Tennis Warehouse: Sony Sensor Playtest!!!

[TW Staff]

Attention Talk Tennis Members:

The Sony Sensors have been shipped to playtesters, who have been notified by email.

VERY IMPORTANT: This playtest is only available to players with Sensor compatible butt caps. This includes:

• 2015 Wilson Blades & Burns
  Pro Staff RF97, 97 & 97LS will be compatible soon. Wilson is making a running change.

• Prince Textreme racquets

• Yonex Tour F & SI racquets

*Please note: for this playtest, you will need a Smartphone/tablet with a camera running Android 4.1 or later (some exception may exist) or iPhone/iPad running iOS6.1 or later. Must be iPhone 4 or later.

We have a very limited quantity of Sony Sensor units to playtest. We select playtesters based on a number of factors including previous playtests, message board participation, etc.

Your reviews are due no later than Wednesday June 17.

If you do not post a review, or if your review is clearly lacking effort, you will be excluded from future playtests.

Once you have playtested your Sony Sensor and have been able to upload your data to a phone or tablet, please use the following to write your review:

Tennis experience/background:
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
Current racquet/string:
How many hours did you play with the Sony Sensor?
Was the device easy to attach to the racquet?
Given it’s location on the racquet, was the sensor a hindrance?
How easy was it to upload and view the data on the app?
What did you like about the app?
What did you dislike about the app?
Was there anything you thought was missing?
How did you use the data you received from the app?

This thread is for questions, comments about the product, and reviews only. Please no “Email sent” posts.

To learn more about the Sony Sensor click me!

 

[TW Staff]

To qualify for this playtest, your racquet must have a cut-out beneath or above the logo (see images below). If you are unsure if your’s qualifies, please attach an image of your butt cap to the email you submit for this playtest.

 

[bertrevert]

To qualify for this playtest, your racquet must have a cut-out beneath or above the logo (see images below). If you are unsure if your’s qualifies, please attach an image of your butt cap to the email you submit for this playtest.

Based on these pictures surely the Babolats would qualify as well.

Although they do have their own Play system...

 

[kimguroo]

Based on these pictures surely the Babolats would qualify as well.

Although they do have their own Play system...

Attachment (see pic below: it's from my yonex racket) will not fit into non-Sony ready butt cap including Babolat.
Also in Sony sensor app, one needs to choose specific racket in order to use app.

 

[g4driver]

Curious if you can swap the Original Steam 99S Buttcap and replace it with new Red with Silver W buttcap.

This seems like a logical solution to make any Steam 99S Sony Sensor Compatible.

 

[g4driver]

Attachment will not fit into non-Sony ready butt cap including Babolat.
Also in Sony sensor app, one needs to choose specific racket in order to use app.

I think I have the correct answer for the Steam 99S.

The first two buttcaps issued on the Steam 99S frames make them non-compatible.

Cream Buttcap with the Black W - not compatible


Black Buttcap with Red W and Red SPIN - not compatible
Image here: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpage-WMISCG.html

But the lastest and greatest: Red Buttcap with Silver W = Compatible with the Sony Sensor.

I have all three versions of the Steam 99S and the last two frames I purchased have the Sony Sensor compatible Red with Silver Buttcap (which includes the cutout that TW referenced). The first versions of the Steam 99S do not have this cutout.

Thanks Wilson for updating this frame to become compatible with the Sony Sensor.

 

[Bartelby]

The hole is not on the butt cap, as is normal to access handle, but on the surrounding edge as well.

Based on these pictures surely the Babolats would qualify as well.

Although they do have their own Play system...

 

[the_faceless_player]

What about all the Head racquets they list as currently compatible in their press release from 4/20/15?

http://www.head.com/tennis/news/?region=us&id=4213

Did they revise the butt cap recently or were they always compatible with the adapter ring?

 

[kimguroo]

Any update on the Steam 99S compatibility?

Sony says yes. TW said no. Confused.

I would be happy to test the Sensor in a both a Blade 98 16x19 and a Steam 99S and compare the differences.

