POLL: KITT's Voice Box

[Victor Kros]

Pretty self explainatory.

=VK=

[knightprobe89]

i voted for the original led bar system, because it has a better modulation effect than the other choices.

[JJSoCrazy]

This was a tough one. I an a way I really like the original L.E.D. light bar system, however I think it is a little outdated. I tried to come up with a new idea but nothing really struck me yet, maybe later.

For now the original, but it needs to be refreshed!

[KarlKnightRider]

I think a new take on the LED system would work. Most importantly, I believe if KITT is going to be seen as the car rather than just the computer in the car, then the voice box should be placed where it was originally. The Mustang dash makes it feel more to me like the car is just the car, KITT is just the center screen.

I know this is going to be difficult to explain, but instead of LED bars, you have a similar shape of movement, but for a sort of set of red light "lips". So the motion will be like that of the Mustangs voicebox rather than bars, but it will be based on a light getting bigger from the middle outwards baring a similar resemblence to a set of lips.

[The Shadow]

I still really like the 'bar' style adopted as the show went on. But I think it's not entirely out of the question to use a modified version for the feature film. Instead of a dedicated display for the 'voice box' perhaps have it be a multi-function display for whatever with the 'voice bars' being the default setting. This way KITT can use it for things Michael needs to know about quickly.

However, considering that KITT will probably have a couple other multifunction displays in the dash it making the "voice box" a multifunction display could be redundant.

[Lost Knight]

I voted for "Leave the original LED bar system, if it's not broke don't fix it." The reason being is that the 3-bar L.E.D. voice modulator is as much a trademark of K.I.T.T. as the red scanner is. Of course I would expect to see a more high-tech variation of it, but the 3 red bars should remain intact in some form. The NBC telepic did the right thing by not duplicating the modulator because the Mustang was a different vehicle, personality and scanner. Since the movie is a reimagining, classic K.I.T.T.'s main features should remain recognizable, yet slightly reimagined like the film itself. Perhaps a pulsating 3-bar display similar to the Knight 3000's scanner might work?

[PaoloM]

The original layout with diffused light will perfectly do, in my opinion.

[Hardkore]

As much as I like the original,it just seems outdated. They should come up with something fresh and modern like they did with then KI3T. Then again, I agree where it needs to brought to more eye level like the original.

Just please don't make it like the iphone in KI3T,keep it separate.

[SuperchargedGS]

I also like the original LED bars although a three bar diffused modulator might be neat also

[Knight2000]

I don't know what a diffused LED display would look like but I would have gone for a 'solid' 3-bar setup a bit like:



I'd also lose the 3 modes underneath and have one box which changes colour and text.

[KITTfan]

Voted the original style 3 bar LED voicebox. Tried to think something else too, like what is the purpose of the voice display. Came up with the thought it's visual symbol informing that KITT has something to say. Tried photoshopped pic about simple blinking speaker symbol, kind of like the 1st season red square was blinking in sync of KITT's voice but the 3 stripe LED bar looks way cooler. Had another thought that it's also a VU-meter measuring the volume of KITT's voice and as such the original LED display is the coolest I've seen.
The EKG / Oscilloscope voicebox feels to me it's too "easy" and not creative at all since probably every computer these days have mediaplayers that have that kind of audio visualizations to choose.

If it ain't broken, don't fix it, the original KITT's design is brilliant in so many ways even today

[Victor Kros]

Had another thought that it's also a VU-meter measuring the volume of KITT's voice and as such the original LED display is the coolest I've seen.
The EKG / Oscilloscope voicebox feels to me it's too "easy" and not creative at all since probably every computer these days have mediaplayers that have that kind of audio visualizations to choose.

good observations kittfan.

I don't know what a diffused LED display would look like but I would have gone for a 'solid' 3-bar setup

I disagree with solid red bars for KITT's voice box Knight2000, it would really look like a step back I think because it would feel more like an Atari vector graphic. A flashing light would get extremely annoying after awhile as well I think, it served it's purpose in the pilot and first season though.

Diffuse light is basically putting up a film to make the light spread/scatter more evenly which causes the lights behind it to blend together, making lights more blurred together so you don't see distinctively points of light. It's what they did with the front of the new Mustang Scanner, how all those 480+ LEDs blend together to look like a traveling neon tube like lighting effect.

