Guide

Set up the target

Use even lighting on the target and avoid glare or hard shadows. The target must sit firmly with little vibration – otherwise the camera image drifts and detection suffers.

Set up the spotting scope

Use a stable tripod and place the scope so that vibration on the line stays as low as possible. Aim the scope at the centre of the target’s bullseye.

Mount the smartphone

Use a stable holder on the eyepiece. Avoid light leaks between eyepiece and camera. Use the camera app to check the viewfinder image: set the camera to a 1:1 aspect ratio with no digital zoom. The main camera must look straight through the scope.

Start TargetSpotter

Open the app and choose the discipline you want.

Target type and caliber

Select target type and caliber. Acoustic shot detection is optional. The free version offers the 25 m precision target and the 10 m air pistol target.

Calibration dialog

Calibration is the critical step: the app finds the centre and the rings. Align phone and scope so the target is in the camera image, then tap “Calibrate”.

• 25 m precision and 50 m pistol (DSB target no. 4)
• 10 m air pistol (DSB target no. 7)
• 25 m duel (DSB target no. 10)
• 50 m smallbore (DSB target no. 3)
• Rifle 100 metres (BDS target)
• Rifle 300 metres (DSB target)

The target, or its mirror, should sit in the centre of the image. For the “25 m precision” and “10 m air pistol” targets, rings 5 to 6 should still be fully visible; for “25 m rapid fire”, the white horizontal bars up to ring 7. TIP: you can try calibration without a scope to get a feel for the viewfinder image required. Just step in front of the target with your smartphone and find the optimal framing for a successful calibration.

A successful calibration is shown by a red ring and a red cross sitting exactly over the mirror. If they are not plausible, tap NEW within 4 s and repeat the calibration. If they are OK, the program continues automatically.

If the program cannot find any features, a black and white image is shown. In that case too, tap NEW and repeat the calibration.

Shooting

The app detects shots by sound and by image. Shot-sound detection needs microphone access. Each hit appears in real time on the virtual target and in the hit list.

Wrong hits

Camera quality, lighting and vibration can cause errors. Wrong hits cannot be ruled out entirely, especially in difficult conditions (outdoors etc.). A simple swipe across the display shows the target itself at any time (real target).

Hit not detected

If the algorithm cannot detect a hit, the last camera image is shown for 6 seconds.

Duel program

The duel program follows ISSF timing: 7 seconds hidden, 3 seconds visible, repeated five times. The app scores the series automatically once it is finished. For that, the target must be visible again no later than 3 seconds after it last turns away. Hits not detected during the duel series are marked with a question mark in the hit list.

Using the phone while shooting

Avoid touching the smartphone while you shoot – any contact moves the scope and the camera image.

Set up the target

Use even lighting on the target and avoid glare or hard shadows. The target must sit firmly with little vibration – otherwise the camera image drifts and detection suffers.

Set up the spotting scope

Use a stable tripod and place the scope so that vibration on the line stays as low as possible. Aim the scope at the centre of the target’s bullseye.

Fit the scope camera

The USB/UVC camera is fitted onto the eyepiece of the spotting scope and fixed firmly in place. It has to sit on axis, otherwise the target image is tilted or vignettes at the edges.

Connect the camera to the phone

Connect camera and phone with a USB-C cable. As soon as the camera is plugged in, TargetSpotter starts automatically. The USB camera is recognised as the image source on its own – there is nothing to select. The phone stays free to move and can lie ready on the shooting bench.

Use a cable long enough for your bench, and keep an eye on the battery – the phone powers the camera as well.

Start TargetSpotter

Open the app and choose the discipline you want.

Target type and caliber

Select target type and caliber. Acoustic shot detection is optional. The free version offers the 25 m precision target and the 10 m air pistol target.

Calibration dialog

Calibration is the critical step: the app finds the centre and the rings. Align phone and scope so the target is in the camera image, then tap “Calibrate”.

• 25 m precision and 50 m pistol (DSB target no. 4)
• 10 m air pistol (DSB target no. 7)
• 25 m duel (DSB target no. 10)
• 50 m smallbore (DSB target no. 3)
• Rifle 100 metres (BDS target)
• Rifle 300 metres (DSB target)

The target, or its mirror, should sit in the centre of the image. For the “25 m precision” and “10 m air pistol” targets, rings 5 to 6 should still be fully visible; for “25 m rapid fire”, the white horizontal bars up to ring 7. TIP: you can try calibration without a scope to get a feel for the viewfinder image required. Just step in front of the target with your smartphone and find the optimal framing for a successful calibration.

