"Smart" dealer button? (1 Viewer)

[eightyWon]

Do you think there's a market for a "smart" dealer button?

Idea is that it'd be typical acrylic button size but do some stuff, like possibly (just brainstorming):

RGB lighting, sounds, vibration
Bomb pot timer (or rng)
Tournament blind timer
Touch screen
Display custom logos/info
Connect to external timer source
Button move sensing and alert

Thoughts?

Any other features I'm not thinking of? Nothing is too far flung at this point.

edit: forgot to add, goal would be a affordable price point, like sub $50 or no go

 

[TheRealTeddyKGB]

 

[rusmon]

I think something like that has been done in past but not quite sure.

In theory, there is a market for this kind of button if it’s well done. The question is how much R&D is needed for something like this and how big is the market for it.

 

[eightyWon]

View attachment 1113174

My grandma would love this!

Really, though, quick google search and I missed this one. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

 

[Sneakygreek]

How about something like this?

And it can also sweep the table from my dirt ball friends

 

[rusmon]

And it can also sweep the table from my dirt ball friends

If it can also deal, I’m in damnit! Sign me up for the group buy.

 

[TheRealTeddyKGB]

These have been around for years. Solves all your problems & checks all the boxes. EXCEPT for the sub $50 part:

https://www.behance.net/gallery/83821551/Carnival-Cruise-85-inch-digital-poker-table?locale=en_US

 

[Jake14mw]

I would love a dealer button that just shows the current blinds and round time left from an outside source, such as TD, or Blindvalet.com, etc.

 

[upNdown]

I think something like that has been done in past but not quite sure.

In theory, there is a market for this kind of button if it’s well done. The question is how much R&D is needed for something like this and how big is the market for it.

Yeah we’ve had buttons with built in timers before. But these days, with the ease of putting all the tournament information on a tablet/laptop/tv screen, I don’t know how many people would be interested in a timer button for tournaments.
As far as the other features go, I don’t know. I don’t personally see the need.

 

[rusmon]

I don’t know how many people would be interested in a timer button for tournaments.

There's always interest for something like that. I personally would never get one as I'm happy with the app I use, but there are people out there who would be interested in getting one. I would assume that the R&D needed to create something new like that doesn't justify the market.

 

[upNdown]

There's always interest for something like that.

I don’t know if my point stinks or if I just didn’t make it well. There always used to be interest in something like that. Back when tournament software and screens weren’t as accessible. But in the last ten or fifteen years, since everybody has gotten smartphones in their pockets and tablets all over their houses and tv screens that you can stream to simply and wirelessly, who needs a timer button?

 

[rusmon]

who needs a timer button?

I also don't think there is a large market. That's why I'm saying the R&D required is probably going to cost more than what you would earn from a product like this. But, there are lots of older folks that play and don't want to deal with apps/screens.

 

[eightyWon]

Yeah we’ve had buttons with built in timers before. But these days, with the ease of putting all the tournament information on a tablet/laptop/tv screen, I don’t know how many people would be interested in a timer button for tournaments.

For the tournament/blinds, one thing I thought could be cool is that the "smart" button simply supplements the typical tournament management software.

Blind timers are still shown as usual (TVs, laptops, tablets), but the button changes color to reflect time remaining at the current level. Based on user configured settings, maybe it's blue or green when there's > 5 minutes remaining, it's yellow from 5-1, and it turns red when we're under a minute. It then flashes and buzzes when the level is up.

If that's all the button does, I'd hope for a sub $20 price point, cheap enough for just about anyone to have at each table of a MTT.

Along those same lines, I was thinking of different levels of button complexity and cost:

Smart Button Basic - tournament blind timer as described above, bomb pot randomizer and alerts for cash games. Any RGB color, flashes, buzzes, maybe some sounds (like the puck they give you when you're waiting for a table, but nicer)
Smart Button Pro/Touch - LCD touch screen like a nest, does all the extra shit mentioned in the first post

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Thanks everyone for the feedback so far. Much food for thought.

 

[TheRealTeddyKGB]

@Himewad

 

[Sprouty]

Programmable to read what game you're playing for dealers choice games. I never remember what game we are playing.

 

[BGinGA]

These have been around for years. Solves all your problems & checks all the boxes. EXCEPT for the sub $50 part:

https://www.behance.net/gallery/83821551/Carnival-Cruise-85-inch-digital-poker-table?locale=en_US

I played a tournament on one of those at Indiana Grand, years ago. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't particularly enjoyable, either.

Regardless, I vowed to never do it again. And haven't.

 

[BGinGA]

Programmable to read what game you're playing for dealers choice games. I never remember what game we are playing.

And tie it into Alexis/Siri, with an attitude:

"Action is on Seat Three.... again. Speed it up, please."

 

[Himewad]

@Himewad

I’m a low tech DB guy

 

[TheRealTeddyKGB]

I played a tournament on one of those at Indiana Grand, years ago. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't particularly enjoyable, either.

Regardless, I vowed to never do it again. And haven't.

My brother took a cruise & they had them. He told me pretty much said the same thing but added I would have gone postal within an hour. (He knows I dislike screens at the table)