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March 27, 2008 09:03 PM

Categories: News, Rumors and Gossip General Robotics

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GWJax

  Member
Joined: 12/28/2007

Hey guys I wanted to know if any one has this parrot. it came out in 2001 by manley toy quest part #14614. I can not find any data on it. I found it at a thrift store and it has never been opened and brand new except for the dust. Got it for 5 bucks. This is what it does. eyes change colors, head dress & mouth moves, flapping wings, and he talks, has AI, extensive vocabulary, voice learning capabilty, touch, light & sound sensors. the discription on the back reads: "Direct from the Institute of Robotic Technology comes this amazing interactive robot pet-- POLLY THE TEKNO PARROT! Polly talks with people he senses around him just like a real parrot. Polly's electronic cuircuits can detect motion, sound, light and even touch. He will snore off to sleep at night and wake up in the morning. If you pet him, he will "coo" and move his wings. Don't leave him in his cage too long or he may catch cold! You can even TEACH HIM NEW WORDS and other amazing tricks!" I'm not sure if this is a treasure that should not be opened or should I open it up and start the squaking from him. Here is a few pics I took. I hope someone can shine some insight for me before I open it up. Oh i also has aan electronics cracker I guess to feed him when he gets hungry. IThe original batteries are dead and I think If I don;t remove them It may leak in the battery holder and make it useless. What do you think I should DO!.

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

Discussion:    Add a Comment | Comments 1-25 of 49 | Latest Comment | 1 2 Next »

MrScott Avatar
  Moderator
March 27, 2008 9:47 PM

I'm a charter member of T.O.M.B. Raiders.

We Tear Open Mint Boxes  on principle.

Toys are toys, not collectibles. 

ScottE -- Member (always) & Moderator (when needed)

GWJax Avatar
  Member
March 27, 2008 10:03 PM

lol. Mr Scott Thats what I thought. I'm Very tempted. Just because It has screws!!!!!!

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

MrScott Avatar
  Moderator
March 27, 2008 10:09 PM

Besides, as you stated, those batteries are dead or dying. They'll break down and leak soon enough. Then the "collectible" will become a dejectable.

I'd open up the box in as a reversible process as possible. I'd get those old batteries out, and test drive it with new juice.  I'd hesitate to strip it down for parts or modifications. After I've had my fun (depending upon just how fun it is...) I'd rebox it for display and periodic play.

That's why my 30 year old robots are still with me.  They're a small sample of all that I had through the early years. These were the late arrivals, when I was on the brink of building my own from scratch. The toys survived by virtue of being attractive, and not so intriguing as to make me wonder what's inside. 

ScottE -- Member (always) & Moderator (when needed)

GWJax Avatar
  Member
March 27, 2008 10:41 PM

OK, It's a good think I opened taking care of the package. The batteries were at the beging state of corrosion. I cleaned off the terminal and replaced them with 3 new aaa bateries, It works! this little parrot is so cool , I will not open this one up. It's a step back or maybe not even that may be a step up from the robopet. You can teach it new words and it know everything whats around. Even when it's in the cage. He'll ask to come out and play. But he does like that cracker. I swear it's just like my mothers aferican grey parrot. I say what a great find and a new addition to my collection, When I get time more photos and video will come to all that are intrested in this new find.

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

rybuger1 Avatar
  Member
March 28, 2008 9:32 AM

It works? wow. None of the tekno bots I`ve seen worked.

GWJax Avatar
  Member
March 28, 2008 11:34 AM

ya he works great. He was talking so much I had to turn him off.lol I'll get a video of him this weekend for ya. by the way nice lego wall-e Avatar, alot better than the one I had seen. Did you build it?

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

rybuger1 Avatar
  Member
March 28, 2008 12:37 PM

Yes, I did. Good thing you can turn it off! one tekno bot I used to have didn`t have a power switch!

MrScott Avatar
  Moderator
March 28, 2008 12:51 PM

rybuger1 said: one tekno bot I used to have didn`t have a power switch!

 Heh heh

They _all_ have an off switch. Well, at least a way to power it off.

When in doubt, get a bigger hammer!

The question is, will they be able to power _on_ again when you're done?

Every now and then I run across a toy that appears to have no way to get at and replace the batteries. These "disposable" toys require actions beyond that of the typical parent to tease open and replace the power source. Sometimes they're even soldered in.

I rescued a 12" Buzz Lightyear from the Thrift Store a couple of weeks ago. He's just the right scale to fit in with my 1:6 Astronaut figures. 

One challenge was that the electronic SFX were dead. It took me a while to figure out which four screws to remove, and what tab to release, to find the AA batteries oozing inside its torso. The fact that the case part being removed contains the springloaded backpack wings meant for some extra potential for mayhem. I cleaned up the battery mess, seated some new batteries, and Buzz was back on duty ready to rescue. 

