Will this make it easier for camera to pick up ball?

[Little_Stickner]

My Skytrak shows up on Thursday (WOOT WOOT!) and I am in full prep mode!

I have read a lot of threads around the camera being influenced by white backgrounds, white sneakers, etc...

I had a thought of using a small piece of black matte poster board. This black poster board would be between my feet and the ball and I would have it standing on edge. The point of the board would be to give the Skytrak camera a solid black matte background just behind the ball. I would *assume* this would help make image analysis easier.

Two questions:
1) First and most important - what is the skytrak "field of vision"? How far up, down, and side-to-side does the camera look? This will help me to size the poster board I use.
2) Do you think this would help?

Below is an overhead and side-view that shows what I am getting at.

Thanks!
Stickner

[frackh]

I tried something similar, used a dark blue towel rolled up and placed between my feet and the ball. The rolled up towel was about 8 inches high, enough to cover my feet. In my case, it did not make any difference, I still get the random no-reads. I've placed a gray mat behind me, against the white wall to give it better contrast, not sure if that's made any difference either but I guess it hasn't hurt it.

[allen2be]

Sorry to smush on your post, but I just wear whatever pants/shorts/shoes I want and my background behind me is white drywall (about 6 feet behind me). I have hit a ton on mine in the last year and have never had an issues (but maybe you're right and it could be even more accurate and consistent than it currently is??)

I would like to know if anyone has had personal experience and noticed any difference in having a dark background vs light-colored... because if so, I need to do some interior decorating

[pennypepper]

I had issues in the beginning with the washer/dryer in the garage for some reason. Once we covered it up with a sheet, the problems went away so I can say that some objects close to the background can cause some problems. We also noticed that glittery shoes also caused a lot of mis reads. Changing shoes fixed that problem as well. Were talking slip on vans that are literally covered with sparkles.

[tom22]

I don't know skytrak field of vision is, but been using a board painted black that is 23 in. long x 9 in. high for about 4 mounts. I don't get many shots that unit doesn't pickup. You have to watch when hitting if you waggle club over ball some times the green light will turn red. If you hit before it turns back green will a miss read, and we thing skytrak missed the shot. When it was the player that caused the miss read. I still get HLA and side spin miss reads at time may be 4 to 5 % of time. All and all though it is very good.

[wbond]

I've seen this with friends who waggle, light goes off and they swing before it comes back on. that's not a mis read, the unit was not ready. However, waggling shouldn't trigger IMO.

[frackh]

Mine does this as well when I do the waggle, laser turns off for a few. It doesn't always happen but when it does I'd give it a few seconds for the laser to stabilize before taking the final swing.

[pennypepper]

We also accidentally trigger a hit using the orange whip to warm up. Usually low toppers.

[SkyTrak_Seth]

As several have mentioned, the big thing to avoid is anything reflective in the background, particularly metal. I suppose this board idea could work, but it seems a little invasive - I'm not sure I would want that between me and the ball and all it's really going to do is block your sparkle shoes and glitter pants You'd still be left with white club heads, etc. to contend with.