Head-up display
From Terminator Wiki
A head-up display, or HUD, is a transparent display that presents data over a visual screen. HUD's are frequently used by terminators to display analyses and decision options.
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The Endoskeleton HUD
Terminator visual displays and HUD's are usually monochromatic. T-800's, T-850's, and T-888's all have a largely red HUD, while the T-X has a blue HUD with blue/white, red, and black lettering. As shown from the T-850 PoV in Terminator 3, the HUD of a terminator under the influence of the T-X had its HUD changed to the blue TX version, with the struggle for program dominance "shown" internally by switching back and forth between the default and intruder colors. The color of the PoV HUD does NOT indicate the color of the terminator's unshielded (not flesh covered) eyes as seen from the outside.
Cameron Phillips, a terminator of unknown origin, has a full color visual display and HUD (Pilot, The Demon Hand, "Samson & Delilah") capable of switching through several modes of display, including deep thermal scan.
For both Cameron, and other Series 888 terminators, like the Vick Chamberlain unit, the HUD is displayed while fully functional. When the CPU is not fully online, as when during the course of a reboot from massive damage[1] or when a CPU's contents are being reviewed in a low-power setting[2], there is no HUD present, and all visual records are presented in a grainy, raw-video format. This differs from an active terminator's access of stored video files for analysis[3].
However, the HUD is definitely a function of the operating system hardwired into the CPU, as demonstrated when John Connor's own computer and webcam begins displaying the terminator HUD after the CPU is given too much power, and the unit seizes control of the equipment it is plugged into.
The HUD Genesis
The initial HUD functions in the Timeline that incorporates the events of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines were developed for use in the human designed ground and aerial battlefield drones.
The HUD and the Series 1000
The visual display and HUD of the T-1000 in Terminator 2 is never shown, if there even is one given its unique design.
Gallery
 T-800 in pursuit mode (The Terminator). |
 T-800 choosing a auditory response (The Terminator). |
 T-800 recognizing handwriting (The Terminator). |
 T-800 firing a weapon (The Terminator). |
 T-800 learning to drive a stick shift (The Terminator). |
 T-800 scans for vehicles (Terminator 2). |
 T-800 finds suitable clothing (Terminator 2). |
 T-800 IDs a mission priority (Terminator 2). |
 T-800 in night driving mode (Terminator 2). |
 T-800 determines casualties (Terminator 2). |
T-800 calculates threats (Terminator 2). |
 T-800 bootup screen (Terminator 2). |
 T-800 rerouting its power (Terminator 2). |
 T-800 finding alternate power (Terminator 2). |
 T-800's shutdown screen (Terminator 2). |
 T-800 analyzing a smile to copy (Terminator 2) |
 T-850 finds suitable clothing (Terminator 3). |
 T-850 syncs its internal clock (Terminator 3). |
 T-850 highlights manhole in yellow (Terminator 3). |
 T-RIP (character) searching for Jonh Connor (Terminator Salvation) |
 T-850 initiating reboot (Terminator 3). |
 T-950 identifying friendly targets (Terminator 3: War of the Machines). |
 T-X organizes targets (Terminator 3). |
 T-X does a retinal scan (Terminator 3). |
 T-X scans items (Terminator 3). |
 T-X analyzes a DNA sample (Terminator 3). |
 T-X remotely controls vehicles (Terminator 3). |
 T-X navigates using GPS (Terminator 3). |
 T-X searches for a replacement weapon (Terminator 3). |
 A Series T1 scanning for targets (Terminator 3). |
 Prototype HK-Drone's thermal imaging (Terminator 3). |
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 T-888 HUD as it analyzes Cameron Phillips. |
 Cromartie (T-888) analyzes a snow globe ("Vick's Chip"). |
 Cromartie (T-888) doesn't make a match ("Vick's Chip"). |
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 Vick's Chip (T-888) Siezes John's PC ("Vick's Chip"). |
 Vick Chamberlain (T-888) IDs a target ("Queen's Gambit"). |
 T-888 identifies primary target ("Goodbye to All That"). |
 T-888 mission priority override ("Goodbye to All That"). |
 T-888 determines the date through star alignments ("Self Made Man"). |
 Vick's HUD bypassed in video playback. |
 Cameron scans Carter ("Heavy Metal"). |
 Cameron finds vulnerability in a power turbine ("The Demon Hand"). |
 Cameron IDs Cromartie ("Vick's Chip"). |
 Cameron compares topography ("Vick's Chip"). |
 Cameron appraises diamonds ("What He Beheld"). |
 Cameron's blue vision ("Samson & Delilah"). |
 Cameron reboots ("Samson & Delilah"). |
 Cameron damage analysis ("Samson & Delilah"). |
 Cameron Reverts to Skynet directive, terminate John Connor ("Samson & Delilah"). |
 Cameron Termination Override ("Samson & Delilah"). |
 Cameron analyzing pool angle "Automatic for the People" |
 Cameron HUD "hides" in infiltration mode ("Allison from Palmdale"). |
 Cameron identifies a T-888 from visual records ("Self Made Man"). |
.jpg) T-600 during combat (Terminator Salvation (video game)). |
.jpg) HK-Tank commandeered by humans (Terminator Salvation (video game)). |
Notes
- The term "head-up display" (or HUD) is never actually used in the Terminator movies or TV shows. It is a widely used military term, originally used for military aviation.
- It is unclear why a terminator would visually display decision options on their HUD. Displaying data visually takes much more CPU (and time) than evaluating data within memory, so this would significantly slow down the decision making process of terminators.
- Displaying decision options on the HUD (e.g. "Evade" or "Terminate") does allow the audience into the mind of the terminator without requiring them to speak. This is probably the true reason this is done: to communicate with the audience, rather than being a practical method of decision making by terminators.
- Alternatively, the HUDs could have been designed by the original human engineers involved with terminator technology. This would explain why the HUDs have so many visual indicators for data, as well as so many examples of human interface design (e.g. icons, menus). These sorts of interface cues are rarely if ever used in typical machine/machine interaction.
- The T-800 HUD from The Terminator showed MOS Technology 6502 assembly code on two occasions: specifically, the assembly code was for the Apple-II and was taken from Nibble Magazine. [4]
References
- ↑ Cameron's video playback in "Samson & Delilah"
- ↑ "Vick's Chip"
- ↑ Season 1 DVD "Pilot" deleted scene, where Cromartie reboots, then plays back video of the truck that struck him in order to target and track it by identification of the license plate.
- ↑ "It is well-known that in two instances, there is 6502 assembly code on the T-800’s HUD, and many sites have analyzed the contents: It's Apple-II code taken from Nibble Magazine." http://www.pagetable.com/?p=64
