I'm looking for feedback on the following teleprompters...

O

oxband

Well-known member
I'm trying to create an interrotron setup so I am buying two teleprompters. I'd like a fairly large one in front of my main camera, a Panasonic HMC-150, so the subject has a larger face to look at.

Does anyone have any feedback on the quality of the following teleprompters?

1 - http://www.lcd4video.com/products/Professional-Teleprompter-Kit-w%7B47%7D-1...

2 - http://www.prompting.com/hardware

3 - http://www.lowcostteleprompters.com/hardware/m1550.htm

the first is an LCD 4, the second is electronic script prompting, and the 3rd is Stewart instruments.
 
I don't know those models, I've used a http://www.1prompter.com/ for several years.Maybe you already know all of this but thought I would just share some things I've learned as this is something I've done a fair amount of.You want to make sure the monitors accept composite inputs(ideally they have both VGA and composite) which will be more convenient for attaching cameras.Personally I've found that it is most important to have the eyes of the image in line with the lens(so subject is indeed looking into the lens)...if the face is too large on the prompter or the prompter is too close to the subject it can appear that they are looking off cam.Have you looked at the Eyeliner? Very handy device and more portable than a two Prompter setup...and can be used as a prompter. Just an option to consider...I've rented it a lot and really should just own one.Another option is to put a piece of prompter glass at a 45 deg. angle in front of the camera. Very cheap option that works quite well...just have to use flags/duv and interviewer sits in a specific spot.Good luck! This can be such a powerful way to interview, especially shy nervous types.Bob
 
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Weird...sorry about the spacing but for some reason all my formatting is deleted!?
 
Two things:

1 - Your final words got cut off. what were you trying to say? i cant envision how too large a face could be a problem as long as the yes are level.

2 - i hadnt heard of 1prompter. that seems like a legit company. i like the 3 year warranty. what size do you use for the beamsplitter facing the talent? im trying to figure out how large i want that image to be
 
Its a 15" monitor and the glass I think is 19". I got the fifteen as a portability compromise...

I mention the position of the face because people tend to frame/compose the interviewER which means that the eyes are above and to one side of the lens line. So it can look like the interviewEE is looking off cam too much. So I'm not sure what the benefit of having a big image would be because once they see each other it's just a convo...but if it works for you...I'm just relating my experience! The Eyeliner has a much much smaller image and it works great. And when I've used just a piece of glass it's 12" square.
 
The prompter I want is 10". I'm thinking of the one from LCD4. I'm just worried that screen is too small to sit and talk with someone for hours. I just assume a larger face makes it easier for someone to look at a screen for long periods of time. Thoughts on this? i've never done this before. i'd love to find a place in philadelphia to look at teleprompters but im not entirely sure who has different size prompters that would let me look at them...it'd be an odd request to make...
 
Check out rental houses...the models they have would be more expensive but you could see the sizes.

A 10" would be ok if you need portability but I like the 15" size...that way you have more flexibility with how far away the subject is which is good for dof/comfort...some people get nervouse if they are close to the cam. Also, the further away the person is, the better, especially if you are using it as a prompter...you will see less eye movement as they read.

Without knowing details of your situation such as budget, portability(will you travel with it?), need to impress client, quick setup, multi use(prompter, interrortron and off-cam prompter) I can just guess. But I would get a nice 15" for the main unit and a smaller (such as your 10") for the secondary, along with cases...then you will be covered for your interrortron setup in addition to having options for telepromptering on and off camera.

If you haven't done this before perhaps it would be a good idea to rent first so you get some experience and an idea with how things will play out.
 
I bought a 15 inch prompter from the Prompter People a few years back, and have been very happy with it. I bought the 15 inch PRO line model because I wanted something that was both flexible and robust.


The Prompter People
 
what about a 17" one?

what about a 17" one?

So, I've had a change of heart and am now thinking I want the prompter facing the talent to be 17". It just seems that if I'm having someone talk to a head for hours, I should have the head look as large as possible.

So......in thinking about a 17" one, I'm looking into this, this, and this.

Any thoughts on this? Anyone here use a 17" prompter portably? Is that a tremendous pain in the butt?
 
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