Re: t-and-f: CBC camera perspectives
On Thu, 2 Aug 2001, Roger Ruth wrote: ... Perhaps he would comment on the similarities and differences in the IBM and CBC systems and why they are so seldom used. I wouldn't be able to imagine--let alone explain--the difference between what I described as a gyro-balanced camera and what he called a critically damped open loop control system... I believe it is the same system. The camera is dangled over the stadium from pillars at the four corners. Four stepper motors release or pull each wire independently in small steps, positioning the camera anywhere in the 3-D space above the stadium. Three additional degrees of freedom allow rotating the camera, tilting it up or down, and zooming it. The software controls the entire system. Predetermined trajectories are programmed into the computers to move the camera swiftly from one place to another. For example: go to the pole vault pit, or follow lane 1 on the track. Kamal. DR KAMAL JABBOUR - Engineer, Educator, Runner, WriterO o 2-222 Center for Science and Technology /|\/ |\ Syracuse University, Syracuse NY 13244-4100 | | Phone 315-443-3000, Fax 315-443-2583 __/ \ \/ \ http://running.syr.edu/jabbour.html\ \
Re: t-and-f: CBC camera perspectives
In response to my note about the overhead camera CBC will use at WC2001, quoting Canadian Press, But the overhead camera is a relatively new concept, used only sparingly at the last world championships in Seville, Spain, and never attempted at the Olympics... Kamal Jabbour wrote, Wrong! IBM built the overhead camera system for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Powered with a multiprocessor RS-6000 architecture, it followed the action with minimal bounce, using a critically damped open loop control system. I have pictures of it! Kamal. As I recall, Kamal had his on-line video feed working from the 1994 Commonwealth Games, where the CBC overhead system was in use. Perhaps he would comment on the similarities and differences in the IBM and CBC systems and why they are so seldom used. I wouldn't be able to imagine--let alone explain--the difference between what I described as a gyro-balanced camera and what he called a critically damped open loop control system. Far more to my level of understanding was the emergency repair made by one of the Seiko technicians to an on-field display board that wasn't working to his satisfaction. He fiddled with it a bit, then turned his back and struck the frame with his heel. Problem solved. My kind of repair. Cheers
Re: t-and-f: CBC camera perspectives
On Wed, 1 Aug 2001, Roger Ruth wrote: ... But the overhead camera is a relatively new concept, used only sparingly at the last world championships in Seville, Spain, and never attempted at the Olympics... Wrong! IBM built the overhead camera system for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Powered with a multiprocessor RS-6000 architecture, it followed the action with minimal bounce, using a critically damped open loop control system. I have pictures of it! Kamal. DR KAMAL JABBOUR - Engineer, Educator, Runner, WriterO o 2-222 Center for Science and Technology /|\/ |\ Syracuse University, Syracuse NY 13244-4100 | | Phone 315-443-3000, Fax 315-443-2583 __/ \ \/ \ http://running.syr.edu/jabbour.html\ \
t-and-f: CBC camera perspectives
U.S. viewers who are able to watch CBC coverage of WC2001, may be surprised at some of the camera shots they see. On the Canadian track mailing list, Yvon Deschenes posted part of a Canadian Press article that noted: There will be an overhead wire camera following athletes down the track as well as a camera mounted on rails to follow their every stride. But the overhead camera is a relatively new concept, used only sparingly at the last world championships in Seville, Spain, and never attempted at the Olympics. Martin Webster of BBC Sports in Great Britain said the overhead camera gives viewers a unique perspective. This sounds like the same system CBC used in coverage of the Victoria Commonwealth Games, which worked very well, too, in field event coverage. They were able, for example, to position the camera directly above the throwing circles for discus and hammer or above the center of the vault bar. It's amazing to watch how quickly and precisely they can move the camera from position to position or follow runners around the track or down the straight. It hangs from lighting standards at the four corners and must require very sophisticated computer programs to operate the winches at those positions so accurately. Also, the camera is gyro-balanced, to keep a constant meridian during movement. Great fun! Watch for it.
