Transporter Coordinates

[c0rnedfr0g]

Sometimes, an episode made a big deal about the characters "getting back to the transporter coordinates" while in other episodes, people/objects were transported directly to and fro various locations.

What's the deal?

 

[The Wormhole]

Dramatic effect. If it's more dramatic for the characters to haul ass back to the spot they beamed down at, then that's what they'll do. If not, then they can be beamed up from where they are at.

 

[sbk1234]

I suppose if you're looking for an in-universe explaination, there could occasionally be atmospheric interferance and such which would require them to get back to specific coordinates.

 

[Timo]

"Transporter coordinates" are AFAIK only really mentioned once, in TOS "Mark of Gideon" where the people at the receiving end are assholistic stickers to protocol and want to dictate by the millimeter where our heroes beam down, without allowing them to scan the destination.

Apart from that, yes, they generally do scan where they are going, and sometimes they have to be more careful about it than is usual. Say, when they are beaming indoors, and the destination doesn't have a nice Federation-standard beacon to guide them. When the life of our heroes depends on accurate delivery, dialogue may warrant a reference or two to this targeting issue...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

Follow-up question:

Why even have transporter rooms/pads at all? By the 24th Century, it seemed that every other episode had characters beaming from location to location, bypassing the transporter pads entirely. Why not just integrate the transporter technology into the ship's computer systems and be rid of the room and pads altogether?

 

[Timo]

One usually needs to assemble a landing party, brief it, and equip it for the mission. A dedicated room is needed in any case, so why not have it be the same as the room where the transporter machinery is? After all, the machinery has to be concentrated somewhere, for ease of repairs, and as long as the transporter operators are also the principal repair and maintenance personnel...

That is the technological-operational excuse, that is. The real reasons are of course dramatical, as it just wouldn't do if our heroes and villains got from A to B without spending some time walking and talking.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Johnny]

can I just add...why steps up to the pads?

 

[think]

What kind of technology would be used to create transporters and what is up with the buffer thing? could we not just keep reconstructing replicas of the individual that beams over sorta like that good and evil cap Kirk episode?

How long does a person stay in transport inside the "beam" really? cause maybe they should play transporter musics sorta like elevator music.

And while I am asking questions do the ever play elevator music any more ... in elevators and the like?

 

[Timo]

Hmm.. Stepping up to the pads lets the transporter operator get a better view of what is being moved, now doesn't it? Granted that it's a damn inconvenience when one is moving heavy items that have to be carted out: those TNG antigrav carts don't look like they could cope with stairs.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[The Wormhole]

Follow-up question:

Why even have transporter rooms/pads at all? By the 24th Century, it seemed that every other episode had characters beaming from location to location, bypassing the transporter pads entirely. Why not just integrate the transporter technology into the ship's computer systems and be rid of the room and pads altogether?

Roddenberry felt having the characters have convesations while they walked to the transporter room was essential to Star Trek (I'm not kidding).

 

[Johnny]

You see, if it was me, I'd put them in the same room as all the cargo and...
oh, wait a minute..

I'm guessing that anything that has problems with steps goes via the cargo bay.

 

[Timo]

Or, alternately, those hovercarts aren't quite as Dalek-hobbled as they seem. After all, Mark Jameison in his hovering nowheelchair was beamed onto the raised platform, and somehow still managed to get down (conveniently off-camera, of course).

When we saw a cargo transporter in "Datalore", that structure, too, was significantly elevated. It just had a ramp instead of stairs...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[nx1701g]

I remember in the tech manual (not canon) it said that during site to site transports the people using the transporters momentarily materialize inside the transporter room then are instantly beamed back out and to their destination.

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

I remember in the tech manual (not canon) it said that during site to site transports the people using the transporters momentarily materialize inside the transporter room then are instantly beamed back out and to their destination.

Didn't we see something like that, albeit manually, in an episode of Enterprise? I think the episode was "Civilization."