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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 11, 2013 23:00:01 GMT
Good Morning Everyone, Welcome to my trail of a live competition update, and the tournament I’ve chosen to test run all this on is the Sussex Men’s Doubles being held today (12th January). I would really appreciate your help with a few things.
Firstly, for those of you that use twitter, I’ve set up a twitter account for this very purpose, so please follow @barbilliards as when information is updated here, I’m hopeful each time I post an update here, it will “auto tweet” so to speak and direct people here. I would be really keen to know what people think of that facility, and indeed weather or not the damn thing works.
Please bear in mind that I’m in the competition, so if things go quiet for a while, then assume that I’m playing (or sulking). Another thing to bear in mind that I’m intentionally doing this entire thing from my phone, experimenting with what’s possible using modern mobile technology.
So please pray that I get a solid mobile phone signal!
I indent to do a few cool things today, but I’m going to leave them under my hat and wait to get everyone’s feedback as we go along and after the event has finished. But I would say stay tuned, as I intend you to “see” some things, rather than just read!
So remember, please go and add @barbilliards (all of you who tweet) and it would be really helpful to have some feedback at the end of the day, but also please feel free to post as we go along. I’d hate to think I’m doing this and nobody is watching lmao.
Many thanks to all, and I hope this works.
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Post by BB Warrior on Jan 12, 2013 8:07:32 GMT
Wow.... we will be live on Twitter today!! :o 8-)
Up early as I have lots to do before making my way up to the Hurst Club.... a last check on the format for the competition to make a few late changes to entries, printing out score sheets for the early games and a couple of copies of the draws to put up for everybody to see when they get there.... making sure that I've got everything that I need to take up there today.... :-/ .... quick check list time.... I've got my computer, printer, extension lead, paper, pens, brush and cleaning stuff for table and balls to give them a last check this morning.... ;D .... yep, I think that's everything.... ;D .... ahh, I suppose I should take my cue as well!! ::) :o ;D
And now, suddenly, I have something else to think about.... OMG, we are going to be LIVE on Twitter!! :o
Obviously, I will want to look good for this.... :D
What hairstyle shall I have today? Okay, perhaps I personally don't have to worry about that one!! ::) ;D
Oh, what to wear.... :-/ .... okay, that's sorted out as well. ;D
I hope that Chubbster only shows my best side on the live coverage.... ::)
(and before anybody else says it.... no, I don't think that I've got a best side either!! ;D ;D ;D)
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Post by bigtj on Jan 12, 2013 8:09:39 GMT
Good luck with this Glenn, you may have to show some us less technical about twitter!!!!
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 10:46:35 GMT
Morning everyone, well I'm here and have a signal. Not sure if I will be here the entire day but ill do what I can, and hope to have a few surprises later. Here's the first....
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 12:06:20 GMT
Latest scores
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 12:07:44 GMT
More first round scores. Nigel looks to be heading the way with regards to the high break with about 14k
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 12:55:55 GMT
Latest scores
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 12:56:38 GMT
And some more.
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 13:01:45 GMT
Highest breaks now included, this shot was taken from a computer screen so forgive the quality. Am playing next so the next update will come in about 90 minutes.
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 13:21:43 GMT
I'm proud I have introduced a new game at today's tournament. It's going round the room like a virus, so I shall share it with you all now.
Take the title of any song, and add the the words "in my pants" to the end. It's providing hours of fun......
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 14:23:19 GMT
Second round now complete.
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 14:23:55 GMT
Continued.....
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 14:24:46 GMT
And the quarter final lineup is as follows......
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 15:33:03 GMT
Ok here is my favourite test if the day, a video. This was recorded 7 minutes ago....
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 15:47:50 GMT
Just wanted a wonderful quarter final. Jim greenstead played the table out in the opening leg for 16,400, then Dave Ingram, who was the 3rd player on in the second leg ran the table out for 16 which added to Henry's 1k opening break was enough. Awesome....
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 15:58:08 GMT
Quarter final results now in.....
