Guide

How to mount the camera

A phone is all you need. What matters is where it hangs: the higher the view of the court, the more accurate positions, running paths and shot detection become.

Behind the court.Centred.As high as possible.

Side view: the height

Top view: the position

A standard court is 20 m long and 10 m wide. The back wall is 3 m of glass with 1 m of mesh on top.

Four ways to mount the phone

From the best option to the last resort. The letters match the sketch.

On the mesh above the glass

Best option · 3 to 4 m

The mesh starts where the glass ends. A hook-on or clamp mount sits above everyone's head there, with no glass between camera and court. From here the analysis sees the whole court without reflections.

You need: A fence mount for your phone, plus a telescopic pole or a ladder to get it up there. A safety tether in case the mount slips.

Suction cup on the glass

Very good · 2 to 2.5 m

Stick the suction cup to the outside of the back wall, as high as you can reach. Important: the lens sits flat against the glass. Any gap between lens and glass shows the court lighting as a reflection in your video.

You need: A suction cup mount with a phone clamp. Wipe the spot dry first, suction cups hold badly on dusty or cold glass. Use a safety tether here too.

Tall stand behind the glass

Good · 2 to 3 m

A light stand from a photo shop extends to two or three metres and stands on its own. Push it close enough to the glass that the lens almost touches it.

You need: A light stand or tall tripod with a phone clamp. In narrow walkways behind the court, make sure nobody walks into it.

Regular tripod at eye level

Last resort · 1.5 m

It works, but gives the least accurate numbers: the near players hide the far ones, and court depth is hard to judge from a flat angle. Better than no video, nothing more.

You need: Any tripod. If there is a stand, a bench or a railing: use it.

Framing the shot

Before you press record, take one look at the screen.

Landscape. Always horizontal. It is the only way the court fits the frame.
The whole court. Both baselines, both side walls and the net have to be visible. When you upload, you mark the court with a few clicks, and that needs all the lines.
Wide angle when the camera is on the wall. Right at the back wall the standard lens does not reach the near corners. Switch to 0.5×. From further away, such as a stand, use 1×.
No zoom. Digital zoom costs sharpness. Move the camera instead.
Net level. If the net looks tilted, the camera is tilted. Straighten it.
All four players. Players at the net or defending in the corner must stay in frame too.

Phone settings

1080p at 30 frames per second. That is enough. 4K makes the file four times larger and the analysis no better.
Lock focus and exposure. Press and hold on the middle of the court until the lock appears. Otherwise the phone refocuses every time a player passes the lens.
Do not disturb. Turn on flight mode or Do Not Disturb. An incoming call stops the recording.
Battery and storage. An hour at 1080p takes several gigabytes and a lot of battery. Charge first, free up space first.
Hands off. Do not touch the phone during the match. The court marking applies to the whole video, and any camera movement makes it less accurate.

The most common mistakes

Too low. At eye level the players block each other.
From the side. Half the court is hidden behind the players, and mapping gets inaccurate.
Gap to the glass. Between lens and glass the hall reflects into the picture.
Baseline cut off. If the near baseline is missing, whole phases of the rally are missing.
Backlight. Outdoors keep a low sun behind the camera, indoors do not film straight into the lights.

From phone to analysis

You can upload videos of up to 300 MB and up to 120 minutes directly, as MP4 or MOV.
A full match at 1080p is larger than 300 MB. Upload it to YouTube as “unlisted” and paste the link in the upload. No conversion needed, and the video stays invisible to strangers.
Cut the warm-up in the upload: choose start and end, and only that part is analysed and charged.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum height for the camera?

Above head height, so from about two metres. Below that the analysis still works but gets less accurate. Three to four metres is ideal.

Inside or outside the glass?

Outside. Inside the court the camera gets in the way and can be hit. From outside, the lens just has to sit flat against the glass.

Am I allowed to attach something to the mesh?

Ask at the desk. Most clubs do not mind as long as nothing reaches into the court and nothing can fall down.

Do I have to ask the other players?

Yes. Say before the match that you are filming and what for. Share the video and the results only with the people who played.

Does an action cam work?

Yes, as long as it records MP4 or MOV. Pick a medium field of view rather than the strongest fisheye, so the court lines stay straight.

Behind which end of the court?

Either, as long as it is centred behind one of the two back walls. Outdoors, pick the end where the sun is behind the camera.

Camera mounted?

Then upload your match. The first analysis is free.

Upload a match Watch the demo first