Since this was a super common question, I made a followup video showing how to use the Elgato Prompter with phones, webcams, actions cameras, and more! th-cam.com/video/kabU0TQpMIk/w-d-xo.html
I don't know who you are, or why the TH-cams decided to show me your video, but I'm glad for both of you. I've been putting off getting a prompter for 3 years, but you just convinced me that I should get this - just ordered!
I have had the Prompter for a few weeks now and love it. I use it every day for all of my video calls and agree with you that it makes it so much more comfortable and enjoyable.
I know this is not an advertisement, but believe me, if Elgato tried to make a million videos explaining this device in your fun way, they would not be able to. They are lucky with this free ad.😂
It is such a game changer for me. As a non-native speaker I tend to talk too much even with scripted bullet points (and I get distracted thinking what to say) and using a cheap prompter for a smartphone is adding too much friction. This is solving so many friction points for me you have no idea.
I love my Elgato Prompter. As a podcaster it helps so much with my ad reads and conversations with my guests. Before getting it, I used a different prompter/monitor setup and it was nightmare to setup. It has 3 separate cables and it was a big hurdle for motivation. Now with one cable for everything and the app is great! Okay...I'll stop talking about how much I love it now...
That's exactly how I feel! Once I had my old prompter up and running I always appreciated it, but it was such a clunky mess to deal with that I hardly ever actually used it. I really wish I would've had this when I was teaching online during the first year or so of the pandemic.
Made my own XL version with a 15.6" second-monitor screen, a teleprompter large enough to cover up to 16" screens and some basic and minimal 3D printed items to bring it all together. It's big, bright and beautiful!
That blew my mind also I need to get that setup I have been using my old google pixel phone as the text screen on an old prompter, and the one issue I have is not being able to scroll up or down or pause.. that pedal looks like the key.. can you just use the pedal and the prompter or do you need the stream deck aswell? @@tombuck
Wicked mate your responce speed shows your quality. BTW have to admit I have been on your tail for a while and learnt some nifty tricks from your content.. rock on!@@tombuck
OMG this info that is does not count as external Display on a Mac just Changed my life and workflow. And it saved me money by not buying a Hub! Thanks a million
Yeah, it's pretty awesome. I've been using it for close to a year now on my Mac mini and MacBook Pro with no issues. It's kind of magical how they figured it out!
Hello from Phoenix Arizona laying in bed at four in the morning. I came across this video because I have an all gone to stream deck. It’s still in the box after a year I need to break it out and get it going because I do zoom calls for work. I work from home and I’m on zoom most of the day, anyway I stumbled across your about you page and wow you’ve done a lot. Congratulations anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for all the time and effort and work you put into those high school kids. I look forward to some of your additional videos are going back and watching your old videos. Thank you.
It looks like the Prompter is showing as backordered, but it IS worth the wait! I have no idea how Elgato's shipping works, but when I ordered mine at release it said it would arrive in December or January, and it got here in October. I think it's worth holding a spot in line if you want one of your own and then maybe the shipping dates will be moved up! 🤞
How does on "pre-order?" All I can seem to figure out is how to get notified when it comes back into stock. Am I missing something? @@elitebeatagent8993
I ordered in November (when I heard Tom „drooling over it“ in his podcast ;)) and they took the order, said it would come in december, them changed it to march, now it says may to august, last I proactively checked. Changing the date is bad enough but might have reasons - but NOT informing the buyer is really bad business behavior and endangers the brand…
Thank you! This thing has been amazing. I used it on a client project this morning that normally would've resulted in about 40 minutes of raw footage, and ended up with less than 15! Such a game changer. 💪
Your Dad Joke/Segway is great. The Dad Joke wordplay is awesome. My 9 year old son loves doing that since he as about 3. He loves it when I do it too. So, listening to you always reminds me of my daily interactions with him and it brightens my day. It is appreciated. Thank you for your style and your in-depth reviews and use cases for all the gear.
Hey Tom, just wanted to say thank you for making this high-quality content! I was interested in buying a few products to add to my video recording setup and every time and I ended up to your good videos! I'm a content creator myself and I know how hard it is to keep high quality all the time. Thanks again and appreciate your time!
Great overview, Tom! I love it too :) The only thing missing for me is voice tracking. I’m using PromptSmart which follows your voice, meaning you don’t need to control the text on the prompter and you can talk as fast or slow as you want , it just follows your lead. I wish the software on the Elgato would do that too. Other than that it really does solve a TON of problems
I also use promptsmart and love the voice tracking. Probably less necessary with the foot pedals, but since I can already do voice tracking with my existing gear, I'm going to just keep doing that. (Mostly because this isn't available.)
