As a viewer, I would like to suggest that streamers not settle for “pretty good” camera view on the playfield. Catching up on some tournament streams and hearing the commentators respond that it all looks pretty good is pretty disappointing, when I’m watching on a big screen TV versus their view on a laptop. Probably can be mitigated somewhat by the camera operator pulling up Twitch on their phone to check their setup/alignment/view, rather than having to walk back and forth to the commentator booth which could be pretty far away.
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Totally agree and my streams can really improve on this. I try to do extensive testing so that when we move the rig it needs little to no adjustment once the rig is moved, but yes, it needs to be as close to perfectly aligned instead of “just good enough”. Practice makes perfect, and we are getting in as much practice as we can.
Also for using the phone, sounds good in practice but with the delay it’s faster to just go to the stream table and check it out for yourself.
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And then after you get the game perfectly lined up under the camera @pinwizj does a massive slide save and you’re back to square 1 
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Unless it takes multiple trips 
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Haha. Fair enough. Definitely not a perfect system, but if you want to stream with 3-6 cameras instead of 30, then you gotta make some tweaks. As always I’m gonna do everything I can to improve this system.
Hopefully it can get to the point that it’s mobile to location sites and other can adopt and start streaming larger events using their own staff and equipment.
For keeping the PF under the camera, $39 NEW for a remote pan/tilt head.
I have one on the way.
The potential for this device is huge for changing angles for face cameras if on a rig between 2 machines… that reduces one camera from your rig.
There are answers for most of these problems, just gotta dig! I bet you can find some used on the cheap on ebay too! This thing only runs on battery power, but it’s worth a look!
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The thing I want most is a way to switch USB cams though a physical switcher, and let them remember their settings consistently. Haven’t found any device that lets that happen 100%
Anyone have some new insight on this?
What’s the advantage of this vs. switching through software?
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Say you have 3 rigs, with 3 cameras on each rig going to their own externally powered hub. All 3 of those hubs going to a switcher. You’d switch to each rig with the switcher and those 3 cams would be live. Easier to organize and label as well, I’d imagine?
Software works great too, but can you get OBS/Xsplit/Advancedcam settings to remember the settings of 9 cameras? Yes, sometimes, but all those feeds at once can be a drag on the system if they’re all live, waiting to be called.
I don’t know. It’s early. I’m just talking to hear myself talk. haha
Three cameras in a hub will be tough to get much better than 30 FPS ime. If you can do two in a hub then use a HD cam and capture device for PF, that seems to be best.
I think as long as each hub is going to its own usb controller at the computer and your computer is a decent i7, the CPU usage should be okay.
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For sure, I’m just trying to figure out how to push this USB usage even more!
Too bad raspberri pi can’t run obs/handle that amount of compression to work 3 cameras. You could just get a pi for each rig, and only run HDMI cables.
Yeah that would be amazing.
With a manual switch, your computer will still act as if reconnecting to the new set of cams.
LOL, I used one of those at INDISC this year for a panning room shot. It’s going to be too heavy for a playfield cam unless you have a beefy mounting system. The goosenecks can’t support the weight of it plus camera, or at least mine couldn’t.
Also can’t use it while plugged it/charging. However, the battery did last the full weekend.
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I’m using a big Monoprice t-stand with metal friction arms so weight, hopefully, shouldn’t be an issue.
Good to know you’re tried them out. It was cheap enough that I figured I could use it in SOME capacity if all else fails.
Anyone using two internet connections to help with bandwidth dropouts? Like ethernet + mobile hotspot? I know with w10 you can connect to multiple connections at once. It seems like lots of internet connections I’ve used just drop out once in a while. Would be cool if a mobile hotspot could take over at those times and keep the stream from suffering. But also only at those times so you don’t use up a ton of $$$ mobile data. I know you can prioritize connections in w10, just wondering if anyone here is doing this.
I noticed papatv had remote commentators on their stream today, including @DEADFLIP and @PinballProfile. Anyone know how this was accomplished? I’d love to bring in remote commentators on tournament streams where all the eligible commentators are playing.
Skype screensharing of real time video from broadcaster PC with added audio track to exported stream maybe? 
Papa is using a new broadcasting software called VMix. It’s pricey for sure, but lots of cool features.
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