Answer is both "Yes" and "No".
Yes: Sony listed compatible rackets as Steam99S.
List of rackets
http://www.smarttennissensor.sony.net/racketlist/racketlist_JP.html
No: old Steam 99S does not have Sony sensor ready buttcap.

Best thing might be...getting new replacement Sony sensor ready butt cap (not sure when it will be available though) or take off your blade Sony ready butt cap then put it onto Steam 99s.

 

[kimguroo]

What about all the Head racquets they list as currently compatible in their press release from 4/20/15?

http://www.head.com/tennis/news/?region=us&id=4213

Did they revise the butt cap recently or were they always compatible with the adapter ring?

It's exactly same as other companies.
Head rackets also need Sony ready butt cap.

Wilson, Prince and Yonex share same attachment but Head attachment is different.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showpost.php?p=9167258&postcount=67

I am sure that U.S. Version has both attachments in one package.
Earlier Japanese version had one attachment and recently released new package with both attachments.

 

[bertrevert]

I'm all in favour of open platforms wherever possible.

Gee, do hope Sony can get ALL manufacturers on board, or indeed have an alternative mounting system where the buttcap is not an option, of their own adjustable (shave-able?) buttcap replacement....

 

[scotus]

So does TW have the Sony-compatible Wilson butt caps for sale?

 

[TW Staff]

So does TW have the Sony-compatible Wilson butt caps for sale?

Scotus,

TW will be selling Wilson sensor-compatible butt caps at some point in late May.

Thanks,
TW Staff

 

[g4driver]

Scotus,

TW will be selling Wilson sensor-compatible butt caps at some point in late May.

Thanks,
TW Staff

Thanks much -

 

[themitchmann]

Hi TW Staff.

Any idea when you will select participants for this playtest?

 

[TW Staff]

themitchmann,

We will be sending out confirmation emails to selected playtesters in the next couple days.

Brittany, TW

 

[GBplayer]

I thought that the Yonex tour G models were compatible as well?

 

[kimguroo]

I thought that the Yonex tour G models were compatible as well?

Current U.S. Version does not have Sony sensor ready butt cap but if one has Sony sensor ready butt cap, you can use tour G.
Probably TW will get Yonex replacement Sony sensor ready butt cap soon.

 

[themitchmann]

themitchmann,

We will be sending out confirmation emails to selected playtesters in the next couple days.

Brittany, TW

Thanks, Brittany. Just want to make sure I line up some playing, just in case I am selected.

 

[Babolat Official]

Didn't get selected. Weird.

 

[mikeler]

Didn't get selected. Weird.

I'd file a discrimination suit.

 

[racertempo]

I think I have the correct answer for the Steam 99S.

Black Buttcap with Red W and Red SPIN - not compatible
Image here: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpage-WMISCG.html

Why is the Red with Red not compatible? The bottom pops off and the inside is open.

 

[g4driver]

Didn't get selected. Weird.

Hahahaha . That is a priceless post Daniel

 

[g4driver]

Why is the Red with Red not compatible? The bottom pops off and the inside is open.

There has to have an outer cutout like the pic TW posted repost below. Only the Red with Silver W has both an inner cutout, and an outer cutout.

The Cream with Black and The Red with Red Spin only has the inner cutout, not the outer cutout, which allows installation of the base to lock the Sensor.

If you notice the Prince Buttcap, it only has the outer cutout, but that is the one Sony requires.

To qualify for this playtest, your racquet must have a cut-out beneath or above the logo (see images below). If you are unsure if your’s qualifies, please attach an image of your butt cap to the email you submit for this playtest.

 

[Sparky]

Didn't get selected. Weird.

The reply reads, "ln the next couple days." You still have a chance Daniel. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Lol

 

[Babolat Official]

The reply reads, "ln the next couple days." You still have a chance Daniel. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Lol

Oh good. There still is hope.

 

[SJSA]

Has anyone been notified by TW?

 

[g4driver]

Does anyone get an email from TW?

Yes., early this afternoon. Very thankful to get the email to be a part of this playtest.

 

[Greg G]

Great to see more people using it!

