After broadcasting rounds 1-3, the MonRoi website is not showing round 4 live. The following ominous explanation was posted on their homepage:
Does this mean that the Chief TD fears cheating may have occurred by a parent or coach watching the game online? This would definitely be a first, and a very troubling one!
But it wouldn’t be confined to the MonRoi. DGT sensories wired up to broadcast live would have the same theoretical problem. (Maybe the folks at MonRoi could build in a time-delay similar to a tape delay in broadcasting.)
I just wrote up the MonRoi in the “Tools of the Trade” part of my blog, so I’d appreciate knowing what the concern or problem actually was.
Speaking slightly off-topic, does anyone know if the MonRoi’s batteries are user accessible? (To clarify something in my blog…) But I don’t want to derail the thread.
The logistics of the room that hosted the 2nd-8th grade events was such that the bathrooms the players had to use were about 25 yards away from the playing hall, right across the main walkway in the hotel on the other side from the playing room. This meant the players walked through spectators, coaches, parents etc. on their way to and from the bathroom.
There were, inevitably, some complaints of players talking to people outside of the playing room and, despite our best efforts to constantly monitor that area, it was difficult to tell which players were still playing and which ones had finished their games since there were only two entrances to the playing room and both had major, constant traffic going in and out of them. Also, the TDs were usually very busy in the actual tournament halls and it was unrealistic to expect volunteers to be “citizens on patrol.” The hotel would not allow us to rope off a “player path” to the bathrooms as this would have violated their fire regulations.
Since there was free wireless internet available in the hotel public areas, and people were using their computers in those areas, the Chief TD felt it was in the best interest of the tournament to put a delay on the live broadcast to effectively rule out the possibility of cheating using that method.
At most national events the ideal situation is to have separate bathrooms for player use that they can access without having to go through a spectator filled area. If this had been the case I am certain the live broadcast would have remained.
These were also not issues in the 9th-12th and K-1st grade rooms since they were in separate rooms in a different wing of the hotel, too far away from the MonRoi representative to broadcast their games. Their bathrooms were also right outside their respective rooms and were designated as player only bathrooms, although again spectators were allowed in that particular foyer since the 9th-12th grade room had an open room that spectators could enter during the games in progress. However, K-1st graders were assigned bathroom monitors for each visit to ensure they made it there and back safely without any interruptions.
On a side note, I’m sorry this question wasn’t answered earlier but I personally didn’t take my computer with me and even if I had I’m not sure where I would have found time to use it to check the forums.
The “problem” is reported December 12, you reply December 14, and apologize for the issue not being addressed here earlier / during the tourney?
[Balm] Even just fifteen years ago, how long would it have taken to communicate the nature of a problem to the entirety of the membership, let alone explain it? 21 days to get it into CL if it was earth-shattering news? 30-60? Perhaps 7-10 days to do an all-member special first class mailing? Especially a problem we couldn’t have had fifteen years ago? [/Balm]
Chris,
I know you are a MonRoi guy, but my experience working with the MonRoi, as well as
witnessing some of the difficulties in Florida, and elsewhere, are that there a number of issues
dealing with instantaneous broadcasts. If all goes according to Hoyle, one is indeed
fortunate. The equipment is marvelous, but their are simply too many variables that
can interefere with a successful broadcast. To MonRoi’s credit, fixing such problems
post-round, is generally not a major issue, so shortly after, the games are available on
the site.
My thoughts, and I do love the MonRoi technology, and how it has innovated the game.
Rob Jones
