Lack of Match Footage Before 2007

[Hallry]

As seen on The Blue Alliance's index of match footage, they currently have a myriad of match footage from 2007 on (although not a lot of 2012, yet). However, there is a huge lack of match footage from 2006 and earlier. I know that that was many years ago, but can any teams supply videos of matches from way back then? I was saddened to see that as of now, no video of our 2005 and 2006 robots exist, as I'm sure the case is with many other teams as well.

I know that they are currently asking those with Youtube videos of 2012 footage to post the info here so it can be uploaded to TBA, but I don't see why that can't be used for videos from other years as well.

[coalhot]

I've noticed this too. What bugs me more though, is the lack of results and standings pre-2002ish. I know this information exists somewhere, it should be found.

As for video, what I can offer is '09 and '10 Philly regional. May have another, I have to find the hard disk those are on. I also have very sparse 2002 and Dean's speech from Philly that year (old VHS I found in a locker at school). My whole issue was not having enough time to split everything up and upload it, the regionals are in really nice quality...

[Joe Ross]

TBA didn't exist before 2007.

There is some additional video posted at firstvideoarchive.com and at nasa: http://robotics.nasa.gov/events/first.php

[MagiChau]

Originally Posted by coalhot

I've noticed this too. What bugs me more though, is the lack of results and standings pre-2002ish. I know this information exists somewhere, it should be found.

As for video, what I can offer is '09 and '10 Philly regional. May have another, I have to find the hard disk those are on. I also have very sparse 2002 and Dean's speech from Philly that year (old VHS I found in a locker at school). My whole issue was not having enough time to split everything up and upload it, the regionals are in really nice quality...

the Technokats' archive offer copies of results at least award wise. http://www.technokats.org/history-project/

[AdamHeard]

It's easy to complain that video is missing, and that someone else should do it (and it'd be awful darn nice if FIRST did it!), but this just falls on teams currently.

If video is important to the community, TEAMS need to film!

We filmed every event last year in 1080p (fixed, mid-field camera), we didn't upload our regionals to youtube as other teams already beat us with slightly better camera angles and every single match. We did upload our division though.

Youtube is so simple to use and dump 150 videos onto now, it really should be the standard for sharing FRC video. I already know TBA is starting to (or already has) embraced it.

973 will be filming all our events again next year, and uploading when necessary.

TBA is entirely volunteer run, they don't HAVE to do anything, and they don't OWE anyone anything; if this is an important issue to you, make an effort to help.

[Patrick Flynn]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

We filmed every event last year in 1080p (fixed, mid-field camera), we didn't upload our regionals to youtube as other teams already beat us with slightly better camera angles and every single match. We did upload our division though.

Currently none of the divisions are linked on TBA and there are none listed on their spreadsheet waiting to be uploaded. Would it be possible for you to add your division matches to TBA's spread sheet so that they can be uploaded to the site?

If anyone has videos that need to be cut or segmented post them there also there is a lot of people that wouldn't mind helping to cut some of these matches and get them uploaded.

[artdutra04]

Technology (especially with computers and the Internet) is rapidly evolving, and sometimes we forget how only a few years ago, certain things we now take for granted were not easy for the average person to accomplish.

Remember, YouTube was only invented in 2006. Prior to that, it was really difficult to share video on the Internet - there really weren't any easy ways to share video online unless you uploaded a WMV or Quicktime video file to your own web server. The videos that were shared generally were only online for a season or two before they were deleted from their team's web server* for one reason or another.

On top of that, videos recorded from a camera on a tripod at the event were likely recorded on MiniDV or Hi8 tapes in the pre-2007 era. Capturing video from these formats to digital required a Firewire connection and video editing software, and was a time consuming process. Capturing webcasts then was also not likely to yield useful video, since most webcasts were only streamed at 240x160 or 320x240 pixels with awful compression due to bandwidth and computer processor (for transcoding) limitations.


* Before The Blue Alliance, there used to be a lot of match videos on the SOAP 108 website in WMV format, but the last of its various incarnations went offline several years ago.

