Easily portable buzzer systems fading away?

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the return of AHAN
Auron
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Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:40 pm

Easily portable buzzer systems fading away?

Post by the return of AHAN »

I'm in my 15th year of hosting a large-scale tournament, and, for the first time, I'm staring at the real possibility of slapbowl in some rooms. Entry form after entry form indicates teams will NOT be bringing a buzzer system. When pressed, a few have responded that they have one, but it doesn't work, others have cited ownership of a wireless system that is behaving erratically, and still a few more own a system that requires a computer to operate and aren't interested in leaving an unattended, personal laptop behind to run such a system, the way you'd ordinarily do with an Anderson, Zeecraft, Quizmaster, etc.
Has anyone else had this sort of issue? For the first time I've instituted buzzer discounts, but I don't see it having a big impact. Maybe introduce financial penalties for NOT bringing a system? Or push all non-buzzer teams into the same pool and have those rooms do slapbowl? A penny for your thoughts.
Jeff Price
Barrington High School Coach (2021 & 2023 HSNCT Champions, 2023 PACE Champions, 2023 Illinois Masonic Bowl Class 3A State Champions)
Barrington Station Middle School Coach (2013 MSNCT Champions, 2013 & 2017 Illinois Class AA State Champions)
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Cody
2008-09 Male Athlete of the Year
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Re: Easily portable buzzer systems fading away?

Post by Cody »

I can't say I've seen this (my last two tournaments: 24 college / 21 buzzers; 24 high school / 15 buzzers). On the other hand, most VA high school teams have a buzzer because they participate in Scholastic Bowl, which is buzzer based. What level of competition are we talking here?
Cody Voight, VCU ’14.
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the return of AHAN
Auron
Posts: 1988
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:40 pm

Re: Easily portable buzzer systems fading away?

Post by the return of AHAN »

Middle school. I was especially blown away that a long-time participant in my tourney revealed they can no longer provide a system because the one they have is unreliable and there's no money to get it fixed or replaced. And this is a suburban, public junior high school.
Jeff Price
Barrington High School Coach (2021 & 2023 HSNCT Champions, 2023 PACE Champions, 2023 Illinois Masonic Bowl Class 3A State Champions)
Barrington Station Middle School Coach (2013 MSNCT Champions, 2013 & 2017 Illinois Class AA State Champions)
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alexdz
Rikku
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Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 7:29 pm
Location: Conshohocken, PA

Re: Easily portable buzzer systems fading away?

Post by alexdz »

I've been wondering for some time if there was any good, centralized way to offer inexpensive buzzer repair for these teams. For teams attending national tournaments, these might offer centralized locations, but for teams who aren't, they're left with no good way to get systems repaired. Are there enough quizbowlers who are electrical engineers or otherwise handy with this kind of work who could offer to do this work at minimal costs? Other sites might be at state coaches conferences, major state tournaments, etc.
Alex Dzurick
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Owner/Editor, SAGES Quizbowl Questions
Middle school teacher, Rohan Woods School
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South Callaway '08 -- Mizzou '12 -- Illinois '17
SCMS coach '12-'13 -- EFIP coach '20-'21 -- RWS coach '22-present
ScottF
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Re: Easily portable buzzer systems fading away?

Post by ScottF »

I hosted 3 MS tournaments last year and only had an issue at our biggest one, 66 teams. I think one answer is raising entry fees and corresponding buzzer discounts. Buzzer systems should pay for themselves over two years (especially with the bonuses some national events give), and actually save money after the two year mark.
I will say that we have gone to giving the buzzer discount at check-in, as some schools take the discount but 'forget' the buzzers
Scott Fowler
River Trail Middle School
Northview High School
billysport
Kimahri
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Joined: Mon May 11, 2015 7:28 pm

Re: Easily portable buzzer systems fading away?

Post by billysport »

There are a few apps such as "I buzzed first" on the apple app store (I'm not sure about android). If a set of teams do not bring buzzers to the tournament, you could put them all in the same pool and force them to buy the app (I buzzed first is 99 cents) and download them app on a device for the moderator.
Billy Fryer
Player
Columbiana Middle 2013-15
Shelby County High School 2015-
ashwin99
Lulu
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Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2013 11:37 am

Re: Easily portable buzzer systems fading away?

Post by ashwin99 »

What about http://qbbuzzer.com ?
Ashwin Ramaswami
Communications Director, ACF (2018-2019)
Stanford University (2017-2021), Chattahoochee High School (2013-2017)


Try this free mobile app Tycho: Play Quizbowl and Science Bowl to study or read packets while on the go.
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