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Truly Wonderful, the Mind of a Child Is...
date posted: Mar 30, 2007 12:52 PM  |  updated: Mar 30, 2007 12:54 PM
Fighter Conversation Incontinuity
Hello everyone!

Wow! It's been a long, long time since I've been on here! Life's been stressful and busy lately, and I haven't had any time to come on here... even to comment!! However unlikely, hope nobody missed me! ;)

When I was watching TPM the other day, and while the end space battle was on, I got to thinking. Why are the conversations so staticy and unclear between ships in the OT, but are so crisp and clear in TPM?

My initial response was that the Rebel Alliance was so poor that they didn't have tons of access to good equipment, so their communications were full of static. But the Empire's comm channels weren't all that clearer. So I'm kind of at a loss.

I do realise that the real-universe explanation is that back in the 70's and 80's, they thought it would be more realistic to have it not all that clear, or that the technology Lucas had access to wasn't all that great. I do understand this, but what I don't know is whether this was intentional or not.

Now, as I wrote that last paragraph, a new thought dawned on me (I get those random brain-spasms occasionally ;)). Perhaps the Imperial Forces were attempting to jam the Rebel's comm channels, and that's why they were so unclear. But then that raises the question of why the Trade Federation didn't do this. (If there's one thing I've learned from blogging, it's that answering - or attempted to answer - a question always raises three more.)

Does anybody have an answer? Or is this just an opinion thing?

May the Force be With You, and Happy 30th Anniversary! (54 days 'till C IV!!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The cruelest lies are often told in silence.
- Robert Louis Stevenson
Virginibus Puerisque (1881)

Pabawan
Fragments from the Mind's Eye
date Posted: Mar 30, 2007 1:06 PM
But then that raises the question of why the Trade Federation didn't do this

Given that the TradeFed was broadcasting a droid control signal to the army on the planet, they probably didn't want to flood the airwaves w/ static. But, that said, do we actually hear anyone speak off-camera in voiceover only during TPM? I can't recall off the top of my head any conversation that is meant to be over a comlink during the space battle.

ph
  Just A Simple Man...
Simple blogs from a Simple Man.
date Posted: Mar 30, 2007 4:28 PM
However unlikely, hope nobody missed me!

Glad you're back Kyle, I hope you're ok. :)

Why are the conversations so staticy and unclear between ships in the OT, but are so crisp and clear in TPM?

That's a good question and I'm at a loss to be able explain this too. Perhaps it's a money thing like you say. The rebel alliance was so poor and the empire so tight that they both kept costs down by using shoddy equipment.
I like that in ROTS we see (or is that hear) the GAR using the same kind of equipment in the space battle over Coruscant. It's a nice, subtle link up.
  darth maul517
Darth Jedi Maul Secura
date Posted: Mar 30, 2007 6:09 PM
Well, I am glad you are back. I don't have an answer excpet, like you said, money. Your guess is as good as mine. Oh and I am going to attend CIV. So I might see you there.
  RoGuE_StreaK
date Posted: Mar 31, 2007 5:32 AM
My thoughts: in ANH, you'll notice towards the start of the Death Star fight that one of the group leaders says something along the lines of "passing through magnetic field", or "magnetic deflection field", or something like that. So I just attribute the "tonal distortion" (for want of a better description) to this, and let it go at that! :D
  SithLord, Darth Chris
Journey through the Expanded Universe
date Posted: Mar 31, 2007 9:52 AM
Or maybe, I think that the Death Star might have had some sort of jamming device on it, or maybe it was just the Death Star itself making it all fuzzy and whatnot.
kyle228
Truly Wonderful, the Mind of a Child Is...
date Posted: Mar 31, 2007 3:03 PM
Thanks for the comments, everybody!! Although everybody seems to be as confuzzled (for lack of a better - or real - word) as I am, they're much appreciated!

I hope you're ok.
Heck yes, I'm okay... I've just been busy with school and whatnot. :D

Oh and I am going to attend CIV. So I might see you there
Sweet!! Are you going on the Thursday? That'd be awesome if we found some way to meet up!

Thanks again, everybody!!

MTFBWY, and Happy 30th Anniversary! (53 days!)
  striderdemme2005
Expandeduniverse
date Posted: Apr 01, 2007 3:25 PM
Thanks! I'm more partial to the "70's and 80's" answers, myself. Take the contrast between ligthsaber combat in the OT (Obi-Wan vs. Vader comes to mind) and in the PT for example.
  Rogue6Darklighter
date Posted: Apr 06, 2007 10:26 AM
If you want the expanded universe explaination, it's because of the Rebels equipment being worse than the Imperials, and there also was a distortion so the Imperials couldn't figure out by voice who a Rebel truly was. Naboo wouldn't have that need because nobody was really listening to their communications.
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