Incidentially I found it interesting that the CG guys have stated that they still needed to use CG for the scanner in the backdoor pilot because the light rig still wasn't functioning correctly. I wonder how much of the pilot is real practical light in the hood scoop and what is just a CG enhancement.

I know how I would approach updating the voice box unit, but I have to keep those concepts off the radar for the time being.

=VK=

[scottab21]

I think the "movie" version should be a mix of the old AND the new. As much as I like the original, the truth is that the three bar LED setup kinda screams old 80's style stereo equipment. If you grew up in the 80's then you know what I mean by that. It would be nice to see it incorporated right above the steering wheel as in the original. As for the style, maybe a diffused red light in a diamond shape that would move from center out when KITT speaks.

[knightrover]

i voted for the original voice modulator, they should do an updated version of it.

[JJSoCrazy]

Had another thought that it's also a VU-meter measuring the volume of KITT's voice and as such the original LED display is the coolest I've seen.
The EKG / Oscilloscope voicebox feels to me it's too "easy" and not creative at all since probably every computer these days have mediaplayers that have that kind of audio visualizations to choose.

good observations kittfan.

I don't know what a diffused LED display would look like but I would have gone for a 'solid' 3-bar setup

I disagree with solid red bars for KITT's voice box Knight2000, it would really look like a step back I think because it would feel more like an Atari vector graphic. A flashing light would get extremely annoying after awhile as well I think, it served it's purpose in the pilot and first season though.

Diffuse light is basically putting up a film to make the light spread/scatter more evenly which causes the lights behind it to blend together, making lights more blurred together so you don't see distinctively points of light. It's what they did with the front of the new Mustang Scanner, how all those 480+ LEDs blend together to look like a traveling neon tube like lighting effect.

Incidentially I found it interesting that the CG guys have stated that they still needed to use CG for the scanner in the backdoor pilot because the light rig still wasn't functioning correctly. I wonder how much of the pilot is real practical light in the hood scoop and what is just a CG enhancement.

I know how I would approach updating the voice box unit, but I have to keep those concepts off the radar for the time being.

=VK=

I actually had a long conversation with the fellow, I believe Pierre is his name who created it. Very interesting, he was almost canned and in 3 days with almost no sleep created it. I am actually getting a new Mustang very soon and want to do a KITT replica myself!

[Knight2000]

I don't know what a diffused LED display would look like but I would have gone for a 'solid' 3-bar setup

I disagree with solid red bars for KITT's voice box Knight2000, it would really look like a step back I think because it would feel more like an Atari vector graphic. A flashing light would get extremely annoying after awhile as well I think, it served it's purpose in the pilot and first season though.

The way that you've explained diffusing is the exact picture I had. I wanted to VB to be like S3/4 but all the leds blended to a solid form, so they still move/oscillate like the S2/3/4 VB, not a solid flashing light ala S1. Perhaps a change in colour when something happens eg car damage/change in mode/etc

It needs to be different to the NBC 08 version and I feel a natural progression of the VB would be better unless there is something else that works well. I wouldn't want a floating 3D head representing KITT or something.

[MJknight]

I'm sticking with the old-skool effect. It ain't broke, therefore, don't fix it.

[tharpdevenport]

So far the overwhelming 84% agree on the original.

On the windshield is distracting, annouying, and costs more in special effcts money and can look "Fake", while an actual box with real lights is cheaper and very real.

[KITT Season 4]

Its it possible to have the 3bar vbox on the speedometer? cause i think it would look pretty cool

[::Jon::]

I don't know what a diffused LED display would look like

... I have picked this option, while I liked the original LED look, I think a high-resolution version of this would be the best option.

[FuzzieDice]

I always liked the 2nd original bar-type system (the original was actually a blinking red box). So I voted for the bar-type display. It just was like the "face" of KITT somehow.

[JL]

I voted for a diffused light version of the three-bar system. It would keep the "face" of KITT that folks are familiar with, but it would be keeping up with modern tech. Perhaps if KITT got damaged they could switch to something that looks more like the old design where you could see the individual LEDs (like how KITT's display looked "broken" after he was damaged in "Goliath" and "Knight of the Drones").

[Dukeboy320]

if they HAD to i meen HAD to the most i would want it changed is like the first epasodes. but i voted keep it the same.