This is the first time I've ever actually thought a prompter could be useful for me. If they were in stock right now, it would probably be an impulse buy.
13:57 "It makes the things slightly darker." This is a consequenz of physics. Because it is a semi-transparent Mirror. And the mirror reflects the light, which then can not reach the cam. Now there less light reaches the cam, so its darker.
I’m so tired of seeing videos for awesome products that I want to buy and going to the online stores and seeing it never available. I need this. I wish someone had it in stock.
Thanks Tom. I always love your videos. In this case you saved me around $1000 because I am going to buy the Elgato instead of the expensive solution I had arrived at. I’ve always loved Elgato’s attention to details and software and never knew about this possibility. Until your video.
It seems like their shipping dates are all over the place, so honestly I would just hold a place in line and hope for the best. Mine was supposed to be January 🤷🏻♂️
Just got mine yesterday (12/16/2023). Two things that would be nice 1. An on/off switch on the front of the unit. You always have to unplug the USB cable just to turn it off. 2. The ability to set paragraph colors independent of each other for better visual separation.
Well said Tom, I also noticed the haze effect as well and went black background. I also took it a step further and made my Windows theme darker tones, along with using Dark Mode in Teams, etc.
I got the elgato prompter as soon as a learned about it, about 7 days after the announcement. It only arrived this monday, giving me a ton of time to figure out what to do with it. I actually use it for my school's news program. In addition: It also works with ChromeOS, but only as an external display.
Great video! I spend too long setting up a smallrig teleprompter yesterday, and was not happy with the results at all. Sending it back, and will wait patiently for this to be back in stock.
I loved my old prompter, but yeah, the setup was a pain and I never used it. It's really wild how much more efficient a prompter can make things. I normally have 40-60 minutes of raw footage for talking head portions of videos, and since using this I've been able to get it under 20 sometimes 🤯
@@tombuck Wow. That is a huge difference! Between editing via text and improvements in delivery with a teleprompter, creating content is getting a lot easier!
practically perfect for actress/actor host for their show, that was a big version for television but good thing finally release a small for creative youtubers.
Great package! Based on your review, I am buying an Elgato Prompter. As an owner and user of an old prompter from Prompter People, I found your review of the Elgato Prompter believable, credible and helpful … and even funny. More important, your Tom Buck tech reviews are always helpful. And your penchant for puns is wonderful (or maybe even fun-derful).
Thanks so much as always Tom. I love the fact that it can act as a monitor and prompter at the same time. That is brilliant. I really want to get my hands on this. I have been using the brilliant Parrot teleprompter from the start - and it’s the only piece of equipment from when I started that I still use - but this looks like a must have. I also love the fact that it can be integrated with the Elgato pedal.
The pedal integration is so handy (er...footy?). I backed the new Parrot prompter in kickstarter, so I think that should get here sometime soon? I think the Elgato offers a heck of a lot more, but I'm interested to see if I can rig the Parrot up for an "on the go" setup.
Solid review, as always. Thanks, Tom. Question, though: How portable is the unit? Not that many people would move a device that is meant to be stationary, yet I wonder whether it can be folded up for storage or easy portability?
That was my one negative thought about the prompter. Overall, it looks way better than any other options out there - especially with the monitor that auto mirrors the image!
Great video! I really enjoyed it and learned about a new product. One thing that would have been helpful is if you mentioned the lens compatibility. It would be nice to know the field of view or widest angle lens before any vignetting occurs or we see the edges. Just a small suggestion!
I definitely should've mentioned that! My 24mm lens works great, but anything wider than that on a full frame camera will start to show the prompter frame.
That’s interesting! Can you fold it somehow or not really? Does it have a remote that I can use to control the script (play/pause/scroll)? :) Thanks for the video!
My wife has a Bluetooth pageflipper that she uses for playing piano. It also works with Microsoft applications like Powerpoint, so you can flip the screen with your feet during presentation. Do you think or know if this wil work with this prompter like the original Elgato pedal? There are buttons on the flipper to change between page flipping or page running but just having one option makes this a useful option.
That's a great question! I'm honestly not sure, but it seems like it's not outside the realm of possibility, especially if the page flipper can be setup in your computer settings.
Great video Tom. I want to buy this for my work but I have a very quick question. Does this teleprompter need the Elgato software to screen share from a laptop (I have a MacBook) My work has very strict rules about installing new software and I just want to screen share from my Mac and use a free teleprompter website or Microsoft Word. Thank you in advance :)
For screen sharing is needs the DisplayLink thingy so it can be recognized as a monitor, but it doesn’t HAVE to have the Elgato software (although you’d be missing quite a few features without it)
Elgato Prompter is the BEST teleprompter ever!!! Not only is it affordable, but it is also so much easier to use than other teleprompters. Please disregard the fact that I work for Elgato and that I got mine for free. TRUST ME!!! IT'S THE BEST!!!!
