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Equipment Review: Dartfish

   The Emmy Award winning software program Dartfish has been used in the Olympics and is probably the most practical coaching tool ever made. The system is made up of a computer software program and one or multiple cameras. The software program gives coaches an instructing capability unlike anything they have ever experienced before. The program uses videography to biomechanically breakdown sports skills. Basically coaches capture an athlete doing a sports skill and then use the software package to breakdown the movement. The coach can then illustrate to the athlete what he/she can do to improve his/her technique. The program also has the ability to record and file data so that it can be recalled to view progress.

   The software allows you to breakdown and analyze each element of a sports skill. You can draw right on the video illustrating joint angles, positions, and postures. You can even track points such as an olympic bar throughout a power cling. This is accomplished by drawing lines, measuring angles, magnifying key points, tracking points, calculating times, tracking trajectories, and much more. The technical and tactical analysis capabilities of Dartfish are great for teaching athletes.

   Dartfish now has the ability to be synced with an AMTI force plate to evaluate orthogonal forces (3D forces under the feet) and motion during sports techniques. For instance, a strength coach can have an athlete conduct a power cling and then evaluate whether or not the athlete’s weight was evenly distributed. A golf and baseball coach can look at how weight is being distributed during a swing. The combination of force and motion analysis gives the coach the optimal teaching tool.

 Dartfish Features  

Record Videos on Your Computer
Record videos directly to your computer or transfer videos to your computer from a video camera, VCR, DVD player or television
Play back videos on your computer screen at different slow motion speeds

Share video files (DV, analogue, and MPEG-2) by burning or uploading them to the internet to send to athletes to view at home or send to other coaches for further evaluation.

Modify the User-Interface
Define your own screen layout for capturing the skill to evaluate
Use standard screen templates for particular sports

Run video clips of either fixed or variable length


Capture Individual Match Events

Annotate the events of the game as you record or play back your video

Replay particular sections of a game with no interruption to recording


Locate and Replay Particular Events

Select events from one or more games using simple queries or multi-criteria searches

Instantly replay clips just by clicking the mouse

Create your own playback lists


Tactical Analysis

Draw "freehand", adding lines and curves straight to the video
Measure angles, distance, and speed
Use multiple stopwatches to time different events

Track objects automatically


Technical Analysis

Compare video clips in split-screen or overlay mode

View videos in zoom, close-up, slow-motion, or frame-by-frame mode
Analyze a player's movement in detail by using StroMotion™ which creates stunning trajectory video footage revealing the evolution of an athlete's movement, technique, execution and tactics.
Superimpose one athlete's actions onto another's


Statistical Analysis

Retrieve statistics by match or by season, and select them using your own search
criteria
Export statistics to Microsoft Excel for further analysis


Transfer your video analysis to other media formats

Develop themed video compilations
Create presentations including analyses, audio commentaries and drawings
Export your personalized content to CDs, cassettes, the Internet and e-mail

 The following details the minimum hardware and software requirements needed to use the Dartfish software effectively.  
Lap Top or Desk Top Computer Requirements
Windows 2000, XP Home or XP Professional OS in French, German or English (for other OS languages support, please contact Dartfish)
Pentium III 850 MHz, P4, Athlon XP or Celeron 2
128 MB RAM 16 MB graphic card
Resolution 1024x768, 16 bits colors FireWire or i-link port (IEEE1394) built-in or acquisition card (for connection to video camera)
Parallel or USB port for protection dongle Serial port (9 pins) for infra-red receptor or USB port with adaptor (not included)
Camera / Imaging device DV in / out (DV in only required to transfer video clips from computer back to camera tape) (read some technical facts and simple explanations to help you purchase an imaging device)  


Software

DirectX 8.1 (already featured in Windows XP). Included in Dartfish software's installation CD. Windows Media Player 7.1 (8.0 already featured in Windows XP). Only required to export in Windows Media format. Internet Explorer 5.5

Go to www.dartfish.com for more details.