New General Grievous Spinning Electronic Lightsaber

[Et Kin Evenstar]

Stopped by TrU today to get a hasbro obi wan for a new project and saw they had these new double grievous (http://www.hasbro.com/shop/details.cfm?guid=64C2B735-19B9-F369-10A5-11F9347A0932&product_id=27078&src=endeca) in stock for $32.

I've not seen anyone post anything on gutting these yet?

The sound is pretty good, comparable to the new DVD models. Interesting is that each blade has a small button on the bottom of the hilt so when they are paired together the idle hum seems to change. One version is a deeper hum, while the other more high pitched. Hard to describe. I also THINK the button causes a slightly different power up/down.

Also, when you link them up there is an added "latching" sound.

I'll try to post a video later if time permits. If no one else has pulled one open yet I'll try asap and post what I find.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

Here is a video of someone doing a demo with it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwPYRL33a8I

[alreadyRogue]

I wonder if the board in them is a good size, seems to have good sound quality and volume though

[Rhyen Skytracker]

It is probably the same board as in the Vader and Anakin 2010 sabers. I do know the new version of the Anakin that came out at the same time as this one is exactly the same as the earlier 2010 model. Seems the August release will have a Yoda saber too. Now that one would be the one to see if the board is a different size.

[Et Kin Evenstar]

Here is a little video I just took to give more of an idea of what we're working with:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66ckuMEQjjM

You'll see/hear the motion sensors seem a bit wonky. I started taking one apart and it looks like this will be much easier to open then the others. Will post pics when I've got it done.

p.s please excuse my barefeet. ;-p

[Et Kin Evenstar]

Not the same board as the DVD versions. FWIW, this came apart alot easier then the others. Removed 3-4 screws and just a little cut along the top by the blade holder and it popped right open.

Some pics:

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/picture.php?albumid=223&pictureid=1803

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/picture.php?albumid=223&pictureid=1803

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/picture.php?albumid=223&pictureid=1801

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/picture.php?albumid=223&pictureid=1800

The little yellow box in the pic below is the motion sensor, the other part to the right of that has the 2 little buttons which alternate the sounds.
http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/picture.php?albumid=223&pictureid=1805

http://forums.thecustomsabershop.com/picture.php?albumid=223&pictureid=1804

I can't wait for someone alot smarter and knowledgable then I to work on one of these. I think the ability to hit a button and change up the sounds is pretty cool. I'm sure there are going to be some neat new builds coming up using these boards.

Now to take apart the blue blade. :-)

[Et Kin Evenstar]

Blue section is apart and itis the same board. No surprise there. For those who will take these apart, be aware the motion sensor is at the top of the blue section, just under the LEDs, so be careful when cutting that section open.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

I will pick one up tomorrow and check it out. It is about the same price as buying 2 2010 econo hasbro sabers. It seems to be brighter than the 2010 econo hasbros too. I wonder if it has the power output of the old econo boards?

[Et Kin Evenstar]

I've got a meter but still have not learned how to use it, so look forward to your report. ;-)

[Rhyen Skytracker]

How good does the sounds sound? It was hard to tell from the video.

[Et Kin Evenstar]

IMO pretty good. Comparable to the DVD version.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

Nice. Looks like it will be the end of the month before I can get one.

[Manbeyond]

I bought this grievous saber and returned it. The sounds are cool, but do not transition well. You can not clash more than once every second or two. It is not a sensor issue. It seems it is programed to finish the sound before it will allow another clash sound. Imagine having a light saber battle and only clashing every other time, and that's what you get. The speaker does sound louder than the Hasbro DVD, which is a plus. I am making a saber for my brother and I thought for hours how I could try to make this work, but hands down the Hasbro DVD saber combo is much better. It has the sounds you would expect a light saber to have, and it clash about as fast as you can continuously hit. The Obi-wan is the easiest to use.

[Novastar]

It's an excellent point... sound transition/mixing is pretty important to making a saber sound "organic" and "alive". Staccato transitions and skips & pauses... make it feel awkward and too "digital" fo' shoooow...

[Macemachine]

I have now built 7 sabers, 4 with sound (Will post pics when I get time). All using the hasboro 2010 DVD models. 1 Vader and 1 Anakin and 2 Obi. The ObiWan is my favorite as it is much more narrow than the others. Out of the box they all have different sounds, but when striped out and next to each other (all resonance gone from hilts) they are the same. The Grievous sound though is different.... and worse if i may say. I actually bought it and played with it for a day and just returned it today. Pauses with each clash, slow cycle time as was said above for swing. Sound was more "fake" with no smooth transition back to idle hum. Save your time and just go with the DVD model for that low cost sound option.

[sekrogue1985]

Having just played by my nerd children's toy I have to agree fully. I don't like the sound and the pause bugs me feels not so alive. I do like the toy in concept but I with electronics wise it was better executed. Over all it's fun to mess with and for kids but I would use it for any build.