Great video. Have you made a video or got any recommendation of something to watch on youtube which teaches a novice like me the basic skills required for using teleprompters as you mention?
Thanks Tom - looks like a backorder until March at this point, but this is definitely on my 'toy' list for 2024. This looks unreal - I love the script-over-video capability.
Hey Tom, great video … I got this a few weeks ago and it’s a game changer but can I ask… what mic setup are you using for this video ??? Love the sound and tone
My M1Pro MacBook has so many elgato & other usb devices going into it (via multiport dock), so usb bandwidth is at full capacity… wonder if adding this would work for me.
@tom. Awesome review. One note: I use the prompt-smart iOS app which automatically advances my script as I speak. No need to manually advance the scroll, it just hears me and advances. It also lets me record right to my phone if I am out of the studio. I use it in conjunction with a parrot promoter and my phone. It’s a decent setup but far smaller and more cramped than what you have shown us from elgato. I think there’s a web based version of prompt smart sos it could work with the elgato. Might be worth a look.
Nice! I did back the Parrot Pro last summer which I think should be shipping sometime soon? It was before I knew about the Elgato one so I’m a little less excited for the Parrot now, but it could be fun to figure out an “on the go” prompter setup.
The real game changer is the Prompt Smart app. I think there's a desktop version too which could work with eth Envato to give you automatic advancing of your script/notes@@tombuck
I can't wait to get mine! I placed my order on 10/22/23 and the website is saying "This item is currently on backorder but is expected to ship 04/04/2024-04/07/2024." I'm not happy that I have to wait all this time for this product.
Great review thank you. I found the glare to be a big problem. I like to have my scripts in Google doc. So it’s really bright on a white background. And if I’m doing a loom video where I’m doing a walkthrough. Again the white background gives a pretty harsh glare. And I get a clear white line going across my chest. Amazing promoter all around. It I’ll need to figure out this glare issue.
The glare can be tricky (but that's the case with most prompters). Turning the brightness down and using dark mode for the Google Doc can be helpful. I've found Elgato's Camera Hub script feature works well since it's easy to have a black background, but it's still pretty limited in terms of adding/editing scripts (especially if you want more than one at a time).
Great review Tom! Overall been enjoying it too, but definitely could do with better software. Sometimes my Mac (M1 Max MBP) won’t see it as a display but hoping some of these minor things get fixed with updates.
This thing is pretty sick - I currently use a laptop to iPad with software that flips the image - basically this - but this is much more compact, on cable and its smaller then the glide cam. That pedal is pretty is awesome too. I have found that the software of teleprompters is the biggest issue and they seem to have to taken into account.
The software is always a HUGE stumbling block. Even the expensive prompters I've used in the past at different jobs have had awful, unreliable software. I have no idea why.
What software are you using now? I've been playing with Better Display to flip the iPad image with any text editor...and with just the free HTML solution (telepromptermirror) + sidecar. What I don't like with either is the mouse also flipping.
Hi, Tom, fantastic review as always. Question: I would be using it with a laptop. I'm not clear on if I need to buy a tripod even to sit on my desk for this and also if it will work with my Logitech webcam that sits atop the laptop monitor now or if it only works with a camera or camcorder. You didn't display those scenarios. Thanks
Hi! I just found your channel and subscribed. I had set up a home studio but had to take a break and am just coming back to it. This was very helpful. Also, I love the colors you have going on, on your set. Looks great 😄
When I finish my degree and start interviewing for reals I am definitely getting this Looking at the call participants and looking like I’m looking at them simultaneously shouldn’t need to cost $300 but I’ll gladly pay it anyway
Hey Tom, I just got a DJI Ronin RS3 Pro. Is this teleprompter small enough to attach to the lens and mount on the Ronin? This would give more flexibility in "walk and talks"!
That’s a good question, but I don’t think so because it has to be connected to a computer with a super high speed cable. This would probably be a good use for something like the Parrot Pro or other similar small prompter that relies on a phone 👍
Excellent review, as always, but one question > how wide of a lens can be used? I do a lot of tabletop demos, so I HAVE to use my 16-35 Sony lens (on my A7-4). At some wider focal lengths, the edge of the teleprompter frame will be visible. My current workaround is cropping in post and shooting in 4K, which I don’t really need.
Great question! I should've mentioned- I've been using my 24mm lens on a full frame camera and it's just fine. Much wider than that would likely start to show the edges of the frame.
