be used to practice hitting normal shots at consistent speeds?
Can a break-speed app...
- Thread starter PhilosopherKing
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If the room is quiet, yes. Pool hall with ambient noise etc, possibly no.
I think it only works for breaks because of the known distance between the head string and spot on each size table. I’ve never used one but it seems like it would be the time between sounds that is gauged.
Thinking about it more I guess you could still get a consistent speed down with the same shot set up it just wouldn’t be the actual speed.
Thinking about it more I guess you could still get a consistent speed down with the same shot set up it just wouldn’t be the actual speed.
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Pardon my ignorance but what is a break speed app? And how does that work?
Ding ding ding :thumbup:
Search for Predator speed app.its maybe $6.
Set your table size and set the points where the cb is located. Place the phone on the rail. It listens to the break hit and when it hits the head ball. Calculates the mph.
I only play one pocket. That should be funny. I think I will do it.
That's exactly right. It measures the time between the tip/ball and ball/ball collisions and does the math with the distance. I think it's more accurate than a radar gun.
You input the distance in inches, so it can measure the actual speed for any shot. The problem I see is that the tip/ball sound might not be loud enough for non-break shots.
pj
chgo
I've used the predator break app to measure speeds of shots that are half table and longer.
Other than the break shot, stop shots and stun shots seem to be most accurate for some reason, especially at ~4 diamonds away.
Bottom line:
The speed apps actual speed number itself is not important to me... what's important to me is the consistency. It's a good tool to dial in consistency on shot speeds.
Someone has asked me about break speed apps. What is a good one? Roughly what are the speeds you have measured for yourselves and your friends?
Predator for sure.
It's an eye opener. I thought I had a decent break, but when I first started using the app my break was averaging around 17mph, maxing out around 19mph. With the app and some practice I was able to get a consistent, and accurate 22mph, and 25mph without the accuracy. My friends were similar.
Possibly the best $6 I've ever spent.
Edit: To answer the OP, it will do what you want just fine as long as you input the distance between the object ball and the cueball accurately.
I thought the break speed app was a few bucks, but then when predator took it over from its original developer, they made it free. I might be mis-remembering...
Also, this is a prime example of a tech device for pool that made huge waves when released 6 or 7 years ago, and then quickly was forgotten. Same as the digital stroke trainers it seems.
I think when they are released they are fun to mess around with. But after the novelty wears off, you just put them in a drawer and go back to shooting pool. At least that has been my experience with all the gadgets thus far
Also, this is a prime example of a tech device for pool that made huge waves when released 6 or 7 years ago, and then quickly was forgotten. Same as the digital stroke trainers it seems.
I think when they are released they are fun to mess around with. But after the novelty wears off, you just put them in a drawer and go back to shooting pool. At least that has been my experience with all the gadgets thus far
I've only used the Predator app (and not in a long time), but I agree it's pretty good. Convenient, quick and easy to use - I think it keeps a record for you too.
I think it's also pretty good at recognizing the correct break sounds in a noisy pool room.
pj
chgo
Seems a bit over-the top for this, why not simply see how far the cueball or the object ball travel on the shot? Or setup a target and hit the ball to the target to see how good it travels.
Seems the goals of what you want to practice is not the same as measuring break speed.
You are practicing controlling the balls to a specific area not how fast you are hitting the cueball really. You have a lot of different things happening there not just cueball speed, cloth type and wear, rail type and wear, spin you may or may not have put on the ball by accident, how solid you contact the object ball to maintain force transfer, etc.. Being able to hit a ball at 5mph and knowing what that stroke feels is one thing, but it will not help you to adjust since you won't know the final location of the balls without practice on a specific table.
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I was thinking about the systems some instructors use for quantifying speed-of-stroke and thought the app could be a useful tool.
Sure it could be done (if someone had enough interest to make it profitable).
It's all about measuring distance between the balls, start and stop of the sound...