recent episode I've seen with an example of this was "The Corbomite
Maneuver," where Kirk requests that the magnification be decreased so
that he can see all of the Fesarius at once.  Further evidence is the
interference encountered in STII when Kirk, et. al. were chasing Khan
around in the nebula.  I'm at a loss to explain the dome effect witnessed
in Menagerie, but I do have a couple of points to make about it:

	1) It was badly done -- the scale was completely wrong, as 
	   was the viewing angle

	2) The scene was really from a pilot episode, so they may not
	   have worked all of this out yet

	3) In addition to 2), this scene was produced by the Talosians,
	   and while maintaining historical accuracy, maybe their grasp
	   of the particulars of Earth star ship construction was shaky

In addition to all this, it should be noted that there are real viewports
on the Enterprise, and they're protected by a movable shield for structural
reasons.  The only instance I can think of where we see one of these in
action is in "The Mark of Gideon."  Kirk opens the viewport so he and 
Odona can see what the stars really look like, and instead are greeted
by the crowd pressing against the exterior of the mockup Enterprise.


Lewis Barnett,CS Dept, Painter Hall 3.28, Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX 78712

-- barnett@ut-sally.ARPA, barnett@ut-sally.UUCP,
      {ihnp4,seismo,ctvax}!ut-sally!barnett