Hi,
I’m looking for a solution for my underwater swim video delay system.
Up till this morning I was using a special video camera I purchased from Swim Canada many years ago. It’s got a hundred foot cable with a RC output.
I used it with a DVD player with a hard drive (HDD). This allowed me to record the swimmers and play back the recording with a delay (they hit the wall, look up and see themselves come in.)
This morning my DVD player finally crapped out on me and they are no longer available. I’ve found a few down in the States (Walmart has a clear out sale) but they won’t ship to Canada.)
I’m wondering what system other coaches are using to achieve the same or if anyone in Canada knows where I can find a DVD player with an HDD??
I think the Go Pro’s are getting to be popular. I’m thinking of getting one with the pole extension & water proof case. Hook it up and presto underwater camera.
If you want a cheap solution, and you have an iPhone, there are several waterproof cases that do the job quite nicely. Of course, you have to get in the water, and you won’t have the quality you get from a GoPro, but it’s a cheap and easy alternative. I’ve done it a couple of times. It also forces me to get in the water
I’m sure you can get similar cases with android and other smartphones with good video capabilities.
I need a more robust solution.
The big thing I’m looking for is the “delay”
The swimmer hits the wall and we watch their swimming on the monitor - pause - slow motion, rewind - frame by frame analysis OR, I just leave it on a 7"-8" delay.
Then they can look up and see themselves coming in after each repeat. It’s a brilliant system.
I have a GoPro, but if I understand correctly, the OP had a setup that videoed the swimmers, then automatically played the video on a screen a few seconds later so the swimmers see it right away. I’m not sure how this could be done with a GoPro or iphone.
I have just received a PM that informs me I can use a TiVo system and it will work exactly the way I need it to. I see old used ones for $50 on Ebay and they ship to Canada so I think I’ve found my solution.
I’m going to try using a PVR (not sure if that’s just a Canadian equivalent to Tivo or not. Either way, it seems a solution is close.
Thank you all for your ideas.
I have just received a PM that informs me I can use a TiVo system and it will work exactly the way I need it to. I see old used ones for $50 on Ebay and they ship to Canada so I think I’ve found my solution.
I’m going to try using a PVR (not sure if that’s just a Canadian equivalent to Tivo or not. Either way, it seems a solution is close.
Thank you all for your ideas.
Clint
Clint -
If that doesn’t work, then I would also look into a budget version of a home theater PC. You can get a TV/video capture card and feed it basically the same way that your DVD was used. A little bit of tech savvy needed, but if you have any computer geeks among your swimmers, then they should be able to set it up easily. You wouldn’t need much, probably even get away with an older CPU/Hauppage card combo.
I had thought that somehow using a laptop would get me there.
I’m cautious about that solution though as the concerned about the humid wet conditions in the pool.
If this Tivo thing doesn’t workout though, I think that will have to be my next move.
But to your poit Brian, there are probably two dozen cameras that are waterproof and you can stick on a pole they are cheap too. I have one we use with the kids and whatnot, it works well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpBSNukOVbM
But you don’t know exactly what you are pointing it at as you stand on deck with said pole. That’s why most coach camera type setups have a screen. so you can walk alongside and get a tracking shot keeping the swimmer in frame the whole time.
We’ve had good luck with the Tivo Series 2 DVR. Just have to make sure you plug them in with your external camera plugged in so it detects it right away. If it loses it, you have to go back through boot again. Works really well. We usually do it for sprints with about a 30 sec delay so the swimmers can get out and watch their sprint while we film the next one.
Yes. We have a small underwater camera that comes with a 5" monitor that has RCA outputs routed to the Tivo Series 2 (series 1 didn’t work). A larger monitor is connected to the Tivo. We start recording, and place the Tivo on pause for 30-45 seconds or so (depending on what we are doing), then let it run on playback just that amount of time behind. I’m taping one swimmer watching the 5" display, and the previous one can watch what we taped 30 second prior. We usually have a second coach by the playback to review with the swimmer. Works realy well, and we’ve been using it for several years.
These underwater cameras we are using are advertised as fish finder cameras. We usually pick them up around this time of year at Menards or Sportsmans Warehouse.
As to the Gopro, I use the bike seatpost mount accessory and mount it to a 2.5 pound rubber coated dumbell from Walmart. I put it on the lane line on the bottom in the shallow end, with the partial fisheye lens you just point it up and it catches about two or three strokes per pass. Unlike what the OP is doing, my feedback is delayed until I download the card.
Thanks!
That’s exactly the info I was looking for and I just lucked out and found one in the local classifieds for $50.
I got my camera from iclocks.ca a few years ago and it’s a very nice unit with a 100 foot cable.
Using plumbing supplies from Home Depot, I built a housing unit to drop the camera onto the pool floor.
The swimmers swim by and then we watch their footage.
You can get 5 or 6 strokes from a moderate swimmers before they swim out of frame on the side views and nice front view coverage as well.
If i want I can pop it off the unit and attach it to a paint poll to do walk-alongs.
We use a cart with some PVC brackets on it with about a 10’ boom extension that lowers into the pool. It’s the poor mans version of this: http://totalperformance.org/power-cam
When you start up the tivo, it will try to do the subscription (not needed). Just have your camera attached when booting, then set it up for satelite or cable. It will try to discover the channels. Takes a couple hours first time through. Once you get through that, there is a setting to use the external camera and you should be good to go.
When we film, we use about a lane away from where we are on the deck to get a little further away, and we can film over half the 25 yrd pool length.
Well, Slowtwitch really came through this time. I’m pretty sure you’ve saved me several hours of hair pulling frustration!
I’m driving out to a young woman’s house this morning to pick up a used series 2 TiVo.
The 50 meter pool I train my athletes in has 20 meters of 4-5 feet depth so I can place the unit directly on the ground.
Like you, I usually go a lane, to a lane and a half away and I get at least 15 meters of swimming.
Not sure if this effort at uploading a photo will work this time but here’s a photo of the unit we use.
Thanks again!