A successful calibration is shown by a red ring and a red cross sitting exactly over the mirror. If they are not plausible, tap NEW within 4 s and repeat the calibration. If they are OK, the program continues automatically.

If the program cannot find any features, a black and white image is shown. In that case too, tap NEW and repeat the calibration.

Shooting

The app detects shots by sound and by image. Shot-sound detection needs microphone access. Each hit appears in real time on the virtual target and in the hit list.

Wrong hits

Camera quality, lighting and vibration can cause errors. Wrong hits cannot be ruled out entirely, especially in difficult conditions (outdoors etc.). A simple swipe across the display shows the target itself at any time (real target).

Hit not detected

If the algorithm cannot detect a hit, the last camera image is shown for 6 seconds.

Duel program

The duel program follows ISSF timing: 7 seconds hidden, 3 seconds visible, repeated five times. The app scores the series automatically once it is finished. For that, the target must be visible again no later than 3 seconds after it last turns away. Hits not detected during the duel series are marked with a question mark in the hit list.

The camera while you shoot

You can pick the phone up, it is only on the cable. Do not touch the scope or the camera, though – any knock shifts the target image.

Set up the target

Use even lighting on the target and avoid glare or hard shadows. The target must sit firmly with little vibration – otherwise the camera image drifts and detection suffers.

Set up the Wi-Fi camera

The pre-configured Wi-Fi camera is placed above, beside or in front of the target, at a distance of 2 to 3 metres. Set focus and zoom so that the largest target you want to cover fills the frame.

Get the camera from tec-hro.de

Connect to the Wi-Fi

Once the camera is running, connect the phone to its Wi-Fi. At this address you can call up a current camera image at any time to check the alignment or adjust it:

http://192.168.60.43:8080/snapshot.jpg

This method needs no spotting scope.

Start TargetSpotter

Open the app and choose the discipline you want.

When the app starts, it detects the connected Wi-Fi and selects the camera as the image source automatically.

Target type and caliber

Select target type and caliber. Acoustic shot detection is optional. The free version offers the 25 m precision target and the 10 m air pistol target.

Calibration dialog

Calibration is the critical step: the app finds the centre and the rings. Align phone and scope so the target is in the camera image, then tap “Calibrate”.

• 25 m precision and 50 m pistol (DSB target no. 4)
• 10 m air pistol (DSB target no. 7)
• 25 m duel (DSB target no. 10)
• 50 m smallbore (DSB target no. 3)
• Rifle 100 metres (BDS target)
• Rifle 300 metres (DSB target)

Framing, focus and zoom were already set when you positioned the camera – here you calibrate directly on the camera image.

The target, or its mirror, should sit in the centre of the image. For the “25 m precision” and “10 m air pistol” targets, rings 5 to 6 should still be fully visible; for “25 m rapid fire”, the white horizontal bars up to ring 7. TIP: you can try calibration without a scope to get a feel for the viewfinder image required. Just step in front of the target with your smartphone and find the optimal framing for a successful calibration.

A successful calibration is shown by a red ring and a red cross sitting exactly over the mirror. If they are not plausible, tap NEW within 4 s and repeat the calibration. If they are OK, the program continues automatically.

If the program cannot find any features, a black and white image is shown. In that case too, tap NEW and repeat the calibration.

Shooting

The app detects shots by sound and by image. Shot-sound detection needs microphone access. Each hit appears in real time on the virtual target and in the hit list.

Wrong hits

Camera quality, lighting and vibration can cause errors. Wrong hits cannot be ruled out entirely, especially in difficult conditions (outdoors etc.). A simple swipe across the display shows the target itself at any time (real target).

Hit not detected

If the algorithm cannot detect a hit, the last camera image is shown for 6 seconds.

Duel program

The duel program follows ISSF timing: 7 seconds hidden, 3 seconds visible, repeated five times. The app scores the series automatically once it is finished. For that, the target must be visible again no later than 3 seconds after it last turns away. Hits not detected during the duel series are marked with a question mark in the hit list.

The camera while you shoot

The camera has to stay still – do not readjust it after calibrating. The phone, on the other hand, you can move and pick up freely.