Home game with cameras/youtube

[Taso]

I want to rig my home game with cameras (hole cams, one cam to watch the entire game) and then put it on youtube. I'd also like to have it so the action could be watched in another room.

I'm going to cut small squares into the table top for the hole cams, these parts are easy.

Making it so the action could be seen in the next room over seems more difficult. Is there some sort of "hub" that would allow multiple cameras to onto one screen? These would be cheap webcams/laptop cams.

Also, would anyone be interested in watching this? This sounds really cool to me, and a few other regulars here, but maybe you all think its stupid?

Any advice?

Thanks

[ericmalone]

You can do this, no problem... it will just take some work.

You need to get networkable web-cams and run ethernet to all of them, you might consider power-over-ethernet so you don't have to run a lot of cable through your table. I don't know what your budget is so I don't know how fancy you can get. Regardless, run the cameras to your network and choose whatever software you want to display the streaming video on your "display" computer. (You might have to configure the IP addresses for the camera's if you don't use DHCP)

You don't need youtube, you can simple stream the camera's live through your internet connection. It's more costly/complicated to actually record the sessions, but it can certainly be done.

[cardshark]

Well, two things:

1 - You will need a light source next to the hole card cams.

2 - You will need to do editing.

For a high quality show you need cameras with 600 lines and record on separate DV tapes. However, you can also get a multi-channel DVR and record all cameras at once on the DVR. Then later you can do your editing (don't even attempt live switching if you don't have experience).

Why do you want to monitor the live game in the other room? You got a player planted? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Taso]

Thanks for the responses gentlemen - will read again in the morning when I can actually think.

lol Cardshark - I'm not sure why, people think it'd be cool to be able to watch what's going on during say the final table of a big tournament. Not sure how we'd use it for the cash game we play, because I wouldn't want people going in and out, and it'd have to be pretty secure (no cell phones, etc)

[Lottery Larry]

[ QUOTE ]
lol Cardshark - I'm not sure why, people think it'd be cool to be able to watch what's going on during say the final table of a big tournament. Not sure how we'd use it for the cash game we play, because I wouldn't want people going in and out, and it'd have to be pretty secure (no cell phones, etc)

[/ QUOTE ]

This could go bad very quickly. Think about this very carefully before you decide to allow live viewing.

[Taso]

http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-WVC54G.../dp/B000DZM4TC
I found those on ebay ^ from a wholesaler for around $25 each - not sure if its BS or not. Not that I'm anywhere near being ready to buy (broke) but those seem like they'd be perfect right? (this wohle thing seems like it's going to be much easier than I thought)

As for the live viewing room - I'm not even sure if we will do this, but if we do I'm really not too worried about it. We're all very good friends, honest people. We'd probably have the room on the opposite side of the house, downstairs (big house here) and have someone inside for security, as well as some very strict rules about voice levels etc, that would have big consequences. And I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have it for the cash game.

[cardshark]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
lol Cardshark - I'm not sure why, people think it'd be cool to be able to watch what's going on during say the final table of a big tournament. Not sure how we'd use it for the cash game we play, because I wouldn't want people going in and out, and it'd have to be pretty secure (no cell phones, etc)

[/ QUOTE ]

This could go bad very quickly. Think about this very carefully before you decide to allow live viewing.

[/ QUOTE ]

That was precisely my point. Just look what happened to those guys that got arrested for rigging a high-stakes game in AC. It would only take one of the players getting upset at losing a big pot to accuse you of rigging the game wit cameras. The evidence (the cameras) would be right there and you may have a hard tome proving the game was on the square.

The TV tournaments are (supposedly) regulated by all the appropriate agencies. Weather or not their games are subject to rigging is a totally different discussion. What is important is the difference between these games and a home-game version. If anyone accuses them of rigging the games, they can always point the finger at the regulatory agencies. However, in the event that anyone accuses you of rigging your games, you are trapped, and in your jurisdiction you are probably running an illegal game, anyway. If anyone makes an official report to the cops, the authorities would have a lot of evidence against you.

Since it seems like you are doing this for fun, you may want to consider doing this with play-money games, just for bragging rights, and the opportunity to be featured on YouTube.

Just my 2 cents. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Humble Pie]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd also like to have it so the action could be watched in another room.


[/ QUOTE ]

Do you mean for spectators to watch live from another room?

[BusterFlush]

I would be concerned Broadcasting this due to robbery and security issues.

[27offsuit]

You will never do this.

Stop it.