 

[thebigz]

Has all the email been sent?

 

[YarikA99]

Has all the email been sent?

Yeah, I think so. I got mine a couple days ago.

 

[TW Staff]

Yes, all emails have been sent out and we have confirmed with all participants. The sensors should be shipping out in the next 2 days and arriving the end of this week or beginning of next week.

Brittany, TW

 

[g4driver]

Got my Sensor via UPS today. Charged it up (it took about 2 hours to charge) and installed it on my Steam 99S this afternoon.

Looking forward to this playtest.

 

[Carlito]

Is it difficult to remove the sensor/attachment? I don't want to play with it all the time so will I have a difficult time putting my original butt cap on?

 

[kimguroo]

Is it difficult to remove the sensor/attachment? I don't want to play with it all the time so will I have a difficult time putting my original butt cap on?

It does need a tool but Sony sensor comes a tool plus a pouch which you can put everything and put your pouch in your bag.
It will take one-two second to remove. Just click with a tool.
After you remove the attachment, just put your butt cap.
Entire process might take 30 second (open pouch: 5 seconds, find a tool from pouch, 8 second, pull out the tool: 3 second, grap your racket: 3 seconds, remove a sensor and put it back to pouch: 3 seconds, remove attachment :2 seconds, put the attachment back to pouch:3 seconds, put the buttcap back 3 seconds).

 

[g4driver]

Kimguroo,

Need your advice. I have used the Sony Smart Sensor twice, once in the Live Mode, once in Memory Mode only.

Both times, a fully charged sensor seemed to die only after recorded 186 Shots the first day and a 175 shots the second day. I played three sets of doubles and one set of singles on the second day. This just seems very low, but both times the sensor recorded for 1+40 (186 shots) and 1+50 (175 shots).

I generally warm up with the racquet with the sensor on the bench, then insert the sensor when ready to record. It is difficult to see the "Blue Light" even in the shade during a bright Carolina May day, so I have been connecting the sensor to iPhone via Blu-Tooth in my truck (with less bright light), then going to the court. Pulling the sensor off, then reattaching it after the warmup.

Any suggestion or hints? Much appreciated. I feel like I am doing something wrong.

 

[kimguroo]

Kimguroo,

Need your advice. I have used the Sony Smart Sensor twice, once in the Live Mode, once in Memory Mode only.

Both times, a fully charged sensor seemed to die only after recorded 186 Shots the first day and a 175 shots the second day. I played three sets of doubles and one set of singles on the second day. This just seems very low, but both times the sensor recorded for 1+40 (186 shots) and 1+50 (175 shots).

I generally warm up with the racquet with the sensor on the bench, then insert the sensor when ready to record. It is difficult to see the "Blue Light" even in the shade during a bright Carolina May day, so I have been connecting the sensor to iPhone via Blu-Tooth in my truck (with less bright light), then going to the court. Pulling the sensor off, then reattaching it after the warmup.

Any suggestion or hints? Much appreciated. I feel like I am doing something wrong.

I only use sensor around 1:30hr so never had battery life problem. I remember that someone complained about battery life but it was around 2hrs.
Also I can see blue light during sun light at court.....
Also did you play same place? Maybe there is some interference in that area?
Or maybe you got a defective item????
Just connect sensor when you use it and see if battery life gets better.

 

[g4driver]

Thanks- yes played at the same place twice. Same court.

Just seems like the sensor isn't recording a lot of the shots.

 

[themitchmann]

I've played with the sensor is memory mode for a number of hours. When I switch to the racquet connected to the sensor, I turn it on and play for the hour. Then, when I'm starting a lesson with more feeding/light hitting, I turn off the sensor and switch to a lighter racquet. I've had multiple days with over 1,500 shots recorded. I've sometimes needed to charge the battery before syncing, but I believe most of my data has made it to the app.

 

[808]

Question for you guys already testing / playing with the Sony sensor:

Will the measurements still be mostly accurate when using it on a modified racket? Say, for example, one of the new sensor-ready Blades with silicone in the handle, some lead, etc.? Thanks!

