Questions about the gate

[Eiglathul]

So, I finished watching the last season of SG1 a couple of weeks ago, and realized that I never really figured out how the stargate were operated. I think that I've figured out the basics at least; a stargate contains 38 glyphs and one "point of origin" that is unique for each stargate (?). When you dial another gate, you use a code consisting of 6 glyphs marking were the gate is located, and finish it of with your own point of origin. Now, to my questions:

• When you dial a gate using a DHD, I don't think I've ever seen a point of origin-glyph to press? Is there a unique point of origin-glyph on each DHD, or do you operate it in a different manner?
  
• Why does a DHD only got 38 glyphs, when a stargate got 39?
  
• At some points through the series, the gate on earth has been destroyed, and SGC has been forced to find a new one. If every gate has a unique point of origin-glyph, how can the earth gate still have its "Å glyph" then?
  
• The chevrons lock on to each glyph as a way to remember the dialed code, but which chevron remember which glyph? I've never thought about how the chevrons activate, do they follow a specific pattern or is it just random?

So... There you go :-) If someone could help me out with these questions, I would be very grateful!

/Eigathul, Sweden

[Mike.]

1. I assume that each DHD has the point of origin somewhere on it.
2. No idea.
3. The SGC uses a dialing computer, not the original DHD so they can input whatever they want. Also the point of origin is actually planet/location specific, not tied to a certain gate so even if the glyph on the DHD looked different it would still be the same (source: Solitudes s01 e18).
4. The chevrons on the gate lock clockwise, starting with the top right, skipping the two ones at the bottom (for 7 chevron addresses) and aways ending with the top one.

[Alx]

1 no the dhd has no point of origin symbol the cender dome is the POO on the dhd.
2 for reason stated above
3 because the producers do not and will not ever care abot consistency.
4 only the top chevron moves to lock glyphs, all glyphs are input-ted by the center topchevron


och ännu en svensk va? välkommen

[Eiglathul]

1-2. But they always press the DHD seven times, and then the center button? Gah... This is really complicated. IF one of the glyphs indeed is the POO, then there is only 37 glyphs left to dial with. That rules out lots of possible stargate addresses!

4. So it's only the one at the top that pop up and blinks when a chevron locks? I've never thought about that

Alx: Absolut! Vi sitter och gömmer oss här och där, stargatediggarna :-P

[Alx]

1-2. But they always press the DHD seven times, and then the center button? Gah... This is really complicated. IF one of the glyphs indeed is the POO, then there is only 37 glyphs left to dial with. That rules out lots of possible stargate addresses!

4. So it's only the one at the top that pop up and blinks when a chevron locks? I've never thought about that

Alx: Absolut! Vi sitter och gömmer oss här och där, stargatediggarna :-P

(1-2) well thats an issue then more TPTB screw ups "GAH" indeed
(4.)well that is how it was done in the feature film and imn many episodes of SG1 but i recollect other chevrons being "moved" aswell but as ive stated before Stargate = king of inconsistecys and producers and writers more intrested in money then making a perfect product.

LOL jo sant det finns en del SG "svennar" råkade snegla på 6an tidigare idag och såg att de köpt in universe aja vad gör man.
välkommen till GW iaf

[Quadhelix]

1-2. But they always press the DHD seven times, and then the center button? Gah... This is really complicated. IF one of the glyphs indeed is the POO, then there is only 37 glyphs left to dial with. That rules out lots of possible stargate addresses!

37 out of 38 glyphs are still available.

One fanon explanation that I have heard for the "missing glyph" on the DHD is that the addresses containing that glyph would take the wormhole too close to the galactic core. Pure fanon, of course (I think), but it is a nice explanation.

[Control_Chair]

• When you dial a gate using a DHD, I don't think I've ever seen a point of origin-glyph to press? Is there a unique point of origin-glyph on each DHD, or do you operate it in a different manner?
  
• Why does a DHD only got 38 glyphs, when a stargate got 39?

I think the way it was meant to be done was, as ALX suggested, the DHD was designed to have the 38 symbols that make up the address with the Big Red Button in the centre acting as PoO and enter button. However as pointed out the PoO was depicted on the Antarctic (Beta gate) DHD in Solitudes as a O . Also let’s not forget the use of one of the 38 symbols as a PoO which causes it own range of problems.

• At some points through the series, the gate on earth has been destroyed, and SGC has been forced to find a new one. If every gate has a unique point of origin-glyph, how can the earth gate still have its "Å glyph" then?

When the SGC switched from using the Giza (Alpha) Gate with the Å PoO to the Beta gate with the O PoO, they sill continued to input the Alpha gates PoO on the dialling computer, which is basically a production error.

• The chevrons lock on to each glyph as a way to remember the dialed code, but which chevron remember which glyph? I've never thought about how the chevrons activate, do they follow a specific pattern or is it just random?

The top chevron locks each symbol as that is the only one that moves. On the Pegasus gates each symbol is locked by the corresponding chevron in the sequence.

