Looking at that photograph I posted above, it seems as if Kong's holding the stunt version of the Dematerializer. I can tell because it's missing a piece of “tube” that connects the drum and the leftmost handlebar.

Also: When Kong turns the left handlebar forward, it opens the iris. Turning it backward closes the iris again. I must find a way to work out the mechanism.

My online search for the sound effects has proven inconclusive. I am not able to find a downloadable version of the SFX, and I'm *not* spending $500 for a bunch of CDs just so I can have what I'm looking for. My only other option right now is to find a way to record the sound sample directly to my PC, and isolate the sound effects track from the music and dialogue tracks. I do have Windows Movie Maker, but that's not doing me any good.

I have a tape recorder and a CD Writing system as well. With these I could first record the sound I need directly from my DVD player to an audio tape using the former, and then record that onto a compact disc with the latter. The tape recorder, believe it or not, connects to the TV/DVD player with audio hookups.

Okay, I've recorded sound samples of the Dematerializer from the episodes “Dr. Whatshisname” (SFX track–“Dematerializer Malfunction”) and “Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?” (SFX track–a really good sound sample of the thing, plus the “Ghost Disappearing” sound effect) onto a tape, as well as three measures of the “Zero's Message” audio track from the Disc 1 menu. All I need to do is put them onto a CD, find a way to convert them to MP3 files (should be fairly simple, I think) and use Audacity to play around with them.

I will need to do the following:

1–isolate the dialogue, music, and SFX tracks
2–manipulate the main “firing” sound effect to make it more powerful
3–put the “Scanning”, “Firing”, “Ghost Disappear” and “Malfunction” tracks into loops so I can make them loop and continue for as long as I need.

If you have a DVD Rom and player on your machine, save yourself some time and use Audacity to record the files.

Kingpin;154319
If you have a DVD Rom and player on your machine, save yourself some time and use Audacity to record the files.

Oooh, a very good idea. It might save me some money, since I can only *buy* an upgrade from Sonic RecordNow.

Actually, King, I've been thinking over your suggestion, and I can tell you that I don't think it will work. I took a look at the Audio and Video folders on the DVD, and all the DVD had was the Video files, encoded in the bizarre .VOD format, which Audacity doesn't accept. There were no Audio files to speak of, either–audio and video are all in one. Looks like I'll have to go with my original plan after all…

But hey, at least I have the “Zero's Message” music for my photonovel.

You don't import it into Audacity, you use Audacity to record it. (I'm assuming there's an isolated track option on the DVD like the Time Life RGB set). You can set Audacity to record the sounds played through your computer's sound card.

There is no isolated track option as far as I can tell. However, I will see what I can do. Thanks for the clarification, though!

All right, Kingpin, your idea worked after all. My new microphone really came through! (Now to download that LAME thing which will convert the files into MP3s. And yes, it really is called LAME–it's an acronym for something.)

Now, for another big update. After Jetta allowed me to borrow the pic from his AZ Ectomobile, I sent the image to Cyland Props, who sent me the following message:

Mouser has them:

These are the non-fluted
http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Keyword=606-25p-306
http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Keyword=606-25p-307

These are the fluted ones:
http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronics/LED-Indication/LED-Light-Pipes-Mounting-Accessories/_/N-74ga1?Keyword=606-25p-326&FS=True

These are the flattops non-fluted:
http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronics/LED-Indication/LED-Light-Pipes-Mounting-Accessories/_/N-74ga1?Keyword=606-25p-606&FS=True
http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronics/LED-Indication/LED-Light-Pipes-Mounting-Accessories/_/N-74ga1?Keyword=606-25p-607&FS=True

These are the flattop fluted:
http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronics/LED-Indication/LED-Light-Pipes-Mounting-Accessories/_/N-74ga1?Keyword=606-25p-626&FS=True

I should've known Mouser might have what I need, except I still don't know what they're called! Ah well, at least I've gotten that hugely important mystery solved. Now to get a quote from 3-Dimensional…

Here is (finally!) an MP3 file of the sound effect as featured in “Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?”

The clip is about 15-25 seconds in length, so I shouldn't be infringing copyright in any meaningful way. If I am, though, just let me know, and I'll remove it.

http://www.webfilehost.com/?mode=viewupload&id=1002353

(I'm not sure how else to do this.)
——————-
EDIT:

Here is the second clip, from “Dr. Whatshisname.” This clip features the sound of the Dematerializer not working right (Kong's got the power too high).

http://www.webfilehost.com/?mode=viewupload&id=1083469

It also features the Dematerializer “scan” function towards the end, and 3/4 of the way through you'll hear me say “Yes?” I was answering a question and it somehow got onto the microphone! I'll have to record a better sound sample.