Video Feed of Matches

[Andrew Schuetze]

Like a lot of teams, we set up a digital video camera up in the stands at our regional and film matches. Either for scouting or for archiving our team's robot in action. It is of a lower quality due to fans in the stands and a lot of background noise.

What kind of logistics would it take for event organizers to provide a bank of video feed outputs so that teams could tape directly from the professional film crew? Most years, the Lone Star Regional has a NASA webcast and the last two seasons, G4 Tech TV has hosted and possibly simulcast the event. (One of my 7th grade students reported seeing us on TV this last weekend.)

This might be a bit less insane at a regional with 40 teams wanting to tap into the feed but 80 per division at the Championships and then all 340 for the finals....


Can somebody with know how give me a clue to how realistic this type of option would be

[spears312]

I do know that at both the FL & Palmetto regionals (both NASA web cast) I spotted some small TV's with tape recorders, all of which had team numbers on them and were receiving the web cast feed. I never really had the time to take a good look at them, so I don't know how many TV's (or VCR's) the events A/V equipment can support. Never the less, I could imagine that since the A/V equipment will be out at the fields (and basically in the pits), and just the sheer number of teams, that they may be more strict on that sort of thing.

As for events which are not already web cast, I can't say much. I have never attended a event with no web cast so I don't know of the camera coverage or their policies for teams hooking up recording devices if camera coverage exists.

One down side to recording the web casts (especially this year with six robots), I could imagine, would be that you never get a constant full view of the field.

[Dave Flowerday]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schuetze

What kind of logistics would it take for event organizers to provide a bank of video feed outputs so that teams could tape directly from the professional film crew?

This is already standard practice at every FIRST event I've seen. They have a table set up with audio and video outputs as well as power. Just bring your VCR and plug in!

[mtaman02]

and if u don't want to carry ure vcr around with bulky tapes some camcorders are capable of recording off of a feed as well like my canon camcorder.

[dhitchco]

I posed the following question/idea to FIRST, and I'd be interested in your feedback here also.

The question/idea that I asked FIRST was:

Do you think that anyone would be interested in a "class" on digital photography and/or video editing as part of the "conference" that goes on at nationals in the World Congress Center?

I have offered to put-on this type of demonstration since I teach these classes in my spare time. Do you think this would be of itnerest to team members, mentors, etc?

And....to keep this on-topic. YES, at the three regionals I attended, I was able to record off the match camera via a VCR or with the proper analog (RCA-plug) cables directly into my DV-camcorder. This was particularly usefull at the end for the awards ceremony.

One caveat: for some reason in Toronto, the VCRs that were hooked-up required a separate audio and video line. I didn't get the audio track and others hade the same problem; so it's not a perfect system, but a nice thing for FIRST to do.

Now.....recording all 8 hours of matches to use for scouting tapes ia a bit much for a high-school robotics competition, but if you've got the time......