Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

I can offer my services to edit/encode any videos a team sends to my FTP. Also, are most people just recording off of the main feed, or adding their own camera work into the mix?

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

Blue Alliance Capability Low Down:
Some facts about The Blue Alliance's server:

• The Blue Alliance runs on a dedicated server generously donated by Host Rocket
• We have over 1 TB monthly bandwidth, and survived making the front page of Digg. I don't expect traffic volume to be a problem unless we see astronomically higher numbers than last year.
• We have a 120 GB disk, which is enough to hold about two years worth of full-quality video at once. We are investigating upgrading it, but we also plan to phase "older competition" video off of The Blue Alliance's archive and into archives on sites like firstvideoarchive.com so there will be redundent copies online.
• So far in January, we have served 23799 unique visitors, including 123813 views of our embeddable team badges.

The Blue Alliance system ought to have no problem with the quantity of video that needs to be hosted on it to add the 2008 Competition Season, nor should we run into bandwidth problems from serving it. We are running on a beefy box, and have systems that can handle the load we are expecting.

The Blue Alliance will be able to handle the load.

When competition season (and scrimmages!) rolls around, we will allow people with recorded match video to upload it to our site via FTP. We will then import the video into our database, and everything will be ready to rock.

The thing that took the most time last year was converting WMV files to FLV videos, since it required an intermediate step into an AVI, and converting out of WMV takes forever. I fully support a move to an mp4 video standard and it will greatly reduce the effort required to convert videos to be web viewable. In fact, h264 is embeddable by Flash 9 already. Theoretically the high-quality version of the video could be used.

I hope this has helped clear up The Blue Alliance's capabilities for the 2008 Season. If anyone has any other questions, feel free to PM me. :)

[edit]Hey look, my 1337th post[/edit]

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

Also, The Blue Alliance will be recording and webcasting the Boston Regional.

I'm going to write up instructions on how to webcast a regional. I have a solution where literally anyone with a DV Camera, a laptop, and an Internet connection can do it. Hopefully we'll see more broadcast regionals this year than ever! :)

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

I've heard rumors that one of my kids has a device that can record directly to a DVD. We can then change that DVD to a format than can be used on the web. Let me double check before commiting. this is for the VCU event btw

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

Thanks for clearing that up, Greg! I can just use your server then, although I'll still keep a backup on our's. You can never have too many copies!

Also, is Buckeye the only regional that doesn't allow a supplied internet connection? I contacted our director about it for web-based scouting and she stated that FIRST doesn't allow internet at events. Do you all use Wireless Broadband? If so, what's your speed and how much does it cost?

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

I see that the Rochester Rally is listed.
I can get you video of that event.

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

SOAP will be recording the Florida and New Jersey regionals as well as the Championship.

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

So what exactly will I need to bring to record the VCU regional?

Thanks,

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

I did one better.
I got a Digital Video recorder with a VCR attatched for good measure..
Hopefully it'll save a step.

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

Is there a way to record directly onto a laptop, and therefore skipping all the conversion and transferring hassle?
Thanks

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

In a way, yes. Someone will reply shortly with very detailed instructions, links, and prices on how to go do this. The integrity and helpfulness of this post is null.

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

I am working on getting my recommendations together for how to record directly to your computer. I am just doing some testing right now, give me a day or so and I will post a tutorial on how to record and parse everything.

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

Thanks,

I'm looking forward to your post.

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

Please be sure to cut the match video after the match results, not after the timer ends. The match results are the most important single thing in the video.

Re: Archiving Recorded Regionals 2008
 

Eek. I disagree.

If the scores are displayed quickly this year, then that is great, but if its more than ten or fifteen seconds (sometimes it has been minutes in the past) then please cut it off.

The match results are published by FIRST and will be released alongside the video on The Blue Alliance. Cutting video sooner makes the video MUCH smaller and easier for people to download and watch.