 

[Federvich]

Kimguroo,

Need your advice. I have used the Sony Smart Sensor twice, once in the Live Mode, once in Memory Mode only.

Both times, a fully charged sensor seemed to die only after recorded 186 Shots the first day and a 175 shots the second day. I played three sets of doubles and one set of singles on the second day. This just seems very low, but both times the sensor recorded for 1+40 (186 shots) and 1+50 (175 shots).

I generally warm up with the racquet with the sensor on the bench, then insert the sensor when ready to record. It is difficult to see the "Blue Light" even in the shade during a bright Carolina May day, so I have been connecting the sensor to iPhone via Blu-Tooth in my truck (with less bright light), then going to the court. Pulling the sensor off, then reattaching it after the warmup.

Any suggestion or hints? Much appreciated. I feel like I am doing something wrong.

Using the sensor in bluetooth connected mode will use much more battery than memory. I've played now twice with it in memory mode for 2+ hours, and the battery indicator shows only one third has been used. So their stated battery life seems conservative (which is good).

Question for you guys already testing / playing with the Sony sensor:

Will the measurements still be mostly accurate when using it on a modified racket? Say, for example, one of the new sensor-ready Blades with silicone in the handle, some lead, etc.? Thanks!

I added a little lead tape to my racquet (4gms) to the head since the sensor itself is 8gms (in the handle). I like the extra weight actually, and the sensor seems to work fine. I have no reason to believe the shot locations and speeds recorded by the sensor are inaccurate, and they seem 'right' for a player of my caliber. For example, I'm a 4 - 4.5 player, and my best forehand is 75mph, and I'm serving first serves at 85-90mph (best at 96) ... which seems about right.

 

[Sparky]

The battery life seems to be a critical issue. I currently use a couple Play Pure Drives and the easily go 3 1/2 hours with 50%+ battery life remaining. Our typical sessions are 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours of hitting.

 

[g4driver]

Using the sensor in bluetooth connected mode will use much more battery than memory. I've played now twice with it in memory mode for 2+ hours, and the battery indicator shows only one third has been used. So their stated battery life seems conservative (which is good).







I added a little lead tape to my racquet (4gms) to the head since the sensor itself is 8gms (in the handle). I like the extra weight actually, and the sensor seems to work fine. I have no reason to believe the shot locations and speeds recorded by the sensor are inaccurate, and they seem 'right' for a player of my caliber. For example, I'm a 4 - 4.5 player, and my best forehand is 75mph, and I'm serving first serves at 85-90mph (best at 96) ... which seems about right.

The battery level isn't the issue. It is the lack of recording total shots. I must be getting some interference between my sensor and iPhone. Will test it at another location and see if the results change.

My forehand is pretty similar to yours - fastest in three outings is 77 mph, fastest 2HBH is 76 mph. I serve slower in the mid 70s average with the high marks in the mid 80s.

 

[YarikA99]

My sensor is a little bit inaccurate on my yonex ai 98. Some of my topspin forehands are getting registered as backhands and also my two fastest groundstrokes are backhand slice with a rhs of 54 and 57 and a ball speed of 99 and 97. Also when I am just practicing my serve and hitting one after the other then some of the shots get registered as smashes. Other than that it seems to be accurate for the most part. My backhand averages 63 with 4.5 spin and my fastest backhand is 84 while my forehand averages about 74 for all my sessions with 5.8 spin and my fastest is 91.

Also the battery isn't too bad. There was still a third left when I played for two hours with it and almost half of it was with live mode.

 

[jonestim]

Tennis experience/background: 4 years playing, 3.5 level

Describe your playing style: Usually lots of singles where I hit from the baseline and come in on any short ball, but during this playtest period I hit closer to 65% doubles.

Current racquet/string/device: Prince Textreme Tour 95 / Volkl V-Torque 17@45 / Apple iPhone 5s

How many hours did you play with the Sony Sensor? 16

Was the device easy to attach to the racquet?
The device was very easy to attach - about a minute to put the base adapter in, and then a quick twist to attach and reattach it each time. It was a solid and I never felt like it was going to come loose. In comparison to the Zepp it was much better. The Zepp Pro mount is permanently attached to the butt cap and if you aren't using the sensor it still hangs out there. The Zepp Flex mount is easy to attach and move to other racquets but is heaver and the rubber under the palm is noticeable.

