Scoreboard Remote

The Scoreboard Remote is a companion app that turns a second iPhone or iPad into a wireless scorekeeper — letting one person film while another keeps the score, all in sync and in real time.

About Scoreboard Remote

When recording a game alone, you face a constant tradeoff: every time you tap a score button you risk missing the action or moving the camera. The Scoreboard Remote solves this by separating the jobs of camera operator and scorekeeper between two people and two devices.

●

Two-Person Workflow

One person films from the best camera angle. A second person uses the Remote app from wherever they want — the bench, the stands, or the scorer's table.

∞

Real-Time Sync

Every score change, clock update, and period advance made on the Remote appears on the ScoreCam scoreboard within milliseconds — on the live video and in the recording.

📱

Simple Device Selection

When multiple ScoreCam devices are nearby, Scoreboard Remote shows a list of discovered devices — just tap the one you want to connect to. No PINs, no pairing codes required.

▶

Live Preview

The Remote app can receive a live JPEG preview of what ScoreCam is seeing, so the scorekeeper can see the game feed without being next to the camera.

How It Connects

ScoreCam and Scoreboard Remote connect using Apple Multipeer Connectivity (MPC) — the same framework used by AirDrop. No internet connection, no Wi-Fi router, and no Bluetooth pairing screen are required. The two devices discover each other automatically when they are nearby.

What Is Multipeer Connectivity?

MPC is an Apple framework built into iOS that enables peer-to-peer communication between nearby devices over Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, or a combination of both. It handles all the low-level networking automatically, selecting the fastest available path between devices.

WiFi is not required. Bluetooth alone is sufficient to connect ScoreCam and Scoreboard Remote. If both devices have WiFi enabled and are on the same network, MPC will use that path instead for a faster, more stable connection — but it is not a requirement.

Service Discovery

ScoreCam advertises itself on the local network using the service identifier scorecam-remote. When Scoreboard Remote is opened with remote control enabled, it scans for this service and finds nearby ScoreCam devices automatically. No IP addresses, no network configuration.

Encryption

All communication between ScoreCam and Scoreboard Remote is encrypted using TLS (transport-level security). This is enforced by the MPC framework and cannot be disabled.

Message Channels

Once connected, the two apps communicate over four logical channels:

MessageScore changes, period updates, and control commands. Delivered reliably (retransmitted until confirmed).
RequestQueries from the Remote asking for current state (e.g., "what is the current score?"). Delivered reliably.
ResponseReplies from ScoreCam to state queries. Delivered reliably.
ImageLive preview JPEG frames. Delivered unreliably — stale frames are dropped so the preview stays as current as possible without clogging the connection.

Protocol Versioning

The current protocol is Version 2. If you see a "Version Mismatch" alert, update both apps to the latest release from the App Store. ScoreCam and Scoreboard Remote must be on compatible protocol versions to connect.

Range: MPC works well within typical indoor venue distances — across a gymnasium, along a sideline, or through walls in a building. Extreme distances (e.g., across an outdoor stadium) may cause degraded connection quality.

Setting Up the Connection

1

Install Scoreboard Remote on the Second Device

Download the Scoreboard Remote app from the App Store onto the iPhone or iPad that will be used as the scorekeeper device.

2

Grant Local Network Permission to Both Apps

Multipeer Connectivity requires the Local Network permission on iOS 14 and later. Go to iOS Settings → ScoreCam → Local Network → ON, and iOS Settings → Scoreboard Remote → Local Network → ON. Without this, discovery silently fails.

3

Start Advertising on ScoreCam

On the ScoreCam device, tap the Bluetooth/Remote button in the toolbar. The button stays highlighted while ScoreCam is advertising and ready to pair.

4

Connect from Scoreboard Remote

On the scorekeeper device, open Scoreboard Remote and tap "Tap to Connect to ScoreCam." A list of nearby ScoreCam devices appears — each identified by device model and a unique ID (e.g., iPhone 17 Pro Max (A3B2)). Tap the name to connect. The overlay disappears automatically once the two apps pair — no action is needed on the ScoreCam device.

To use a friendlier name in the list, open ScoreCam and go to Settings → Scoreboard Remote → Camera Name, enter a name (e.g., “Game Camera”), then restart ScoreCam.

5

Start Recording

Once connected, the Remote is live. Press record on ScoreCam as normal. The scorekeeper can now update all scores and clocks from the Remote device without touching the camera device at all.

