Head-up display

A T-800 HUD

A head-up display (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.

The HUD of an endoskeleton-based Terminator

Terminator visual displays and HUD's are usually monochromatic. T-800, T-850, and T-888 units all have a largely red HUD, this is because of the infrared mode that is used to save energy. The T-X has a blue HUD with blue/white, red, and black lettering. As shown from the T-850 PoV in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, the HUD of a Terminator under the influence of the T-X had its HUD changed to the blue T-X 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 T-900, 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, such as Vick Chamberlain, 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 or when a CPU's contents are being reviewed in a low-power setting, 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.

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. "Vick's Chip"

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: Judgment Day is never shown, if there even is one given its unique design.

Gallery

The Terminator

T-800 in pursuit mode .

T-800 choosing an auditory response.

T-800 recognizing handwriting.

T-800 firing a weapon.

T-800 learning to drive a stick shift.

Terminator 2

Judgment Day

T-800 scans for vehicles.

T-800 finds suitable clothing.

T-800 IDs a mission priority.

T-800 in night driving mode.

T-800 determines casualties.

T-800 calculates threats .

T-800 bootup screen.

T-800 finding alternate power.

T-800a Shutdown.jpg

T-800's shutdown screen.

T-800 analyzing a smile to copy.

Terminator 3

Rise of the Machines

T-850 finds suitable clothing.

T-850 Sync.jpg

T-850 syncs its internal clock.

T-850 highlights manhole in yellow.

Terminator.jpg

T-850 initiating reboot.

T-950 identifying friendly targets. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (video game)

T-X Targets.jpg

T-X organizes targets.

T-X does a retinal scan.

T-X scans items.

T-X analyzes a DNA sample.

T-X remotely controls vehicles.

T-X navigates using GPS.

T-X navigates using GPS.

T-X Replacement.jpg

T-X searches for a replacement weapon.

A Series T1 scanning for targets.

Prototype HK-Drone's thermal imaging.

Terminator

The Sarah Conor Chronicles

Cromartie (T-888) assesses a threat. "Pilot"

Cromartie (T-888) analyzes weak points. "Pilot"

Vick HUD as it analyzes Cameron Phillips. "Gnothi Seauton"

Vick HUD as it analyzes Cameron Phillips. "Gnothi Seauton"

Cromartie (T-888) analyzes a snow globe. "Vick's Chip"

Cromartie (T-888) doesn't make a match. {{"Vick's Chip"}}

Vick's Chip (T-888) Seizes John's PC. "Vick's Chip"

Vick's HUD bypassed in video playback.. "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"

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"}}

Terminator Salvation

T-800 prototype confirms termination of Marcus Wright.

T-RIP searching for Jonh Connor.

Hydrobot searches for Skynet uplink.

T-600 during combat. Terminator Salvation (video game)

HK-Tank commandeered by humans. Terminator Salvation (video game)

Moto-Terminator detects road obstacles.

Moto-Terminator detects road obstacles.

An Aerostats looking to Jeep.

Terminator Genisys

T-800 scanning Pops

T-800 looks at Pops before its vision blacked out.

T-800 reboots thanks to the T-1000

T-800 searching for Kyle Reese hiding behind the smokescreen

Pops Scanning Kyle and Sarah.jpg

"Hey, asshole! Get off the road!"/"Bite me."

Pops identifying John Connor as a machine phase matter

Pops chasing the school bus while avoiding traffic

Pops targeting a tanker truck while heliborne

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.
• According to special effects coordinator Ernest D. Farino, when producing the film The Terminator, they called the HUD "Termovision".
• 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. It is also unlikely, that a programming language (like COBOL) would be used and displayed as it would be more efficient to implement all logic in machine code, instead of a human readable syntax.
  • 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.
  • It's due to Cyberdynes (or Cyber Research Systems, depending on timeline) original development. When humans were programming the machines and they needed HUD displays to see what they were doing and for debugging purposes. Skynet then didn't change the original development and implemented it to most of them.
• 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.