Hockey Arena Panoramic Video System
Project in a Nutshell
A full-stack sports video platform for hockey arenas – combining a three-camera panoramic capture system with an edge server and a web application for coaches and players to watch live broadcasts, analyze gameplay, cut clips, and manage team video libraries.
Client & Challenge
Our client operates hockey arenas and training facilities across the US. Coaches needed a way to record every practice and game, review footage in real time during sessions, cut specific moments for player development, and share clips with players after the fact.
Existing solutions were either too expensive for club-level use, required complex AV infrastructure, or delivered poor coverage of the full ice sheet. The client needed a purpose-built system that worked reliably on arena Wi-Fi, required minimal setup, and gave coaches a simple interface they could use during live sessions without technical expertise.
Solution
PieSoft designed and developed an end-to-end video system covering hardware architecture, edge server software, and a full-featured web application.
Camera system
Three wide-angle fisheye cameras (Left / Center / Right) installed in the arena provide complete ice sheet coverage. Each camera streams continuously to an on-premise edge server located at the ice center. The edge server handles real-time video processing, low-latency live streaming via LL-HLS, and continuous DVR recording – operating fully locally with no cloud dependency for in-arena use.
Fisheye correction
Each fisheye camera feed is corrected on the edge server using OpenCV fisheye calibration and real-time dewarping. Calibration parameters are stored and reused automatically, producing a natural flat view for both live viewing and replay.
Cloud migration
Recorded footage is automatically migrated to AWS cloud storage overnight, enabling coaches and players to access videos from home at Full HD (1080p) resolution. Upload scheduling and retention policies are configurable.
Web application
An adaptive web app for Chrome on laptops, tablets, and TV screens gives coaches and players role-based access to the full video platform.
Technical Highlights
3-camera fisheye architecture
Full ice sheet coverage with Left / Center / Right fisheye cameras, real-time OpenCV dewarping, and configurable split-view or single-camera display modes.
Edge server with LL-HLS streaming
On-premise server delivers sub-3-second latency live streams over arena Wi-Fi with automatic reconnection and local DVR buffering – no internet required for in-arena operation.
AWS cloud migration
Automated overnight transfer of recordings to AWS S3 at 1080p for remote access, with configurable retention policies and storage cost controls.
Drawing layer over video
Synchronized annotation layer that overlays on live and recorded video, with save, toggle, and thumbnail export capabilities for coaching analysis.
Adaptive web application
Chrome-optimized responsive web app supporting laptop, tablet, and TV screen viewports with role-based UI for Admins, Coaches, Team Managers, and Players.
Business Value
The system gives hockey programs at any budget level access to video analysis capabilities previously available only to professional teams. Coaches can review footage immediately during practice – not the next day – which directly improves the feedback loop for player development.
The edge-first architecture means the system works reliably in arenas with limited or inconsistent internet connectivity, which is the reality for most club and minor league facilities. Cloud migration happens automatically overnight, so coaches and players have remote access to their library without any manual steps.
The role-based platform keeps players focused on their own development content without exposing the full video library, and the sharing functionality lets coaches send clips to parents, scouts, or external coaches with a single link.
Conclusion
The Hockey Arena Panoramic Video System demonstrates PieSoft’s capability to deliver complete custom camera and software solutions – from hardware architecture and edge computing through cloud infrastructure and application development – as a single integrated product. The project combines camera engineering, real-time video processing, and sports-specific UX into a platform built for the way coaches and players actually work.
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