Hey Tom. Longtime fan (you had me at the dad jokes), and I bought the Elgato Prompter based on your review. And it worked perfectly (on Windows) right out of the box, including the Opacity slider which allowed me to see my camera for framing through the prompter. Upon subsequent uses, however, all I see behind the text is my Computer desktop and the opacity slider now does nothing. This forces me to add a second monitor to my Sony camera to tweak the framing. Any ideas? Thanks!
The software can definitely be a bit buggy sometimes. If things aren't responding as they should, reconnecting the prompter and closing/reopening the app usually does the trick for me. You might have already tried that, but it's what's fixed most of my problems.
Sorry for the ignorance, how does one upload the script to the Elgato device? Google Doc? Microsoft Word? How can the text be controlled without the pedal?
The Elgato app has a text editor where you can past a script and then format it, but you can also drag any other app to the prompter (Docs, Word, Keynote, etc). There are clickable controls on screen, or you can use the keyboard and/or mouse to control the script 👍
Great review. My biggest question, and one that Elgato is specifically guilty of in the past, is does this require drivers *of any sort* to function? In other words, will this just work when plugged into a Linux laptop or server? Does it _require_ Windows or macOS to function? The offset camera in meetings has always been a problem, since I look at my monitor where the meeting participants/shared content is displayed, not into the camera lens which is off to the side of my main monitors. If it works out of the box with Linux, I'll get one right away. Update: Looks like this requires DisplayLink, so that counts it out. DisplayLink's drivers have been absolute garbage for the better part of 10-15 years, and still continue to hard-lock every machine they've ever been installed on, regardless of processor or machine type. It also looks like you need the Camera Hub software to drive the prompter features, so that's another negative. They really need to get into this decade and start supporting Linux natively with their products. They're missing an enormous creator market by ignoring the millions of Linux users out there.
This was very helpful Tom. I’m currently using the Easy Glide with my Canon DSLR and an iPad mini. That system is working well for me but I have wires going everywhere so that I can monitor my camera and download the video from the camera. It also makes it more difficult to use the camera for other things. This teleprompter might help with some of that. The light weight is fantastic. My biggest issue is that the teleprompter software I’m using follows my voice. I love that feature because I read my scripts. It looks like the El Gato software doesn’t support anything like that. If El Gato could add this feature that would make this teleprompter perfect for my needs. Your idea of using the foot pedal is great. I really like the way you have that set up. It might make this teleprompter a better choice for me. Now I need to figure out how to buy one along with a foot pedal. Your videos are outstanding but expensive. 😃
So far there's no voice control for the Elgato software. I was using an app with my old prompter that did that and it worked surprisingly well. I'd love to see something like that implemented in a future update!
Great overview! I have a big old caddy buddy teleprompter I used for business video tutorials, but the glass created such a noticeably darker image that it was just easier for me to fold the monitor glass down and use it as a base to support my phone that scrolled the script/outline, rather than fix it in post. (Defeated the purpose of having the prompter to begin with). The difference with this glass seems a lot less noticeable. Just wondering if you white balance your camera with the prompter in place or not.
I really like your video! Using teleprompter have been game-changer for me. I bought the ILOKNZI 18 inch Wide Angle Large Teleprompter Plus. It’s perfect, but I have to connect it with my large iPad. By the way, what lens do you use for this video ? Thx
Great review! I was just in the market for a teleprompter and this one is perfect for what I want to do. The only problem it seems to be sold out everywhere :(
I want one however Elgato has left a really bad taste in my mouth, recently too. I bought four key lights from Best Buy. Took about a week. Got them home and started to open the boxes and set them up. I have two streaming setups. On the second setup I had to remove everything off my desk so I could move it away from the wall and mount the key lights to the desk. Got both mounts connected and started to attach the lights. One was fine, nothing broken and got it setup fine. The second one however had part of the wing nut broken, the half of it was missing but later found it in the box. I could still fasten and tighten it up with just the one half there still, so I did. Figured I could just take some pictures and send my receipt to Elgato requesting a new wing nut. Sent them an email and eventually heard back from them. We went back and forth until I got an email that included a shipping label. They wanted me to pack up the entire key light and send it back to them. After all the work it took me to attach the mount to my desk I told them all I needed was a replacement wing nut. They refused to send me just that. They knew exactly what was broken too. I told them to just close the ticket and I ended up buying a replacement from their site. It was only $10 that they could have easily replaced. It came that way. Now if I had broke it I would haven't even reached out to them. I'm very dissatisfied with their customer service.
