Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Perhaps it's time to send a message to Bill Miller, Director of FRC, regarding a desire to change the video feed used for webcasts of FRC matches:

Dear Bill,

For years, FRC members have expressed frustration on Chief Delphi with the video feed provided for webcasts from FRC events. Currently, the webcast feed is the same as the video shown on the big screen behind the field. For the live audience near the field, close-up views of individual robots, drive teams, etc. on the screen are fine, because the field is right in front of them. The live audience can view the entire game, while the big screen offers exciting, close-up shots of some of the action. However, the big screen video feed is not well-suited for watching the game if you are not in the audience.

Many members of the FRC community are interested in watching matches from events they cannot attend in person. Most are watching to see how the match unfolds: what game strategies were used, what the capabilities were for the teams involved, what were the key plays in determining the outcome. Generally, the big screen video feed cannot provide the full picture of how matches evolve because the action often occurs across the entire field. The game announcer audio often describes action not shown in the video, which is disconcerting to viewers.

The under-signed members of the FRC community request a "full-field" camera view of the field for webcast while matches are in progress. Other camera views can be shown during team introductions, after the match is completed and during field reset (including sponsor recognition slides, scholarship offerings and pre-recorded videos). Please consider this suggestion when working with Sargent Production Services for future FRC events.

Thank you for your attention and for all you do the make FRC a success!

Signed,

(List of FRC members supporting this suggestion)

Please provide comments/suggestions regarding the above message.

Indicate in your reply whether you want to have your name and FRC Team number to appear on the message sent to Bill.

Suggestions are welcome for the timing of sending this message to FIRST - next month, next fall, after Kick-off??

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I do agree that full field footage is a very good idea. After all, field reset/field delay time blocks are perfect for those close up shots. I would say that this causes an issue for getting them on TBA, but the match footage record this year there is so limited anyway that it doesn't even really seem to matter. I also feel that close ups on driver faces, while sometimes interesting, are not vital to the match, and that time could be more affectively used getting more match footage. As a potential film studies student, I kind of see where they're coming from. But as a FIRST student, the more robots the better.

I would at least send it after IRI. Let this season close up, then move on. And yes, my name and whatnot is fine :)

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Add my name to the letter, I agree totally!

Dennis Skurulsky
Team 2062

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Count mean in!

Bryan Fisher
Team 2240

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

While I can definitely understand the desire for something like this from a team standpoint for scouting, etc.. I believe the viewing public would be completely bored and tune out after 15 seconds if all they can see is the whole field, no details, no real action shots. The feed was as you suggested many years ago, and it was tedious to watch a whole match, let alone any length of matches.

Which brings me to a question - Are you suggesting NASA *only* feed the full-field, or that they have full-field in addition to the regular feed?

I think a more apt suggestion would perhaps be to work with the production staff more extensively on the game, how it's played, and what makes valuable close-up time; having a commentator for the webfeed itself, separate from the GA/MC, would also be another possibility.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I completely support this idea! It would be great to see webcasts in this way. Although (I know I'm getting advanced here) it would be awesome to see the whole field, and in a small display in the corner display the action. I personally enjoy the action shots, but also the full field so I can see what happens.

Although, I do see FIRST's purpose in displaying the action of the matches, since it's more entertaining than the full field.

Alex Dinsmoor
Team 201

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I am still not over 67 being left out of the last seconds of Einstein finals match 1. That was the most amazing moment of the season and it was left out of the video. However I think that the problem isn't really that the camera isn't focusing on the full field, I think its that the camera guys this year were consistently focusing on the wrong thing especially at the end of matches much more than years in the past and I don't understand why.

As a strategist I agree and count me in. But to be honest, as a viewer, it is my opinion that FIRST just needs camera men that understand the game.

