PortaView™
Details and Frequently Asked
Questions
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| PortaView - A Revolution in Learning and Teaching | |||
| What
is PortaView™? PortaView is 5D's highly affordable "portable viewing station"... the combination of a sun-viewable screen, high-capacity batteries, and a tripod or flexible mounting system. PortaView is simple, but potentially revolutionary, because it allows for immediate capture and frame-by-frame replay of any type of motion from most cameras and camcorders, on a large sun-viewable screen, at almost any location. This has not been possible until now. When combined with any of 5D's high-frame-rate recording systems, golfers and other sports enthusiasts now have the means to quickly capture, replay and display a swing or any other motion at 60-1,000 frames per second without the need for a computer...and under all lighting conditions. For professionals and amateurs alike, PortaView opens new doors in teaching and learning. Pro's... you can now leave your computer in the office. Forget the setup hassle. No more need for tents and umbrellas to create shade. No more struggle to view the screen. 30 frames per second? That's history. Step up to 60, 200... even 1,000 frames per second, for a fraction of the cost. And... you can still use your conventional swing analysis software when you get back to the office. Have you ever wanted to view your swing on the course between shots, or be able to immediately replay the swing of a student while they are on the course? Have you wanted to know why on-course swings are not as reliable as practice swings on the range? Now you can. Serious sports enthusiasts know video is key to improving any kind of complex motion. But 30 frames per second is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Replay at home or the office is inadequate as well. Replay needs to be immediate and continuous during practice. High frame rates provide incredible swing detail. PortaView makes all of this possible. |
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| Which cameras are
compatible with PortaView? Most cameras and camcorders will be compatible with the PortaView system. But some cameras are much better than others. The main requirement is that your camera have an AV port and a standard AV cable (typically with red, yellow and white plugs, but even just one AV plug is acceptable). If your camera came with one of these AV cables (also called a RCA cable), it is virtually certain to work with the PortaView system. If you plan to use a camera other than the ones sold by us, it is important to determine if it has the ability to replay a video frame-by-frame... or at least in very slow motion. Without this, you won't be able to view the details of your swing or motion with adequate precision. All 5D cameras can replay one frame at a time, backward and forward. Of great importance as well is the ability to capture and replay at more than 30 frames per second. 5D Tech offers camera systems for as little as $249 that capture and replay at 60 - 1,000 frames per second. See the videos here for more detail. Most camcorders record at 30 fps. While adequate, stepping up to 60 fps and higher provides far more information about the mechanics of a swing. |
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| Is the screen really
readable in direct sun? The PortaView screen is highly viewable under all outdoor and indoor conditions. Regardless of whether you are working in full direct sun or cloudy conditions, the screen will be very visible. However, the brightness of the image is very dependent on your camera and its settings. For this reason, it's best to use a camera that has flexible settings and can be adjusted for different light conditions. The viewability of the PortaView screen is substantially better than the LCD screen on your camera. Those screens can be hard to view in the sun, unlike the PortaView screen, which is far brighter and very viewable. |
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| How
much does it cost? Complete PortaView systems start for well under $300. Please note that this does not include a camera or any software. The above pricing is for the portable viewing station (7" and 9" models).... the sun-viewable screen, high capacity battery, tripod, and several accessories. The PortaView does NOT require any software. It is simply an extension to a camera or camcorder which allows video to be clearly viewed outdoors on a screen much larger than the one included in your camera. If you wish to purchase a low-cost, high-frame-rate video camera and/or PC or Mac compatible swing analysis software, visit the 5D store. Complete camera systems sell for less than $250. Packages combining the PortaView, a 60 frame-per-second camera, and 5D's Premium software can be purchased for well under $450. Compare this to a conventional 30 frame-per-second swing analysis system with a sun-readable laptop and software, typically costing in excess of $3,000, to appreciate the value of this new system. Even better, upgrade to our higher frame rate camera for just $150 more and gain access to immediate swing replay and analysis at up to 1,000 frames per second. This is not possible to replicate using a conventional laptop and camcorder setup. |
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| How
large is the video and the screen? The PortaView uses a 7" screen (new, larger 9" screen now available! - six times larger than most camcorder screens). The video you view on the PortaView will often be as large as what you would experience on your laptop or desktop while replaying a video through a typical swing analysis program. The reason for this is because the PortaView screen ONLY shows the video. No space is devoted to all the other functions one would normally find in swing analysis software. The actual size of the video window within most swing analysis software programs is far smaller than the screen. Videos on the PortaView are typically 4-5 inches in width and 3+ inches in height. This is approximately 4 times as large as the LCD on most newer cameras and camcorders! For example, if you have a camcorder with a 2.7" LCD, the 7" screen on the PortaView would contain the equivalent of four of these smaller screens. |
