Originally Posted by
Todd Ritzman
Ron,
I am assuming you are talking about the Airshow camera and not the Wayfinding Cameras as the cameras mounted on the wayfinding towers can not look up at the sky. Generally we have the wayfinding cameras running on an automated tour that stops at certain areas of activity or shows some of the general area of the airshow grounds. When the camera moves from point to point, the camera software decides how it is going to move the lens and is not something we can control.
For the Airshow Camera. We have been lucky to be able to provide this feed the last few years for those that have not been able to attend. The reason I say we are luck is we are not in charge of the camera or operator that we get this video from. He works for a different area and is given daily assignments of what items he is to capture during the day. So while he is recording the airshow, he also has to do some of his other assignments as well. Far as the camera being pointed at the sky, it can be very difficult to follow or find some planes as they are soaring or tumbling across the sky. There are times as well you will see the camera pointed at tents, trees, etc... this occurs as he is adjusting some of the balances on the camera as the conditions change. And there are times that the camera might just be parked in one position, he the only person up on the control tower operating the camera, standing out in the hot sun for hours at a time. He deserves a break once and awhile to get a drink or cool down a bit. You might not think running a camera is hard work, but when you are the only one doing it for hours at a time and standing in the hot sun, you will get tired. Without us being able to piggy back our video feed off this camera, we would not be providing this feed to you at all.
Far as the Pioneer Camera idea, I like that. We will add that to the list of possible additions in the future. We do hope to be able to provide some recorded footage of that this year from some action cameras that were added this year. What for some misc feeds during the day running on the Theater in the Woods Camera link. Remember this will be random, so check and see from time to time.
Todd Ritzman
Media Streaming Chairman