Re: Mumbling Viewmaster!

[P3D <GSTerry@xxxxxxx>]

I too recently lost $20 on the lastest (new and improved?) addition to the
Talking Viewmaster line and I feel that little kids (and big kids alike!) are
getting jipped by this and other "3D" related items that claim to be
Virtually Real with the addition of "multi-media" sound.  The problem is that
this "multi-media" experience sounds like it came from an old "talking"
birthday card.  Jurassic Park spent zillions of dollars to refine their
special effects, but that excitement is somewhat lost on a dimly lit stereo
scene and a one second noise that barely resembles a "Grrrrr."  

I know there is a big difference between a multi-million dollar movie and a
twenty dollar toy,  but, unfortunately, nothing about this viewer reflects
the innovation that the Viewmaster reputation was built upon.  While I'll
eventually get over the design issue which IMO looks more like a bad version
of the tempermental 3Discover viewer, there is the more important issue of
function  -  disapointing sounds, bad optics, and terrible lighting.  If the
original VM viewer was based on the "steal the light" principle of simply
looking at a light source to bring life to images, then this viewer must be
based on the "find the light" principle of twisting and turning your head to
try getting any light to bounce into the top of the viewer  (you would think
a "high-tech" viewer which speaks could also produce its own light).  I guess
I'm just a purist for the magic of the original Viewmaster concept, and as a
designer myself it's hard to argue with a product and technology that has had
few refinements (other than stylistic aesthetics) over the past 60 years and
still costs less than $10.  Most new computer/digital technology (while still
somewhat primitive IMO in its efforts to be Virtually Real) has a price tag
of hundreds and thousands and is obsolete after 60 days.

The only successful aspect of this viewer was its ability to bring back
childhood memories of my first bad Talking Viewmaster.  At least with those
older versions you could blame their faults on the technology of a miniature
warped record and a viewer full of tempermental parts.  However, it seems
that the progress of technology took a step backwards here.  It seems that
technology should be used as a tool to improve an idea, not just repeat it.
 I guess it was an inevitable step though.  They say bad things happen in
threes, so hopefully the next attempt will be one giant leap for 3d.

60 days from now when the newest "multi-media" toy emerges, this Mumbling
Viewmaster will most surely find a place for itself in the drawers of
collectors too embarassed to place it prominately next to their warped Model
'A', refined Model 'B', and perfected Model 'C'.  On the other hand, it may
be endeared by enthusiasts who see an opportunity to own a part of history,
and then take it apart to build things they would actually want to use.
 (Junior will just love his homemade "Jurassic Park" talking birthday card!)

At least the 3 bucks I spent on batteries will serve a useful purpose by
giving new life to the remote of my "multi-media" TV.  Long live technology!
Greg Terry
GSTerry@xxxxxxx


------------------------------