Buzzer types
Buzzer types
Just curious about this, really. I'm a hand-held buzzer person, myself, but I'm sure there are dissenters among the crowd. I'm just wondering about the ratio.
I bite my tongue at you. No...wait...
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- Rikku
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- Captain Sinico
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It doesn't make any difference to me, and I've never understood why it makes any difference to anyone else, either. One should be prepared to compete however one is required to buzz... but then, these are pretty much the same mechanism anyway (in fact, almost all buzzers are: the same force applied by the same muscles.) If you're taken off your game by something so small as not having your favorite buzzer system, expect to lose a lot.
MaS
(Also, since I know it's an issue, the case where someone is physically unable to use buzzers of a certain kind is obviously an exceptional one about which my statements don't necessarily apply.)
MaS
(Also, since I know it's an issue, the case where someone is physically unable to use buzzers of a certain kind is obviously an exceptional one about which my statements don't necessarily apply.)
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I'm abstaining from the poll, since I really don't care enough about the issue to have so many exclamation points in my response. Handheld buzzers and tabletop buzzers typically use the same thumb motion to buzz in, and if you really want to you can hold a tabletop buzzer in your hand or lean a handheld buzzer on a table.
The Judge is a bit of an exception, as I think it's the only system I've ever seen with those cumbersome pedals for buzzers, but as long as every person on both teams has to do the same thing to buzz in it really shouldn't make a difference.
The Judge is a bit of an exception, as I think it's the only system I've ever seen with those cumbersome pedals for buzzers, but as long as every person on both teams has to do the same thing to buzz in it really shouldn't make a difference.
Mike Sollosi, University of Virginia
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The tabletop buzzers are cumbersome to pick up and hold in your hand, and often the cables aren't long enough for you to be able to do this. That said, I don't think I've ever been disadvantaged by them. But inconvenienced? Absolutely.
I think the table-top buzzers that say "Buzz In" are amusing, though.
I think the table-top buzzers that say "Buzz In" are amusing, though.
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We have a modular system that has both judge-like paddles and sticks with buttons on top. You can switch them while keeping the same number.laszlow wrote: The Judge is a bit of an exception, as I think it's the only system I've ever seen with those cumbersome pedals for buzzers, but as long as every person on both teams has to do the same thing to buzz in it really shouldn't make a difference.
This means that, in a game on such a system, not only could one team have paddles and one team have plungers, but different individuals on the same team can have different types of buzzers.
I think that's just asking for a formal experiment, but to my knowledge one has never been conducted.
Bruce
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tabletop vs. handheld
On the "same muscles to activate" argument...
In high school I always activated tabletop buzzers with my paired index and middle fingers rather than my thumb. Thumbing it just seemed awkward to me, and I feel like my fingers have a better reaction time than my thumb, generally.
Even in my College Bowl experience, I felt like my reaction time on the handheld buzzers was a fraction slower because I had to use my thumb rather than my fingers. I don't know whether this was actually true, but it felt that way.
In high school I always activated tabletop buzzers with my paired index and middle fingers rather than my thumb. Thumbing it just seemed awkward to me, and I feel like my fingers have a better reaction time than my thumb, generally.
Even in my College Bowl experience, I felt like my reaction time on the handheld buzzers was a fraction slower because I had to use my thumb rather than my fingers. I don't know whether this was actually true, but it felt that way.
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Well, as I said I preferred to use my paired index and middle finger. That combo feels awkward on the handheld signalling devices. I guess I could have held it with one hand and tapped it with my other hand, but I also liked being able to keep score on paper, and I don't have 3 hands.Why don't you just use your finger rather than your thumb on the handheld then?
I think what it boils down to is that I liked using some wrist movement instead of just the finger push.
- mentalchocolate
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What if your star player shatters his or her wrist in an attempt to grip a table top buzzer like a hand-held?mentalchocolate wrote:good teams are good teams regardless of the buzzers...
