To automatically update your scoreboard overlay in your Spiideo Play broadcast, you can use optical character recognition (OCR) to read your arena scoreboard in real time. When the venue scoreboard updates, OCR reads this and updates the scoreboard overlay in your broadcast!
Requirements for Scoreboard OCR
To enable scoreboard OCR, you will need:
A Spiideo Play Pro subscription
A digital scoreboard at your venue
To be the owner of the arena
A Spiideo camera where your arena scoreboard is visible
Set Up Scoreboard OCR on your Scene
Setting up a scoreboard OCR can only be done by an admin on the account.
To start setting the OCR up:
Navigate to the 'CloudControl' tab and select the scene you wish to set up Scoreboard OCR on.
Click 'Settings'
Scroll down and click 'Add scoreboard.'
Click 'Scoreboard read by a Spiideo camera (OCR)'.
Click 'Next'.
You'll now have the option of choosing your method of calibration. Here you can choose to either calibrate live (real-time camera image) or from a previous recording. If you choose the second option, it is important that the cameras have not moved since that recording.
Select your preferred method and click 'Next'.
Live Calibration
Before you start to calibrate using the live image, make sure to turn the scoreboard on in the arena. For best practice, light up as many digits as possible.
Once you have chosen the option 'Live Calibration', select the camera you will be using and click 'Next'.
Choose the camera with the best view of the scoreboard.
Next, outline the scoreboard by placing four annotations, beginning in the top-left corner. Don't worry about perfect precision on your first pass; once all four points are set, you can refine the alignment by clicking and dragging any annotation into its exact position.
Once you're satisfied with your annotations, click 'Next'.
Now, annotate your scoreboard by dragging to create your first annotation box. Once placed, click on each annotation to identify it. Annotation groups are:
The match clock (required)
Home team score (required)
Away team score (required)
Match period (optional)
All annotation boxes in a group must be the same size. Simply copy and paste your first box to keep them uniform.
Any errors in your annotations are displayed in red. In general, common errors are:
Digits (your annotations) overlap.
Annotation is not defined.
Annotations are not the same size.
Once all annotations are complete, click 'Next'.
Your OCR calibration is now set up and ready to use.
Your created scoreboard will now be stored in the 'Scoreboard' section of the scene settings. Here you can:
Toggle the scoreboard on or off for broadcasts
Compare the original calibration with the live view
Run an OCR accuracy test
Remove the scoreboard
Edit the scoreboard
Recorded Game Calibration
To use a recorded game for calibration, the broadcast must be no more than 30 days old.
Select a recording to calibrate with from the list and then click 'Next'.
Adjust the camera’s pan, tilt, and zoom, then scrub through the timeline until the scoreboard is visible. When you see it, click Next.
Choose the camera from which the scoreboard is visible and click 'Next'.
Next, outline the scoreboard by placing four annotations, beginning in the top-left corner. Don't worry about perfect precision on your first pass; once all four points are set, you can refine the alignment by clicking and dragging any annotation into its exact position.
Once you're satisfied with your annotations, click 'Next'.
Now, annotate your scoreboard by dragging to create your first annotation box. Once placed, click on each annotation to identify it. Annotation groups are:
The match clock (required)
Home team score (required)
Away team score (required)
Match period (optional)
All annotation boxes in a group must be the same size. Simply copy and paste your first box to keep them uniform.
Any errors in your annotations are displayed in red. In general, common errors are:
Digits (your annotations) overlap.
Annotation is not defined.
Annotations are not the same size.
Once all annotations are complete, click 'Next' .
Your OCR calibration is now set up and ready to use.
Your created scoreboard will now be stored in the 'Scoreboard' section of the scene settings. Here you can:
Toggle the scoreboard on or off for broadcasts
Compare the original calibration with the live view
Run an OCR accuracy test
Remove the scoreboard
Edit the scoreboard
Verifying Your OCR Annotations
Verifying your OCR (Optical Character Recognition) annotations is a vital step in delivering a professional broadcast. If your annotations are inaccurate, you risk displaying the wrong time or score to your viewers.
To ensure your calibration remains precise, you can use two methods:
Compare the original annotations with the live view
Run an OCR accuracy test.
Comparing Annotations
Located at the top of the scoreboard section, you'll find the options 'Original' and 'Live'.
Original View: This shows the annotations exactly as they were created, overlaid on the initial setup image.
Live View: This shows those same annotations on the real-time feed from your camera.
If you toggle between the two and notice that the annotations from your original view don't align with the live view, it's time to recalibrate the OCR scoreboard.
To compare the original annotations with the live view, simply toggle between 'Original' and 'Live'.
If they match: Your calibration is solid, and your data will be accurate.
If they don't match: The OCR may misread the data, and your data risks being inaccurate.
OCR Accuracy Test
The scoreboard OCR accuracy test can be used to verify that the annotations match what’s actually shown on the scoreboard throughout a recording. An accuracy test can be done on any broadcast no more than 30 days old.
To run an OCR Accuracy Test:
Click' OCR Accuracy Test'.
Select a recording you want to run the test on.
Wait for the test to finish processing. You don't need to keep the window open while it runs.
Using OCR Scoreboard in Your Spiideo Play Broadcast
If you want to use OCR in a Play broadcast, start by making sure that the automatic scoreboard reading is enabled.
Schedule your broadcast as usual. For a step-by-step tutorial, please refer to our support pages:
Once your broadcast has started, you can see the OCR processing state on the game page.
Adjust the OCR Settings During A Broadcast
If you've accidentally started a broadcast using OCR and don't have time to schedule a new one, or if you'd prefer to individually decide what data point is and isn't controlled by OCR, you can manage this through CloudStudio.
In CloudStudio Off Site, you'll find the time and score tiles at the bottom of the screen.
In CloudStudio On Site, you'll find the time and score tiles on the far left side.
If you see a scoreboard icon that isn't crossed out on the left of your time or score, it means that OCR is automatically controlling the data point.
If you see a scoreboard icon that is crossed out on the left of your time or score, it means that OCR is currently not controlling the data point.
To decide whether a data point is controlled by OCR or not:
Click on a scoreboard icon that isn't crossed out to disable OCR for the data point.
Click on a scoreboard icon that is crossed out to enable OCR for the data point.
Examples of OCR Annotations
A well-annotated OCR calibration.
An OCR calibration where the annotated areas are too large.
An inaccurate and poorly annotated OCR calibration.