What will I need to get started?

You probably won't need everything on this list, but we've attempted to set down a shopping list of all the things you might ultimately want to have for a complete Landro play analysis system.

First, you obviously need the Landro Personal Edition software. This can be purchased or licensed on a subscription basis. (There is also a Landro Basic version, sufficient for some users; see our version comparison for the differences.)

You need the laptop computer to run the software. (Actually, a desktop computer would work too, apart from the fact that you can't really take it with you.) This computer might be yours personally, or it might come from your school or business... as long as it meets our system requirements.

You need a Mini-DV camcorder for recording your games. Read over our camera requirements if you are considering purchasing a new camera to use with Landro. You will also need some Mini-DV tapes to use with the camcorder.

You will need a FireWire cable (also called an IEEE-1394 cable) to connect your camcorder to your computer. FireWire cables come with two different connectors on the end, so make sure the cable you purchase matches the connectors on your camcorder and laptop. (Most inexpensive Mini-DV camcorders and most laptops use the small, 4-conductor FireWire cable; just check this before you buy your cable.)

You will probably want a tripod for keeping the camcorder level while recording events. If you will be recording into Landro "on the road", this should have legs that are highly adjustable (since you may not always have a level surface). The tripod should have an arm (handle) for panning (moving to left and right) with a smooth motion. You will want to attach your FireWire cable to the panning arm so that it doesn't pull on the camcorder connector when the camera moves; some tripods come with cable clips for this purpose. (If yours doesn't have that, you can use twist-ties to do the same thing. But it is important that you secure the cable, or else you may damage the connector on your camcorder.)

You may want to have a small collapsible table that you can set up to hold your laptop. You don't want your laptop to sit on the floor or on the ground, and it may not be convenient for it to be sitting on your lap while you are operating the camera.

If you plan to run your camera and/or laptop from AC power while recording, rather than relying on their batteries, you will want a good extension cord with multiple outlets or a power strip at the end to plug things in. (Be sure you know there will be a place to plug in at your event. If this is not certain, then you will want spare batteries for both the camcorder and the laptop.)

If you will also be getting video for Landro from VHS or DVD, you will need a video capture device to bring that video into Landro. Read over our video capture notes for recommended devices for this purpose.

For presenting video in front of an audience, you will probably want a larger display than the screen of your laptop. The usual approach is to use a video projector that accepts VGA input. Ideally this should support at least 1024x768 screen resolution; 800x600 is the very minimum resolution that can work for Landro playback. (You could use a large flat-screen monitor that accepts VGA instead, which allows you to display video in more room lighting, but is typically either smaller or more expensive.)

You may find it easier to present video in front of an audience if you don't have to keep pressing keys on the laptop. A media PC remote gives you more freedom to move around while you present. (Landro Personal Edition accepts voice commands to control playback, but then it would be harder to also talk to your audience since Landro might try to interpret your comments as voice commands.)

If you will be exchanging Landro video files with others, you will want to have either USB memory sticks or USB drives. These come with a wide range of capacities and prices. A useful rule of thumb is that an hour of Landro video requires somewhere around one gigabyte (1 GB) of storage.

If you will be burning highlight DVDs in your computer, you will need blank DVD-ROM discs for this. Before you buy DVD blanks, check to see whether your laptop's DVD drive prefers DVD+R or DVD-R (plus or minus) format discs. (Most modern laptops work fine with both, but make sure before you buy.) If you will be making a lot of copies, you may consider purchasing a DVD duplicator, instead of spending the time to make each one separately on your laptop.

 
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