Helmet idea

[Finster]

This is probably not an original idea and is certainly not authentic or true to the original and forgive me if this was brought up in another thread here but I have yet to see it. So here goes...

It seems that vision wearing a centurion helmet is quite limited to say the least, so I was thinking: Would it be possible to make (vacuum form?) the helmet from clear plastic and then do the chrome over it, basically making the entire helmet a one-way mirror or at least the area around the brow where your eyes line up?

Personally I'd rather see better then be 100% authentic as long as it still looked good. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[rustycylon]

I have no idea if that would work but you are 100% correct about the lack of vision.
Is it possible to mount a small video camera in the neck collar of the costume and have a lcd display in the helmet?

[Cylon-Knight]

I still think the eye insert (the black area) should be done in smoked black plastic... Like sunglasses.

[Finster]

Both the camera and the tinted black area sound like good ideas to me, but personally I don't know if there is room inside for a LCD panel. Also, doesn't the bulb/LED scanner fill most (or all) of the black area?

[Cylon-Knight]

Room for and LCD would be next to nothing. The LEDs of the eye only take up right behind the slit for them to show and wires up to the mowhawk... Where most of the modern boards are housed. The eye insert is just a filler/dead zone...

[Cylon-Knight]

Here is the guts of an eye, FYI.
http://www.byyourcommand.net/cylonforum ... 285#p23608

[Finster]

Thanks for the link. So time for another silly question: Are the rounded top part of the LEDs facing out (forward)? How many LEDs are there?

[Cylon-Knight]

A 1:1 eye would technically have 32 BULBS - old school 1978 tech! Dim, high energy needs and run HOT.
The modern alternative is LEDs. BRIGHT, LOW energy needs and run COOL.
...that said... to be the best stand in, an LED eye should have 32 LEDs to best emulate the original (so I think ). Some get by with 28... or even less... All depends on budget.

And yes, for an LED eye, you'd want the LEDs to face forward... that is the tip points out of the slit so they shine as bright as possible to WOW in room lighting, be terrifying in darkness - and also still look good in full sunlight.

[FLIGHTLDR SERPENTINE]

I have recently been playing with a similar idea of the mouth grill in vacuformed clear plastic, then sprayed on the inside with this great tail light tint Hand-Schaub turned me on to a couple years back that I used on the Daft Punk helmet. Might be too black for a standard centurion, but maybe not for a command centurion? But being as the grill is a little low, it would only help a little. I wear glasses, so I am concerned about space for them as well. I'd hate to have to get contacts.

[Cylon-Knight]

I have glasses too. And they fit inside my helmet... actually they were a benefit. My frames rested just right in the brow of the helmet to keep the helmet EXACTLY where it needed to be so I could see. My Centurion I see threw the LEDs - the tiny gaps. Think Star Trek:Next Gen - Geordi Laforge type eye visor.

If you could get prescription sunglasses that curve much more than standard frames you might pull that off, be a bit darker, but still in focus.

...but the weight of the helmet did push the nose pads and bridge into my nose something fierce after 4 to 5 hours in the costume. A band-aid would fix that quick and cheap.

[Hand-Schaub]

I recently made a helmet with completely vaced parts. It's really light! I think the clear grill is a good idea but between the vacuum forming and the spray it might not be clear enough. I'll try it out though.

[FLIGHTLDR SERPENTINE]

I'd be interested to see your results Brian.

[Omega Red]

Just a tip. I inserted extra paddng to the top portion of the helmet. It was sufficient to raise the helmet high enough to where my eyes can see through the slip/openning were the led lights are. My vision is pretty good.