Fred Morlan
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former PACE member, president, etc.
former hsqbrank manager, former NAQT writer & subject editor, former hsqb Administrator/Chief Administrator
University of Kentucky CoP, 2017
International Quiz Bowl Tournaments, CEO, co-owner
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former hsqbrank manager, former NAQT writer & subject editor, former hsqb Administrator/Chief Administrator
Use your head. Instruct him/her to use his/her head to hit table top buzzers, and hold the hand-held one next to his/her head with your non-buzzing hand. If you can understand the difference between them, your star player only needs to know how far he has to move his/her head.leftsaidfred wrote:What if your star player shatters his or her wrist in an attempt to grip a table top buzzer like a hand-held?
Dwight - yes, but what about the risk of concussions? I wouldn't want my best player to end up like Troy Aikman at the end of his career?
Howard - agreed, but the called up player wouldn't be as good, plus there's the chance of the injury totally ruining the players' reaction time or cause a deep rooted phobia of buzzers. I mean, we're talking about long term damage to a player's developmental abilities.
I certainly hopes no coaches here run full contact drills during practice, causing unnecessary injuries.
Howard - agreed, but the called up player wouldn't be as good, plus there's the chance of the injury totally ruining the players' reaction time or cause a deep rooted phobia of buzzers. I mean, we're talking about long term damage to a player's developmental abilities.
I certainly hopes no coaches here run full contact drills during practice, causing unnecessary injuries.
Fred Morlan
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International Quiz Bowl Tournaments, CEO, co-owner
former PACE member, president, etc.
former hsqbrank manager, former NAQT writer & subject editor, former hsqb Administrator/Chief Administrator
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- mentalchocolate
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if we consider this then we must consider the possibility of a star player being injured by a chair, an assassin, the drive to the tournament....this leads me to conclude any great player should have body guards and be encased in a bubble that is made of highly durable compounds...also if it were a bubble perhaps the means of transportation could now be rolling the star player down the freeway as a bubble and he would experience to many g's of force from the centripetal force and be sick before the competition
or maybe i just need help
or maybe i just need help
No. Assassins, car accidents, etc. are out of the realm of things a star player should be able to avoid by using common sense. All great players, however, should be able to do the following things:
1) Show up on time to the correct game room. This is considerably harder than it sounds, and many up-and-coming quiz bowl players have had entire careers ruined by their inability to read tournament schedules.
2) Locate a chair and sit in it in a comfortable manner. Again, it sounds easy, but I subjected myself to several minutes of discomfort after sitting in an awkward position in a chair yesterday.
3) Differentiate between a hand-held buzzer and a table top buzzer, and
4) Use the buzzer check to understand how the buzzer works. No points can be scored by pressing the incorrect part of the buzzer.
If you can do these four things, you too are on your way to becoming a great quiz bowl player!
1) Show up on time to the correct game room. This is considerably harder than it sounds, and many up-and-coming quiz bowl players have had entire careers ruined by their inability to read tournament schedules.
2) Locate a chair and sit in it in a comfortable manner. Again, it sounds easy, but I subjected myself to several minutes of discomfort after sitting in an awkward position in a chair yesterday.
3) Differentiate between a hand-held buzzer and a table top buzzer, and
4) Use the buzzer check to understand how the buzzer works. No points can be scored by pressing the incorrect part of the buzzer.
If you can do these four things, you too are on your way to becoming a great quiz bowl player!
Every star player should know that when they are repairing a Zeecraft buzzer and have the plastic cover off, to not feel tempted to touch both the squarish metal filaments inside at the same time unless you need a pick-me-up that caffeine just can't provide.
Noah Rahman
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- Lulu
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You know...
Don't get me wrong, I love quiz bowl, and I'm really only kidding, but, guys, this thread has to win the prize for geekiest quiz bowl discussion ever. If any outsider reads it, it will only confirm the stereotypes.
Hey, somebody want to set up a poll for geekiest discussion ever?
Hey, somebody want to set up a poll for geekiest discussion ever?
Re: You know...
Hey, you can sit there in your ivory tower and ignore injuries, but they happen all the time. I've seen many a quiz bowler have to leave tournaments early due to serious injuries; in fact, back in 2004, TJ A nearly lost a match after Sam Lederer pulled a hammy due to a non-regulation chair.jeffburns1 wrote:Don't get me wrong, I love quiz bowl, and I'm really only kidding, but, guys, this thread has to win the prize for geekiest quiz bowl discussion ever. If any outsider reads it, it will only confirm the stereotypes.
