Do you think the basic structure of the transporter console was reused for the Enterprise A or was that newly built for TFF?
I’m glad you asked. Having modeled both now, the TFF/TUC transporter console’s stand appears to be completely new, but the console itself is the same shape and dimensions, except the fact that that middle “gap” in the console’s lower edge has been filled in, much like what they did with the helm console. And in TUC, they obviously added the monitor and its housing onto the center of the console face. So yes, I believe it’s the same console, just modified.
A bit of humor here - that picture of the operator's console from "Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise" looks like it has little things dangling from it (doubt that's really the case though, something from behind), but I did think as a kid when I got the book that those were chimes that made the noise of the transporter effects in TWOK and TSFS!
Ha, yes. I think you're just seeing the prismatic light diffuser panel that's placed in front of the transporter computer graphic on the back wall of the booth. That's funny though. I had similar thoughts when I was a kid before I realized sound effects and music were added in post. I remember watching final duel between Luke and Vader in RotJ and thinking that an orchestra was just off camera playing the dramatic music we were hearing. Silly.
My moment for that was in Superman II where there's a helicopter shot introducing our two hapless cops and we hear them talking to each other while we fly towards their car. I couldn't figure it out. Then I realized that they must have a microphone in the car going to the camera in the helicopter! (So close!)
The thing I never liked about the TMP transporter was the lack of the three sliders! It was nice that TNG reinstated them, and they remained part of every proper Starfleet transporter, including Discovery. I have no idea what purpose they serve!
I consider them "sequence initiators," at least that's how I describe them in my "Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Galaxy Chronicles" fan fiction as.
IIRC, the original TNG transporter control panel set pieces were actually touch-sensitive. I remember seeing some video on YouTube years ago were some guy broke into the set (in a command uniform, no less) and played around with some of the controls and they did seem to interactively respond to the guy sliding his hand up and down the glass surface. I was kind of amazed they put that kind of effort into the set design, something nobody would likely ever notice on-screen. A security guard found him and chased him out.
There was some touch-sensitivity during the first season, but I think that was removed for Season 2. I believe there were small metal buttons embedded in the plexiglass. You can see them to the left of the sliders. I agree with Tomalak. Gotta have the three sliders! edit: Sorry for side-trip, Donny. When you eventually model this, it's another version of this console.
Someone upon these forums speculated that those sliding controls were inspired by the "autothrottle" levers used upon the larger jet airliners. This device... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autothrottle That person reasoned that since both Roddenberry and Matt Jefferies were pilots, they might have agreed to "slip in" a little nod to their aviation days. I'm not claiming that definitely WAS the case, but it seems a bit more believable than some other notions I've read.
Can you imagine fat fingering something on the accordion buttons and accidentally sending someone into oblivion. Oops.
I used to wonder about the buffering on the transporter. What if your hand accidentally slipped when sliding the three bars up and only 2 went to 100% and the third stopped at 20%. Would part of the person be left behind?! Of course I realise it would have some sort of safety mechanism in place that would not initiate transport until all three at 100%, but as someone with a fear of flying that always niggled at the back of my mind.
Even though it doesn't really fit with how its been shown before, I think it's sensible that on Discovery, each slider stands for one transporter pad.
You know, I've been wondering if that red handle in the well on the console's upper left was meant to replace the slider knobs but operate in the same way for Phase II. If that's the case, I'm glad we never saw it in action. Seems silly to operate the transporter by turning a handle, which seems a step back technologically from slider knobs. The Flight Manual lists the handle's use as "manual fine tuning". Also, note that the "Artificial Gravity Station" console on the bridge, which was originally supposed to be the console for the bridge transporter in Phase II, also has this red handle. And so does the medical transporter station in the sickbay examination room (we can't see the details but it's there on the left side of this screencap from TMP). So it seems this was an integral part to all transporter consoles on the ship.