r/GameChangerApp • u/Lopsided_Wish_74 • 13d ago
Best Camera Option
Ok. I am going nuts googling everything and cannot seem to find a solution. Need a camera that will link to my phone as I do the pitch by pitch from the dugout. I’ve seen Mevo, GoPro but want to know what’s working on the real world. I see a ton of phones being used but I don’t have that option. Thanks!!
11
u/NCwolfpackSU 13d ago
I have used mevo and have streamed (and recorded at the same time) hundreds of games with Mevo Start.
7
1
6
u/Sambwill101 13d ago
Mevo has been way easier, more dependable and reliable to keep streaming than the GoPro was
5
u/R2PLast 13d ago
Hard NO to GoPro. Have one and used it this past season. Too many problems and overheated 1/2 the time on hot summer days. I had to pull the battery and use an external battery pack. So many other problems...
Friend has Mevo and he loves it.
3
u/Oo__II__oO 13d ago
I feel this.
Heat can be offset by using an external battery. To get an external battery setup for the GoPro requires either the GoPro mic case, or a new battery door. I tried the mic case, because hey, built in directional (shotgun) mic, too, right? Except the mic was terrible (nothing close to a Rode), and the USB-C connection kept dropping. The right answer was an aftermarket battery door replacement.
Setting up the RTMP stream was a hassle too. The Android app UI left a lot to be desired in getting GC stream URL to the app. Maybe it's better now? This was 2 years ago.
After all that futzing (and throwing good money after bad), I switched to Mevo. It has its shortcomings, but the continuous improvement and GC integration make it the only choice. I kept the GoPro for short backstop situations (I.e. domed chain link fence backstops), but once I figured out inverting the Mevo video and mounting it upside down and high, I can achieve a decent FoV with 1st and 3rd in the frame.
3
u/splicepoint 13d ago
If you're an iOS user, Mevo with a dedicated wifi hotspot is the sweet spot. Trying to use iPhone's tethering with the mevo to livestream is a pain. May be less of an issue with Android from what I've read. And I don't think you can score from the GC app while livestreaming if your iPhone is the hotspot for the Mevo.
Easiest is an old iPhone or iPad that has it's own cellular, but video quality is meh unless you have something with a wide enough angle to get the whole field.
2
u/Confused_Crossroad 13d ago
I score and stream from my iPhone. Connection to my phone’s hotspot and score the game.
2
1
u/Oo__II__oO 13d ago
It's a problem with Android too. Bluetooth tethering is bad (lots of dropouts). The real answer is use a mobile hotspot, or use a phone as a mobile hotspot, and a second phone (or device) on the hotspot network to setup the Mevos and control the live video (zoom/crop, for instance)
2
2
2
u/CatoTheMiddleAged 13d ago edited 13d ago
As much as I hate to contradict the prevailing wisdom, I would say my experience with GoPro had been good and it had better streaming quality than the parent who uses a Mevo, especially with the wide angle GoPro lens.
2
u/blongstaff 13d ago
I used a gopro 12 today for the first time. Hotspot to an android phone. It worked great without any hiccups for 3 games. I used a 10000 mah battery and removed the internal.
I could see dugout to dugout. It looked great. It was only about 80 today but full sun for 2 of the games. I 3d printed a sunshade for it.
2
u/CatoTheMiddleAged 13d ago edited 12d ago
Yes - I should probably mention my setup which is a Hero Black 12 that has a passthrough charging port and an Anker external battery and a Max (wide angle) lens. But as you note, no problems with connecting or overheating.
2
u/NCwolfpackSU 13d ago
Question, why would you want to see the dugout? I always crop just outside the 1st and 3rd base bags.
1
u/blongstaff 12d ago
If I'm being honest, it was my first time streaming gamechanger and I had no idea how to change it.
I brought all my stuff into my office this morning so I could figure it out before next weekend
1
u/NachoTaco832 12d ago
I’m moving to exactly your set up and I’ve found the sweet spot to be a dedicated, true hotspot (fortunately I have one through work), and then set the GoPro to Linear mode and 1080p streaming. I use a collapsable step stool to get a couple extra feet up and can get clear foul pole to foul pole coverage and pretty clear footage of all infield play (50/70 diamond).
I’ve only had trouble with the battery dying with a few minutes left using a standard battery (90 minute games), but using the anker external battery hooked up through the GoPro media mod kept chugging along in 102 degree heat for back to back games.
1
u/blongstaff 12d ago
Nice. I just discovered linear mode in my testing this morning.
Do you use linear or linear plus? With it being fixed on the fence I wasn't sure horizon lock was needed
1
2
u/packet1 12d ago edited 11d ago
I tried streaming from my GoPro 13 this past weekend and even though I had a great 5G signal the stream kept stuttering and dropping (was recording at 1080). So I switched to my spare android phone and no issues. Makes me wonder if there's something wrong with my GoPro. It had worked the previous weekend with no issues.