Joseph Blay
Team 694

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

add me

Chris Zeigler
Team 343

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I see the argument here. Maybe something else they could do is have two separate webcasts going? One like normal, and the other for full field with some close ups in between like I mentioned before. Isaac's right, we need to make sure fans are engaged.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Sign me up!
Leav Oz-Ari
Mentor FRC-2630

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

but i think that most of the people you are trying to bring to FIRST would already be at the competition. wouldn't you rather take them to a competition rather than watch one on a webcast? the atmosphere is part of the lure of a FIRST event.

most of the people that watch webcast (in my opinion) are probably die hard FIRST fans already. and i think most of them (myself included) would rather see a full field match in order to see how the game plays out.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I know a lot of families back home are disappointed when they sit to watch the webcast and can't see their kid's robot.

If you want to make FIRST more popular you have to make it understandable by the audience. Making the scoring system simple was one way of handling this, but now you have to make it easy to understand what's happening in the matches. A full-field camera would help that.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

One thing to think about: is the webcast/video quality good enough that you will be able to tell what is going on? Will you be able to tell which team is which or will the full screen just show blobs moving around the field?

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

that would be a potential issue... but maybe a solution to that would to zoom in just a little. because in all of the full field shots that i have seen, they have some periphery outside of the field in the shot. if the shot contains just the field, even with a not so great webcast you should be able to tell whats going on.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

This idea was brought up in another thread, but I think it would be great to have a "Frame-in-Frame" view, where you can see the entire field all the time, but in one corner you had a spot for the close up shots and the sponsor slides between matches (or vice-versa).
Granted the suggestions of making sure the camera people actually know what to watch is good too, but you'll always have someone who wants to see one part of the match in full field and someone else who wants a closeup, so why not have both?

For that matter, what would be REALLY nice is to have direct output feeds for each camera (not necessarily for the webcasts) in addition to the current output, it would allow teams to choose what views they want to record, and if they choose to record multiple views, would allow them to edit the different views together later for use in promos, match records, or use on sites like TBA.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

That is how matches should be webcasted. Full field, so you can see what's going on. Not randomly zooming into the ball return, when I really want to see the robots.

I'm with you all the way!

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Chris Picone
Mentor, Team 2791

:D Thanks for the effort!

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

It get's really annoying when I am at home watching a webcast on my TV and people come over who could be possible new mentors, students, or even start teams and they start watching the webcast but can't follow it with all the close ups. I have had friends watch webcasts and they can't follow so they stop watching. My aunt wanted video of our robot to show her class (she is teacher at a school in toledo ohio) which could spark interest in starting a new team but I couldn't find any where they could follow and enjoy. You can bring everyone to an event so at least supply another way of showing off FIRST.

So yeah add me:
Kris Zakfeld
Team 2075

and you can add this to your letter if you want, feel free to rephrase too.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

add me

Nicholas Curry
Mentor, Team 326

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I actually think a full field view would be worse for a webcast, the resolution isn't really there for it to be any better. Imagine a ustream webcast of a full field view, I would have no idea who was playing... The real solution is the camera people need to be trained better and not zoom in on the wheels of robots on Einstein. At GTR this year the video production people set up to stationary cameras to cover each side of the field, I personally felt this worked really well and gave a good overall view on what was happening. This is mainly because its been the same people running the video production for at least 5+ years. The main issue is that we need video production people who understand what is the best way to record a FIRST match, and I certainly don't think a full field view is the best way.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

This is an excellent idea! Please add my name to the list:

Dustin Benedict
Mentor FRC 816

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I don't think one dedicated full-field static camera is the solution. I don't think a full-field static camera along-side the camera operators just for the webcast is a good idea either. It will get boring. If you're trying to get people excited about FIRST, looking at a field over some crappy uStream webcast is not a very good motivator.

I'd like to "ditto" the people in this thread who said we should have FIRST focus on training the camera operators better. I mentioned in another thread that maybe the operators should attend a previous week's event. Or if that's not possible, make it mandatory for them to watch some of the Thursday matches in the stands, to get a feel for the game.