Tom, I have a Feelworld 4k display connected directly to my camera. It's great to help nail down exposure with false color. But I also have a Elgato prompter connected with Ecamm etc etc... Basically, the Feelworld image is amazing with proper false colors, But the prompter throws-off of the explore and the image quality is not as good. Any suggestions?
Since this was a super common question, I made a followup video showing how to use the Elgato Prompter with phones, webcams, actions cameras, and more! th-cam.com/video/kabU0TQpMIk/w-d-xo.html
I don't know who you are, or why the TH-cams decided to show me your video, but I'm glad for both of you. I've been putting off getting a prompter for 3 years, but you just convinced me that I should get this - just ordered!
I have had the Prompter for a few weeks now and love it. I use it every day for all of my video calls and agree with you that it makes it so much more comfortable and enjoyable.
I went from disliking video calls to enjoying them! I didn't realize that was the missing ingredient.
I know this is not an advertisement, but believe me, if Elgato tried to make a million videos explaining this device in your fun way, they would not be able to.
They are lucky with this free ad.😂
They can retroactively send a bag with a dollar sign on it 😁
@@tombuckI support them retroactively sending you a 💰 lol. 😅
It is such a game changer for me. As a non-native speaker I tend to talk too much even with scripted bullet points (and I get distracted thinking what to say) and using a cheap prompter for a smartphone is adding too much friction. This is solving so many friction points for me you have no idea.
Yes, friction! That's exactly the word to use.
Does your camera show dust at all or streaks from the screen?
I love my Elgato Prompter. As a podcaster it helps so much with my ad reads and conversations with my guests. Before getting it, I used a different prompter/monitor setup and it was nightmare to setup. It has 3 separate cables and it was a big hurdle for motivation. Now with one cable for everything and the app is great! Okay...I'll stop talking about how much I love it now...
That's exactly how I feel! Once I had my old prompter up and running I always appreciated it, but it was such a clunky mess to deal with that I hardly ever actually used it.
I really wish I would've had this when I was teaching online during the first year or so of the pandemic.
Whoa. The shot at 1:25 was trippy since Tom just said he only had one prompter. Cleaver shot!
Haha, I REALLY like how that turned out!
Made my own XL version with a 15.6" second-monitor screen, a teleprompter large enough to cover up to 16" screens and some basic and minimal 3D printed items to bring it all together. It's big, bright and beautiful!
Seeing you control the prompter with the pedal blew my mind 🤯. Great video. My setup is slowly being infiltrated by Elgato and I love it.
Me too! I didn't realize how much Elgato stuff I have until now. It's just right at that sweet spot of price/simplicity/function.
That blew my mind also I need to get that setup I have been using my old google pixel phone as the text screen on an old prompter, and the one issue I have is not being able to scroll up or down or pause.. that pedal looks like the key.. can you just use the pedal and the prompter or do you need the stream deck aswell?
@@tombuck
@@BetterHumanz The Pedal is basically a 3 button Stream Deck, so you don't need anything else 👍
Wicked mate your responce speed shows your quality. BTW have to admit I have been on your tail for a while and learnt some nifty tricks from your content.. rock on!@@tombuck
OMG this info that is does not count as external Display on a Mac just Changed my life and workflow. And it saved me money by not buying a Hub! Thanks a million
Yeah, it's pretty awesome. I've been using it for close to a year now on my Mac mini and MacBook Pro with no issues. It's kind of magical how they figured it out!
Hello from Phoenix Arizona laying in bed at four in the morning. I came across this video because I have an all gone to stream deck. It’s still in the box after a year I need to break it out and get it going because I do zoom calls for work. I work from home and I’m on zoom most of the day, anyway I stumbled across your about you page and wow you’ve done a lot. Congratulations anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for all the time and effort and work you put into those high school kids. I look forward to some of your additional videos are going back and watching your old videos. Thank you.
The software and what you showed using the pedal with it sells it for me. Thanks Tom.
It's so fun! I literally just got finished filming another video with it, and it's insane the amount of time it saves.
It looks like the Prompter is showing as backordered, but it IS worth the wait! I have no idea how Elgato's shipping works, but when I ordered mine at release it said it would arrive in December or January, and it got here in October. I think it's worth holding a spot in line if you want one of your own and then maybe the shipping dates will be moved up! 🤞
I ordered in October and said it would arrive the first week of December. It now says it's arriving in March. I'm super frustrated.
I am in the same boat @beardandbanjos. I want this thing yesterday!
Now the site is saying preorder now and get yours by March WOW!😢
How does on "pre-order?" All I can seem to figure out is how to get notified when it comes back into stock. Am I missing something?
