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The Basics of Motion Analysis Software

Video Motion Analysis has been around for quite some time now. With the lower cost of hardware and software, it now makes sense more than ever to take advantage of this type of tool to help your game or your business. When looking at motion analysis software, you want it to be extremely powerful and very easy to use. To see the powerful features and ease of use that SportsCAD offers, you may want to have a look at our demo videos (click to see demo videos). To take the next step, look around the website then download a free trial copy to give the software a try.

How to use the software

The most common way to use the software is by filming on the court/field/range. Using a tripod and a dv camcorder, you record the motions that you want to analyze. You then take the camcorder inside, plug it into the computer, and copy the motions from the camcorder into the computer (all of the SportsCAD products make this very easy to do while using a dv camcorder). Once this is done, you have a very organized video library that you can recall from at any time.




What hardware is needed to get started

You will need a Windows based laptop or desktop computer, a dv camcorder, a dv cable and a tripod.

The best camcorder to use is a DV camcorder. Having said that, the answer to this question will need to address two different types of users.

If you are an athlete (or the parent of an athlete) and you want to work on your own game and keep track of your own progress, you may be able to use your current camcorder (HD, cdrom, hard disk, memory stick etc). If you can currently use your camcorder to download videos to your computer, you will most likely be able to IMPORT these videos into SportsCAD. This process is much slower than using a DV camcorder (so it wouldn't work well for business use), and this type of camcorder is not designed for frame by frame analysis, so the picture quality may suffer a bit. For personal use, the slower process and slight video quality loss won't be any problem.

If you are a coach or instructor and would plan to use the software on a regular basis, you would need a DV camcorder. A DV camcorder provides great picture quality, and the software can control the camera, which makes for quick and easy video capture from the camcorder to the computer. The result is ALWAYS crisp, clear videos that are perfectly trimmed and display at 60 frames per second.



Which Version is right for you

There are 4 versions of SportsCAD available. These are SportsCAD Home, SportsCAD Home Plus, SportsCAD Platinum and SportsCAD Platinum Plus. Having 4 versions available means that you only need to purchase the software that fits your needs.

ALL 4 versions are very powerful tools for video motion analysis. All 4 versions are capable of 60 frame per second video analysis, all 4 have the same drawing tools, and none of the versions degrade the video quality based on which version you purchase.

Although anyone can use any version, the Home version is more suited for individual use while the Platinum features are designed more for instructors and coaches that teach for a living.


SportsCAD Home

SportsCAD Home is the least expensive of the 4 programs available. Don't let the cost fool you though.

Some of the main features....

View up to 2 videos at a time	Advanced Drawing features
View up to 60 frame per second video	Import and convert videos
Store Profiles - keep track of progress	Motion Trace
Zoom and Pan videos	Video Lock
MultiPic Mode	Calculate Angles
Lefty Play -turn a righty into a lefty	Print Pictures and Notes

SportsCAD Home Plus

SportsCAD Home Plus uses the same engine as the home version and has more features.

Some of the additional features.....

View up to 4 videos at a time	The Strobe Tool
Calculate Distances with the Ruler Tool	Lock up to 4 videos together (sync)
Calculate MPH	The Edit Bar to resize/move drawings

SportsCAD Platinum

SportsCAD Platinum is designed for Professional use. It is loaded with tools and is still very easy to use.

Some of the additional features.....

View up to 8 videos at a time	Full Screen Video
Professional Video Control (arrows-shortcuts)	Customize for your business
2 camera support	Complete Control of features
Live Draw and Hot Zones	Multiple Capture Methods
Multiple Naming Methods	Store Student Profiles
Advanced Strobe Feature	Store Drawing Macros

and much more!

SportsCAD Platinum Plus

SportsCAD Platinum Plus is our full featured software. It is the same as SportsCAD Platinum with these additional features.

Record Lessons	Send Lessons to CD
Send Lessons to Email	Send Lessons to the Web

There is plenty more to see! The best way to understand what the software can do for you is to view the demo videos. You can also use the buttons at the top to look in depth at all of the products, pricing, FAQ, pricing and don't forget to download the software and give it a try.

If you have any questions, feel free to click the Contact link above to call or email.