Solitaire TV first tries

[the french guy]

Hi,

Today I reinstalled a PC and webcam, and started to make some tries :

video settings
camera angle
light
montage and subtitles

Here's just a little youtube video of a passing stick demo. Nothing really fancy, but you can appreciate the decent quality of video (using the 480p mode in youtube).




(choose the 480p button under the right side of the vid)



I'm pretty happy with the result. With better preparation (a real camera stand, better light, advanced settings on the cam, etc...) it should be a great first step for my solitaire tv (at least in recorded non-live video)

I also plan to make this type of video tutorial for french people, to explain the game basis.

[Hoop27]

That looked very good Dimitri!

[the french guy]

thanks !

for now there is no sound : I plan to add a headset with microphone like "real" coaches and certainly see to add sound effects also.


I'm now working on live broadcasting. I fight with latency, my last tests gave me about 3seconds of delay, and with quality.

I'm also trying to use VLC to input the best quality I can (640x480, 30fps) in the live streaming, instead of the 25fps 320x200 I just can obtain for now using the basic web browser based applications live streaming offers for linux users (I can use their win/mac dedicated broadcasting softwares).

[Hoop27]

To be honest if you just taped it then uploaded when you were done I wouldn't mind if it's easier.

what is the diameter or your magnet for your ball on pass simulation?

Keep up the good work! I'll be watching.

[Hoop27]

Dimitri, for a microphone, if you have one laying around or know someone with one, you can use a Singstar playstation 2 microphone in your pc.

I know it sounds odd but it is one of the better mics I have used for online radio. Even if you can find one at a used game store they are dirt cheap.

Just a thought.

[Hoop27]

another thought I had when I was digging around my old pc gear, was if you wanted to, you could run a 20 ft usb extension cable, and actually fix the camera above the board that way.

The more I think about it setting a board up for video really wouldn't be too hard. i may give this a shot in the next couple weeks myself.

[the french guy]

Concerning the upside view, it will be done. I was too tired of my week work to take the tools and make the wall stand for it, but I'll do.

For microphone, I'll definitly use a head set so I can manipulate the game and the PC with my two hands

for the live broadcasting, I almost did it with VLC +justin TV. The streaming quality is great offline really close from direct input...Now I have to figure out how to send the streaming to justin tv server

for the passing simulation, I'm using a fiberboard gameboard so it's not a magnet...Or to be more specific, yes it's a magnet, but I added some tacky putty on it (called patafix in france). That passing ball marker gave me great help in the past, but I'm modelling a new one, with scale ball and larger base for it, because it's really when you miss it for 0.5centimeters...I believe I'll use a s something a bit bigger like a coin (20mm or 25mm).

With that current setup I'm already pretty close from real college/pro football passing completion rate. On the video, it's also a good exemple that passing simulation is not so easy, and not slow to setup. You can see on the video (even if there is some montage) that using the ball marker and passing simulation is as fast as using a TTQB.

Just a matter of choice.

[the french guy]

Watch live video from miniaturefootball on Justin.tv

here we go, I finally made it, and I can broadcast with full quality (meaning with the best quality my camera can obtain, 640x480 30fps) live.

I believe the latency (around 4seconds) is something we 'll have to deal with, but I'll try to make further tests during the week, and also try to improve the quality.

I'll let the thing online, you can watch my dog on my bed. Terrific program I know. But it's just testing, I closed the gameroom and I'm working on my bedroom computer again.

Please let a comment here to say if it's working in your home.


edit : I resized the embedded tv window with real size (native) resolution of the camera.


edit 2 : I throwed a paper ball on the dog so you can have some show to watch

[mantaraydre]

French guy,

Your incredible with your innovations. You have added so much to this hobby since you signed on. please keep up the incredible work and experiments. I think we are all learning a lot from you.


Thanx again
mantaraydre

[the french guy]

Now with all that technology you can watch my dog licking his own b*lls, from France to USA. It's what I call genius too

thanks


EDIT : enough testing for tonight. With VLC I can add subtitles and logos, but I didn't achieve to make it works. I'll see that during the week...it's a good start.