@@elitebeatagent8993
I ordered in November (when I heard Tom „drooling over it“ in his podcast ;)) and they took the order, said it would come in december, them changed it to march, now it says may to august, last I proactively checked. Changing the date is bad enough but might have reasons - but NOT informing the buyer is really bad business behavior and endangers the brand…
By far the best overview of the Elgato Prompter on TH-cam. Mine is en route, and I consider myself well prepared for its arrival.
So glad to hear it! Hope you enjoy your prompter a ton!
Awesome showcase, we appreciate all the feedback (and love the puns 👏)
Thank you! This thing has been amazing. I used it on a client project this morning that normally would've resulted in about 40 minutes of raw footage, and ended up with less than 15! Such a game changer. 💪
@elgato does this work if the camera is vertical, like shooting for REELS/TIKTOK?? Just wondering if you'd get any of the hood or screen in the shot.
You're prompting me to pick this up this practically perfect product!
Your Dad Joke/Segway is great.
The Dad Joke wordplay is awesome.
My 9 year old son loves doing that since he as about 3. He loves it when I do it too.
So, listening to you always reminds me of my daily interactions with him and it brightens my day.
It is appreciated. Thank you for your style and your in-depth reviews and use cases for all the gear.
This is the nicest thing to hear! I'm so glad my goofy jokes can bring up some nice memories 🙏
@@tombuck Dad Jokes and corny wordplay for life my brother :)
@@tombuck honestly it helps me work because I miss hanging out with my sons when I am working so it helps
Hands down the best review of the promoter on the internet. Thank you!
Wow thank you!!
Hey Tom, just wanted to say thank you for making this high-quality content! I was interested in buying a few products to add to my video recording setup and every time and I ended up to your good videos! I'm a content creator myself and I know how hard it is to keep high quality all the time. Thanks again and appreciate your time!
This really means a lot to hear, thank you! It’s awesome to know the channel has been helpful. 🙏
Just signed up for the waitlist. This seems like it will be game-changing. Can't wait to get my hands on one! Great video, Tom 👏🏽
Hopefully they can get them shipped out sooner than the waitlist shows! It'll definitely be a huge help in your setup.
I ordered two months ago said Dec 14 delivery. Yesterday got email saying April delivery now. So pissed!
Great overview, Tom! I love it too :) The only thing missing for me is voice tracking. I’m using PromptSmart which follows your voice, meaning you don’t need to control the text on the prompter and you can talk as fast or slow as you want , it just follows your lead. I wish the software on the Elgato would do that too. Other than that it really does solve a TON of problems
I really enjoy using speakflow for this. I gave up on PromptSmart because it often stopped working
It’d be cool if they added that in a future update! Elgato is usually pretty “cutting edge” so I wouldn’t be surprised if they do.
I also use promptsmart and love the voice tracking. Probably less necessary with the foot pedals, but since I can already do voice tracking with my existing gear, I'm going to just keep doing that. (Mostly because this isn't available.)
Hi, are you usung this prompter from Elgato but with different software - PromptSmar, Am I right? ;)
@@davetriesthis Hi, are you usung this prompter from Elgato but with different software - PromptSmar, Am I right? ;)
This is the first time I've ever actually thought a prompter could be useful for me. If they were in stock right now, it would probably be an impulse buy.
It’s made such a huge difference for me- can’t go without it now!
13:57 "It makes the things slightly darker." This is a consequenz of physics. Because it is a semi-transparent Mirror. And the mirror reflects the light, which then can not reach the cam. Now there less light reaches the cam, so its darker.
very intelligent elaboration that covers everything i need to kno, thank u
I’m so tired of seeing videos for awesome products that I want to buy and going to the online stores and seeing it never available. I need this. I wish someone had it in stock.
Thanks Tom. I always love your videos. In this case you saved me around $1000 because I am going to buy the Elgato instead of the expensive solution I had arrived at. I’ve always loved Elgato’s attention to details and software and never knew about this possibility. Until your video.
It looks awesome Tom! I was so excited to get mine. Then my delivery date in December got pushed back to March/April 2024 so I ended up cancelling.🙃
It seems like their shipping dates are all over the place, so honestly I would just hold a place in line and hope for the best. Mine was supposed to be January 🤷🏻♂️
Looks great, we use a prompter a lot in our video productions but this seems like a good solution for the smaller video shoots
I CAN’T WAIT FOR MINE TO ARRIVE!!!! This video made me even more excited for it!
I'm not exaggerating when I say it gives me the same excitement as the ATEM did. Definitely a game changer!
Just got mine yesterday (12/16/2023). Two things that would be nice 1. An on/off switch on the front of the unit. You always have to unplug the USB cable just to turn it off. 2. The ability to set paragraph colors independent of each other for better visual separation.