The picture-in-picture suggestion is also a really good one, though we'd come back full-circle to the fact that we're trying to webcast this. Unless you were using a really good compressed codec, a fair amount of bandwidth (let's say 1Mb upload or faster), and were using anything other than uStream, then you'll run into the issue where you can't see the smaller picture.

I don't mind seeing the drive teams during a technical break or before a match, but watching Championships got really frustrating when the crowd and announcer would go wild over a double-hang, and all I could see was a robot stuck in a corner trying to score the same ball for the last 30 seconds. Yes, every robot is special and deserves air-time, but learn when to focus on certain 'bots.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I agree

Eric Gehrken
Co-Founder/ President Team 3125
Dean's List Finalist WPI Regional

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I might as well have not watched Archimedes SF1-3, (and, for that matter, SF1-2) because the cameramen were focusing on 3357. They completely missed 330 tipping over and righting itself, which the announcer was announcing, because they were focusing on one team, undefended, scoring all by its lonesome instead of focusing in a bit more on the five-robot battle royale in the other two zones. I was watching on the webcast, and I was not happy with that view.

The close-up is fine, if you're at the event. The full-field or half-field view is much better if you aren't there. If you are going to focus in on one robot, pick one that is engaged in a pushing match or scoring under defense or trying to hang. NOBODY focuses in on the one receiver that is downfield running with a defender until the ball is thrown to him, yet that's exactly what the camera crews do in FIRST.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I'm in.

Craig Hickman
Mentor, team 114

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I hate the camera operating as much as the next guy but....

I agree with others here that have said that a single full-field cam is a bad idea. They already have this on practice day, and for most events it is unwatchable.

Until webcast quality improves at most events a static field cam is not a reasonable solution to this issue. It may be watchable at the quality level some events have been broadcast at (Midwest, Las Vegas when it was working and maybe Northstar and 10K Lakes) but for the vast majority of the UStream feeds and 320x240 WMV webcasts it would be impossible to tell who was who. It's hard enough much of the time already even with shots zoomed in well past full field.

What we do need is 0 driver/HP shots during matches, 0 zooms on dead robots and 0 zooms closer than a full robot. I don't want to see a zoom on a wheel, I don't want to see a zoom on an RSL and I don't want to see a human player doing nothing.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Maybe a possible solution would be just to hire more camera men. This way, we can get more close up shots, then just work a little more with the directors to ensure that they understand the game, what's important, and what to highlight.

Let's remember that we're not the only ones watching this. My family wakes up at 5 AM in Nevada so they don't miss a single one of our matches. A robot may not always be strong, but it's number one to someone.

This is why I still support having a full field, but I don't want to disregard the close ups. There's a medium somewhere.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I understand that. The problem is that about half of the entire match was focused on ONE robot, with NO other robots even in their zone. Twice. In a row. People want to see more than one robot! I bet there were some folks who wanted to see 254, 25, 233, 330, and 1622, yet their robots only showed up briefly in those two matches because the camera people were really only showing one robot of the six on the field. Not only that, but the camera folks missed a tipped/righted robot and almost all the scoring on the blue end of the field, because the one robot was occupying their attention most of the time. It wasn't until just about the Finale that they started showing other robots a lot more, when they started opening up and heading for the towers.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

sounds good

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I don't want to sound mean-spirited, but there's almost always someone that values something that doesn't get much attention on a broadcast/webcast. Take almost every sports game, for instance. Football and baseball both have close-ups and almost full-field shots. When we're watching the running back (I guess, I don't follow football) run 20-yards and scores a touchdown, there's a few dozen(?) players not being shown at the time. Each one of those players have friends or family that are probably watching the game, yet that one guy and the two or three people trying to stop him are the main focus at the time, because a vast majority of the viewers don't care about the entire team of both sides while a touch-down is being scored, they just want to see the action. Now, I realize that football and baseball have one game piece to follow, which makes following the action with cameras easier, but that's not really the point I'm trying to make.