Given it’s location on the racquet, was the sensor a hindrance?
The heel of my palm did touch the sensor and was noticeable. It has three fins on it, and I would sometimes spin my racquet to the opposite face to keep a fin from digging in a bit. It's not perfect, but is manageable. Compared to the Zepp, I had problems with the Pro mount because my hand would push the sensor out of the holder and it would go flying across the court. After three times in one set I ditched the Pro mount and started using the flex mount. The Zepp Flex mount is noticeable under the palm, but is not painful. It is heavier by about 12 grams than the Sony - 20g vs 8 for the Sony.

How easy was it to upload and view the data on the app?
Very easy. The bluetooth connection was rock solid. Every time I turned on the bluetooth it would connect with the phone within 2 seconds. Zepp - not so much. I would sometimes give up on trying to get the Zepp to connect after a few minutes and several restarts.

What did you like about the app?
The most unique aspect of the app is the live/video feature. It is great to see your shot on video and see how well you actually connected with the ball. You can select just a particular stroke type - say slice forehands - and see all those. The video is not as easy to see on a phone as it would be on a tablet, but I always have a phone with me on court.

Another great feature of it is that the strikes actually show exactly where you hit as opposed to one of 5 regions. You can also zoom in on a tighter time period than your entire session and see speed/spin/hit location on an individual hit.

I like the graphs over time of topspin and speed, and the ability to set goals (60mph average speed on topspin forehands with a 6/10+ spin) for sessions.

What did you dislike about the app?
I signed up for my username and my phone autocorrected it to something else. There is no way for me to edit my username.

Was there anything you thought was missing?
Zepp has their 3d serve action and Babolat still has their community. Both of those would be nice, but overall the Sony app was pretty well thought out.

How did you use the data you received from the app?
It is nice to quantify the hitting sessions. On days I do my clubs local doubles clinic (8 people rotating in - winners get to stay) I can roughly gauge how I played that day by looking at my hit count. Higher number of hits often means more time on court. Having goals for speed and spin during a session helps me focus on achieving those goals and therefor hit better.

Other notes:
One thing that was a bit of a bummer is the lack of compatibility with most of my racquets. I have a number of other sticks in my bag and would like to compare speed/spin/% in sweetspot vs the Textreme 95. That isn't possible now. As time goes forward and more racquets are compatible it won't be as much of an issue, but for now it is. I can see it being a great tool for demoing new racquets as you could see numbers vs your current stick.

For the Prince butt cap, the center section that is removed weighs 2 grams. The mount weighs 3 grams, and the sensor weighs 7. That means the sensor adds 8g to the butt of the racquet. I would love to see the racquet manufacturers design their butt caps so the removable piece is 10g, then spec the rest of the racquet. This would mean that adding the sensor would not change the weight/balance of the racquet at all.

Overall I think this feels like a well thought out and mature product. I give it a thumbs up.

 

[TW Staff]

Reminder to all playtesters:

Your review is due on Wednesday. Please do not be late as this could affect your participation in future playtests.

Thanks,

Brittany, TW

 

[themitchmann]

Tennis experience/background: Full-time tennis coach and racquet technician. Playing for almost 30 years. Coaching full-time for 9 years. NTRP 4.5-5.0

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): All-Court

Current racquet/string: Prince TeXtreme Tour 95. Still testing strings, but have played most with Prince Tour XC 16L mains and Prince Premier Control 16 crosses at 55lbs.

How many hours did you play with the Sony Sensor? 608 minutes (10 hours). Would have been more if it wasn't for rain and a slight shoulder tweak.

Was the device easy to attach to the racquet? Very. When first prying off the stock butt cap, I accidentally started to pried off the "P" sticker, which is adhered to the actually removable piece. Once I realized this and pushed the removal tool a little further into the handle, I quickly found the right depth. As I broke strings a number of times, I switched the adapter piece back and forth between 2 racquets at least 3-4 times. I was able to do so in under 30 seconds.

