Video Equipment

I use a Canon and it is quite good. Has good zoom and I like that you can turn the mini screen around and the vcr buttons are there for you to control the review while the screen is reversed.
Make sure it has a Fire wire port for down loading to a computer.
I have had mine for 4-5 years.

Make sure it is a 20x OPTICAL Zoom. Many of the digitals advertise a crazy 400-700 DIGITAL ZOOM, but you lose clartity with digital zoom.

JT gives good advice about the digital/optical zoom. The higher the optical zoom the better quality you will get on scenes you have to zoom in on. Once your camera goes into the digital zoom mode the quality rapidly decreases. (Don’t confuse digital zoom with digital camera … that is two different subjects) Since I don’t know much about this whole video process I probably won’t talk over your head. Digital Video connects, interacts, and uses the same language as a computer whereas the older analog technology has to be converted to digital information in order to do anything with it on a computer. I firmly believe that in today’s changing technology you need to go with a digital video camera. The MiniDV is nothing more than the phraseology used to describe a particular type of digital camera (camcorder) that uses a small tape much like an audio cassette the video is recorded on. There are other styles that use disks too but I think the MiniDV is the most common. The digital camera I refer to is really a digital camcorder because it is also used for playback. Once you capture your video on the camera (camcorder) you can the play it back in on your TV by using a A/V cable supplied with the camera or hook it to you computer by a couple of different methods ( USB or firewire). You can also transfer and edit that video on your computer using different software such as Moviemaker which comes with Windows XP. You can edit and burn DVDs is or VCD (Video CDs) if your computer is so equipped or you can even forget the computer and transfer it from your camera to a VHS recorder if you like using the A/V cable. Storing your digital video onto a VHS tape is regressing in technology but it does work if you don’t have DVD or CD burning ability.
Confused? Me too but it is fun learning about the new technology.
Fungo

Fungo,

Great info on the DV camcorder technology!

That leads into questions I have been wanting to ask.
1) How much time will a college coach devote to watching the DVD ?
2) I'm thinking quality rather than quanity. Maybe 15-30 mins of game highlights? Or does the coach want to see LHP pitch a full innings or more. (My son is a junior (AA) LHP who I have been told has big school potential.)
3) How is the best way to get the DVD (or VHS) into the hands of the appropiate college coach? (I thougth of e-mailing profile info with the option for us to send the DVD if requested.)

What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks

Snyder,
While I did make a video of my son I never sent one out because the letters came in before I got to the point of sending them out. I’ll give you my thoughts even though I know others are more knowledgeable on this and can give better advice than me. I think the best method to get the video to a college coach is to somehow pre-announce the arrival of the video and to ask the coach take a few minutes and look at the video. I assume you would do this by face to face conversation, a phone call, letter, or email. I prefer actual voice communications over a letter or email.
I would make the video brief---- not over 10 min. Five years ago I did mine on VHS but today I think the DVD format is the most effective because it is playable on computers, is very compact, and cost less to duplicate and mail. It cost about .25 cents to duplicate a DVD and .87 cents to mail it.
You need to think like a college coach here. He’s looking for something other than what you want to send him. You want to send him a video of where your son got the walk-off homerun to win the district championship and he could care less about that. He is looking for talent. You need to showcase your son’s talent as best you can in a video. This is not about showing the scoreboard or the high five after the homerun it’s about showing the mechanics of the swing that produces home runs. Your son’s position will determine what you would include in your video. I would think a round of BP for a hitter or a pitcher throwing a pen or a fielder taking ground balls would be the first thing I would show. I would edit out all the “dead” time. You’d be surprised how many swings, pitches, or ground balls you can show in just a couple of minutes.
Be sure to write your son’s personal information on the face of the DVD.
Hope this helps.
Fungo
Pitchers need one of those video cameras like the Scouting Bureau uses that has the built in radar that superimposes the speed on the video ....

I sent out a lot of DVD because it was the only way to showcase schools that were never going to see my LHP.
There were large and small files. I also recommend that you use CD fotmat if you are going to keep it brief. More coaches have that technplogy than DVD. A few need VHS but not many.
CD/DVD allows you to pick and choose what you watch so a resume outlining each game/workout is bebeficial. A brief description as to quality of comp,lenth of video and results helps the coach pick and choose.
We used full edited games in somecases and did not add effects. It is not a home movie.
I had some coaches who watched evfery video and asked for more as the season ptogressed.
Each coach is different and I tried to cater to all.
I like DVD/CD because they can pick and choose,start and stop if they wanted. VHS you have to run the tape to see everything.
We had several offers without the coach ever seeing my son play in person. Some wanted him to come for a workout. The coach who signed him never saw him in person until we arrived on campus.
The key is showing your son pitch against very very good players. We also showed the good and the bad because cherry picking hurts your credibility. It also shows him under pressure.

