Ask HN: How were the super bowl led torches synced?

I'd be tempted to think they decided to solve the logistics challenge instead of the technical one. So instead of trying to build a generic piece of hardware that detects its own position and lights up accordingly, each torch was unique (or configured via software to be unique, even if at "runtime") and configured specifically for its exact position on the field.

If each torch is designed for it's own show, then the only thing that has to be synced is the exact time to start. And in comparison, that problem is trivial to solve with known constraints (as opposed to triangulating hundreds of devices with < 1ft precision in addition to actually synchronizing the devices)

Re: Ask HN: How were the super bowl led torches synced?

#8

Post by metaobject » Mon, Feb 06, 2017, 2:30 AM UTC

I'm curious how the one commercial knew the score was 21-3 ... Did they record a bunch of versions which covered most possible scores? Did Fox dub in the score right after halftime?

Re: Ask HN: How were the super bowl led torches synced?

#9

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Feb 06, 2017, 2:39 AM UTC

fury-s12 wrote: post #4

https://github.com/jamrader/XTAudioBeacons maybe

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: How were the super bowl led torches synced?

#10

Post by lalwanivikas » Mon, Feb 06, 2017, 2:39 AM UTC

thebiglebrewski wrote: post #5

Maybe it was this guy? https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/5pouv4/18_months_ago_...

This was my first thought too! Would be really cool if he was behind this :)