ScottE -- Member (always) & Moderator (when needed)

GWJax Avatar
  Member
March 28, 2008 12:53 PM

If you took pictures of the building process i'd love to see it. I'm glad it had a off switch else the batteries would have came out lol you'll see what I meen when I post the video.

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

RobosapienV2-4mem8 Avatar
  Member
March 29, 2008 1:41 AM

Nice find Gw, I think I would also leave it intact, A rare find indeed. Love to see those vids Gw.

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/

GWJax Avatar
  Member
March 29, 2008 1:49 AM

Thanks 4mem8, I think I wil leve it intack. I will have a short Vid up soon. The only thing is it demands a lot of attention so I turn it off. To bussy to let it talk. The only time it goes to sleep is when it gets dark and as soon as he see light he wakes up for another round of talking. LOL

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

RobosapienV2-4mem8 Avatar
  Member
March 29, 2008 1:55 AM

Ha Ha, I can just imagine that in your basement Gw, I can almost here it squaking at you while you try to code and ignore it. Ha Ha.

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/

GWJax Avatar
  Member
March 29, 2008 2:02 AM

I wish I had a basement I'm in Florida it would get flooded.lol I just made a vid of him and he is still squaking at me to feed him but I'm doing other things right now he can wait. Let me upload the vid to youtube and I'll have it here in no time.

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

GWJax Avatar
  Member
March 29, 2008 2:56 AM

OK here is the Video of Polley enjoy it. It 3:55 am going to bed. see ya'll latter:

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

RobosapienV2-4mem8 Avatar
  Member
March 29, 2008 5:35 AM

Ha Ha, Very nice Gw, A good companion whilst working! or not, Depending on what you are doing at the time. Anyway nice find GW and thanks for posting the video. Does Polly have a cartridge or does it have an embeded chip for the volcabury? Does it have flash memory?.

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/

GWJax Avatar
  Member
July 22, 2008 5:36 PM

Hello everyone again, I just got a PM asking for the manual for the Polly the Tekno Parrot so if you go HERE you can get the PDF file for it. I found this on the web so I did not have to scan in the manual as someone else has already done that.

Enjoy,

Jax

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

idrum289 Avatar
  Member
July 22, 2008 8:37 PM

Love that accent GW...(seriously! I do)

I started with 2 robots but before I knew it, well, it's a disease I tell you.
RSV1, RSV2, RS Media, Homersapien, Spidersapien, Roboraptor, Robotyrannus and Roboquad

Currahee Avatar
  Member
July 22, 2008 10:59 PM

nice video

GWJax Avatar
  Member
July 23, 2008 6:17 AM

idrum289 said: Love that accent GW...(seriously! I do)
Haha, I have to say thats the first time I've heard that, but thanks :)

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

GWJax Avatar
  Member
July 23, 2008 6:18 AM

Currahee said: nice video

Thanks I still like to play with him from time to time.

Jax

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

idrum289 Avatar
  Member
August 19, 2008 3:22 AM

I've just discovered that my 10 year old son's friend has one of these parrots in a gold colour. The batteries are flat because it did nothing when I turned it on. Now, I just need to distract him long enough.....

I started with 2 robots but before I knew it, well, it's a disease I tell you.
RSV1, RSV2, RS Media, Homersapien, Spidersapien, Roboraptor, Robotyrannus and Roboquad

GWJax Avatar
  Member
August 19, 2008 6:27 AM

hehe nice on idrum, but make sure you get the cage so he will get sick if you dont let him ot. lol
jax

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

Generic Member Avatar
Member
  • member since: 09/19/2008
  • rank: 236 of 2415
  • 1 comments
September 19, 2008 8:46 AM

So Glad to see this toy! Just bought one at a thrift store for $17.50!! My three year old daughter HAD to have it. It didn't come with any instructions, however. Can you tell me how to record? Also how does the mode and clock buttons work? I can't open the PDF file you gave. Should we keep this toy for years to come?

GWJax Avatar
  Member
September 19, 2008 9:10 AM updated: September 19, 2008 9:13 PM

Gg said: So Glad to see this toy! Just bought one at a thrift store for $17.50!! My three year old daughter HAD to have it. It didn't come with any instructions, however. Can you tell me how to record? Also how does the mode and clock buttons work? I can't open the PDF file you gave. Should we keep this toy for years to come?

Glad you have one as he is a great an inertaining parrot, I hope you have the cage and cracker for him as he likes to be feed, I'll post the manual as pictures in the gallery later on tonight so this will explain all the programming you need. So hang tight and I'll get the info to you. And yes I would keep him for years to come as he is geing very hard to find.

Jax

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

GWJax Avatar
  Member
September 19, 2008 9:11 PM

Gg: The manual is in the Gallery for you now so you can view it there. Hope this help you!
Jax

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

Discussion:    Add a Comment | Back to Top | Comments 1-25 of 49 | Latest Comment | 1 2 Next »

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