Barry_Green
Moderator
If you think you might be able to use a teleprompter, there's an absolutely killer deal going on for the next couple of weeks. Check out http://www.prompterpeople.com. Their prices are going up 25% on November 1st, but until then they have some amazingly low prices.
I needed a prompter for the DVX DVD I'm working on now. I used a friend's EZ Prompter + LCD mount + LCD Monitor + Intelliprompter combination (he spent about $2500 on it) and found it quite lacking. Over on the PrompterPeople.com site, they have a MiniPrompter listed for just $599. I thought "it's way too low-priced, it can't be any good... and it's too small, surely it'll vignette on the DVX... but hey, let's call the guy."
So I called and talked to the boss there. He said he's sold lots of these to DVX owners, no complaints of vignetting, and he's placed a lot of these units in broadcast hands (Fox, etc., because it can be used on a handheld camera, and with the optional remote control you don't even need a prompter operator, so it works well for news). I figured "What the heck, let's try it."
It showed up yesterday. After working out some issues and getting it configured, all I can say is "Wow! This thing's great!" Even with the little 7" LCD monitor, the text is easily readable and usable at 12 feet away, and with the fresnel lens in place it makes it as if you're using a 9" monitor. The software works well, and I think overall this little prompter beats the EZ Prompter + LCD solution all to heck (and it's 1/4 the price!) It's the same price as the EZ Prompter, and that only lets you use a sheet of paper on it, whereas this is a full scrolling LCD monitor with software (you supply your own computer of course).
What's doubly cool is that the prompter monitor can be used separately as a DVX 16:9 LCD (switchable to 4:3) and it includes UNDERSCAN! So you can check for vignetting, or a boom in the shot, etc! The monitor also offers x/y flipping automatically so you don't have to do it in software (using Intelliprompter, you have to mirror on your computer, which means the prompter operator has to read everything backwards!) As a monitor the video quality's nothing to write home about (unless you use curse words in your letters home) but for framing, composition, and underscan, it's quite handy. And for black & white teleprompter text, it's perfect for that job.
I don't know how many users out there would be interested in a teleprompter, but for any who are, I'm just relaying a very satisfied experience with prompterpeople. I would have no hesitation ordering one of their bigger models for a more "pro" appearance on a paying job, but for my own projects, this $599 MiniPrompter is a great deal. It's going to $795 soon, and the bigger models are $999 and $1199, and those will be going up by a couple hundred in the next few weeks.
I needed a prompter for the DVX DVD I'm working on now. I used a friend's EZ Prompter + LCD mount + LCD Monitor + Intelliprompter combination (he spent about $2500 on it) and found it quite lacking. Over on the PrompterPeople.com site, they have a MiniPrompter listed for just $599. I thought "it's way too low-priced, it can't be any good... and it's too small, surely it'll vignette on the DVX... but hey, let's call the guy."
So I called and talked to the boss there. He said he's sold lots of these to DVX owners, no complaints of vignetting, and he's placed a lot of these units in broadcast hands (Fox, etc., because it can be used on a handheld camera, and with the optional remote control you don't even need a prompter operator, so it works well for news). I figured "What the heck, let's try it."
It showed up yesterday. After working out some issues and getting it configured, all I can say is "Wow! This thing's great!" Even with the little 7" LCD monitor, the text is easily readable and usable at 12 feet away, and with the fresnel lens in place it makes it as if you're using a 9" monitor. The software works well, and I think overall this little prompter beats the EZ Prompter + LCD solution all to heck (and it's 1/4 the price!) It's the same price as the EZ Prompter, and that only lets you use a sheet of paper on it, whereas this is a full scrolling LCD monitor with software (you supply your own computer of course).
What's doubly cool is that the prompter monitor can be used separately as a DVX 16:9 LCD (switchable to 4:3) and it includes UNDERSCAN! So you can check for vignetting, or a boom in the shot, etc! The monitor also offers x/y flipping automatically so you don't have to do it in software (using Intelliprompter, you have to mirror on your computer, which means the prompter operator has to read everything backwards!) As a monitor the video quality's nothing to write home about (unless you use curse words in your letters home) but for framing, composition, and underscan, it's quite handy. And for black & white teleprompter text, it's perfect for that job.
I don't know how many users out there would be interested in a teleprompter, but for any who are, I'm just relaying a very satisfied experience with prompterpeople. I would have no hesitation ordering one of their bigger models for a more "pro" appearance on a paying job, but for my own projects, this $599 MiniPrompter is a great deal. It's going to $795 soon, and the bigger models are $999 and $1199, and those will be going up by a couple hundred in the next few weeks.
