Holographic Technology in Discovery

[Jedman67]

What do you think of holographic displays, from an audience perspective? Personally, I think it's a bit overdone; while it's certainly useful in tactical displays and for 'tele-conferencing' it just seems like too much.

(Note: this thread isn't about "canon" or DSC tech being better than TOS or anything that came before.)

 

[Tuskin38]

Well it looked like TNG would have done it if they had had the budget(?). They used quite a few hologtaphic displays in Season 1.

DSC is probably doing it because they can.

 

[fireproof78]

I like it.

 

[Hythlodeus]

I'm fine with it

 

[F. King Daniel]

I think it looks awesome! My only issues are the obvious continuity ones.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

I think it looks awesome! My only issues are the obvious continuity ones.

It wouldn't surprise me if we see less of it on the show.

Maybe (in-universe) it's just a passing fad; something Star Fleet tried, but decided to not use as much due to limitations....which translates to something the TV production may use less of to fit the continuity.

Pike doesn't like the look of them, so he's having his torn out on the Enterprise, and maybe Star Fleet in general will follow that lead until the technology improves beyond a point that the people no longer (In Pike's words) "look like ghosts."

 

[F. King Daniel]

Maybe it's just a passing fad in-universe. Something they tried, but decided to not use as much.

Pike doesn't like the look of them, so he's having his torn out on the Enterprise, and maybe Star Fleet in general will follow that lead until the technology improves beyond a point that the people no longer (In Pike's words) "look like ghosts."

Eh, I just see it as a new version of Trek, not really beholden to the specifics of Trek's past. That works best for me

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

Eh, I just see it as a new version of Trek, not really beholden to the specifics of Trek's past. That works best for me

I agree that the reason it existed in the first place was that this is a 21st century TV production. However, they made the in-universe reference of Pike no longer wanting them on the Enterprise intentionally to help explain why there are none in TOS.

I just took that on-screen explanation by Pike farther by saying that maybe Pike isn't the only one who has the opinion that "they look like ghosts", and the technology ends up falling out of favor with Star Fleet. That may translate to the TV show using them less frequently as well.

That addresses the continuity issues.

 

[Phily B]

The problem is, with the technology we have these days, the idea that they wouldn't have decent holographic technology by the time of the 23rd century is silly. I'm happy with the use of it so far as far as continuity goes though, Disc is a science ship and it makes sense to have proto-technologies we see in the future on the ship. There is no reason that holo programs could have been around in Kirk's era, just not on starships.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

Let me clarify what I posted above:

I wouldn't be surprised if the production team took to heart some fans' complaints about the holographic communications and were looking for a way to resolve the apparent continuity issue they created. To that end, maybe they (the production team) use them far less frequently from here on out. In fact, how many holograms have we seen at all this season, other that the Tilly short, where we saw Tilly communicating with her mother via hologram?

Of course, the cat is already out of the bag, and DSC has already showed the technology exists in-universe, so the production team reducing the frequency of holographic communication usage on the show alone would not resolve the apparent in-universe continuity issue.....but that's where Pike's comment comes into play about his dislike of how the images look, and how he no longer wants them on The Enterprise.

So possibly Pike's line about not liking the holographic communicators might go hand-in-hand with a potential reduced use of them by the production. Maybe the TV show will still use them, but possibly not so routinely.

 

[Jedman67]

My objections stem solely from the "too much CGI" camp. I like how it was used through the first half of Season 1, but over the last few episodes it seems to just be all over the place.

I think it looks awesome! My only issues are the obvious continuity ones.

I would appreciate it if continuity discussions were not part of this thread.
Thanks!

 

[fireproof78]

I personally think that holographic technology is an appropriate extrapolation of future tech. I want more of it so I am very much in favor of what Discovery has been doing.

 

[Turtletrekker]

I feel as if that the problems that the Enterprise encountered with the holographic communications systems will begin to be apparent in the rest of the fleet, and the technology will be dropped.

 

[Yistaan]

I feel as if that the problems that the Enterprise encountered with the holographic communications systems will begin to be apparent in the rest of the fleet, and the technology will be dropped.

And conveniently fixed over a century later in time for the Picard show.

 

[Agony_Boothb]

I actually prefer the use of holo-communicators especially in terms of character dynamics. Viewscreens are great for exposition dumps, but when you've got to convey emotion or build tension I think 'holograms' are vastly superior. DS9's 'For the Uniform' worked because of the use of the holographic projector and how it allowed for Sisko and Eddington to really get in each others faces. Personally i find it mind-boggling, that holographic communication systems were not used more in the 24th century, especially considering what could be done on the holodeck.

Personally I hope Discovery sticks with the holo-communications. AI don't really care how it impacts 'canon'.

 

[Yistaan]

I actually prefer the use of holo-communicators especially in terms of character dynamics. Viewscreens are great for exposition dumps, but when you've got to convey emotion or build tension I think 'holograms' are vastly superior. DS9's 'For the Uniform' worked because of the use of the holographic projector and how it allowed for Sisko and Eddington to really get in each others faces. Personally i find it mind-boggling, that holographic communication systems were not used more in the 24th century, especially considering what could be done on the holodeck.

Personally I hope Discovery sticks with the holo-communications. AI don't really care how it impacts 'canon'.

Well, there is the fact that the holodecks malfunctioned very frequently even in the 24th century. Even Alexander can't play cowboy safely in the holodeck.

There was that one episode of TNG, Ship in a Bottle, where seasoned officers Picard and Data were trapped in a holodeck and didn't even know it if not for Data's android perception and deduction. That strikes me as extraordinarily dangerous.

If the holograms are so realistic, having holoprojectors on the bridge is just a disaster waiting to happen. All the Tal Shi'ar have to do is hack into the holographic emitters, recreate Picard down to voice and visual accuracy, and have him say, "Execute General Order 24". Or maybe even have him activate the auto destruct sequence.

And Starfleet's enemies will go through extreme lengths just to impersonate and infiltrate Federation ships. We saw that in Nemesis with Shinzon and in Discovery with Voq. So that in itself could be why there aren't holoemitters on the bridge in other Trek shows. And for all we know, they did have them in other rooms. The Star Trek animated series showed there was indeed a full holographic room (basically a holodeck) in the NCC-1701 called the Rec Room, which is more advanced than anything seen on Discovery.

 

[dahj]

Personally i find it mind-boggling, that holographic communication systems were not used more in the 24th century

One of the sillier things on Voyager was that B'elanna and her engineers could fix warp core breaches, build infinite shuttles, MacGyver all sorts of marvelous stuff, but just couldn't figure out how to install a holoprojector on the bridge so that the Doctor could get out of sickbay...

 

[Tim Thomason]

There are holograms in Discovery? Hmm, I never noticed.

 

[Yistaan]

One of the sillier things on Voyager was that B'elanna and her engineers could fix warp core breaches, build infinite shuttles, MacGyver all sorts of marvelous stuff, but just couldn't figure out how to install a holoprojector on the bridge so that the Doctor could get out of sickbay...

That might be easier said than done actually. It's not just projecting an image of the Doctor on the bridge, the Doctor himself also has to be able to see and feel like he's actually on the bridge too, and not just webcamming from sickbay. They delved into this in TNG where holo-Moriarty was demanding to get out of the holodeck, and even Data was unable to get an actual solution at the time.

 

[Ronald Held]

I am fine with it as long as it is gone Fleetwide by TOS.