Video Analysis

[Mr T]

I have videotaped my players. That's the easy part. I can see right away that it would be very valuable to be able to edit up a 2-3 minute lesson using their swings (or pitches) in slow motion and a voice-over.

I've taken a look at the market for this (which is largely golf based). There seems to be 2 models. An "individual" or home version that allows you to analyse at a computer. These packages run from about $40 - $150.

The higher level is for coaches or instructors and these are very expensive. I think they run about $750 to $1300 and upwards. I think (but am not sure) that these would allow you to edit your lesson and then basically "render" your lesson to a youtube clip or something that you could send to your student or player.

I say I am not sure as these companies seem to want to have you register and upload and download all content through them.

Any way, with the cheap version you get an option to send your video to them for analysis. They will do the voice-over, for a fee, and send you back the lesson. I want to do the analysis but the price seems so steep.

This is really the way I would like to go but I want to make sure I am understanding the market correctly, and that my options for making this useful are

(1) buy the pricey version

(2) buy the cheap version and work with players in person at a laptop

Does anyone have recommendations? I have one rec for V1 from a pro instructor.

I am wondering if I might be able to fudge something workable together with Premiere Elements or something like that. Has anyone tried that path?

 

[starsnuffer]

If you're good at pointing things out, you can just play back the video in slow motion on a playsport camera.

If you like drawing lines and more feedback, use RVP and explain to the student in front of the laptop

Unless you're going to charge people to remotely analyze their lessons, an interactive student/instructor session is much better then sending some canned narrative thing that they may or may not understand.

If you really had to, use RVP, draw the pretty lines, and then open the thing in i-movie to add a narrative.

-W

 

[Mr T]

Thanks Star. RVP was one I glanced by. So many different packages and it wasn't clear to me how they all compare and exactly what they do but I will take a look.

I think I'll go the laptop route. Thanks for the suggestion. It does have advantages. These are 8U girls and I've got a few of them to the point where it's getting exciting and vtape really would help. One thing I thought was an advantage for the v-over route was that 8U girls don't always retain stuff that great and I thought they could use it at home but I'm probably fantasizing, it would likely end up lost broken or forgotten any way.

 

[CoachKevin]

I use the Preimier Elements... in the video editing you can do slo-motion. I typically show the swing in real time, then in slo-motion. Make a DVD, and run it on a laptop.

 

[Mr T]

I use the Preimier Elements... in the video editing you can do slo-motion. I typically show the swing in real time, then in slo-motion. Make a DVD, and run it on a laptop.

Does elements have any drawing tools? I would suppose not as that's not really what those programs are used for. Still, they are high quality and would allow me to edit home movies for other things. And Elements would be sufficient probably for working with the hitter in person.

 

[CoachKevin]

Does elements have any drawing tools? I would suppose not as that's not really what those programs are used for. Still, they are high quality and would allow me to edit home movies for other things. And Elements would be sufficient probably for working with the hitter in person.

You may be able to overlay with drawings, but I'm not sure as I am still learning the in's and out's. Works for me with just the ability to do slomotion. you can also stop the video with a "photo" for the important parts.

 

[PA SB Dad]

If you have an iPhone, I found that Swing Plane is a nice little app to use out on the practice field (or indoors). It allows you to tape and edit, has basic drawing tools, and allows you to post to Twitter, Facebook, or email. Frame by frame is OK, but not great, since the video is HD, and so there is quite a bit of blur in some frames, but the kids get a pretty good idea where and how they need to make corrections.

 

[alabama_lowlife]

If you have an iPhone, I found that Swing Plane is a nice little app to use out on the practice field (or indoors). It allows you to tape and edit, has basic drawing tools, and allows you to post to Twitter, Facebook, or email. Frame by frame is OK, but not great, since the video is HD, and so there is quite a bit of blur in some frames, but the kids get a pretty good idea where and how they need to make corrections.

The only one i found was for golf. Is that the one you're using?

 

[PA SB Dad]

The only one i found was for golf. Is that the one you're using?

Yup. You can tape and edit just fine. Not just for golf!

 

[fourts]

Kinovea - Video Analysis Software for Sports This is a great tool and best of all FREE!!! you can draw, edit and do side by side video.