What is Digg?167 Comments
- Strongo, on 01/06/2009, -0/+98its all *****. they got these real fast runners who put it out every first down and roll it up real fast. I have a friend whose cousin works in the business. His girlfriend told me.
- captainpugwash, on 01/06/2009, -0/+68thank you. one of those things I didn't know but always forgot to find out
- deeboe, on 01/06/2009, -2/+62Neither team can reach a first down, so it has never really been a problem.
- censormagnet, on 01/06/2009, -0/+51so you thought the entire field was a massive flatscreen tv projecting the image of a grassy field also?
- KrisStrong, on 04/29/2009, -0/+37This is the best thing to happen to tv coverage since Vince McMahon's XFL Skycam!
- Lockhart1, on 01/06/2009, -2/+35I thought the linesmen painted a yellow line on the field between downs. I thought that was why they were called linesmen. I only read the article to find out how they got the old lines off so fast.
- qqqqqqqqq, on 01/06/2009, -1/+33A computer draws a line over the original camera footage in real time. To do this they render a yellow line usually only over the color green, aka grass on the field. They also know where, how, and what direction to render that yellow line over the screen, because they know where the camera is pointing at all times based on its location in the stadium, where it's pointing, and how far it's zoomed in.
- sgtsocial, on 01/06/2009, -0/+27This shot my theory all to hell. Im ashamed to even say what it was I was so far off. Thanks for this, whoever made it.
- hootie233, on 01/06/2009, -3/+29Wow explained very difficultly
- Pake, on 01/06/2009, -1/+24The "green screen" concept was obvious, but the one issue I still can't get around is how they filter the players when they wear green uniforms such as the Jets or the Packers.
- tgc1, on 01/06/2009, -0/+20So basically, what he's saying is that it's witchcraft. Gotcha.
- DChess5, on 01/06/2009, -1/+21i couldn't watch football anymore without it.
- Chamrox, on 01/06/2009, -0/+17Computers figure it all out and paint it on the TV.
- hometack, on 01/06/2009, -0/+15This article has more information and is a little more clear:
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/first-down- ... - inactive, on 01/06/2009, -0/+14I feel a "REAL MEN OF GENIUS" commercial going on inside my head right now.
- SkippyDoorknob, on 01/06/2009, -0/+14They hire from the group of people who run out and grab the balls that hit the net in tennis matches.
- crazyhorse13, on 01/06/2009, -0/+12Because that technology is readily available. They just used the existing extra mic channels like a dial-up modem.
- Chebsi, on 01/06/2009, -1/+13...it's digital?
- drachemorder, on 01/06/2009, -0/+11I find it funny that the refs bring out the chains and measure for a first down to exquisite precision when you KNOW there's no way anyone could possibly spot the ball that accurately in the first place.
- aexny, on 01/06/2009, -0/+10Newer systems ditch the pan/tilt/zoom encoders sending positioning data from the cameras and use motion estimation instead. After initial calibration shots of the field, a dedicated PC calculates the camera's motion from frame to frame using only the incoming video feed. At least one of the big networks actually does this (and inserts the line) in their central broadcast facility, as opposed to on-site at the game. That means fewer people and less equipment needed at each game.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_estimation - xxbuddaxx, on 01/06/2009, -0/+10hey man, im one of the developers on fandome and was not aware it was doing this now (we just made a bunch of upgrades to the player). thanks for pointing it out, we'll get it fixed
- threon, on 01/06/2009, -0/+9The football players project a holographic line from lasers on their helmets.
- dzneill, on 01/06/2009, -0/+9It's MAGIC!
- tostrye, on 01/06/2009, -0/+9So the referees don't have crayons?
- wrzhydr, on 01/06/2009, -0/+9i just thought there were sensors in the yellow or orange markers on the side of the field that mark the first down.
- jpsondag, on 01/06/2009, -1/+9Love the yellow line, hate this line though:
"This is just a reminder that the yellow line on the field is NOT official."
--JP - bpoteat, on 01/06/2009, -0/+8That guy should be a millionaire. Though, I imagine he probably just gets paid an above-average salary for some firm.
- SimplyPerfect, on 01/06/2009, -1/+9I met the guy who came up with the idea and wrote the software for the yellow line
- inactive, on 01/06/2009, -0/+8Damn it, ya caught me.
- Suzilla, on 01/06/2009, -0/+8Wait ... YALE has a football team?
- sweetlez, on 01/06/2009, -0/+7Data transferring through audio channels? How retro.
- deeboe, on 01/06/2009, -0/+7I thought the same thing. Like infrared or something between the 2 markers that the camera would be able to pick up.
- bushout, on 01/06/2009, -0/+7que?
- Drazzim12, on 01/06/2009, -2/+9You had a hypothesis, not a theory.
- Chahrlie5, on 01/06/2009, -0/+7That's a lot of work for a line
- BoneStamp, on 01/06/2009, -0/+6The operator indicates the position of the line. The computer draws the line on the video at the proper angle and thickness based on the tilt / pan / zoom of the camera. Color values for the field are set so the line is only drawn over top of those colors.
- inactive, on 01/06/2009, -0/+6Didn't video games use that line for years before the NFL?
- trafficlight, on 01/06/2009, -0/+6It's truth.
- pathouston22, on 01/06/2009, -3/+9I work in video production, so I understood it all. I can simplify.
The camera sends all the information (zoom, focus, tilt, pan) of what it is doing back to a computer. Computer analyzes, then chroma keys (like the weatherman standing in front of a green wall) the yellow line to the image.
Tada! - thegamingguy, on 01/06/2009, -3/+9This technology along with sensors in the balls could make spotting the ball a science rather than a crapshoot if they chose to take it to the next level.
- inactive, on 01/06/2009, -0/+5A while back I was explaining to a friend how this could be achieved, the only thing that I thought they used was markers on the field. (lasers of some sort, to measure the position of the cameras relatively to the field)
- Yegger, on 01/06/2009, -1/+6I like my sports with Human error. No more replays in baseball either.
- airwalkery2k, on 01/06/2009, -0/+5Every time I watch a football game and get bored, I always think about this thing too. I'm glad the answer came to me instead of having to use Google.
- mrlost117, on 01/06/2009, -1/+6My Grandpa always said that gnomes did it
- inactive, on 01/06/2009, -1/+6Can anybody translate all that into plain English?
- luke374, on 01/06/2009, -1/+6There's got to be a better way!
- anders5689, on 01/06/2009, -0/+5Except....not really.
I suppose they could look at replay and try and see exactly where the ball was at the EXACT MOMENT that the player's knee touched the ground....but that would be too much to do every play.
If they just had this with a sensor in the ball, what are we supposed to do when the player drops the ball as he hits the ground, the player rolls, the ball gets adjusted in a pileup, all sorts of things. It's not just about knowing where the ball is, it's knowing where the ball is at the exact moment when the player hits the ground...which would involve a lot more sensors.
Or we could just stick with what we have, which is fairly accurate (most of the time), and if something is off you can challenge the spot and the video replay can tell u exactly where it should be. - xero91, on 01/06/2009, -0/+4And how do you suppose they incorporate the exact position of when the knee went down? Sensors in the knees?
- theaceoffire, on 01/06/2009, -0/+4 They have to wear knee padding anyway, why not?
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