I'm really hoping they add in a lot of text/script editing features for sure.
Well said Tom, I also noticed the haze effect as well and went black background. I also took it a step further and made my Windows theme darker tones, along with using Dark Mode in Teams, etc.
Smart move! It's really just one of those unavoidable things that happens when using a prompter.
I got the elgato prompter as soon as a learned about it, about 7 days after the announcement. It only arrived this monday, giving me a ton of time to figure out what to do with it. I actually use it for my school's news program.
In addition: It also works with ChromeOS, but only as an external display.
Great video! I spend too long setting up a smallrig teleprompter yesterday, and was not happy with the results at all. Sending it back, and will wait patiently for this to be back in stock.
I loved my old prompter, but yeah, the setup was a pain and I never used it.
It's really wild how much more efficient a prompter can make things. I normally have 40-60 minutes of raw footage for talking head portions of videos, and since using this I've been able to get it under 20 sometimes 🤯
@@tombuck Wow. That is a huge difference! Between editing via text and improvements in delivery with a teleprompter, creating content is getting a lot easier!
Hi Tom, great video. Does the Sony ZV1 work with the prompter? Thank you for all your excellent videos Sir. I enjoy your channel. Mark Rickert
practically perfect for actress/actor host for their show, that was a big version for television but good thing finally release a small for creative youtubers.
Great package! Based on your review, I am buying an Elgato Prompter. As an owner and user of an old prompter from Prompter People, I found your review of the Elgato Prompter believable, credible and helpful … and even funny. More important, your Tom Buck tech reviews are always helpful. And your penchant for puns is wonderful (or maybe even fun-derful).
Mines coming NEXT WEEK😭 I got the foot pedal already, can’t wait to set it up!
Woo hoo! I’m sure you’ll really love it!
Thanks so much as always Tom. I love the fact that it can act as a monitor and prompter at the same time. That is brilliant. I really want to get my hands on this. I have been using the brilliant Parrot teleprompter from the start - and it’s the only piece of equipment from when I started that I still use - but this looks like a must have. I also love the fact that it can be integrated with the Elgato pedal.
The pedal integration is so handy (er...footy?). I backed the new Parrot prompter in kickstarter, so I think that should get here sometime soon? I think the Elgato offers a heck of a lot more, but I'm interested to see if I can rig the Parrot up for an "on the go" setup.
Great review Tom. Think I'm sold on it for making videos but also wondering if I could I use it to display a PDF to follow a piece of music?
Absolutely! It's basically just a second display for your computer, so you can drag whatever you'd like to it. 👍
@@tombuck thanks for replying. This is game changing.
First time viewer. I really appreciate the wordplay stuff. "I con't think of any cons." And "A feat of prompting technology," were my highlights.
Thank you! A lot of people...don't like that 😁
(But my brain just works this way and I can't stop it.)
Could you use this with a GoPro or iPhone?? Great review!! Thanks.
Yes! I’m literally outlining a video right now to show how to use it with phones/webcams/etc 👍
your content never disappoints sir
Thank you!
Again a fantastic review. I've also using it for a month and really love it. Such a game-changer and affordable 🙌
It really is!
Watching this because I just got notice mine us one the way. And I have their pedal so I'll be using it just like you.
Great video!
Omg the peddle is a game changer
You can use the shoe mounts on top for a small pencil microphone like the Oktava MK-012-01
Great idea!
Solid review, as always. Thanks, Tom. Question, though:
How portable is the unit? Not that many people would move a device that is meant to be stationary, yet I wonder whether it can be folded up for storage or easy portability?
It doesn’t fold, but it is quite small
That was my one negative thought about the prompter. Overall, it looks way better than any other options out there - especially with the monitor that auto mirrors the image!
Great video! I really enjoyed it and learned about a new product. One thing that would have been helpful is if you mentioned the lens compatibility. It would be nice to know the field of view or widest angle lens before any vignetting occurs or we see the edges. Just a small suggestion!
I definitely should've mentioned that! My 24mm lens works great, but anything wider than that on a full frame camera will start to show the prompter frame.
That’s interesting! Can you fold it somehow or not really? Does it have a remote that I can use to control the script (play/pause/scroll)? :) Thanks for the video!
Excellent video. Lookin forward to getting hold of one of these. Long overdue product.
Hey Tom, what is the boom arm you have on your tripod at 10:26?
It's an iFootage Support Rod. A bit pricey, but very sturdy!
Should be finally getting mine in a few days Tom. They have been really slow shipping to the uk 🙁
You'll love it! Especially with the Stream Deck Pedal.
