Looking for simple way to take decent video of myself.

banged up

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Title pretty much sums it up coming back after a 25-year break from pool. Not that tech savvy my phone does not take the best video really but i have a tripod and remote, but it does not seem to have slow mo. feature to break down what is happening.
Any ideas on a decent setup that's user friendly is appreciated.
Also, general advice to improve after long layoff is appreciated other than hit a million balls.
 
Title pretty much sums it up coming back after a 25-year break from pool. Not that tech savvy my phone does not take the best video really but i have a tripod and remote, but it does not seem to have slow mo. feature to break down what is happening.
Any ideas on a decent setup that's user friendly is appreciated.
Also, general advice to improve after long layoff is appreciated other than hit a million balls.
Assuming you have a smart phone - what is your phone's operating system? We could probably help you get set up to record slow motion with it, since you've already got the other tools to support using it.
 
If you can get the video from your phone to a laptop there are viewers that have slow motion and other features. With Android/ Windows I just connect with USB and the phone's folder is available on the laptop.
 
Assuming you have a smart phone - what is your phone's operating system? We could probably help you get set up to record slow motion with it, since you've already got the other tools to support using it.
android
 
If you can get the video from your phone to a laptop there are viewers that have slow motion and other features. With Android/ Windows I just connect with USB and the phone's folder is available on the laptop.
What viewer do you recommend?
 
What viewer do you recommend?
I use VLC which is free, but there are probably better ones around. VLC sometimes locks up for me on single-step and has no "single backstep".

Or, you could upload the video to YouTube and use its features which include slow-mo and single forward/back step. If you wanted to get feedback from an instructor, using YouTube could be a good way to share the video.
 
If you are setting up at a pool room....camera phone on a tripod is about as simple as it gets....

If you are like me and have a home table...My laptop doubles as a desktop and is connected to a larger monitor and I use a wireless keyboard and mouse.....I have the laptop sitting on a shelf above the monitor aimed at the pool table.......I just open the lid and use the laptop camera for video....It is not going to be studio quality...but it is cheap and easy....and like mentioned there are third party software options.....
 
I use VLC which is free, but there are probably better ones around. VLC sometimes locks up for me on single-step and has no "single backstep".

Or, you could upload the video to YouTube and use its features which include slow-mo and single forward/back step. If you wanted to get feedback from an instructor, using YouTube could be a good way to share the video.
I've given up using VLC. I think it's horrible in playback unless you watch the clip all the way through with no stops and starts and reversals.
 
The best app that I've come across for recording slow motion video on Android was an app called "Hudl" - it is designed around coaching, and in general is an all-in-one app for team communications, practice routines, video recording, etc. It was free when I used it, but it has been a long time because I've been using a Pixel which, although also Android, has the feature built in (someone can come in and correct me, and help you, if other Android phones have it built in).
 
Is there a better playback app than VLC for windows? I tried searching on-line but the info seems all about viewing movies rather than looking closely at short clips. Things that I know I would like to see:

Stable (VLC fails this)
variable speed
loop over a short section (VLC is Ok but not great at this)
single step forward and back
handles many video formats

Would be nice:

bookmarks
other features?
 
Is there a better playback app than VLC for windows? I tried searching on-line but the info seems all about viewing movies rather than looking closely at short clips. Things that I know I would like to see:

Stable (VLC fails this)
variable speed
loop over a short section (VLC is Ok but not great at this)
single step forward and back
handles many video formats

Would be nice:

bookmarks
other features?
It has been a long time since I've been on a Windows machine, but I do recall WinAmp having those features for audio files and it appears, based on some of the stuff on their website, it might be full featured for video playback nowadays.

Seems like an option worth exploring?
 
I have a great app that Dan White suggested a few years ago. It's called "Coach's Eye", but I don't believe it's available on the Google play store anymore. The app allows you to scroll through your video frame by frame. You can edit, add text, graphics, sound, etc...

There is a similar app available called "CoachView".
 
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