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| Can
I draw lines and
circles to help analyze a swing? You CAN draw lines and circles over the video to help analyze swing faults. Since there is no software involved with the PortaView (other than the built-in camera software which allows for movement backward and forward through the various frames of the video), we make it even simpler to draw lines and circles. The system comes with several dry erase markers and an eraser which can be used to draw directly on the screen. Yes, it's a bit old fashioned, but it works well. These dry erase drawings can be easily removed from the screen with the eraser without leaving any mark behind. Freehand drawing. Sometimes, you just can't beat it. |
Even draw lines and circles over the video! |
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| Can I do side-by-side
comparisons of two swings? As with drawing lines and circles, since there is no software involved, there's no opportunity to view side-by-side videos directly through the PortaView. But there's an easy way around this. All you need do is bring printed pictures of your favorite golfer, baseball player, tennis start, etc. capturing key frames of the swing. Then simply use those pictures to compare the correct position shown in the pictures to the frame-by-frame video shown on the PortaView. A bit old-fashioned again, but it's easy and quick. The advantage of having immediate access to high frame rate video on a large, sun-viewable screen right at the range far outweighs any disadvantages from not having built-in software to do side-by-side comparisons. |
Compare two swings? It's simple and flexible. |
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| How does the
system work on a golf course? Using the system on the course is easy and quick. Here are the steps to capture and replay a swing. 1). The screen and camera are typically mounted close to one another. This enables the camera to be operated by one hand, while the cart is being pushed by the other. For 5D Tech cameras, camera operation requires use of only a few buttons. 2). Position the cart so the camera is facing your body either in the "down the line" position (i.e. parallel to the target line) or the "face on" position. That usually means positioning the cart 3-5 paces from the ball. 3). To capture a swing, turn the screen on (using the Power button). Turn the camera on. Press the video capture button. 4). Take your swing. 5). Press the video capture button to stop the capture process. Then replay the swing. It's easy to push the cart and control swing playback right on the camera (at least on all cameras sold by us). FINALLY! ... a way to see just what happened in that last swing! No more mystery. Of course, you can continue to capture and save as many swings as you wish (i.e. in your camera's memory) to do a more thorough analysis when you get back home. 5D provides a full suite of software tools for both PC's and Mac's. |
Using PortaView on the course
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| Does the
course version work with any model of push cart? The PortaView "flexible mount" package comes with a mounting system designed to mount the screen to the handle of a push cart (or virtually any cart with a handle). This mount is flexible enough to allow the screen to be adjusted to virtually any angle, regardless of the angle of the cart's handle (see pictures here and videos here). When you order the "flexible mount" system, you are provided with a separate adapter designed to attach to the legs of most tripods. So if you already have a camcorder or camera with a tripod, it should be easy to attach it to the PortaView without the need for any other hardware. cameras or larger, heavier ones. The battery comes enclosed in a nylon mesh bag that is designed to hang down from roughly the center of the cart. We provide supplies so that you can quickly attach this battery bag to the underside of your cart. With the battery in this position, your cart will have a low-hanging weight to offset the (light) weight of the screen. |
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| How
long does the battery last? A fully charged battery provides up to three full hours of continuous viewing (meaning, the screen is assumed to be on continuously during this time). If the screen is turned off periodically, the battery life will increase substantially. (NOTE: new battery options provide 4-8 hours of battery life.) The screen can be turned off while capturing video on your camera. Turning it off will not effect operation of the camera. When using the PortaView on the course, it is highly recommended the screen be turned off in between shots. If you need the PortaView screen to be on for more than three hours, simply purchase additional batteries. It takes only seconds to swap them out and in. Have access to AC power? Just plug the screen directly into an extension cord and you've got unlimited power! Bypass the battery altogether. Can I buy extra batteries? How is the battery recharged? You can buy additional PortaView batteries for $39 each. Just plug the included charger in at night to recharge each battery. How much does the system weigh? The entire PortaView system, including the tripod, screen and battery, weighs under 10 pounds. Can I return it if I am not satisfied with it? You have 15 days to test the system from the time you receive it. If you are unhappy with it for any reason, simply return it for a full refund. |
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