[Badhron]

When the SGC switched from using the Giza (Alpha) Gate with the Å PoO to the Beta gate with the O PoO, they sill continued to input the Alpha gates PoO on the dialling computer, which is basically a production error.

The actual gate also still had the Å glyph instead of the O.

[Michael Jansky]

Ok, I'll take my try on it too:

2) is answered by 1). A DHD does not display the POO glyph, the center serves as both a confirmation command and sort of an auto-insert for the point of origin. The POO is hardwired into a DHD, so without tweaking, a non-original DHD will not work with a different gate. The Stargate has the glyph so that it's actually displayed somewhere, it's useful as sort of like a serial number of the gate, so that you can make a list of them just by POO. (Ok, I just realised the use of POO for point of origin may be kinda problematic. If I get banned for this, it's been a pleasure. :-) ).

3) The new gate is a backup created for Earth by the Ancients, so the two glyphs probably both encode Earth's position. A different gate would have a different glyph and you'd have to change its programming to put in a new POO manually. Obviously, the glyph would remain, so you'd have to spray it over or something. Of course then the Asgard might bust your butt for intergalactic vandalism. :-)

To be precise, although it complicates matters, if I remember right the Antarctica (beta) gate was the Earth's original one built here by the Ancients, so Earth's POO should on all gates everywhere else be the omega-like symbol. The Giza (alpha) gate was brought to Earth by Ra some mere 10 000 years ago if I remember correctly, so he must have messed with it to change the POO information (but not the symbol) to match Earth.

4) The chevrons are just eye candy. They show no more than how many address signs have been locked in. If I remember right, the chevrons light up symetrically, from the bottom up. So, the lowermost two first (I don't know if left or right comes first of these two), then the next, and so on, the central upper chevron lights up last. For longer addresses, the one or two of the chevrons at the bottom of the gate (often hidden in the ground) light up in addition to the upper ones.

The information on the dialling in progress is stored in the gate's control circuitry, that is, usually a DHD, or a computer like on Earth.

[Control_Chair]

4) The chevrons are just eye candy. They show no more than how many address signs have been locked in. If I remember right, the chevrons light up symetrically, from the bottom up. So, the lowermost two first (I don't know if left or right comes first of these two), then the next, and so on, the central upper chevron lights up last. For longer addresses, the one or two of the chevrons at the bottom of the gate (often hidden in the ground) light up in addition to the upper ones.

The information on the dialling in progress is stored in the gate's control circuitry, that is, usually a DHD, or a computer like on Earth.

The chevrons lock in a clockwise fashion starting from the top, so imagine the topmost chevron is equivalent to 12 o’clock. The first chevron to be locked in an address is the following chevron clockwise from the top (which is equivalent to 1 o’clock). The second chevron to be locked is the next one along, between 2 and 3, and then the third at about 4 o’clock. (The chevrons at 5 and 7 are normally hidden and are skipped in normal 7 chevron dialling). The fourth chevron locked is at about 8 o’clock, then the fifth chevron between 9 and 10 and the sixth chevron at 11. The final chevron locked is the 12 o’clock and that is always the Point of Origin.

I am not sure of the pattern in 8 or 9 chevron dialling.

[Eiglathul]

Thanks everyone for your detailed answers! I think I'll just have to accept the logical flaws concerning the DHD and such, even though I must say that I'm a little bit disappointed. I've always thought that there was some kind of logical explanation behind everything in the series, and that it was me who didn't grasp it at the time... But hey, you can't have everything!

A friend of mine wondered how the gate in Atlantis could be lowered beneath the floor? Every time the ring is activated, the unstable vortex Should destroy that part of the floor, or it should at least be vaporized when the gate shuts down... Am I right?

[Mike.]

The kavoosh doesn't extend to the whole size of the puddle, it's smaller, so there is some space left for the floor and ramps.

Also there's an explanation for everything, though it might differ from fan to fan, or be completely wrong

[Eiglathul]

The kavoosh doesn't extend to the whole size of the puddle, it's smaller, so there is some space left for the floor and ramps.

Also there's an explanation for everything, though it might differ from fan to fan, or be completely wrong

Yeah, you're right. But explain to me then where that piece of the floor is when the gate is activated? It goes through the gate like a small bridge, and should therefore disappear when the gate shuts down. And not to mention the gates lower chevrons, what if they need to use them?

[Alx]

Yeah, you're right. But explain to me then where that piece of the floor is when the gate is activated? It goes through the gate like a small bridge, and should therefore disappear when the gate shuts down. And not to mention the gates lower chevrons, what if they need to use them?

more inconsistency im afraid.

[Mike.]

Yeah, the piece of the ramp that goes inside the gate should definitely not be there.
About the chevrons at the bottom - I doubt it's an issue, it's not like every gate is used regularly to dial another galaxy or the Destiny. Even so, there might be room for them to lock, we just won't see them.