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FAQ

Q:  With what smartphones will RevFire balls work?
A:  At present, RevFire balls work with iPhones and iPads running iOS 10 or later and loaded with the RevFire app:

  • iPhone 5 and later iPhone models
  • iPad 3 and later iPad models
  • iPad mini 2 and later iPad mini models
  • All iPad Pro models

An Android app may be available in the future.

Q:  Is Bluetooth pairing ever required to use a RevFire ball?
A:  No.  The app monitors all balls automatically without pairing. Bluetooth must be turned on, but none of the frustrations of setting up pairings with various balls is necessary.  If there are multiple RevFire balls used in the vicinity, you can instruct the app to ignore balls other than the one of interest.

Q:  How do I turn on a RevFire ball?
A:  The ball awakens after a 4 or 5 pitches and goes back to sleep after 30 seconds of no motion.

Q:  Is there a ball tapping sequence required before each pitch?
A:  No. Handle RevFire balls as you would a normal ball.

Q:  How long do the RevFire balls last?
A:  RevFire balls are expected to last for more than 30,000 tosses. The leather and seams are made of the highest quality materials available but will probably wear out before the electronics.  No charging or calibration is ever necessary.

Q:  Does the location of the smartphone affect the accuracy of the measurements?
A:  No.  Neither the location nor the orientation of the smartphone will affect the accuracy of measurements.  The smartphone may be in the catcher's pocket, set on a nearby bench, or carried by the coach.  It does not have to be pointed toward the pitch or the pitcher, or in line with the pitch. However, if the smartphone is too far from the catcher, the pitch will not be detected.  It is recommended to keep the smartphone within 40 feet of the catcher.  The smartphone distance does not affect accuracy.

Q:  Can I display the app on a large screen monitor?
A:  Yes.  Connect your monitor or TV to an Apple TV and mirror the iPad screen via Airplay to the Apple TV. 

Q:  Does the pitch type, pitch speed, spin axis, or distance thrown affect the spin rate accuracy?
A:  No, spin rate accuracy is not affected by these factors.  Whether pitching to the plate or throwing it 100 feet to the outfield, the measured spin rate is accurate. No calibration is ever required.

Q:  Why is baseball in RPM and softball in RPS?
A:  RevFire has traditionally used Revolutions Per Second (RPS) to convey the spin rate.  The softball community is intimately familiar with RPS stats since the original RevFire debuted in 2006 and gained very widespread use.  Recently, MLB broadcasters have adopted Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) as the spin rate statistic during major league baseball games, so the baseball mode uses RPM to convey spin rate data.  RPM = 60 x RPS (2400RPM = 40RPS).  One app supports both baseball and softball.

Q:  What factors affect the speed measurement accuracy?
If the steps below are followed, the RevFire is normally within 2 MPH of a peak-detect radar gun reading.

  1. Check that the pitcher to home-plate-point distance is correct.

  2. Set the RevFire distance setting to the appropriate pitching rubber to home plate setting.

  3. Have the catcher place his/her feet 3' from the home plate point.

For a 60 MPH baseball pitch, if a catcher places his feet one foot closer to home plate than the recommended 3 feet, the RevFire will tend to read about one MPH higher than the speed shown by a peak-detect radar gun.  Similarly, if a catcher places his feet one foot further from home plate, the RevFire will tend to read about one MPH slower.

Q:  Why can't I hit the RevFire ball?
A:  The balls are very durable and designed to survive impacts, so occasional tosses into the dirt or a backstop are not a problem. However, internal electronics could be damaged if hit by a bat. Throwing against hard surfaces should be avoided as well since it will break down the ball core, leather, and seams faster. We recommend that indoor catchers in front of a hard wall place protective netting or padding between themselves and the wall.  

Q:  Can I get the ball wet?
A:  Yes, RevFire balls can get wet and will work when wet.  They should be kept dry if possible for maximum life of the leather.

Q:  Can I store the balls in my car?
A:  For maximum life RevFire balls should not be rolling around in a vehicle and are ideally left stationary when not in use.

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