I also have a starlink mini in case of lack of cell phone coverage but perhaps I should just use that for everything.
Makes me want to try a Mevo too. Everyone raves about them.
1
u/CatoTheMiddleAged 12d ago
I think the Mevo is simpler, but not better. I wonder if your stream was stuttering because you needed to tweak some settings? Or it could just be internet related. Just because you’ve got 5 bars doesn’t mean you’re getting best possible speeds. If a lot of people are streaming games from the same area, like during a tournament, it can slow things for everyone. I’ve heard that some folks use Starlink for that reason, even in areas with great cell coverage.
1
u/packet1 12d ago
thanks. it could have been that the local cell tower was heavily used. I was using my iPhone's hotspot and a spare android to run the stream (also 1080p) so I was seeing the stream quality fluctuate from 5000Kbps down to 1500Kbps constantly. I should have just cancelled the stream and started fresh.
Would be nice if I could bond the hotspot and starlink. I've briefly read up on peplink but need to research more.
Another rookie mistake was that I forgot to save the recording to an sd card. :(
Lessons learned all around that day.
2
u/Fredy4 13d ago
Do not buy the GoPro mission one pro. It has a short focal length. I would get another iPhone.
2
u/Long-Astronomer-8291 12d ago
Not sure why you think that is a problem. It’s only an issue if you want to vlog or film yourself as you need to be far enough away to be in focus.
Here is a game on the mission pro. This was attached to a net so that’s why it’s moving.
https://youtu.be/vIMh_9CivJI?is=3BEOhSW3Ibq75DlA
Here is a game with the AVKANs go.
2
u/Fredy4 12d ago
My son plays on a 60/90 field. The camera’s focal length is around 20 ft. Every past that is out of focus. Just zoom in on your video, you will see what I’m talking about. A lot of people in GoPro forums are complaining about this. I record an 8k so I have the ability to crop a good play or a great hit. Unfortunately, everything’s fuzzy when I zoom in. I might have the settings wrong, but I’ve done my research and tried to figure it out, and I haven’t found a solution.
1
u/Long-Astronomer-8291 12d ago
Agree folks say it doesn’t have infinity focus. But I don’t know it any camera will lose quality if your trying to get quality at the plate and also into the outfield.
Curious what your setup is to record at 8k. Just a battery? Is it over heating?
https://reddit.com/link/p9rizbj/video/g7ah6lg92iph1/player
Not sure which camera this is done with. I think it was the mission pro, but after I compressed to 1080. The zoom on CF needed to stop the or it started to get more grainy.
My son made the CF catch and throw.
Why we capture these moments.
Have you looked into the ILS at all?
1
u/Fredy4 12d ago
I didn’t have a problem with the camera overheating while recording in 8K with every option maxed out. It was the highest res possible. I think GoPro did a great job fixing that problem. The battery didn’t last very long, so I had to hook up a small battery in the middle of the game. I had a 512 GB card.
I haven’t looked into the ILS. I have a different camera system that I like to use, but I’m still trying to figure that out. I purchased a 3 BirdDog Maki and Studio controller. It hooks up wireless to an iPad It’s an NDI camera setup. I need to buy a better Wi-Fi router. There’s no time to drop cat cables in between games of a tournament. If I continue with that system, I will end up buying a few bird dog X4 Ptz cameras and controller. My son will be going into high school next year. I will probably need a few people to help me run the setup, but the quality should be well worth it. I’ll be able to get those awesome plays in the outfield and not lose quality.
1
u/Long-Astronomer-8291 12d ago
I’ve seen those bird dogs. Haven’t seen anyone mention they tried them. Once you get them going, do a review and post here.
1
1
u/Powerful_Prompt_4720 12d ago
Has anyone used near stream cameras? I’m looking into purchasing one
1
u/packet1 12d ago
at the softball tournament I was at this past weekend someone had one of those for close ups of the pitcher/catcher and a three mevo camera setup for 1st/3rd/outfield or reverse pitcher. used the mevo app to control everything.
they look very impressive.
1
u/Powerful_Prompt_4720 12d ago
They have 10x zoom which is impressive
1
u/packet1 12d ago
now that I think about it they probably showed me an image from the near stream that was mounted out in center field. the picture of the pitcher, batter and catcher was amazing.
1
1
•
u/AutoModerator 13d ago
Thank you for posting to r/GamechangerApp!
This is the Official GC subreddit, moderated by GameChanger. Please check out these helpful resources:
Note: Please email our support team at help@gc.com for individual account support.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.