109 replies to this topic

[JerseyJohn]

Hey Yoda...

You look like you stopped eating. I hear fried lizard tastes just like chicken.

PS: your a** looked a little puffy. LOL.

[tonyp]

Ron,

You are just mad you can't pull off the Bogie look. LOL...

[Zippity]

The webcam coverage was sweet - even out here in NZ.

The only thing missing was the smell of the pizzas.

[tonyp]

Debbie has never seen slot car racing. It never even dawned on me to have her check the link on the computer. Maybe though it was a good thing I didn't...

[Marty Stanley]

The only thing missing was the smell of the pizzas.

Zippity,

If it would help, I'd be more than happy to exhale into a Baggie, seal it, and send it your way!

Howeverm you're going to have to trust me on this, the pizza was oustanding. I did not eat the cheese-only pizza. But the stuff with all the different meats on it - that was some awesome stuff!

Now they brought the pizza in while I was a turn marshal down in the donut. They put those pizzas, chicken wings, and toasted sandwiches right behind me. You talk about dedication... I did wait until between heats to taste the pizza.

Let me know if we can be of any more help!

[Cheater]

I'm looking at a couple of ways to improve the video streaming.

First, adding a second camera that we can point at the lap counter, with some sort of switchbox that allows selecting which camera is feeding the stream.

Second, using a second mic in concert with the webcam's mic to overlay an audio feed from the race director. This will probably require a mixer of some sort (as well as a separate mic) to minimize the background sound and to "feature" the race director audio.

I don't know if the additional equipment is affordable and/or easily available, but I'm checking on it.

[tonyp]

At least show the lap counter during lane changes...

[Cheater]

That's the basic idea, Tony.

I figure the additional camera and switch box is going to cost $100-150. The question is whether the Adobe Flash Media Encoder (which is the app that is allowing us to broadcast at such relatively high quality) will allow the switch without locking up or dropping out. It just something we'll need to research and test after acquiring the additional equipment.

Of course, all of these things are almost certainly possible if unlimited money and time are available, which they're not...

[Marty Stanley]

Perhaps nothing more then pointing the camera at the lap counter during the break between heats is more apropos? I don't think that would break the bank.

[Noose]

C'mon, Greg... you can do the color analyst stuff on a separate mike. You'd love it.

[tonyp]

We can always put a camera on a driver and mike him for the in race reporter. Better have a seven second delay button though. LOL...

If the coverage was as good as the Sano it was awesome. Almost sorry I missed it...

[Hworth08]

It just something we'll need to research and test after acquiring the additional equipment.

Greg, maybe ask your son. Young folks seem to have been born knowing this kind of stuff.

[Cheater]

Marty,

That approach is rarely going to be feasible IMO.

First, the webcam has a wide angle lens smaller than a dime in diameter. A few thousandths of an inch of moment moves the field of view a large amount. Additionally, the camera has to be mounted to show as much of the track as possible, and at Slots of Fun that meant about 12 feet up the picture window, nowhere near the lap counter monitor. Sure, you could use a long USB extender cable, but if the camera was a long distance from the monitor the move would eat up a lot of the lane change while going and coming. And then you'd need to return the camera to the exact position to show the track after every break, which would not be easy to accomplish.

The webcam I am using cannot be zoomed or panned, and I don't know if such cameras are even available.

A second camera and a switch box really is a more feasible solution.

[tonyp]

You could always hold a sign in front of the camera with the laps. LOL... That's it, just like the ring girls at the fights. I knew there would be a reason I was going to like SERRA races.

[Victor Poulin]

Did the camera make my a** look fat?

Tony,

Jennie said your a** looked just fine.

However I have to point out that she didn't have her contacts in.

[tonyp]

LOL...

[Pablo]

If we could get Tony P. one of those blue and white pin striped hats to match the blue and white pin striped pants, he would look like a full blown railroader

Personally, my fashion statement was PA Watson all the way.

[Victor Poulin]

Well Greg,

If you really wanted to get fancy, how about a third camera hooked to the switch box showing the pit area?

Just throwing that out there...

[tonyp]

Pablo, LOL.

[Cheater]

Vic,

I'm pretty obsessive but not THAT obsessive... LOL!!!

Now if you want to start funding the equipment and paying me a salary to run the feed, we can talk!

[Zippity]

As Greg didn't appear to have been racing, why not get him to be the roving reporter and walk around the raceway shoving the camera in each and every racers face?

He could also do the race commentary as well.

I mean, it's not like he was doing anything else important. Was he?

Seriously though, it was a fantastic race day coverage.

[tonyp]

All I saw him do was eat pizza and donuts...

[Pablo]

Zip,

Believe me, Greg was a LOT busier than any racer.

[Marty Stanley]

If it wasn't for Greg Wells, aka "Cheater" I don't think SERRA would move along as well as it does nor would the races be as organized.

When you stop and think about it, he does just about everything. He did show up a bit late, but I heard a lot of differing opinions on why that happened, so we won't go there.

Once he drove the almost hour and a half just to get to Abbeville, he was in constant motion. Heck he ever wore his workout gear, sweatpants and all. He was setting up the video feed, getting the tech table organized, taking pictures, checking on this, that and the other.

Really I don't see where he has the opportunity to race, which is really quite sad. Cheater is a good racer, but he is also a very dedicated co-director for the sport and is willing to sacrifice his wants, and take the hit so everyone can have a great time.

You have to salute that type of dedication to the hobby.

I for one, thank you, Greg - for all that you do.

Yes, I did see him walking around with pizza, donuts, biscuits, bar-b-cue, chicken wings, and all that other stuff as well, but he was working and needed to keep his energy level high!

[Pablo]

The food was great.
After the races, I grabbed myself a shredded beef BBQ sandwich, baked beans, a Mellow Yello, and garbonzo three-bean salad for the road.
A stroke of genius on my part. Couldn't let it go to waste.

In all, probably the best slot car experience I will ever have. It was like going to heaven for two days.

The house Filet Mignon at Village Grill wasn't too shabby, either. Too bad Redbackspyder didn't make it. I will buy him the meal I promised next time, I hope.