What's the digital display under WC tables for?

[mrgrotey]

Hi guys, new to the Forum as I have a question for you.

I was watching the World Championship yesterday when I noticed a red digital readout display under the top end of the table it has two rows both saying 50.0 and when the camera focused in on it one of the rows changed to 49.9 for a fraction of a second.

What is this display?

the only thing I can think of is that it's some kind of digital level for the table?

[jasond28]

I think it a temperature gauge for the under table heating

[hottempo]

What does the 50 stand for then?

Usually the table should be 5 degrees above room temperature.

/Thomas

[Jake]

Celsius, fareinheit or kelvin? :S

[moreira]

i would like to know too

[Camio]

About 5 years ago, Eirian Williams had a site (mostly just a forum) he was running. People could ask anything related to snooker basically and he would then seek the infos with whomever was concerned.

I asked what was the table temperature (as well as a few other questions) and he was nice enough to gather the infos directly from the team who were mounting the tables (it was during the World Champ) and even send me a pic of the heaters under the tables.

As far as the tables temperature, here's his exact awnser after he gathered the infos from the guys in charge at the Crucible:

"OK. I've had a chat with Martin Clark who tells me that there is a slight variation of temperature at different areas of the table - dependant on where the heaters are sited beneath the table.

Generally, the temperature around the black spot area and the baulk area is 27 degrees celsius and at the blue spot area, 30 to 31 degrees.

The variation in temperature makes no difference to the way the table plays."

Hope that clears up questions regarding the table temperature.

Here's the pic Eirian had sent me of the heaters after they installed/mounted the tables at the Crucible after 5 years ago:

http://img837.imageshack.us/i/undertableheaters2.jpg/