I'm still using FRAPS which is not ideal and creates very big files. So you just have to run the race while recording. Maybe best to leave it in side/raised view (the default). By using some of the functions keys you can vary things in a single take. For example F3 stops the camera so the field are seen galloping off into the distance. Hitting F2 then returns to the field. Return Flips the camera etc. But just leaving the default view should be fine. Maybe use the cursor UP/DOWN to pull the view out/in depending on how the field is spread so you can see all the runners. PgUp and PgDown raise and lower the camera.

Once the race has run because I use fraps I then re-encode as an MP4 in movie maker using custom settings. If you have something better than FRAPS or maybe a hardware solution this re-encoding step will not be required so you just upload. The final movie shouldn't be more than a couple of hundred MB (depending on the length of the race) and would take 5 mins or so to upload depending on your internet connection. So it need not be a long process. Recording in 720p resolution is fine. 1080 is probably overkill. Commentary may complicate things depending on how you do it.

Those were the days, stood in a smokey betting shop staring at a speaker!

If it 5mins Mark it shouldn't be a problem and the com won't add much more so we looking at 2 hours give or take so it should be fine I have BT fibre Optic so that's fine too.

Gray

Yea Steve Listening for your horse and suddenly you hear it for the first time and the Com says it Pulled up at the rear very frustrating.

How about listening to the commentator calling home all 3 selections on a treble. Start celebrating like a loon as the 3rd horse crosses the line only to be brought back down to earth with a hefty bump by the announcement "there is an objection to the winner by the clerk of the scales."

I think u have the first song I ever bought on u youtube page, OMD -Maid of Orleans.

If we did have to cut races then they would have to be jump races and better class flat races, we need all the flat h'caps we can get.

Hope every things ok.

From a Comms point of view - I'd prefer the race video just at one setting.
It's no big deal though - although for the bigger races, switching camera angles does look good and would add to the atmosphere and importance of the race.

Yea Brilliant Band not has good has Simple Minds but fantastic music around Late 70's and early 80's m8.
Much better now m8 but a life change is needed but gives me some free time to do what I like to do.

Gray

To begin with the whole process is likely to take longer as you work out the best way to encode the movie (so you get the right combination between file size and quality) and get used to the whole process.

Unless you record the commentary at the same time as the race is run you may have to upload a movie without comms and then wait for the commentator to record and then re-encode a new movie with the comms and upload again so that will increase the time taken quite a bit.

Rather than dropping in to the old way of doing things - I think a big batch of races were run every two weeks if I recall. It may be better to rethink and do a bit less - maybe a few races every week? I think less can definitely be more. The exhibition races are a lot of fun partly because being just one field we all become more familiar with the runners. The owners talk a bit more about them and Steve has helped the build up with his betting markets. With Sha Tin the final was great because everyone knew the favourites and the recent form. With the coming single race at Epsom it's just one race but the build up is more fun, especially as we are now familiar with the field.

Having 20 races in one go loses a lot of this and will be a lot of work. I know it is important to have races over a range of distances and quality (handicaps) to accommodate all horses but maybe splitting the races over weeks rather all in one go is better? You will end up with a better build up for fewer races but obviously the league progression will be slower (not a bad thing though as I don't see a need for any rush).

It's up to the organisers but I would definitely reduce the load early on while people learn the ropes and we get rid of any bugs.

How about maybe running half the races each week but doubling the season length with a mid season break of a week or so.

I will help out Paul with bookmaking and maybe bring back the Newsletter again working with Paul on that. If Gray needs any help with the schedule I am willing to help out with that also.

Anyway it is really up to the President to decide and I am happy to go along with what they want.

Steve

Could a good idea. Instead of 30 races on both flat and nh have 15 each and do the next 15 the following week.

As Mark said it would help with the build up for the big (and 0-60 races for me) races

However, the a down side could be that new trainers may not stay interested for 26 weeks

We could do a trial week and see how it takes??

excellent idea 15 races a week 24 week season would be great less workload all round

Could even have two breaks:

One after 8 weeks and another after 16 weeks.

With stable changes available in those two break periods.