I think basketball's television production would be a better solution for FRC. It's sort of zoomed out, yet you can still see the jersey numbers. Unfortunately, the video quality of cable/network television is vastly superior to most regionals' currently, which is probably a huge problem with even a half-field shot.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

So to straighen this out.

The people who want a full field viewing camera want it to simply watch the match, and be able to watch whatever part of the field they want at any time instead of having a close-up on things they deem unimportant (aka. the ball return, dead robots, single robot struggling with a ball, ect). This side is also generally not at the match or wants to watch past video.

On the other side are people who feel that video needs to be close up and personal in order to be exciting. They feel that if the camera is zoomed out to far people will become bored and will not take interest in FIRST. They also think it won't give good material to work with for highlight reels.

In my opinion the full-field crowd has it right. Although the other side has a good point about the video not being very exciting. Perhaps if at each compitition the matches were all viewed from full field. However, the quarterfinals and Finals were taped by additional cameramen at different/closer angles for highlight reels and showing to future audiences to excite them about FIRST. This way the people who are viewing the webcast are happy, and there are still close-ups for video promotions and exciting people about FIRST.

My two cents

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I'm not sure that is a fair representation. I think these people (myself included) understand the technology limitations of the current webcasts and archieved video. If the video was 'tv quality' I think the full screen would be ideal, but it's not really close to that good. Maybe in a few years it will get good enough, but until then, I'm afraid the webcasts will look a lot like this video:

http://www.thebluealliance.net/tbatv/match/2010nj_f1m3

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

^ This. If we were broadcasting at 720p h.264, then I'd be all for more full-field shots (though a few close-ups should be intermingled).

Though, can you honestly say that you'd be more excited (as a non-participant spectator) watching this huge field, compared to a more athletics-like close-up mix? It's hard enough trying to get people excited for FIRST, showing them this field for 2 minutes is hardly the way to get them into it.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

cosign
Santosh Reddy
Mentor of team 2415

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Why not make that point? Maybe FIRST games should have a single, or at least fewer, object(s) for the camera to focus on <cough>2008<cough>. Then, FIRST should tell the camera crew that that is what they should focus on.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

In many cases, the tba video is not the highest quality available. At MSC, our team took 1080p video, but tba asked for about 25 mb per match, so we compressed and gave them what they wanted. Just saying, what's on tba is not really representative, a lot of the time, of what's able to be provided.

I'd sign the original petition, though I'd rather not bring my team into this (because I by no means represent my team)

Basel Alghanem
FRC Student

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I totally agree with you that it is possible to get 1080p recordings of the matches, but TBA has bandwidth and capacity restrictions on it that don't make 1080p video an reasonable option. But hopefully we can get rid of flash video in the near future and use some HTML5 magic to stream the higher quality videos.

Also I don't know of any cheap video capture devices that can take a HD signal into a PC and then have enough bandwidth to stream that to a free service that would webcast HD video to 200-400+ people. Yea I would love for that all to be a realistic scenario, but it currently isn't (maybe in 5-10 years?). I think we have to focus on making the most of what is available to us.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Well yes, but the point I was trying to make was, it's not like we can't get the video, and finding a way for TBA to be able to put it up is just another step. In the same way, we can work towards being able to stream higher-quality video, rather than complain about the current low-quality video. Almost everyone here has said that high-quality non-zoomed video is good, so let's try to work towards that.

True, but maybe teams could pitch in towards webcasting HD video, one way or another? It's obviously not cheap, but considering how much people seem to want it, I don't think that's a particularly bad idea.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I like this. And maybe like you said at the start other match highlights in between. But yeah, this i like.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

IMO this video looks pretty good. Also the downloadable version is close to "TV quality". SDTV (also the quality of the signal coming out of the FRC video drops) is 720x480 because it uses non-square pixels while the video is 640x480 which is the same 4:3 aspect ratio with square pixels like a PC display. You can't really record anything better than that from the video drop.

The one difficulty is figuring out which team is which. Something like this with a zoom shot of each team's robot as they are introduced before the match would actually be quite good.

