Won't be able to make it to the San Francisco Tiki Crawl? Watch it LIVE on Tiki Central!

One of the biggest problems with having an official Tiki Central Event like the crawl is the fact that only a very small number of the Tiki Central Ohana are able to make it, and everyone else is left to look at pictures and read summaries about it a few days later. But this year I am pleased to announce that for the first time ever the San Francisco Tiki Crawl will be webcast live on Tiki Central so that everyone can join in on the fun, even if you can't make it! All four days and all locations will be streamed live, running here on Tiki Central Shout.

Tiki Central started on the web by people who had never met, and the first Tiki Crawl was a way to bring some of these people together in real life. On the very first Tiki Crawl, I attempted to broadcast the event using a wireless modem and a webcam -- no audio, and just still images changing once every 30 seconds. It barely worked, and we gave up on the idea about two stops in. But this year, thanks to technology and services provided by Justin.TV, we will have a completely mobile webcasting setup that should operate everywhere, for all four days of the crawl. We're talking full audio and video. Like YouTube, but better quality, and as it happens live. We hope to have the video stream running inside of Tiki Shout, and on the Justin.TV website. If you can't make it to the Tiki Crawl, I encourage you to make yourself a drink, sit down in front of computer, and check join in on the fun virtually. It won't quite be the same as being here, but I hope this allows more people than ever to join in on the event, see the interiors of some of the greatest Tiki Bars in the world, and see your fellow Tiki Centralites party it up at Tiki Central's official event. And of course, those watching from home will be able to chat and shout with other online members!

Furthermore, the crew from Justin.TV will be joining us at the Bamboo Hut stop on Friday's leg of the crawl. They have been very generous in getting a complete mobile rig for the Tiki Crawl! If you're coming to the crawl, seek out the webcaster (whoever is wearing the mobile webcasting gear) and say hi! And if you're camera shy, don't worry ... it will be very easy to avoid the lens. I look forward to seeing you at the Crawl!

More details to follow as to where to go and what to do to see the live Stream. The crawl is just a few days away!

Mahalo!

~Hanford

[ Edited by: hanford_lemoore 2007-11-07 03:35 ]

• The crawl is just a few days away! *

Hoo-rah!

Tiki Crawl TV? Kudos for the efforts, HL. I don't know how it all works, but it sounds good. It will be great to rush home and watch myself on tv. Although I am not sure if my cable package carries this particular channel, plus my VCR is stuck on 12:00.

Less virtual reality more ritual virility!

I got my rainbow clown wig and John 3:16 sign. I'm ready.

Video killed the...
midnite

PS I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize in advance for whatever it is I will do on camera later that will require this subsequent apology I am now making on a pre-emptive basis.

Wow...this is too kewl. I may not be crawling...so seeing some action on the web will be great. thankyouthankyouthankyou :)

Wow wow wow!!! Way to bring it on Hanford! This is the type of technological trickery that makes my head buzz! A brave new world awaits the adventurous. For the not so fearless or geographically under privileged you can watch from the safety of your own home while watching zazz zombies, nutty natives and maniacal monkeys get loose in the Bay Area wilds. Live no less. History in the making I predict.

I can't wait!

Lost-Isle
Coconut Wired Podcast
Barefoot bloggin'

What'll those crazy kids think of next?
Seriously Hanford, this sounds really great. I can see this spawning simulcast Tiki Crawls across the nation, all watching each other on our iPhones or something.
Aloha,
:tiki:

Very Cool Hanford! Thank you. To all you camera shy TCers. wear a mask but say hi to everyone. Looking forward to seeing the Tiki Central Crawl in living color! (Uh,if it is color that is)
Let's not have any flashing either, it will not be tolerated. However it will be graded.

I'm super excited 'bout it! Hey Hanford, will you be able to record the stuff and sell it on a DVD after?

HELL-O! How cool is this? I mean, I'll still be in Texas wishing I was in Alameda but at least I'll be able to see some of you kids! :)

Will there be any way for the crawlers to know who's watching so we can virtually say hi to each other?

Suzanne

DVD: Probably not. It's a live stream that is sub-TV quality, and unless someone wanted to edit it down, it would be many, many hours long.

Know who's chatting: Due to the way the mobile unit is set up, it will be difficult to know who is watching. However, I am looking at some tricks we may be able to pull ...

It's a live stream that is sub-TV quality

A new North American long straw drink record is sub-TV quality? Plus, there was the five alarm Ohana Hut blaze. This is video gold I tell you. Gold.

I think you may win a Peabody for this, HL.

Good thing we can edit out that bathroom footage. Right?
midnite

We should have routed that 8 foot straw directly to the bathroom!

can ya youtube some if it?
I got no computer at home, I'll have to wait till
Monday at work to watch. Gawd, that is so wrong.
But, it'll be a nice Monday am escape I guess!
wheeeeeeeee

Judging from the preview last night on SHOUT! this should be too much fun!
Thanks Hanford,for making the workday a bit woozier!
Girl's Bathroom Cam Pleez! :lol:

Fun last night. I had to log off around 11 my time but it was fun to see a lot of you live! I'm sure I'll miss it all tonight since it's opening night for me.

Here's a suggestion....
How about if a few of you have your cell phones and/or let the bars know that people may call in? I tried to call one location last night and they never picked up.....Looked like a fun time!

On 2007-11-09 10:00, SoccerTiki wrote:
Here's a suggestion....
How about if a few of you have your cell phones and/or let the bars know that people may call in? I tried to call one location last night and they never picked up.....Looked like a fun time!