Given it’s location on the racquet, was the sensor a hindrance? On reaching shots, I sometimes allow the racquet to slide away from my hand to gain a little extra length. In those situations, I did feel the sensor, but it did not hinder my play. Since my switch to the Prince TeXtreme Tour 95 is pretty recent, the additional weight at the bottom of the handle didn't throw me off at all.

How easy was it to upload and view the data on the app? Again, very easy. I didn't have any issues connecting the sensor to my phone via bluetooth. I think the upload wasn't the fastest, but it was reliable. The app was easy to read, and provided me with almost all of the data I was interested in.

What did you like about the app? Plenty of information, easy to read. I like the option to view sessions by the day or by month. The shot breakdown graph is great for a quick analysis, especially when you want to know if you're hitting enough of your strongest shot. I really like the indications I received regarding my most active days, as well as the calorie-burn counter (I don't have a fitness device, nor would I like to wear one while playing if I don't need to). I'm looking forward to the slow motion becoming a little smoother, but I'm sure it'll happen eventually.

What did you dislike about the app? The cosmetics are a little bland, but I can deal with that.

Was there anything you thought was missing? I would love to know more about my movement on court: how far did I travel? What was my top speed? If player movement can be measured by the sensor, I think it would be incredibly valuable, especially for players that don't have access to a PlaySight Court.

How did you use the data you received from the app? I used a lot of the information in evaluating my game and getting an idea of what I could improve. I was please with most of my spin numbers, but I think I could improve my averages. The shot count was awesome...I had no idea I was swinging the racquet so many times in the period of a couple of hours. Also, keeping track of my calorie usage can help me in the recovery/refueling process.

Thanks to both TW and Sony for this opportunity. It's truly an awesome product with a ton of potential, in my opinion.

 

[atkinjr]

Tennis experience/background: Former D1 college player. Currently 5.0 rating.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggressive, attacking style. Serve and volley most points, pressure opponent to hit winners.

Current racquet/string: 2015 Blade 98 18x20

How many hours did you play with the Sony Sensor?
I used it for about 10 practice sessions at close to 2 hours each. But, this was one of my dislikes…the 3 times I used the device in non Bluetooth mode, 2 times it didn’t record anything. The flashing light indicators are difficult to see and understand if you have the correct mode.

Was the device easy to attach to the racquet?
Extremely easy. With a small amount of leverage the bottom of the buttcap is removed. A screwdriver is provided, but I just used the needle nose pliers I have next to my stringer. The install bracket snaps into place with minimal force. The sensor and bracket have alignment arrows…once they are lined up, a clockwise turn locks the sensor in place. The charging unit actually acts like a wrench to attach and remove sensor. It can still be done by hand, but the wrench does make the job a bit easier.

Given it’s location on the racquet, was the sensor a hindrance?
If you grab low on the handle, there will be a noticeable rubbing on the heel of your hand. It maybe something that you might be able to get used to, but that was the main reason I never tried the sensor in a match situation. It was a definite problem for me to adjust to. After about 30 or 40 minutes I didn’t notice it as much, but I would love to see a version that is less intrusive. The extra weight was also a minor issue for me.

How easy was it to upload and view the data on the app?
I used this app on my android phone. The Bluetooth connection was never a problem. I was a little worried at first about how far the phone was from me, but never had was a problem.

What did you like about the app?
The app was very easy to set up and navigate. Without any prompting, you can get to the data that is available. My favorite aspect was the progress chart on the main menu. It is easy to see the high level view of your game. Spin, ball speed, racket speed for all strokes.

What did you dislike about the app?
Not much to dislike about the app…my only issue was that I had to create a PlayStation network account. It was an extra step that I had to take for not much benefit that I could tell. I break up my practice sessions by shot type and, I could tell that the data wasn’t 100% accurate, but it was within a narrow enough margin that I wouldn’t call out this as a problem. For example, I would be working on groundstrokes only, and some volley data would show up. Also, I was a little skeptical of the speed and spin numbers…again, I don’t think they were too far off but I wouldn’t look at the spin numbers and try to change my strokes because of it.

