Most phone streaming problems come down to three things: the connection, the battery and heat. The app handles some of this for you, by stepping the quality down and reconnecting on its own. The rest is setup. This guide covers what the app does, what you can do, and how to tell us what went wrong.
How much data a game uses
The app streams 1080p at 30 frames a second, at about 6 Mbps. A two-hour game uses about 5.4 GB of data on the streaming phone.
- Check your data plan before you stream on cellular. Some plans slow you down after a set amount.
- If there's good Wi-Fi at the venue, use it. Ask the school for access before game day.
- The scoring phone uses far less: it only sends score changes.
When the quality steps down
If the upload can't keep up with 6 Mbps, the app lowers the quality on its own instead of stalling. Viewers see a softer picture for a while. When the connection improves, the quality comes back.
A soft picture that won't recover means the connection is too weak for a full-quality stream. See the next section.
Weak signal at the field
Fields and gyms often have poor signal, and it gets worse when the stands fill up and everyone is on their phone.
- Test from the spot you'll film, at a similar time of day, before game day.
- Move the phone. A few yards, or higher up in the bleachers, can make a big difference.
- Try Wi-Fi instead of cellular, or the other way round.
- Keep the scoring phone's connection in mind too. If it can't reach ScoreCastr, the scorebug won't update even though the video is fine.
For more ways to get a steady connection, see the studio guide on streaming with bad internet.
When the connection drops
If the connection drops, the app reconnects on its own. You don't need to stop and start the stream. While it's reconnecting, viewers may see the stream pause or buffer.
When the scoring phone loses its connection, the score on the stream stays where it was until the connection is back. If the web dashboard is your backup, its status dot shows whether its changes are getting through. See The status dot.
Heat and battery
Streaming is hard work for a phone. Phones can get hot streaming on cellular while charging, and a hot phone can slow down or stop.
- Keep the streaming phone in the shade. Direct sun on a phone is the quickest way to overheat it.
- Use a good power source: a wall outlet or a solid battery pack. A weak charger may not keep up.
- Take the phone out of a thick case if it's running hot.
- Charge both phones fully before the game.
The app keeps the streaming phone's screen awake, which also uses battery. That's another reason to keep it plugged in.
Other things to check
- The scorebug doesn't change but the video is fine. The problem is on the scoring side. Check the scoring phone's connection, and that it's signed in with the account that owns the match. See Score a game from your phone.
- The stream won't start. Check the server URL and stream key. See Stream to YouTube from your phone or Other stream destinations.
- The sound is too quiet or too loud. Adjust the mic level. See Phone camera controls.
Send feedback through TestFlight
The app is in beta, and reports from real games shape what comes next. After a game, tell us what worked and what didn't: heat, battery, dropped signal, data use or confusing buttons.
You can send feedback, with a screenshot, from inside TestFlight. Say what happened, roughly when in the game, and whether you were on Wi-Fi or cellular.
Checklist
- About 5.4 GB of data free for a two-hour game, or Wi-Fi at the venue
- Signal tested from the filming spot before game day
- Both phones fully charged, streaming phone plugged in
- Streaming phone in the shade
- Feedback sent through TestFlight after the game