airshow webcam

[GerritWS]

I thoroughly enjoyed the airshow today (July 24, 2012) on my computer at home in Grand Rapids, MI, that is ... insofar I saw it - for it was very frustrating that the picture went down too often or went static. Overload? Didn't EAA figure on that many viewers? I sure hope it will be better tomorrow.

[Jim Rosenow]

Check the AirVenture 2012 Webcam Offical Thread; Especially the part about the entire webcam effort consisting of only TWO dedicated volunteers, who (for the 4th year now) drug their own computers and considerable personal abilities to OSH to provide this video service for us. Each year their coverage gets better with essentially the same resources. These guys should be running the government!! :-) Thanks Paul and Todd!

[Bill]

Why can't EAA put a smidgen of our membership dues behind the Airventure Webcams and give the two volunteers the equipment and bandwidth that they need to address the problems that we're seeing? After all, there are tens of thousands of EAAers who can't make it to Oshkosh and surely we deserve to have a buck or so of our dues spent on enhancing our vicarious enjoyment of Airventure.

[Jim Rosenow]

I'm told that EAA does provide the DSL lines and misc. equipment that goes with them.

I concur with your sentiment about equipment, Bill, but there are additional issues that may be even more difficult to address than equipment. Paul or Todd could explain more fully (in their spare time?), but I have some thoughts, based on my IT career.

Essentially, for 11 months out of the year, the area where the webcams are set up is a grass field with no internet access. Come Oshkosh (it'll always be Oshkosh to me, not A/V , the challenge becomes moving mass quantities of data from the grass to the servers at Discovery World for re-distribution to all of us. The type of 'pipe' needed is debatable, but obviously, he bigger the better, and the DSL's are marginal.

The logistics and cost of installing a T1 or greater to support the cams (remembering that the fees associated with the access don't go away when we all leave OSH) may well preclude such a solution.

What Paul and Todd are obviously good at is making the most of what there is. As technology matures, the ability to better compact data and new methodologies for moving it may be the only answer to the issue.

In the mean time, if the webcam guys need more stuff that is not available thru EAA, I'm willing to 'pay to play' to improve coverage and make Paul and Todd's life a bit easier. I've got the first $100 to put in a fund specifically for that purpose. Anybody else?

Jim
EAA 64315

[wyoranch]

I am as well
Rick

[dklord]

Ditto to Paul and Todd!

[GerritWS]

Thanks for your explanation, Jim, about Paul & Todd being volunteers who are rendering this service to fellow EAA-ers for the fourth year already. Wow, that IS dedication. I watched today's airshow (7/26/12) - with the unfortunate video cut-outs, static pictures and occasional lack of audio - but hearing about the odds Paul & Todd have to work with, as you describe them, I want to hereby express my appreciation to them for their work. Some of today's close-ups of the aircraft as they performed were stunningly beautiful!!! I'm looking forward to tomorrow's show and will be a lot more patient when the picture goes down or the audio falls out knowing what I know now. So, thanks Jim for enlightening us, and thanks Paul & Todd for your much appreciated work.

Gerrit
EAA 15606

[admiralinwi]

My only complaint about the airshow cam is that they don't seem to have communication with the people that plan the airshows. I know that it is difficult sometimes to video the airshow (I have have done it myself), but sometimes the camera goes down onto a building or is just on nothing. If there are 2 people, do they take turns manning the camera or are both of them there? It seems like if there are planes in the sky, they could be focusing a little more on the planes or pan out more, depending on what it happening in the show.

Marla

[Jim Rosenow]

It's a bit complicated, Maria. Unlike the other webcams, the airshow 'webcam' view piggy-backs on what EAA corporate is recording for themselves at the airshow. EAA has a sophisticated and expensive (someone said $70K??) camera run by (again, my understanding) a single EAA employee for the whole show.

Paul and Todd take the feed provided by that camera, work their magic and send it out to us.

My supposition is that the camerman may not hear the airshow announcer point out what's coming/where to look, and may not have a spotter to point out these tihngs for him. Something to think about for next year.