Refereeing Christmas Gifts? Technology?
 

So, did anyone get any Christmas gifts to use for officiating? I didn't...kind of...but my wife did add to my stable of Apple products with a Mini. That brings me to my next question...

How do most officials on the board use technology? This is how I use it:

1. Replay Booth for the iPad is a good tool for watching clipped plays. I especially like its ability to loop part of a play and the telestrator-type (sp?) functionality.
2. One conference I'm in requires video play reviews (YMTC plays with a space for us to enter our call/reference) and monthly rules quizzes.
3. I have a program for the Mac that allows me to watch a DVD and create video clips. I think it is called DVDxD or something like that.
4. I have used iMovie to make video clips. It is A LOT better than using VLC for the same purpose, but I only did this after ripping the entire game to my hard drive (each game takes up a bit of space).
5. I use Dropbox to upload and share video clips/files with my high school crew, college assigner, other officials, family, friends and just about anyone else that I want to share digital information with. The iPhone app makes it convenient while I'm away from home too. I don't know if Dropbox is new to the members of this board, but if it is you can sign up using this link - http://db.tt/PcrLCin
6. I have been on crews that use iPads to review plays in the locker room. I normally don't do this during a high school game because security isn't the same as a college game. However, there is a guy on my crew that had his in the locker room on Friday. He does video recording for the Mountain West conference so he has a ton of video - they use a system that allows for easy clipping.

With an emphasis on video review to help us find and correct play-calling mistakes, positioning, etc. technology is used more than ever. How do you use technology?

Oh, I forgot the thing we are doing right now...using the internet. This is something we certainly didn't do when I started.

I work in 2 conferences which use Tape Xchange. There is a local school that provides DVDs of games when requested.

I review videos on the NCAA-Men's site on Arbiter plus the Basketball Officials page on Facebook.

I sit in front of a computer all day at work, I'm not too interested in carrying around a computer with me the rest of the day.

I use the mobile Arbiter app on my iPhone 4, as well as, HUDL to watch game tape.

All that iPad video stuff you listed sounds really cool. My question is, how do you get the video onto your device? Does some sit in the stands with your iPad and record games?

I do too. I just can't get away from it I guess. The other day I was telling my wife that we should go out to eat and leave our phones in the car. Even that would be tough.

Can you switch views with the mobile Arbiter app to include do some assigning?

When you sync your iPad there is a place where you can add files for apps like Replay Booth, GoodReader, VLC and others. You add the video clips there.

My Samsung accomadates the full Arbiter site.

Techno-Luddite
 

Using officials on nights off to video games with association's Canon VIXIA HF R30 camera (handy .mp4 output--small files, each game less than a gig; audio jack for exterior microphone with which to do voice-over commentary on mechanics, positioning, etc.), uploading to GoogleDrive (30 gigs for 2.49/mo -- cheap!) to grant officials access next morning. Video clips, if/when necessary edited with the free version of VideoPad Video Editor. All footage goes only to crewmembers for self-review and analysis and to assigner for review if/as desired. Each official must sign up for a GoogleDocs account which is necessary to view the segments on GoogleDrive.

Works great for us and is catching on more and more, though I'm sure other organizations have better systems . . .

You mean through the browser right? That is what I do on my iPhone currently.

I don't think so. Then again, I'm not an assignor. There may be assigning functionality that I'm not aware of. I only use to view and accept games. Basic stuff.

Nice. I'll have to remember this when I *finally* get my iPad.

I'd eat this up! I've seen myself officiate football at the varsity level, but never basketball.

I don't mean to jack the OP's thread...:D...but this is a problem with high school officials in my experience. We have a local problem where officials are sensitive about others seeing their video, but they don't want to look at college or pro plays either. That leaves finding clips of high school plays on the internet. They are out there, but not in abundance.

DVBOA (not my association) has a dedicated site on YouTube that has lots of clips and also many full high school games.

We have pretty much worked through the hesitancy our officials have had over merely being recorded. The few who were against being recorded have been won over by the fact that all the others are getting better because of it, and now they want in on it, too.
For now, the video is only able to be accessed by the crew who did the game and the assigner. That assurance has gone a long way to win over the few who at first were against the concept of someone showing up taking footage of their game.

Has been a two-year process, but it's finally bearing some good fruit.

I tried the mobile site on the iPhone 4, but I found it still needs work. For example, when a partner changed for one of my games, only the "full" site had the listing; the mobile one did not.

Once the official who picked up the game has accepted it, his name will show up. Until then, it shows as "Pending" on the mobile site.

I have the NFHS Rules app on my iPad and on my iPhone.

I use the app "Court Coverage" on my iPad.

I use the Arbiter on my iPad and Mobile Arbiter on my iPhone.

I have my pre-game discussion on my iPad. However, I use Skydrive instead of Dropbox, as it has 7GB of free space.

Interesting you guys mention this. The last several months, my mobile arbiter has consistently shown my partners "pending" on many of my games even though the regular site indicates the names of both.

I keep thinking it's a bug that a update will fix, but I haven't seen an update for that app for quite a while.

Anyone else having that issue?

Yes, you have to clear your browser's cookies/data. On my iphone, I went to Settings>Safari>Clear Cookies and Data. Been good ever since.

I'm golden! Thanks! :)

Is the rules app worth the money? 6 bucks seems like a steep price considering you can find pdf's for free.

Price is steep but Its very convenient and easy to read on ipad. Also the bookmark funtion is great for organizing case book plays or rules you want to access quickly.

The NFHS apple app has both rule and case book. Since you have your phone with you all the time it makes it a great tool. Plus, the app links related rules together and you can also word search.

The Mountain West conference uses a company called DVSport. They have an app in the Apple App Store that is like $100 and sometimes is on sale for less. This app allows you to either record games via the iPad camera or to have the replay technician download the game that is cut-up onto the official's iPad.

A guy on my high school crew actually runs this for UNLV games and has the app on his iPad. It is a nice app and I could see paying $100...if I was on the highest tier of the Mountain West roster.

For Christmas my wife, who knows her husband likes tech toys, bought me an iPad Mini. Totally unexpected.

I bought my wife an IPad Mini for Christmas. Does that mean I need to make her start going to my games and record them? :D

OT: The kid who leads the Mountain West in scoring plays at the AFA. He's a local product (same HS as my son), son of a retired Army Lt. Col.