LittleLeagueConnect

FAQs

General

What exactly is PowerChalk?

PowerChalk is a web site that lets coaches, athletes and parents do slow motion video analysis. It is the first (and only) such web service that requires no software on your PC or Mac. Once registered, you upload videos to your account and analyze them using a web browser or mobile device. Your analysis sessions can be saved as new videos (recorded) or shared with colleagues.

What is required to use PowerChalk?

On the PC and Mac you simply need a working web browser and Flash. On the iPhone and iPad (where Flash is not supported), we supply a free app for video analysis (search the App Store for the 'PowerChalk 10 Second Telestrator'). We also supply a free app for uploading your movies from your device to your PowerChalk account (search App Store for 'PowerChalk Media Uploader'). On Android phones, tablets and Google TV (where Flash is supported) you can do analysis using the web page telestrator and also install the PowerChalk Media Uploader app from the Android Marketplace.

How much does it cost?

PowerChalk accounts and PowerChalk mobile apps are free. With free accounts you get a video locker that holds ten videos and/or ChalkTalks. You can use The ChalkTalk Telestrator® to analyze videos in slow motion and to record a new analysis. You can delete old videos or ChalkTalks to make room for new content.

What's a ChalkTalk?

With PowerChalk you can login and upload a sports video (say your 5 second golf swing). You can then:

Open it in the ChalkTalk Telestrator® (our built-in motion analysis tool)
Play it in slow motion or freeze frame while you draw on it
Record your mark-up and voice comments to create a new video
Share the new video with fellow coaches and players

We call the new video a ChalkTalk. The original swing video is still present and you can analyze it more than once.

ChalkTalks are simply movies, captured while a coach analyzes a motion. The new movies can be set as public, private or unlisted. In all three cases, they can be shared with others via email and web links.

How long is the trial period?

There's no trial period or timeout. You can use your free account for as long as you like.

So what's the catch?

There's no catch, but in order to allow us to continue to provide great service we hope that you will consider buying PowerChalk premium features. Premium features include split-screen (analyze and synchronize two videos side-by-side), increased video storage, and model videos. Premium features and content are offered via yearly subscription.

How much are the upgrades?

Upgrades prices can be found at http://www.powerchalk.com/upgrade

What sports or motions does PowerChalk cover?

PowerChalk is not sport specific. The ChalkTalk Telestrator® can be used to analyze both images and videos. It has been used to instruct everything from Baseball to Chess to Volleyball.

How do I redeem my PowerChalk card for a premium account?

To redeem your PowerChalk card, visit http://www.powerchalk.com/go and enter in your information and scratch-off code from your card, and your account will be upgraded according to the value of the card. Watch this video for any questions on verifying your promo code.

Usage

How do you share videos that you upload or ChalkTalks that you create?

When you login to PowerChalk you are brought to the Video Manager. You can view public videos, your videos, followers videos and more. For any videos that you have access to (public, private, or unlisted), you can use the 'Select an action' menu to send a video link. You can use that same menu to get the embed code for a video and display it in your web site or blog.

What are PowerChalk Diagrams?

Diagrams are unique to PowerChalk. They are field and player diagrams with movable elements. Players and umpires, for example, can be dragged around a baseball field in order to illustrate proper positioning in game situations. With all the telestrator markup and voice tools available, these sessions can be recorded and shared. Diagrams are the basis for creating electronic playbooks.

Are there help video tutorials to learn how to use PowerChalk?

You can view all of our help videos in the “Help Videos” section of the videos page on PowerChalk. You can also find other interesting content on our Facebook page and our YouTube page.

How Do I follow people?

You can follow people in two ways. The first way is to type in their name in the search bar on any page. Once you find the player or coach you are looking for, click on the Follow button located near their name.

You can also click on the name of someone in the public videos section, and then click Follow, or view their Profile and follow them from there.

How do I transfer videos to a coach or player?

To transfer a video, visit the "videos" page and click on the drop down menu named "select an action" to the right of the video you want to transfer. From there, click "transfer ownership" and you can transfer this video to a coach or player that you are following or by the email of a PowerChalk user.

What is PowerCast?

PowerCast is the ability for coaches to give a live online lesson to their players.

The coach can “BroadCast” their screen, and a player can “watch a broadcast.” From there, the coach controls the Telestrator while the player will can watch and hear the instruction given. This allows coaches to collaborate with their players and give instant feedback when the player is not able to meet in-person with the coach.

Pro Users and Coaches

As a coach, do my players need to have an account?

Players can receive video lessons from their coach in several ways. Without an account, they can view an email sent from the coach that has their video. Keep in mind, however, that if the coach deletes that video at any point in the future, the player will be unable to view it.

With a Free account, a player has storage space for up to ten videos, which allows for a coach to transfer videos into the player’s account. By transferring videos to players via PowerChalk, players have the ability to view the videos whenever they want, and it clears up video storage for the coach. Once they have an account, players can start uploading videos from their smartphone or digital camera to their own account, and pay their coach via PowerChalk's Lesson system to receive instructional feedback.

With a Premium account, a player can purchase upgrades that provide him with PowerCast Watch, which allows for the coach to give a live online lesson through the PowerChalk system. Players can also benefit from upgrading their video storage, and by adding the split-screen capability. We have created a PowerChalk player card that allows for coaches to re-sell PowerChalk accounts to players for $30, which provides them with a 50-slot video locker, split-screen, and PowerCast Watch.

Why should I provide athlete cards for my players?

As a PowerChalk Gold user, you are eligible to re-sell PowerChalk accounts with premium features to your players. These cards can be sold to a player for $30 a piece, which provides them with a 50-video storage locker, split-screen for comparison to pros, and PowerCast Watch for live online lessons when they aren't able to visit you in person. PowerChalk provides these cards to coaches for $10 per card. To purchase cards Contact Us with the number of cards you wish to purchase and we will send you an invoice to pay online.

How do I set up my pro page?

To set up your pro page to start giving online lessons, you must be a Pro user ($99.95/year). Once you become a Pro user, click on “my pages” and “my dashboard,” where you can access your “Pro settings”. From there, fill out the form with your information and save to view your profile. We highly recommend watching this quick tutorial video.

How do I give paid lessons on PowerChalk?

Once you or a player have uploaded a video from your mobile phone, tablet, or digital camera, you can ChalkTalk that video and give a recorded video lesson that can be sent to your student. To ChalkTalk a video, find the video you want to analyze and click the drop down box titled “select an action”, from here choose “ChalkTalk this video,” which will take you into our slow motion player called the Telestrator. We recommend you watch this help video to learn how to use the Telestrator to give lessons to your students. Once you or a player uploads a video, the player is able to purchase a lesson from you by visiting your pro page. To get to your pro page, they can search for you on PowerChalk, or visit your page directly with a link to your pro page.

After they purchase the lesson, you will be notified by email of the lesson request in which you can accept or deny the lesson, and deliver the lesson with voice-over instruction (ChalkTalk), and also add drills for the player to look over. These lesson videos can be viewed from any internet connected device by your student. We highly recommend watching this quick tutorial video.

What are Lesson Cards?

Lesson cards serve as a prepaid lesson that your student can purchase from you in-person and then request video feedback whenever they wish. These cards can be purchased for $5 with upfront payment. To order cards Contact Us.

Pricing

Do you offer private sites or team pricing?

Yes. Call us at 919.469.0180 or contact us here for more details about pricing or for general support.