[LM24] Kangaroo TV at Le Mans

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Bentley03

Finally.........

Is that where the kangaroo is available?

If you register before you go, how does that work? The website doesn't really fill me with facts. Even the FAQ doesn't; it is F1 and NASCAR geared.

[Adam43]

kangaroo is mine! Although they seem to not want to fill me in with all the facts!

[isynge]

What are everyone else's thoughts on this? Initially I thought "great - must get one" and then wondered how it would differ from RLM and the big screens.

I'm going to be either in the pit grandstand or wandering back to campsite at Tertre Rouge most of the time and I wonder how much in fact I'll use it. I'm also concerned that I've yet to come across batteries that I'd rely on for 24 hours worth of video.

Equally, anyone know what the logistics are i.e. where does one go to collect such a device?

Part of me says I'm happy to bang down the €80 and be a guinea pig on this one, but there's a niggly doubt in the back of my mind and would be reassured by safety in numbers!

[GT6]

Not sure of the point either, like you insynge, I can watch the big screen from the campsite at tertre rouge and listen to the radio, or even actually watch the cars.

[Adam43]

Well I'm going to suck it and see.
The timing screens are what do it for me. I'll still listen to RLM, and be able to see incidences if needed whenever they come up; not just if I am in the grandstand or perfectly positioned for the big screen.

[bernard b]

Originally Posted by isynge

..... I'm also concerned that I've yet to come across batteries that I'd rely on for 24 hours worth of video....

as I understood it, they give you 2 fully charged batteries, and you can change empy ones for a charged everytime you need it at their stall

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by isynge

What are everyone else's thoughts on this? Initially I thought "great - must get one" and then wondered how it would differ from RLM and the big screens.

It offers you a choice of video feeds, so you can watch something different from what the big screens are offering.

And also a choice of audio, though I'm not sure whether that just means either Radio Le Mans or its French-language equivalent.

[The Tour]

Damn, I completely forgot about this. I always forget something.

It seems it is too late to order online. Does anyone know if you can just purchase at the track??

As my mum used to say before Christmans.........one more sleep. This time tomorrow, qualy will be in full swing!!

Enjoy the week!

[Adam43]

We got one and it rocked!

We always knew the positions. We could flick to the in car of any of the Pugs and Audis (and a Corvette), or the pits, or the helicopter, or the main feed if something happened.

Criticism? Not really. Although the timing ran a little behind live and I would have liked an archive of times.

Fantastic.

[paul-collins]

A knock on effect of kangaroo's presence was that the night time coverage was much better on TV - more in car cameras...

The data for kangaroo is better than the ACO live timing and scoring, though.

[Aysedasi]

Allon and I sat next to a guy in Lagache at the start of the race who had a kangaroo on his lap...... (I'm sure it didn't have a ticket...... ). But it looked fantastic for keeping up with the action. I was particualrly impressed with the quality of the screen.

[GTfour]

Indeed,the quallity of this small LCD screen,suprised us too. As did the reception. According to the folks from Kangaroo TV,whe should have good reception from as far away as Tertre rouge corner to just before the Ford chicanes.
Turned out that it reached much farther then that. We were camped all the way in the back left of camping Blue Nord and we still had good reception there.
Then one of our party saw someone with a unit in the Arnage corner area,at night,viewing his as well! Now that was waaaayyy past what the vendors said it could do...

We'll deffinetly get one during next years race as well.
Great little gadget to keep informed about everything concerning the race.

[Aysedasi]

I must admit I might save up the pennies for one next year myself. What was the battery life like and how many outlets were there to get them from? I saw one at the back (bottom end) of the paddock. Were there others?

[GTfour]

There were two thick and sturdy batteries in the set and we didn't need to get fresh ones during the weekend.
Concerning outlets,I heard a rumour of there being two points,allthough I 'm not sure on this...

Another plus is that one can put the "return home money" to good use,since one needs to fork out a deposit of some 280 euro's(if I'm correctly).

[Adam43]

I don't know about the deposit. I booked beforehand and didn't have to do that because they had my card details.

I can confirm the reception was good, it was reasonable, although not perfect, at the Porche curves. Earlier in this thread there was a comment that it will be available at Mulsanne and Arnage next year.

Battery life was good. It lasted over six hours and you got two batteries. If you want they will give you a charger, although you need access to power (we did).

It was brilliant, the only thing I think needs improving is the timing lags behind real time too much. The TV pictures are about 3s behind, the timing about 30s in Q and even more in the race (why?).

[isynge]

A colleague had one and gushed about it in a way that can only be called a ringing endorsement. He had no bother getting reception in the Tertre Rouge grandstand, which says reasonably positive things about coverage.

Suspect I may well end up lashing out for one next year - it's almost certainly cheaper and easier than trying to keep a laptop charged and getting timing and scoring with a 3G card (efforts to see the live timing screen on my BlackBerry this year were a complete and utter waste of time).

[The Badger]

It covers out to tetre Rouge and Houx campsite ?

My bro was looking at it this year . Does it do what its supposed to do , properly ? If so , I might have to think about it again .

[Aysedasi]

Well, you get all the race TV coverage and the timing screens - I'm not sure what else......

[The Badger]

Does it cook a full cooked breakfast at 4am ?

[Adam43]

Timing screens and nine or ten different race feeds is pretty much all it does. There is some weather stuff (not too good) and some history. Radio feeds are French, RLM and just car noise!

Here are some screen shots:

[GTfour]

LOL! I geuss it only does that when hooked up to a microwave...

It features the eurosport images,about 15 to 20 cars incar,helicopter aerialcam aswell as a channel which replays all the "moments" of the race.
And ofcourse the statistics of the race,best lap,last lap,gap to next car,to previous car,etc.

[The Badger]

Looks cool ..... how often does it update ?

Is it easy to navigate the new toy ?

I think the cost was 80 euro for the weekend ..... how much for the qualifying too , or does it opperate then ?

[Aysedasi]

Can you select which in-car cam you want to watch - or is that asking too much?

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by The Badger

I think the cost was 80 euro for the weekend ..... how much for the qualifying too , or does it opperate then ?

It is very easy to operate. The menu allows you to chose which feed you want. Or you can flick through the channels.

15-20 in car? I can't say I noticed that many. There was always every Peugeot and every ausi available. A Corvette was always there. I don't remember any more than that. Aysedasi, yes you can chose whichever you wanted to watch at any time. If there was a Peugeot in trouble then you could flick through each in car and find out who it was before RLM told you.

You could also chose a favourite car (out of any of them) and it would up date you every time it crossed the start line with its new lap time.

[The Badger]

That sounds cool ..... I suppose the next step would be to give you the first 3 in each class .

Something I think I will be trying out next year .