Pro Cup TV Balls

[iacas]

As I sit here and look across the room (eight feet or so) at a set of Aramith Pro Cup TV balls, the 3, 4, and 5 balls are awfully similar in color. Particularly the 4 and 5. (The same holds true of the 11/12/13, naturally.)

I realize they were developed for TV, but oftentimes when watching pool on TV with these balls, I still can't tell the difference between the 4 and 5 balls very easily, particularly when they show the table from above.

There are a lot of other colors out there. For example, given that one ball is white (cue) and one is black (8), you need seven other colors. So, what's wrong with:

1) red
2) blue
3) yellow
4) green
5) brown
6) light purple (more a lavender, so it doesn't look like the blue one)
7) grey

Why are pool balls the color they are? Color blindness is clearly not a factor - red and green balls exist, and as I said, the 3/4/5 in the Pro Cup TV are awfully close. There are a lot of ways to get 7 colors out there...

So a couple of questions (this could be fun, but I'm curious too):
a) if you were designing a set of balls for easy recognition on a variety of colors of cloth, what seven colors would you choose?
b) do you have trouble seeing the 3/4/5 on TV?

 

[Gregg]

Someone has a lot of time on their hands...

 

[5ballcharlie]

As I sit here and look across the room (eight feet or so) at a set of Aramith Pro Cup TV balls, the 3, 4, and 5 balls are awfully similar in color. Particularly the 4 and 5. (The same holds true of the 11/12/13, naturally.)

I realize they were developed for TV, but oftentimes when watching pool on TV with these balls, I still can't tell the difference between the 4 and 5 balls very easily, particularly when they show the table from above.

There are a lot of other colors out there. For example, given that one ball is white (cue) and one is black (8), you need seven other colors. So, what's wrong with:

1) red
2) blue
3) yellow
4) green
5) brown
6) light purple (more a lavender, so it doesn't look like the blue one)
7) grey

Why are pool balls the color they are? Color blindness is clearly not a factor - red and green balls exist, and as I said, the 3/4/5 in the Pro Cup TV are awfully close. There are a lot of ways to get 7 colors out there...

So a couple of questions (this could be fun, but I'm curious too):
a) if you were designing a set of balls for easy recognition on a variety of colors of cloth, what seven colors would you choose?
b) do you have trouble seeing the 3/4/5 on TV?

WOW what kind of balls you playing with. My tv balls are
1 is dark yellow
2 is dark blue
3 is dark red
4 is pink
5 is dark orange
6 is dark green
7 is a wine color a light brown
8 is dark black
the cue ball is white with measle spots on it

 

[iacas]

WOW what kind of balls you playing with. My tv balls are

Please re-read my post. I was listing seven colors that should all be unique enough to avoid having the 3/4/5 look almost identical as they do in the Pro Cup TV set (red/pink/orange).

 

[catscradle]

Please re-read my post. I was listing seven colors that should all be unique enough to avoid having the 3/4/5 look almost identical as they do in the Pro Cup TV set (red/pink/orange).

You sure you aren't somewhat color blind? I think those balls are easily distinguished just as they are.

 

[stephen_joyce]

Please re-read my post. I was listing seven colors that should all be unique enough to avoid having the 3/4/5 look almost identical as they do in the Pro Cup TV set (red/pink/orange).

I also suspect you may be slightly color blind. Not joking sorry, those balls are easily told apart
Regards
SJ
PS i do know the middle color is magenta but that looks pink to me. LOL

 

[iacas]

No, sorry, my color separation is actually in the 90th percentile in my right eye and 85th percentile in my left eye. I'm near-sighted, but it's nothing glasses or contacts don't correct, and that has nothing to do with color perception or separation. As a web developer, I've relied on my eyes in choosing designs and whatnot for years. (And lest you think my eyes have gone bad, they were last tested four months ago.)

If you care to scroll up, you'll see that I asked why pool balls were the color they are. I also asked what seven colors you'd choose if you could choose your own for whatever reasons - larger differences in color, more pleasing colors, etc. As I said before, there are a lot of colors out there. Choosing red/pink/orange does not seem to have any basis in science, particularly when you consider the science of television and the fact that most people have an over-saturated picture on their television which will further serve to blend the red/pink/orange together.

So a couple of questions (this could be fun, but I'm curious too):
a) if you were designing a set of balls for easy recognition on a variety of colors of cloth, what seven colors would you choose?
b) do you have trouble seeing the 3/4/5 on TV?

If you don't want to partake in that conversation, that's fine. But failing to read the post and telling me my TV balls are not right or telling me I'm color blind (when I'm not) really doesn't advance the discussion at all.

P.S. Lighting has a tremendous impact on color separation and perception. But it's my guess that most pool halls really don't focus on the quality and clarity of lighting... in pro or televised events, sure. For home use or pool hall use, not so much...

 

[catscradle]

...
If you don't want to partake in that conversation, that's fine. But failing to read the post and telling me my TV balls are not right or telling me I'm color blind (when I'm not) really doesn't advance the discussion at all.

...

My, my you are the sensitive one. Nobody was attacking your vision (at least I wasn't). Some of us just stated that the balls used seemed very distinctive, maybe there is something wrong with our color vision which makes them more distinct one from the other. Personally I'm perfectly happy with the original, non-tv, colors. I don't see any really need for the tv balls or the colors you suggested.
Speaking for myself I read your whole post, but didn't see any point on commenting on the part I had no contribution on.

 

[iacas]

My, my you are the sensitive one. Nobody was attacking your vision (at least I wasn't). Some of us just stated that the balls used seemed very distinctive, maybe there is something wrong with our color vision which makes them more distinct one from the other. Personally I'm perfectly happy with the original, non-tv, colors. I don't see any really need for the tv balls or the colors you suggested.
Speaking for myself I read your whole post, but didn't see any point on commenting on the part I had no contribution on.

You didn't see any point in commenting, but you saw a point in saying only "You sure you aren't somewhat color blind? I think those balls are easily distinguished just as they are."?

Okay, whatever...

I'm not sensitive. I just think that if you can't answer or don't want to answer the questions posed, then you're better off simply ignoring the thread, because failure to do so kills threads. This thread now has little to no chance of getting answers to the original questions.

 

[supergreenman]

Personally I don't Care What Color The Balls are As long as They roll straight.