Broadcasting Games on UStream

[Joe Greco]

Last year many of us got to enjoy watching games broadcast by coaches using UStream (especially CBSMF games in the Big Ten). I tried to broadcast a game from California and was able to transmit the images but not the video. I found out later that I had my laptop on "Mute" which is why there was no sound.

I would like to put together information as to "How to broadcast" (possibly an article for the Tweak magazine) so maybe we can get more coaches to broadcast their games.

I now know how to do it for my camera (Canon) but I believe that different cameras (Sony for example) may require different connection methods. With my camera I need the following:
1) Set the camera to DV Recording (rather than HD)
2) I need a firewire and audio cable
3) Laptop using Windows XP and internet connection

If you have previously broadcasted games, please send me a PM (or comment here) as to how you did it so that I can put together as much of the information as possible to help other coaches get up to speed more easily

Thanks.

Joe G

[detroitchild]

This is a great idea Joe.

[sweetka]

Originally Posted by Joe Greco

Last year many of us got to enjoy watching games broadcast by coaches using UStream (especially CBSMF games in the Big Ten). I tried to broadcast a game from California and was able to transmit the images but not the video. I found out later that I had my laptop on "Mute" which is why there was no sound.

I would like to put together information as to "How to broadcast" (possibly an article for the Tweak magazine) so maybe we can get more coaches to broadcast their games.

I now know how to do it for my camera (Canon) but I believe that different cameras (Sony for example) may require different connection methods. With my camera I need the following:
1) Set the camera to DV Recording (rather than HD)
2) I need a firewire and audio cable
3) Laptop using Windows XP and internet connection

If you have previously broadcasted games, please send me a PM (or comment here) as to how you did it so that I can put together as much of the information as possible to help other coaches get up to speed more easily

Thanks.

Joe G

If you have Vista you may need to run your software in "compatibility mode" for it to work. If anyone has a workaround for CPU's that have video camera's attached let me know.

Do not use your battery. You must operate your camera off DC power. The battery has an internal unit that turns the camera off to conserve battery power.

Most video cameras have a display mode where it displays many of the cameras features. Insure that you go into the camera's options and turn off the display mode so that you won't see shaking, fading, etc. . . like many people saw during an experimental tweak session I had.

If you have extras at your game site, I plan to use my sons when available, they can move the camera on a tripod to maintain picture quality.

I am currently looking to address bandwidth issues and processing speed. I will post any finidngs that I have here.

Hope this helps.

[the french guy]

camera point of view is also important : I saw several MF games on ustream, and a lot of them were quite difficult to follow, due to camera angle.

One cool possible angle should be to put the camera overhead the board, so we can see the strategies and see the moves better.

I believe MF broadcast should be thinked like a chess game (or some billard/snooker tournaments I saw) broadcast more than a real football show.


EDIT : that is the perfect example of a smart and clear tabletop broadcast, see the video at 0.09seconds :




Without a "director" (someone making the real time montage with diferent cameras, angles, in direct live action) , we should not think about real football to make MF broadcast. Think "square", clear : Please put a camera overhead the game (like on the youtube vid) and let us see your strategies, be able to see the formations, the moves, like the game deserves

[detroitchild]

Has anyone tried using that small camera that Larue introduced to us last year?

[NATIONAL]

top games??

When is the next time you will be out!?

An article on this would be great! Get some info and tips from Ken, Reg and what you already know......would be a great read.



Nat'l

[artlax]

Originally Posted by the french guy

camera point of view is also important : I saw several MF games on ustream, and a lot of them were quite difficult to follow, due to camera angle.

One cool possible angle should be to put the camera overhead the board, so we can see the strategies and see the moves better.

I believe MF broadcast should be thinked like a chess game (or some billard/snooker tournaments I saw) broadcast more than a real football show.


EDIT : that is the perfect example of a smart and clear tabletop broadcast, see the video at 0.09seconds :




Without a "director" (someone making the real time montage with diferent cameras, angles, in direct live action) , we should not think about real football to make MF broadcast. Think "square", clear : Please put a camera overhead the game (like on the youtube vid) and let us see your strategies, be able to see the formations, the moves, like the game deserves

and agree - I think this would be a great way to see the game!

[the french guy]

When I watched my first MF games on ustream, I saw several issues :

- someone has to take care of the camera, to zoom, dezoom, change the view position, etc....making the game difficult to understand (isometric view, most of the time)

-people during the game or tournament are passing in front of the camera, causing "black outs" same things when the MF players are passing : the game become difficult to follow.

-streaming quality is not so good, so often the light or camera distance make the game difficult to see. Especially with people moving around the board.



With a overhead camera, with a direct light on the board (like on a billard, pool or snooker), the broadcaster just have to switch on the camera, and can forget about it.

Players and live spectators can turn around the board, but the game action stills very visible for broadcast spectactors.

we can perfectly see the formations or each team, no matter the side they are playing. Same thing for passing , rushing or field goal.

Since the camera and light is set up once for the whole game, there will not be any problems of blurry, zoom, light or whatever.

Since the camera is over the board, it will not disturb the MF players during their game. ANother detail, coaches who doesn't want to be on internet (after all not everyone want to be filmed), will not be perfectly visible (just top of head), so if online broadcasting is a source of stress for some persons, they will be able to forget about it too.


with the online streaming new tools, I believe we can make a strip on top or rear of the screen to show scores and stuff like that too. With the top view (like on the example youtube vid), you could follow the game very precisely.


MF is a tabletop strategy board game. Let see it like a chess game. I don't know if you saw any tv chess big tournament, but they are very pragmatic about it : spectactors see the two players on the table, BUT on one wall in the room you can always see a big screen with overhead view of the game, or computer simulation of the current game (an operator move the pieces). They don't try to make it fancy with cheerleaders or stuff like that, they just....show the game



I believe we shoud keep the fancy effects, music etc... for dvd demos and promotionals, but for direct live, dedicated to MF fans, let us see the game like the "brain game" it is.

[mozeek]

The only problem is that we would have to figure out how we can rig this up in the Toy Wiz.......We will research this and see what we come up with.....