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Post by Chris_Sav on Jan 12, 2013 16:10:32 GMT
Ok here is my favourite test if the day, a video. This was recorded 7 minutes ago.... Don't know what the file type is but the video does not display here. Great coverage Glenn but do you have a way to reduce the file sizes for the pictures?, 200k a time is a lot of attachment space. Sav [edit] They are 3gp files which need a player installed for me and I guess most people |
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 16:16:38 GMT
Can reduce the file size.
It appears that the video has linked to the mobile site version, but it is on YouTube. Search for Glenn Billiards as the user name.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2013 16:18:47 GMT
Same as Sav here, Glenn.......
I get as far as the Mobile Desktop, showing a static image of the clip, but then the following message appears:
"the address wasn't understood
Firefox doesn't know how to open this address, because the protocol (rtsp) isn't associated with any program."
Must say that the rest of the coverage is excellent, so far. ;D
tommo
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 16:29:16 GMT
Thanks guys,
Ok, it was recorded in hd but the app I used to upload it gave me the option to compress the file, ad it's obviously compressed to a mobile format as sav mentioned. Shame, but that's one thing learnt. Looks like a wifi or 4G mobile connection will defiantly be needed for even short video clips, interviews etc.
I'll continue to post the results as long as I'm here and work in further file compression for the images.
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 17:10:21 GMT
I'll be leaving my coverage for the day right here. Thanks for anyone that's helped me out today, and sorry the video didn't work. I'll do a follow up post later this evening, and relay on some other brave soul to post the final results later.
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Post by The Chubbster™ on Jan 12, 2013 22:11:34 GMT
As has now been reported in another threat, Barry Holt and Dave France were eventual winners of the Sussex Men's Doubles. My congratulations to them and to the SBBA on an extremely well run and entertaining tournament. I look forward to the singles tomorrow.
So now I'm back behind the sanctuary of a keyboard, I can reflect on today's test. What I tried to do today was extremely crude, and I knew from the outset there were far better ways to implement this sort of "live coverage" idea. However today taught me a few things. First of all, this forum is not really a place to cover a tournament in much depth from the location. This wonderful old place is what it is, a discussion board first and everything else after, and although it "Can" be done, there are much better ways to do what I did today. Posting pictures of the results is hardly the most "professional" way to do this in today's age.
I was more interested in the use of Twitter and YouTube. I really wanted to get an idea of how easy it was to throw information to people quickly, especially with regards to video. What I found was that massively compressed video (which is required when using a phone network to upload to a YouTube channel) is no good to anyone as most people won't have the necessary codex or plug-ins to view it.. It really needs a WIFI connection to upload it in a raw format.
If i were to do this again, I would explore using a separate web-page with the tournament bracket/matches template already in place, and find a mobile application to easily update that one page using only the phone. What's more it would be easy to "Auto Tweet" whenever that page has been updated, therefor alerting all Bar Billiards fans when a new set of results has been posted.
As for video, I still like the idea, but it would be much easier and less time consuming to take some video on the day (interviews with winners, match clips etc) and add them after the event from a computer. They could then be edited into one large file, and a link to the file attached to the competition page I mentioned above.
Anyway, that's what I found out today. I would be willing to try this again and look at implementing the new strategies I have mentioned above, but only if people feel it's worth the time and effort. I would imagine for a tournament like Jersey it would be a great asset, but for local competitions an opens, I'm not sure how useful it would be given the level of interest.
That said, what better way to make ourselves more professional and possibly draw people in? I would be interested to hear peoples thoughts.
Thanks for everyone that watched today, and good luck to us all for tomorrow :)
P.S for those that want to see, here is the video, re-uploaded and now viewable in "so called" HD!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2013 22:26:11 GMT
Well, Glenn, at least you've provided yourself with a starting point and some food for thought.
As for the Forum, your coverage of today's event with the scores matched that of Sean's for the recent World Championships, and kept those of us who couldn't make the day entertained. 8-) So thanks for that.
tommo
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