What the Remote Controls

The Scoreboard Remote can send updates for every scoring element supported by the active scoreboard style. All changes appear on ScoreCam's video in real time.

Scores

Tap the home or away score buttons to increment or decrement the score. The updated score is transmitted to ScoreCam and rendered on the next video frame. ScoreCam also plays the score animation (if enabled) on the camera device's display and in the recorded video.

Period / Quarter

Advance or decrease the current period or quarter number. Applies to all sports that use period tracking.

Set & Match Scores (Volleyball / Tennis)

For Volleyboard and Tennisboard, the remote can also update the set score and overall match score independently of the point score.

Game Clock

Start, stop, and reset the game clock from the Remote. If "Pause Clock on Recording Pause" is enabled, the clock also responds to pause/resume events on ScoreCam itself. The Remote's clock controls give the scorekeeper full authority over the game timer.

Shot Clock

Start, stop, and reset the shot clock using either of the two configured reset durations (e.g., 24s and 14s for NBA rules).

Highlights

The Remote can trigger a highlight capture on ScoreCam remotely. The scorekeeper can mark a great play from the bench without the camera operator having to look away from the viewfinder.

Live Preview

The Remote app displays a live low-resolution JPEG preview of the ScoreCam camera feed. This lets the scorekeeper see what the camera is capturing without being next to it. Preview frames are transmitted as fast as the connection allows, with stale frames dropped automatically to minimize lag.

Tip: Enable "Hide Controls When Connected" in ScoreCam settings so the on-screen scoring buttons disappear from the camera device once the Remote connects. This gives the camera operator a clean, uncluttered view of the game.

Display Options While Connected

Two settings in ScoreCam (under App Settings → Scoreboard Remote) change how the camera device behaves once a remote is connected:

Hide Controls When Connected
Removes the on-screen scoring controls from the ScoreCam display once the Remote app connects. The camera operator sees a clean camera view. Controls reappear if the Remote disconnects.
Default: Off
Dim Display When Connected
Lowers the screen brightness on the ScoreCam device when a Remote is connected. Because the camera operator does not need to read the screen during recording, dimming it significantly extends battery life during long games.
Default: Off
Camera Name
The name shown for this ScoreCam device when Scoreboard Remote scans for nearby cameras. If left blank, ScoreCam uses the device model and a unique identifier automatically (e.g., iPhone 17 Pro Max (A3B2)). Set a custom name — such as “Game Camera” or “Sideline Cam” — to make it easier to pick the right device at venues with multiple ScoreCam devices nearby. Restart ScoreCam after changing this setting.
Default: Auto (device model + unique ID)

Troubleshooting

The Remote Cannot Find ScoreCam

  • Check Local Network permission on both devices: iOS Settings → [App name] → Local Network → ON. This is the most common silent failure cause on iOS 14+.
  • Confirm the Bluetooth/Remote button in ScoreCam's toolbar is highlighted (advertising). Without this step, the Remote cannot find ScoreCam.
  • Make sure Bluetooth is enabled on both devices — it is the only radio required. Wi-Fi is not needed, but if both devices have it on and are on the same network, connection will be faster and more stable.
  • Bring the devices closer together. Initial discovery is more reliable within 10–15 feet.
  • If either app is in the background, bring it to the foreground. iOS restricts background MPC advertising.
  • Force-quit and reopen both apps, then try again.

Score Updates Are Slow or Lagging

  • Move the two devices closer together. Heavy wireless interference in a crowded gym can degrade MPC throughput.
  • Disable live preview on the Remote if it is enabled. Preview images consume the most bandwidth of any message type and can delay control messages on congested connections.

Remote Disconnects Mid-Game

  • MPC connections can be interrupted by iOS background restrictions, incoming calls, or moving out of range. ScoreCam will display a “Remote Disconnected” notice. Move the devices back within range, then tap Connect in Scoreboard Remote and select your ScoreCam device from the list.
  • If the Remote is on a device that receives a phone call, the call will temporarily interrupt the MPC session. After the call ends, tap Connect in Scoreboard Remote to reconnect and select your ScoreCam device from the list.
Protocol Note: ScoreCam and Scoreboard Remote must both be on a compatible protocol version to connect. If you see a "Version Mismatch" alert, update both apps to the latest release from the App Store.