To get a good full field shot of an FRC field with distinguishable team numbers you probably need to use a wide screen aspect ratio. The dimensions of the field make it difficult to zoom in close enough with a standard def 4:3 image.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Yeah, that is my only complaint with the video. But, for scouting individual teams, it's a pretty big problem.

In response to the idea of having people chip in to purchase HD quality webcasts, I'm not sure the demand/willingness is quite there. I think we should focus on getting all events webcasted, recorded and put online before purchasing expensive equipment. Maybe higher-quality webcasts and videos will encourge more people to stream and record regionals, though.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I don't think this is the best way of doing this.

I would recommend doing something close to the following

Send a letter to both Bill Miller and Paul Lazarus requesting that if they really do want people in the stands, and if they truly do want people excited about FIRST. The video personnel should be trained as to how to film and record each match. weather that means Mr. Lazarus doing a training session for the directors of each regional (after all, he is a Hollywood director on the GDC), or the directors and camera crew be required to sit through matches on Thursday so that they get a feel for the game.

FIRST does not webcast the events. They are webcasted by sponsors, organizations, teams or individuals. Taking this into consideration, I would recommend that in the letter idea listed above, you ask that the A/V console at the events also provide a feed of the full field. THIS is what these webcasters could use to broadcast the events if they so wish to. THIS is what would be ideal to watch archived footage when you are scouting.

As a scouter, I would be very happy to see archived footage of the entire field. and i would love to see the material broadcasted on the big screen at the arena (which is exactly what the webcasts we get are) be of a higher quality, as in the camera field crew do a better job of understanding what exactly is going on and what they need to show.

Another thing i might recommend, would be to remove the term "Chief Delphi" and ad something like "our personal experiences and interactions with other participants of FIRST". This would broaden the representation of the letter form "active and die hard FIRST fans" to "a larger portion of the FIRST community".

Personally, i love the webcasts, their fine IMO. I appreciate all the hard work they do in putting everything together.

just my $0.02

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I totally agree. It would be fantastic to review strategy after a regional, to see what we can improve upon.

Nick Lawrence
Team 1503


-Nick

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Nawaid,

I think you're on the right track.

There are different audiences to be accommodated by the webcasts and archives of FRC matches. I like the idea of separating archive footage from real-time webcast feeds.

FRC coaches and statisticians want to have a "full-field" view of matches and are willing to sacrifice (to some extent) the quality of the video. This group would like archive video that allows game analysis: how many goals were scored by which robot, how strategies played out, etc.

First-time (and more casual) viewers want to experience the spirit and action of FRC events. They want to see close-up shots of robots and drivers in action. A real-time score banner and game announcer audio provides enough information regarding match progress to accompany the "action video" to get a clue about the game.

FIRST may have considered whether it's worthwhile to invest in a real production for coverage of FRC matches. Multiple cameras, game commentary and use of replays all coordinated by an experienced director would certainly "step-up" the quality of webcasts and archived broadcasts of the matches. Perhaps this represents an investment of resources that FIRST isn't able to justify right now. Maybe this type of production will be provided by networks excited by the prospect of capturing and entertaining a large audience; an audience that will develop if FIRST continues to grow.

Thanks for your input, everyone! Keep the ideas coming!

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Building on Nawaid and Dave's ideas...

Find a college or university near each regional that has a TV Production program and encourage them to include the production of the regional as part of their program. Let the students record and produce video recordings of the regional for each of the audiences that have been previously mentioned.

A win/win solution. The college gets a real life project for the students and FIRST/TBA/Audiences/Scouts get the video they need.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

"♫For Inspiration and Recognition.. Of Science. And technology...♫"

Sorry. Couldn't resist. But Rsisk, I like your idea.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Put me on

Joe Sanchez
Team 571

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Akash Rastogi
Team 11

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I do agree with some of these points from be a spector and from my degree sandpoint, that i'm good into. i miss when they had two cameras and one camera would get a wide shot and the other would get close-up and medium close -up of the robot doing. i do agree that they do need a wide shot of the field, but do you find your robot that is on the field at the same time?

