Managing Storage When Filming with BallerCam (Local iPhone Storage)

Every game you film with BallerCam is saved as a local HD recording on the filming iPhone.

Because these recordings can be large, it’s important to make sure your iPhone has enough available storage before starting a game. Running low on local storage can prevent you from starting a new recording or interfere with properly ending a game that is already in progress.

📱 What Is Local iPhone Storage?

Local storage is the available space on the iPhone you use to film.

When you use either:

• Live Stream + Record, or
• Record Only

BallerCam saves a high-quality 1080p HD recording directly to the filming iPhone.

This local recording is separate from:

• Your livestream
• Your BallerCam Cloud storage
• Your iPhone Camera Roll

The recording remains on the filming iPhone until it is uploaded or removed.

💾 How Much iPhone Storage Does BallerCam Use?

Video size can vary by sport and game length.

BallerCam recordings typically use approximately 5–10 GB of iPhone storage per hour of filming. Soccer generally creates the largest files because of the field size, game length, and amount of video detail.

For planning purposes, we recommend allowing approximately:

10 GB of available iPhone storage for every hour you expect to film.

For example:

Having additional free space beyond the estimated amount is always helpful.

⚠️ What Happens If My iPhone Runs Out of Storage?

If your iPhone does not have enough available space, you may:

• Be unable to start a new recording
• Have difficulty properly ending an in-progress game
• Be unable to complete certain video-processing or upload steps

Checking your available storage before arriving at the field or court can help prevent interruptions.

🔎 How to Check Available Storage on Your iPhone

On your iPhone:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap iPhone Storage.
4. Review how much storage is currently available.

Compare your available space with the expected length of the game.

If you're filming a two-hour event, for example, having at least approximately 20 GB of available space is a good starting point.

☁️ Option 1: Upload Your Game to BallerCam Cloud

Uploading is the recommended way to manage local storage while keeping the HD version of your game.

After filming, your game can appear under Recently Filmed on Global Home. Depending on its status, you may see options such as:

• Upload
• Processing
• Watch Replay

When you're ready:

1. Open BallerCam.
2. Find the game under Recently Filmed, or open the game from your team's Games section.
3. Select Upload.
4. Allow the HD upload to complete.

✅ What Happens After a Successful Upload?

Uploading sends the local HD recording to BallerCam Cloud.

After the upload has been successfully completed, the local HD file can be removed from your iPhone, freeing that storage for future games.

Uploading also provides additional benefits:

• Makes the HD replay available
• Replaces or improves the initial livestream-quality replay
• Makes Record Only games available to other viewers
• Enables supported replay experiences such as Explore View and Panoramic View
• Improves the quality of supported clips and replays

📶 Use a Stable Connection for Uploading

Large HD recordings can take time to upload.

For the best experience:

• Use a stable Wi-Fi connection when available.
• Keep your iPhone connected to power for large uploads.
• Keep the BallerCam app open when possible for faster uploading.
• Avoid switching networks repeatedly during the upload.
• Allow processing to finish before assuming the upload is incomplete.

BallerCam uploads can also be paused and resumed when needed.

📱 The Filming iPhone Must Upload the Recording

The original HD recording is stored on the iPhone that filmed the game.

Because the video file exists locally on that device, the HD upload needs to be completed from the filming iPhone.

If another person opens the same game from a different device, that device does not contain the original local HD recording.

🗑️ Option 2: Remove the Local HD Recording

If you need to quickly free space and do not want to upload the local HD recording, you can remove the HD file from the filming iPhone.

Open the game and select the available Delete from Storage option.

Removing the local recording:

• Frees iPhone storage

• Permanently removes the local HD file from that device.

Use this option only when you are sure you no longer need to upload the local HD recording.

📺 What Happens to a Livestreamed Game If I Delete the Local HD File?

If the game was livestreamed, a livestream-quality replay may already exist in BallerCam Cloud.

If you remove the local HD recording before uploading it, the livestream replay can remain available, but you will no longer be able to upload the higher-quality local HD version.

For this reason, uploading the HD recording first is recommended whenever you want to preserve the best-quality version of the game.

🎥 What Happens to a Record Only Game?

A Record Only game is different.

Because the game was not livestreamed, the local recording must be uploaded before other viewers can watch the replay.

If you permanently remove the local HD recording before uploading a Record Only game, that recording can no longer be uploaded for others to watch.

❌ Option 3: Delete the Game Completely

If you no longer need the game at all, you can delete the game itself from BallerCam.

Deleting the entire game is different from removing only the local HD file.

A full game deletion can remove:

• The local recording
• The cloud replay
• The game from BallerCam

Once permanently deleted, the game cannot be recovered.

Only use this option when you're certain you no longer need the game or its video.

☁️ Local Storage vs. BallerCam Cloud Storage

These are two separate types of storage.

Your iPhone's storage capacity does not increase your BallerCam Cloud allowance, and your BallerCam Cloud storage does not increase the physical storage available on your iPhone.

🎥 Local Storage vs. Camera Roll

Your BallerCam recording is stored locally on the filming iPhone, but it is not automatically added to the Photos app or Camera Roll.

This is why deleting photos from your Camera Roll and removing a BallerCam local recording are separate actions.

📊 Example: Preparing for a Tournament

Suppose you're expecting to film three 90-minute games in one day.

That equals approximately:

4.5 hours of filming

Using the recommended high estimate of approximately 10 GB per hour, you should plan for roughly:

45 GB of available iPhone storage

Uploading games between matches can help free local storage before the next game.

🧹 Ways to Free Up iPhone Storage Before Filming

If your iPhone is running low on space, consider removing or offloading items you no longer need, such as:

• Large videos in Photos
• Downloaded movies or TV shows
• Offline music
• Large app downloads
• Unused apps
• Old files in the Files app

You can review what's using the most space under:

Settings → General → iPhone Storage

Try to free enough space before the game rather than waiting until the recording has already started.

🌐 Do I Need Internet to Record Locally?

No.

You can use Record Only without an internet connection. The game will be stored locally on your iPhone and can be uploaded later when you have a reliable connection.

If you know you will have no internet at the venue, make sure you're already signed in to the BallerCam app before arriving.

💡 Best Practices

To avoid storage problems on game day:

• Check your iPhone storage before every game.
• Plan for approximately 10 GB per hour of filming.
• Leave additional free space whenever possible.
• Upload completed games when you have a stable connection.
• Confirm the upload has completed before relying on the cloud copy.
• Keep the filming iPhone available until the HD upload is finished.
• Do not remove a local HD recording if you still want to upload it.
• Be especially careful with Record Only games because viewers cannot access them until they're uploaded.
• For tournaments, consider uploading between games when time and internet access allow.

✅ Key Reminders

• Every BallerCam game creates a local HD recording on the filming iPhone.
• BallerCam recordings typically use approximately 5–10 GB per hour, depending on the sport.
• For planning, allow approximately 10 GB of free storage per hour of filming.
• If your iPhone runs out of storage, you may be unable to start or properly finish a recording.
• Uploading your HD game to BallerCam Cloud helps free local iPhone storage while preserving the high-quality replay.
• The original HD upload must be completed from the iPhone that filmed the game.
• Livestreamed games may retain a livestream-quality replay if the local HD file is removed before upload.
• Record Only games must be uploaded before other viewers can watch them.
• Local iPhone storage and BallerCam Cloud storage are separate.