Team sports have rules that regulate gameplay and procedural aspects. These rules include keeping score, setting time limits for different parts of the game, and administering penalties. In the past, referees used stopwatches to keep track of the timing of the game. However, this task became quite challenging, especially in situations where multiple players were penalised at different times.
Main concepts of scoreboard control systems
Specialised computers, called scoreboard controllers, were developed to deal with these complexities by managing the timing and scorekeeping aspects of a game. It is particularly important in fast-paced sports such as basketball and ice hockey, where accurate timekeeping and score management are essential for fair play.
Scoreboard controllers consist of several main blocks: a computer with specialised software, a display of current information, a customised keyboard and various interfaces for connecting external devices. The most popular scoreboard controllers combine all these blocks in a compact device with low power consumption, high reliability and protection against accidental data erasure.
Advanced scoreboard controller functionality
These devices not only control the scoreboard, but also perform other functions such as controlling sirens and providing information to broadcasters' TV graphics systems. The information displayed on the scoreboard varies from sport to sport. In addition, data from the scoreboard controller is sent directly to the video refereeing system, allowing the referees to quickly access on-screen match information when making decisions.
It is also vital to record information from the scoreboard controller simultaneously with the video signals from the cameras. This information must be displayed when the video is viewed. The reason for this requirement is that, according to the rules of many sports, a goal or point is counted if it is scored before the end of the game period. This requires complete synchronization between the arrival of video frames from the cameras and the information from the scoreboard controller.
Control-MC by SLOMO.TV
Based on its extensive experience in integrating and working with various scoreboard controllers, SLOMO.TV has created Control-MC, a multi-functional timing and event registration system. The main idea was to increase the usefulness and functionality of the device, to simplify its operation and to make it more responsive to the different Scoreboard Controller Data (SCD) needs of different sports, including ice hockey, basketball, water polo and handball.
The core component of the solution is the integration of a unique hardware device responsible for timing and data transmission to all SCD users and displays in the arena, including via the Internet or LAN. This includes recording and statistics systems used by sports leagues and federations, as well as third party users. It's all done through an intuitive interface that allows easy and convenient data entry and correction, as well as system configuration, startup and shutdown.
To assure easy integration with the arena's pre-existing infrastructure, Control-MC is compatible with the most common timing and event data transfer protocols. This allows for practically seamless installation in venues and integration of all SCD consumers such as video referee systems, scoreboards, information graphics systems and others.
Due to the growing demand, SLOMO.TV has recently developed additional dedicated software for the Control-MC system. This software allows the scoreboard controller to be reprogrammed for more specialized sports, taking into account all the nuances of specific types of competitions, such as 3x3 ice hockey.
Using multiple scoreboard controllers
In some situations it may be advisable to use several scoreboard controllers. Control-MC systems can be used in two modes for this purpose: redundant and cooperative.
In the redundant mode, two scoreboard controllers are connected in parallel, which is useful in the case of particularly important competitions. The first scoreboard takes over while the second duplicates all the data in its memory. If there is a problem with the first controller, it can be quickly switched to the second, ensuring uninterrupted operation. What's more, if there's an emergency with the equipment at a critical moment, no game data will be lost.
In cooperative mode, the main match controller manages the game parameters such as start/stop time, score, penalties, etc. Meanwhile, the additional match controller is used to enter additional information, including team names, player numbers and names. This data can be used to create a comprehensive match report in sophisticated game scenarios.