[Ian Curtis]

Originally Posted by artdutra04

* Before The Blue Alliance, there used to be a lot of match videos on the SOAP 108 website in WMV format, but the last of its various incarnations went offline several years ago.

Does anyone have the SOAP matches to reupload? I have a random smattering of 2004 & 2005 matches that I downloaded when SOAP was still live, but does someone have a hard drive with the full complement sitting around on it?

[Mike AA]

To those watching this tread,

I am Mike Aalderink, I own and operate firstvideoarchive.com. I have been in FIRST for 14 or so years and nearly every year as a computer techie and knowledge seeker I have record edited and saved as much information off websites, involving archived data and videos from first. Most of the data i have hidden but as much video as I could get is available online. I stored first on my personal webserver at home. Once the cost to operate my dedicated sDSL line outweighed the cost to buy usage of a server in a server farm I uploaded and still in process of uploading as much as I can to the website that is up now. If its been around available online it's likely on there! Obviously youtube has lots more video than my host would allow but i have most of the original higher quality videos of matches.

[KelliV]

If you played WildStang from 2003-2006 I more than likely have footage just let me know and give me time to sift through years of matches.

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

It's easy to complain that video is missing, and that someone else should do it (and it'd be awful darn nice if FIRST did it!), but this just falls on teams currently.

If video is important to the community, TEAMS need to film!

We filmed every event last year in 1080p (fixed, mid-field camera), we didn't upload our regionals to youtube as other teams already beat us with slightly better camera angles and every single match. We did upload our division though.

Youtube is so simple to use and dump 150 videos onto now, it really should be the standard for sharing FRC video. I already know TBA is starting to (or already has) embraced it.

973 will be filming all our events again next year, and uploading when necessary.

TBA is entirely volunteer run, they don't HAVE to do anything, and they don't OWE anyone anything; if this is an important issue to you, make an effort to help.

I can't agree with Adam more. If we want more videos we need to step it up. In the fall of 2007 I stumbled upon thebluealliance.net just before I joined my FRC team and gobbled up as much information as I could. I did the same in the fall of 2008 and I keep pointing new students to TBA along with teams to research or specific matches. Match videos aren't just great memories to relive they are great scouting and learning tools as well!

Since 2008 the number of vidoes has continued to drop. If we want to see more videos online there is no reason we can't get a majority of regionals and all divisions covered. Last year I got a Pinnacle recorder to record the field footage and covered CT. I still have the footage on my computer and I need to split them up but college takes up too much time so I'll probably pass it along to some media students.

The easiest way to record events and what our team will do for the events we attend is a tripod+camera. You can stop/start the video to remove the tedious process of splitting videos and you can download/name your videos throughout the weekend.

Ask around on your team I'm sure most if not all teams have a camera they can use for this!

If anyone wants to use my Pinnacle I'd be happy to ship it to you to cover a regional or division. Its really easy and once the video is collected finding someone to split the videos will be easy.

3467 is already covering the Granite State Regional and The Pine Tree Regional for 2013.

[coalhot]

Originally Posted by MagiChau

the Technokats' archive offer copies of results at least award wise. http://www.technokats.org/history-project/

Sweet! I knew this has to exist somewhere, I just wasn't sure where! I'll start parsing out at least team lists from this.

I'm not 100% sure of how stuff would make its way to TBA, but I'm sure that will work its way out...

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by coalhot

Sweet! I knew this has to exist somewhere, I just wasn't sure where! I'll start parsing out at least team lists from this.

This collection of event team lists might help.
http://team358.org/files/frc_records...s1992-2012.csv

Awards:
http://team358.org/files/frc_records...s1992-2012.csv

I only have standings back to 2001 and some years have holes.

[waitwhat?]

Originally Posted by Hallry

I was saddened to see that as of now, no video of our 2005 and 2006 robots exist, as I'm sure the case is with many other teams as well.

.

I'm in the same boat Ryan, our bot from 2005 was one of my favorite machines, its a shame that no video can be found of it. Looking for 2005 Pittsburgh footage to be more specific.

This could also be useful to show to new team members, to help demonstrate how durastically differant the game can be year to year.