Hey, somebody want to set up a poll for geekiest discussion ever?
Fred Morlan
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former PACE member, president, etc.
former hsqbrank manager, former NAQT writer & subject editor, former hsqb Administrator/Chief Administrator
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I've actually had to leave a real game at ACF Regionals last year because I swallowed a piece of aluminum. So this thread is not that divergent from reality.
Bruce
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- Rikku
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This is proof that the buzzer style is important, as if it doesn't make sense, you could actually attempt to eat the buzzer, leading to an early tournament exit and/or death.
Fred Morlan
University of Kentucky CoP, 2017
International Quiz Bowl Tournaments, CEO, co-owner
former PACE member, president, etc.
former hsqbrank manager, former NAQT writer & subject editor, former hsqb Administrator/Chief Administrator
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You know how aluminum cans have a tab, but the tab isn't attached to the actual can, its attached to this tiny semicircle that is then attached to the can.NoahMinkCHS wrote:A statement like that is begging for some elaboration.Bruce wrote:... I swallowed a piece of aluminum...
Well, when I tore the tab off my can of Pepsi, part of that little semicircle came lose and got into my Pepsi.
I asked some Biology PhD students who happened to be there if this would cause me to die, they said no, so I kept playing, then after the tournament I went to a doctor and he confirmed this. I'm still around, obviously.
Bruce
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Re: You know...
Apparently fear of injury has infiltrated the administration of our school. My JV coach and I were mandated to attend a Red Cross first aid training before school started. We were the only non-athletic coaches there ( no club sponsors, either) and we were getting some pretty strange looks from the jocks!leftsaidfred wrote:Hey, you can sit there in your ivory tower and ignore injuries, but they happen all the time. I've seen many a quiz bowler have to leave tournaments early due to serious injuries; in fact, back in 2004, TJ A nearly lost a match after Sam Lederer pulled a hammy due to a non-regulation chair.jeffburns1 wrote:Don't get me wrong, I love quiz bowl, and I'm really only kidding, but, guys, this thread has to win the prize for geekiest quiz bowl discussion ever. If any outsider reads it, it will only confirm the stereotypes.
Hey, somebody want to set up a poll for geekiest discussion ever?
As for the buzzer system : my kids prefer the hand-held models, but since our state tournament uses tabletops, by George, that's what we practice with. I do agree that hand-helds are not as durable. And everyone I know HATES the Judge.
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I would hope it works better in that capacity than it does for quizbowl. Otherwise. . .Well, I guess if you do it right, you can use a Judge as a defibrillator...
I personally find that buzzing with your hand on the judge is not any better than buzzing with other limbs. I have played several rounds using my feet and played fairly well. In fact, I buzzed once on a bounceback with my head during a playoff consolation game and later saw my team beaten to a buzz by an opposing player's forehead (we were all buzzing the "normal" way). I would like to see NAQT introduce a rule offering bonus points for buzzes made with heads, feet, or by throwing the buzzer at a wall. It would add a new, dynamic element to competition.
Also, if buzzers have the potential to shock people, who votes for doing away with the -5 for negs? Clearly we have found a more efficient way of punishing them. . . Japanese gameshow style!
Chris Ray
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The ever battle-ready opposing teamDumbJaques wrote:I buzzed once on a bounceback with my head during a playoff consolation game and later saw my team beaten to a buzz by an opposing player's forehead (we were all buzzing the "normal" way).
Even the simplist task can be done rong.
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Yeah, I've played that shocking game (I think it's called "Lightning Reaction"). One of our team members brought it on the bus to a tournament, joking that it would help us improve our buzzer speed. You never know...
"That's the problem with real life. People don't just break into musical song and dance."
Thanks to all who answered my original post and this poll thread. I ordered the http://www.buzzersystems.com We bought the handheld version. So far we are very happy with it. The system that Mr. Barry had suggested does look very good but the website is not up to snuff and the buzzersystems machine can be orered with a universial power pack for schools like ours.
Michael Harvey
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Michael Harvey
American Community School
Abu Dhabi, UAE