Was there anything you thought was missing?
I would have liked to be able to edit the main screen. The data is organized by date. But it would be nice to edit and label each grouping. Even better would be able to split reports by a defined dimension. I didn’t use it in a match, but had I, I would love to see the aggregate data and compare my match play to my practice sessions. Or even compare my doubles stats vs. my singles stats.

How did you use the data you received from the app?
The main pieces of info I used was the pie graph of # of shots by type and the heat map of the contact point. I think the most useful feature was the one I didn’t put much time on, the live video mode. If you were working with a coach or had a stand for your phone, the combination of video and data is something that could provide real value towards improving ones game. Overall, I think that this can be a valuable piece to a training program. As a golfer, it reminds me of having access to a trackman. I could also imagine that like golf, this sensor, once available on more models of rackets, might be useful in determining which racket you play with best if you are looking to choose a new racket.

 

[tennisinoc]

Tennis experience/background: Currently on the courts 2-3 times a week. NTRP 4.5
Previous HS Varsity & College club player.

Describe your playing style: All-Court

Current racquet/string: I tried 5 different rackets with full poly setups with this playtest: Yonex Vcore Tour F 97, Wilson Burn 100, Prince Tour 95, Wilson 6.1 95, and Wilson RF97. I was curious to see how different rackets performed and how compatible the sensor was.

How many hours did you play with the Sony Sensor? About an hour or so with each racket = 5-6 hours.

Was the device easy to attach to the racquet? Yes. The adaptor easily snaps onto the buttcap and removes just as easily and the sensor easily attaches to the adaptor.

Given it’s location on the racquet, was the sensor a hindrance? Yes, unfortunately. Because of the “shark fin” lock design, the fin was pressing into the heel of my palm. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but noticeable. The worse problem was the poor locking design. I had the sensor fall off several times on each racket as I was playing because it kept unlocking due to the contact of my palm on the sensor fin. The plus side, even though it flew off the handle many times and bounced across the court many times, it still kept working! It is a concern if a high priced item will survive drop tests. So, far so good but I would prefer it not to fly off at all.

How easy was it to upload and view the data on the app? I had initial setup issues. The sensor wasn’t being picked up on initial install of the app and sync. I had to uninstall the app and reinstall it again along with resetting the sensor. But after that, it only had 1 more issue syncing to the phone. Data easily transferred across to the phone. There were a couple sessions that it didn’t record any data. The power light is difficult to see in bright conditions, so perhaps it wasn’t on to record during these sessions or power ran out?

What did you like about the app? It is straight forward with its design and layout. It was pretty accurate with the counting and type of shot breakdown. The graph view is nice and easy to analyze. Video analysis is a good option to have but takes a lot of memory space for longer sessions. (Maybe make a computer app/software to download video and stats for storage vs. only on the phone/tablet.)

What did you dislike about the app? I had initial set up issues with pairing the sensor. I didn’t like having to set up multiple accounts like the sonyplaystation website that I do not use. The weight of the sensor was also an issue. 8-9g is a significant change in balance to a racket when one is accustomed to a particular weight and balance of a racket already. Higher level players will notice this for sure. Perhaps not so much the beginner & intermediate players. I personally would NEVER put on this sensor in a match situation unless the racket was made with an original buttcap weighted to compensate the switch out for the heavier sensor.

Was there anything you thought was missing? More options to separate practice/drill sessions, teaching sessions, and game session data vs. a total data collection. It would be nice to have a transfer option to a home computer for storage.