Talking on the phone would get in the way of my drinkin' :wink:

Well, the highlight of the crawl for me was Unga Bunga spilling a flaming coffee grog on my Kinko's box, and it was caught on webcam and lovingly archived by an anonymous lurker. A classic for sure:

http://www.justin.tv/tikicentral/45937/tiki_central

What was the technical difficulty last night at midnight? I was watching & then it was nothing but the blue gorilla? What did I miss when the camera went off?

Tikisgrl

Yeah, we were watching you guys for a bit last night. Were you guys drinking cause it sure looks like it? I missed the visit to the porno shop but i hear it was funny. Any chance that will be in the archives? Or has it been "Removed" ?
I'm waiting to mix along at home a Voodoo Priestess at Forbidden Island demo'd by Haole in her clown suit in honor of the Clown Doctors. Exactly what time will that be?
Great video Hanford and Justin.
My only suggestion is to 1. Ban Unga from flaming drinks from now on.
2.Make virgin drinks for the cameraman.
3.Encourage TCers to talk in front of the camera.
4. Offer a mask for the shy ones and flashers.
5. Varie the angles a bit more.

That fire scene sure was fun to watch live!

I'm guessing that was a technical difficulty that shut you down last night. Or was it a cliff hanger? Did Crazy Al ever choose something from the menu?

I think it had to do with #2 above.

Really enjoyed the webcast...tonight I will be sure to concoct some beverages to drink along with the action. For those of you at home...post your drinks in the International Happy Hour thread. Let's support the Crawl with some fine cocktail drinking pictures.

The sound was better when the mike wasn't moving around....the conversation in the car was riveting...gargolye....hmm. Missed the flaming drink...but the instant replay was fabulous. The funniest part was the porn shop visit...you're a good shopper Hanford.

Looking forward to tonight....and have fun all you Crawlers. :tiki:

We closed down TV SF. WOW, they treated us like royalty! The Mai Tai boat was complimentary, they had complimentary mugs for us, and prints. I'm floored. EVERYONE, support TV SF. They treated us VERY well and very much value our business.

The camera went off because TV closed. Some of us went off to North Beach Philly Cheese Steak (sorry Crazy Al, we tried to get ya to join us :))...

Mahi Mahi for Crazy Al at TV. Hope that helps. :)

On 2007-11-10 09:48, The Granite Tiki wrote:
That fire scene sure was fun to watch live!

I'm guessing that was a technical difficulty that shut you down last night. Or was it a cliff hanger? Did Crazy Al ever choose something from the menu?

Missed the Trader Vics antics,but the driving/parking/walking segueways were fun in a reality show kinda way! fun to see all the Ohana up north! looking forward to peepin some more today! Hang in there kids,your stamina amazes me!
Thanks hanford,for makin it happen!

On 2007-11-10 06:06, Tikisgrl wrote:
What was the technical difficulty last night at midnight? I was watching & then it was nothing but the blue gorilla? What did I miss when the camera went off?

Tikisgrl

Firstly, it's running through a special high-speed cellular data network. It's possible we lost connection, just like when your cell phone sounds bad or drops calls. I'm surprised it's been as stable as it has been.

Secondly, the rig's batteries died at that last stop. 7 non-stop hours of broadcasting it pretty good though!

I am glad people are enjoying it!

On 2007-11-10 02:46, hanford_lemoore wrote:
Well, the highlight of the crawl for me was Unga Bunga spilling a flaming coffee grog on my Kinko's box, and it was caught on webcam and lovingly archived by an anonymous lurker. A classic for sure:

http://www.justin.tv/tikicentral/45937/tiki_central

That was my doing... I have been lurking on the web cam and "shouted" a bit late Friday. I also tried to capture Chongolio doing a little dance and an under the leg shot, but I guess your camera battery was low and the actual time recording went from 11:16 to 11:20 then back to 11:12 and restarted so I couldn't get the whole stream... it was weird, so you can delete the other highlight if you want....

The irony is I couldn't go to the crawl as I had too much work to do and the whole time I am glued to this web cam instead of doing the work I need to do... I should have just gone! Damn you and your cursed technology!

[ Edited by: stuff-o-rama 2007-11-10 16:42 ]

What program do you need to capture streaming video? I'm willing to record some scenes too. We can capture some great clips like the Kinko box incident for the TC archives.

Go to http://www.justin.tv/tikicentral/archive

on the right is a box with instructions to create a highlight. You have to sign up first to create one...

What a wonderful job you did on this project Hanford. Sure we had some static, but the shouters made the most of it. Great suggestions from everyone so far for next year. Highlights for me were:

1. Flaming Kinkos box (caught that on replay)
2. Porno shop visit (very funny)
3. Riding in the car (especially the tunnel, it was like a 60's flashback)
4. Left boob, right boob, biscuit head (shouters having fun)
5. Seeing the hardcore partiers playing with clay (and still drinking)

Thanks for your dedication to the TCers with this fabulous technology. :)

It ws very cool to be able to watch a little from time to time.
I appreciate the effort and it made me less bummed not to be there as I have been in years past.

I'm against TVs in Tiki Bars but OK with the webcams. Interesting.

Great webcast covering the Crawl. That was alot of dedication, Thanks!
It was cool being on Shout and commenting on live events, (watching the Kinko box go up in flames was my personal favorite.) Way to go Hanford and crew!

Thanks to everyone who tuned in and shouted with me! It was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed being able to bring a small part of the crawl to anyone who wanted to watch! I hope to see more of you next year! Check out my official thank you on the Tiki Crawl site.