Hi, I run some tournaments and I wanted to upgrade our game a bit and add a live recoding of each field as well as a dedicated PC to act as the main TM server. This is because of LBUSD’s awful VNS and networking system that causes many issues if we use a LBUDS computer as the main server.
They would also have to be two different machines for the same reason. I am very good with tech but have can not for the life of me try to make a pc build for these things. The pc for cameras would run 3 of them and OBS then stream to youtube. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas?
Field controls we use Raspberry Pi and V5 Smart Field controllers - they are rock solid performers at SNE HS Regionals.
All displays are running Raspberry Pi. (pit and audience displays)
We have three fields for competitions - each has a dedicated camcorder with HDMI out, we also run a PTZ Camera with HDMI out.
We use fiberoptic HDMI cables, long runs to Black Magic Design ATEM Mini Extreme. The ATEM does streaming.
To control video switching we use Elgato Stream Deck with bit focus Companion and Elagato software. We use John Holbrook’s TM plugin. So you can control both video and Tournament Manager with coded buttons.
It is a lot built out over time. This summer will be working with the OBS software see how it can fit with ATEM, Stream Decks, and PTZ cameras… Ideally, want to automate such that queue next match, the PTZ cameras go to next preset locations.
Below is mostly a repost from a small thread about this a few months ago in the Event Partner channel.
I am an OBS Studio fan. You want a decent computer to run the streaming, but it doesn’t have to be anything blow the walls off. In the past I have always tried to keep the streaming computer and the TM computer separate, but I have run a few events with one computer running TM and OBS. With a lot of the TM and Camera operations automated now, it can work well and can simplify a setup.
OBS Plugins I use:
VEX TM OBS Source: Tags · DWAB Technology / vextm-obs-source · GitLab
OBS NDI Plugin: Release obs-ndi 4.11.0 · obs-ndi/obs-ndi · GitHub
TM OBS Switcher: Releases · MayorMonty/tm-obs-switcher (github.com) (not a plugin but a great program that you run to automate changing scenes and displays)
I am using more and more NDI products. I just got these cameras this year and have had great success with them: HD-NDI-CUBE - AIDA Imaging
I also use an NDI PTZ camera for other shots. I used a camera on a tripod dolly with an operator for our Signature Event (transmitting over NDI) and got some great shots from that, too.
I’m still working on getting the best audio input. For state i looped back the announcer audio which was good, but I’d like to get a good solution for live sounds from the fields. I have some Dante networked audio equipment I am going to try in the future.
You would need a POE switch assuming you want to power them over POE.
These are the stands I am using for the cameras: Amazon.com
These are the adapter to put the cameras on top of the stands: Amazon.com
I also use the stands to mount my field timer displays. I have 27" TVs that I created brackets for that attach to the lower part of the stands. I put a VEX baseplate on the back of the TVs to hold the RPi and the V5 Brain (for VRC).
WOW, your documentation is amazing! You teams must have the best notebooks ever made. Thank you soooooo much for that though I really like learning about how others run their tournaments. One question though: We are looking into raising our fields and when I saw this, "Plans for all the VEX Team:VIRUS field risers, VRC and IQ, aluminum and wood, can be found
here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ov2NzN39V26Id_NbbsVL0HFcHCcRHfrX?usp=sharing "
I got pretty excited. Then I tried to open it and the link didn’t work. Do you have an updated link by chance? Also, have you ever had any trouble with the wooden ones?
You have spent at least one arm and one leg on everything in that list! It’s definitely something to build out over time. Thanks for your response it really helps and it’s fun to learn about how others run their tournaments. (at least it is to me)
I have all my limbs… wallet is a bit lighter, and hair more grey. This is from a program built over last ten seasons. Essentially, we add some feature to competition season and championships events to enhance the experience for teams and spectators. Have not gotten yet to raised fields, concert lighting etc…
Forgot to add we run all the field and tournament electronics (not projectors) on EcoFlow Solar Generator - you know, just in case we have power loss during events.
I have not done a live stream on a VRC tournament yet. For VIQC, I used a 50" tripod and a webcam per field. My plan was to be cost effective as possible so I don’t have the perfrect setup. I used 50’ usb to usb extenders.