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Loren Burr of Team 70 totally agrees with this idea. It would be really convenient for reviewing matches from past competitions.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Good way to get lots of people involved in FIRST: Convince your local TV Stations to broadcast FIRST events on TV.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Full spectator field is not needed to make the videos better. As previously stated, the action just needs to be shown, not watching a dead robot, drive team, robot bashing into the wall when it should be on the team playing hard or highlights of the match. Depending on the quality of the webcast, all I can see is people complaining because they can't see the robots because they are too small in the shot and resolution is bad.

I vote that instead a volunteer at every even work with the camera men to tell them what to put up. This person would watch the field and tell them what robot to show and in slower sections of the match show a full size or partial field.

Yah, so don't count me in! :o

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

It's almost impossible to determine the strategy teams are using during matches by watching them as they are being broadcasted now. I don't watch sports...but imagine watching a football game with only close up shots, there's no opportunity to analyze the game as a whole as it is unfolding.



Count me in,
Brad Mello
Team 78

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

It is hard to pick up on strategy, but why so many shots in the past two years have been drive teams, dead robots, empty field, and such is not necessary. When a robot is elevating in the final seconds, I'd rather watch that than a robot that has successfully done so before that.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Sports don't show full field shots for the entire game, and I think that's the point of the original post in this thread, to get full field match videos for the entire event. Sports mix full field and close-ups, so why can't FIRST?

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Most sports games, at least ones that I know of, don't last 2:30. I agree that it would be more interesting if full field shots were mixed with close ups, but the close up shots seem cosmetic. Perhaps some sort of multishot system similar to what was done on einstein this year, with one of the shots constantly showing the full field. Matches are too short to show close up shots the entire time.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I totally agree with this! watching matches from down on our tv in the pits was a pain, expecially when you try to watch a certian bot and for the first 45 seconds of the match they zoom in on a drive team.
but i never really noticed this problem in years before, atleast not as bad. so im not sure why this years was worse.
feel free to put my name down!
Alex Curfman
1086

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I'm in.

Dave Woods
Team 2506

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

For what it is worth, NFL coaches rarely, if ever, use the video broadcasted on fox, cbs, espn, nbc, nft network to gameplan. They use video that shows the entire field from several different angles (endzone, 50 yard line, top view) to determine strategy. Like us, the NFL coaches struggle with broadcasted video being zoomed in too much. I'm pretty sure they took it upon themselves to record the games themselves.

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

I'd be in. I have hated trying to watch other teams from other states and having to watch some other robot I couldn't care less about.

Colin Szechy, 2337

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

And even getting close-up videos of the opposing team's coaches on their sideline (shame, shame, Coach Belichick)!:ahh:

Seriously, college football and NFL teams have multiple cameras for "isolation views" as well a full-field views for analyzing games. That's overkill for FIRST.

All we're looking for is video that allows someone to see the game. This year, I noticed a tendency for the FIRST field cameras to show drivers during autonomous mode - just how useful (or exciting) is that??

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Put me in.

Rose Joynt
Team 1322

Re: Requesting "Full-field" Match Video for Webcasts from FIRST
 

Have you ever tried to watch a low quality webcast or recording of a match shot from the full field perspective? It's not great.

This year's game was especially troublesome as there were so few unique and distinguishable features between different robots. The red and blue bumpers seemed to be somewhat successful this year as well, so I don't see those going away any time soon.

What I think is a way more important issue to be pushed up to FIRST HQ is the availability of video archiving system built into the FMS. There were very few events with match archives this year, as many of you may have noticed. All of these videos were captured, edited, and uploaded to TBA by community members/volunteers. While I greatly appreciate the work done by all of these people, I think it's safe to say that this is not a sustainable or scalable effort.

So, to me, asking with a petition for a full field camera view seems like putting the cart before the horse.

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Tom Bottiglieri
Co-Founder, TheBlueAlliance.net