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You get some wires, a camera, and a computer to control it all, and voila!, you sit back and enjoy the view from over the quarterback's shoulder. OK, it's not quite that simple, but the Skycam and similar Cablecam systems are basically reliant on wires suspended over the field of play. Kevlar braided cables are attached at the four corners of a stadium or other building. The cables are then attached to computer-controlled spooling reels that allow the camera to move. The camera itself is a compact Panasonic, and the spar that holds it is fitted with stabilizers for a smooth view. A cameraperson
uses a computer with a joystick to run the whole thing. This type of overhead camera was first popularized by the ill-fated XFL. TV networks continued to experiment with the system, and in 2002, ESPN began using Skycam for regular-season Sunday Night Football telecasts. Since then, Skycam has shown up in sports from hockey to bowling. While most fans agree the overhead angle is useful for replays, some critics
dislike the use of fancy shots during live play.
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