Fungo and Bobblehead,

Thanks for all the great info.

And congratulations on having so much success with your talent tapes/CDs and DVDs.

I trying to have something ready in case it is needed or ask for by coaches. Hope to send out some e-mails and/or calls about mid to late season. Maybe have him (player) call after I e-mail.
I understand your thoughts on what to put on the film. I have been trying to think like a coach thur the whole process which has been time consuming and mind boggling but enjoyable so far.
Good ideas about:
1) Writing player info on face of CD/DVD.
2) Showing the good and the bad.
3) Show pitching against very good players.
4) Maybe using CD instead of DVD.

I have had fun going thur this process and am trying to avoid all the pitfalls. Most of all trying not to over rate or under rate my son.

Fungo,
Hopefully after they see his curveball and changeup we won't need that fancy video camera you speak of.

Snyder - One of the people who started our company coached college baseball for ten years at a D1 school. He and his Baseball friends have consistently said that coaches are looking for one thing in a skills video: fundamentals/mechanics.
He has also stressed that coaches do not look for highlight footage as a player can have ten minutes of highlights and 2 hours of bad highlights. Kevin recommends 2-5 minutes tops on the length and all the extra stuff like music and such is not neccessary. If you have the technology available, we edit videos so that there is NO downtime in-between pitches, swings, etc. This will allow you to make the video 2 minutes versus 5-10 minutes. A coach can tell a lot in a couple of minutes.
I know I may be oversimplifying this when I say this, but one thing players and parents forget is that a video is just an "interest getter". A coach is not going to sign a player just because he sees a video. He stills needs to see the player in person. However, a good video with proper angles and conciseness will also score points with a coach.
Lastly, we also recommend player and parents keep their videos in two formats: VHS and DVD. CD is not a bad idea either, but not neccessary. It is not suggested that you send a video unsolicited. Send an intro letter or intro e-mail and ask the coach if you can send them the video. Let the coach tell you if they want it mailed or e-mailed.
If you would like our free list of instructions on a making a good video, please e-mail at mark@ebaseballclub.com.

One other thing on e-mail. I inserted stills on the e-mail as opposed to attaching them.
If you have some stills showing key mechanics at various stages, insert a couple so that when the coach opens the e-mail a great shot of your son is in his face 1st. Make sure if you do this the coaches e-mail will not block photos. I ran into that a couple of times.
As Fungo said you can be brief and put it on a CD as apposed to a DVD. Most DVD players will play CDs but CD players won't play DVD.

With today's technology isn't it also possible to attach video and stills to email and just get it to the coaches that way? What are the other options? You can up load the video to your computer then burn it on to a CD? Man, I'm getting lost. I think I've narrowed my choice down to a Canon ZR700. It's got 25X optical zoom in a mini DV format. The price is right too. These small camcorders will mount on pretty much any tripod won't they?

I have the earlier versiom of that. Don't forget firewire port and you don't need a flash card to stoe photos. It a waste as you can edit shots out on the computer.
My e-mail program allows you to insert a picture which puts it right on the page. You don't have to open it. Has visual impact.

I was afraid to ask about the scouting camera Fungo mentioned....thought I might be going Snipe Hunting.

But I found this:

http://hsbaseballweb.com/pro-scouting/scouting_new_territory.htm

I'm amazed!

Snyder56,
If I say the moon is made out of cheese you can get out a jar of mayo and make yourself a sandwich. Nope, I wouldn't pull your leg ..... altho I have been accused of jerking folk's chains at times.
Small world .... I have met the young lady in your article that shoots the video for the scouting Bureau.
Fungo
PS: Sounds like you was the "bag man" on at least one snipe hunt!

Interesting you mention that, Fungo. I saw the lady with radarvideocameradevice at a recent HS scrimmage. Her and 6 scouts to watch a meaningless March SCRIMMAGE. The guy they were scouting hit 93, so I am sure it was worth it. Still beat anything I'd ever seen.