Case Studies / Professional Squash Livestreaming with CamStreamer apps

Professional Squash Livestreaming with CamStreamer apps

07 Nov 2021 - 18:11

A multi-camera livestreaming solution powered by CamStreamer apps helped deliver a professional broadcast of the Eredivisie individueel 2021 squash tournament, combining dynamic camera switching, live commentary, and advanced graphics for an engaging viewing experience.

About the project

With squash balls reaching speeds of up to 281 km/h, squash is one of the most challenging sports to capture on video. Following the successful use of CamStreamer apps during the Dutch Junior Open 2019, Sander van den Brakel—squash enthusiast, software developer, and owner of iMakeStuff—set out to further improve the livestreaming experience for the Eredivisie individueel 2021 tournament held at Frans Otten Stadium in the Netherlands.

The goal was to create a professional-quality sports broadcast using a simple camera-based workflow. The production needed to combine multiple camera angles, live commentary, dynamic graphics, sponsor branding, and reliable camera switching while remaining easy to operate throughout the tournament.

"The overlays and scoreboards are designed with a lot of care to ensure perfect readability. With CamScripter App we created a lot of detailed dynamic elements that add to the professional feel. Have a look at the little squash ball next to the game score that indicates which player has served last—it switches automatically based on the score input by the referee."

– Sander van den Brakel, iMakeStuff

Technical Solution

The livestream setup consisted of two AXIS Network Cameras, each running a combination of CamStreamer apps.

The main production camera was an AXIS Q3517-LV, mounted high above the court to provide a complete overview of the match. The camera was selected because it supports 2K streaming at 50/60 fps, allowing it to capture the fast movement of both players and the squash ball with exceptional sharpness. Audio from the court was captured using an AXIS T8351 Mk II Microphone, which was connected directly to the camera during regular operation or routed through a Samson MXP144FX MixPad during events with live commentary and multiple camera angles.

A second AXIS M1137 Network Camera was installed on the side wall of the court to provide an additional viewing angle. Running CamOverlay App and CamScripter App, the camera displayed dynamic scoreboards, sponsor logos, and other custom graphics. Switching between the overview camera and the side camera was handled by CamSwitcher App, providing smooth transitions that remained perfectly synchronized even though the cameras operated at different frame rates.

The production was completed using a MacBook, which allowed operators to control camera switching through keyboard shortcuts. This enabled the director to switch between cameras without taking their eyes off the match. At the beginning of each game, an iPhone 8 streamed a live image of the commentators into CamOverlay App, where it was displayed as a picture-in-picture element, allowing viewers to see the commentators alongside the match.

The Result

The Eredivisie individueel 2021 tournament demonstrated how a compact camera-based production system can deliver a professional sports broadcast with minimal equipment. The combination of multiple camera angles, synchronized switching, live commentary, dynamic graphics, and picture-in-picture created an engaging viewing experience for squash fans.

"What's not to like! All features are very useful. If we have to name our favorites it's the Shortcuts Function to switch cameras and the new ability to switch to pre-recorded videos. The latter is great to show interviews with players, commercials from our sponsors, and other entertaining footage. Speaking of sponsors: the ability to show sponsor logos and videos made our investments in the hardware and software a lot easier!"

– Sander van den Brakel, iMakeStuff

Beyond live match coverage, the solution also made it possible to include pre-recorded interviews, sponsor commercials, and promotional videos during the broadcast, creating additional value for event organizers and commercial partners while demonstrating the flexibility of the CamStreamer ecosystem.

List of Supplies

Hardware

• AXIS Q3517-LV Network Camera

• AXIS M1137 Network Camera

• AXIS T8351 Mk II Microphone

• Samson MXP144FX MixPad

• MacBook

• iPhone 8

Software

• CamStreamer App

• CamOverlay App

• CamSwitcher App

• CamScripter App

Location

• Netherlands

Video Quality

• HD

Audio

• AXIS T8351 Mk II Microphone

Streaming Platform

• YouTube

Case Studies / Professional Squash Livestreaming with CamStreamer apps