How did you use the data you received from the app? I primarily used the app for analysis of the different racket performances vs. shot selection and stroke analysis. (I will do more in depth shot and stroke evaluation with the next weeks of continued testing of the sensor and app.)
Interestingly, I have concluded that after using this sensor and app to analyze different rackets for spin and power, there is still much to improve on to get ACTUAL true data.
In my opinion, there were more discrepancies between the data and actual play. Meaning: The spin data on one racket recorded higher spin data than another racket. But in actual game play, the racket with recorded lower spin data had higher ACTUAL spin than the other racket with the higher spin data rating. Same was true with ball speed. One racket would record higher data on ball speed than another racket. But in actual play, the racket with lower power data was more powerful than the other. I still question the accuracy of these type of devices to give true evaluation of the actual ball spin and power data. I think to get true evaluation of the spin and power, it is the BALL that needs the sensor to be analyzed vs. the racket. Strings are also a BIG factor in spin and power production.

Thanks to both TW and Sony for this opportunity. I am always appreciative when I am selected for playtests. I enjoy giving honest, true, and good feeback to help improve the advancement of tennis and equipment.

 

[Arsnlrob]

Tennis experience/background:
- 4.0 adult recreational player. I am captain of my 40 and over 4.0 team and I play in multiple leagues and local tournaments.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
- I seem to play primarily doubles these days and I try to serve and volley most points. For singles I am mainly a Baseliner but I like to attack and come to net when possible

Current racquet/string:
- Wilson Blade 98 16x19 (2015 version). Also used with a Wilson Burn 100

How many hours did you play with the Sony Sensor?
- I used it for 30 hours and my daughter, who is an 11 year-old junior played about 10 hours with it.

Was the device easy to attach to the racquet?
- Yes, the buttcaps are very easy to remove, and the sensor hold snaps right into place…as long as you line up the grooves. The sensor needs to have the arrows aligned but it always fastened securely.

Given it’s location on the racquet, was the sensor a hindrance?
- I did notice it a little at first since I like to have the heel of my hand over the buttcap. I got used to I pretty quickly and it didn’t distract me from play.

How easy was it to upload and view the data on the app?
- It took some figuring and consulting of the help section of the app to understand the process. The menus are clear but not exactly organized the way I would prefer. When you have used the sensor in memory mode you need to go into a submenu to upload the data to the app. It did take me a few tries to get used to finding the upload section.

What did you like about the app?
- The overwhelming amount of data generated is the biggest plus for me. You can analyze shot selection, spin, racquet speed, ball speed and location of your shots on the racquet face. Each shot’s submenu with graphs showing data points with means, highs and lows is fantastic. Each hitting session can be viewed over a timeline.
- Even better all of the data goes to an overall graph so you can see your progress over time. If I am working on something specifically (like racquet speed or adding spin to my shots) I can see how I am tracking and can see how close I am to achieving my goal
- I found the live mode and the video mode very useful when working with my daughter and her lessons. We are able to give her instant feedback immediately after her shots and replay the video to demonstrate. This is a tool that her coaches will continue to use in future lessons.

What did you dislike about the app?
- I found syncing with Bluetooth hit or miss. Sometimes it would connect, other times it wouldn’t. In our household we had apps on different iPhones and we would have to remove the device from one phone before using on another
- I would like to have the ability to register multiple user accounts on the same app. Right now it’s one user per app and that didn’t work for our household.

Was there anything you thought was missing?
- I would like to see the package include an extra sensor holder (or at least make them available separatedly) so it can be used with multiple racquets. Also rubber plugs to use when the sensor is not in place, should be available separately since the holder by itself is pretty irritating on the hand.
- Zepp has a 3-D serve analysis tool which would be really nice to include in future updates.

How did you use the data you received from the app?
- The raw data by itself is good to see, but the key for me is the bar menu so you can see trends over time.
- The live mode is great when coaching or working with other players and the video mode ties neatly into the training tool.

Overally, I found it to be more comfortable to play with compared to the Zepp sensor and the slight bit of weigh was not distracting or even noticeable. Battery life was great, and I was able to go 3 hours in memory mode for 5 straight days…and still have about 1/3 battery left. The buttcap without the sensor in place is sharp so I would like to see the holder beveled down to have a lower profile. The charger is a bit bulky, and I’m still not sure why you would need the screw-down part since the sensor usually is able to be removed without any effort.

This was a fun playtest for me and my family (plus the coach working with my daughter). Big thanks to Sony and Tennis Warehouse!