And great workshop this week! (I was sneaking some peaks while Heather was watching 😁 )
@@tombuck I’m not tbh 😬 Think I’ll be sticking to my iPad teleprompter.
@@tombuck haha, just read the rest of your comment. Glad you liked it 🥰
oOoOOhhh! I was eyeing this the other day!
Thank you for the review!
Always love your videos. I ordered a Prompter bundle for $600 and it's backordered more than FOUR MONTHS. @Elgato took my money, tho. SO sleazy.
It’s definitely a bummer but I’ve never known Elgato to do anything sleazy. I think demand and manufacturing are difficult to manage.
My wife has a Bluetooth pageflipper that she uses for playing piano. It also works with Microsoft applications like Powerpoint, so you can flip the screen with your feet during presentation.
Do you think or know if this wil work with this prompter like the original Elgato pedal?
There are buttons on the flipper to change between page flipping or page running but just having one option makes this a useful option.
That's a great question! I'm honestly not sure, but it seems like it's not outside the realm of possibility, especially if the page flipper can be setup in your computer settings.
Great video Tom. I want to buy this for my work but I have a very quick question. Does this teleprompter need the Elgato software to screen share from a laptop (I have a MacBook) My work has very strict rules about installing new software and I just want to screen share from my Mac and use a free teleprompter website or Microsoft Word. Thank you in advance :)
For screen sharing is needs the DisplayLink thingy so it can be recognized as a monitor, but it doesn’t HAVE to have the Elgato software (although you’d be missing quite a few features without it)
Awesome job as always Tom.
Great review. Could this work with iPhone?
Yes! I actually just made a video all about that: th-cam.com/video/kabU0TQpMIk/w-d-xo.html
Great review Tom, how do I get the viewfinder/teleprompter combo? I can’t figure out how to run both on the prompter, thanks.
If you have the prompter set to “Text” mode and then turn down the opacity, it’ll show the regular display behind it. 👍
Another awesome video. I have never had any luck with teleprompters in the past. But this looks interesting.
This is the first time one has actually REDUCED friction instead of introducing more 😁
nice work. But why is it that when i use my Sony a6700 my video is really small, like a 4:3 size and surrounded by black nothingness ?
Elgato Prompter is the BEST teleprompter ever!!! Not only is it affordable, but it is also so much easier to use than other teleprompters. Please disregard the fact that I work for Elgato and that I got mine for free. TRUST ME!!! IT'S THE BEST!!!!
Great video. Have you made a video or got any recommendation of something to watch on youtube which teaches a novice like me the basic skills required for using teleprompters as you mention?
Thanks Tom - looks like a backorder until March at this point, but this is definitely on my 'toy' list for 2024. This looks unreal - I love the script-over-video capability.
Mine originally said December but got here in October, so hopefully they’re just being conservative with sipping times 🤞
Hey Tom, great video … I got this a few weeks ago and it’s a game changer but can I ask… what mic setup are you using for this video ??? Love the sound and tone
Thank you! It's my Sennheiser MKH50 boomed just out of frame, and then I add a slight bit of Voice Isolation in Final Cut Pro (15%). 👍
Fantastic, much appreciated
Hi Tom ! As usual, great video ! Thanks
Question : is there vigneting with a 16 mm ?
My M1Pro MacBook has so many elgato & other usb devices going into it (via multiport dock), so usb bandwidth is at full capacity… wonder if adding this would work for me.
hello, i use my iphone 14 pro camera to stream and record videos with the elgato app. is there a way to mount an iphone to it? great video!
Yes! I have a video all about that right here: th-cam.com/video/kabU0TQpMIk/w-d-xo.html
@tom. Awesome review. One note: I use the prompt-smart iOS app which automatically advances my script as I speak. No need to manually advance the scroll, it just hears me and advances. It also lets me record right to my phone if I am out of the studio. I use it in conjunction with a parrot promoter and my phone. It’s a decent setup but far smaller and more cramped than what you have shown us from elgato. I think there’s a web based version of prompt smart sos it could work with the elgato. Might be worth a look.
Nice! I did back the Parrot Pro last summer which I think should be shipping sometime soon? It was before I knew about the Elgato one so I’m a little less excited for the Parrot now, but it could be fun to figure out an “on the go” prompter setup.
The real game changer is the Prompt Smart app. I think there's a desktop version too which could work with eth Envato to give you automatic advancing of your script/notes@@tombuck
Great stuff like always, Tom! Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it
Sold. Thanks Tom!
I can't wait to get mine! I placed my order on 10/22/23 and the website is saying "This item is currently on backorder but is expected to ship 04/04/2024-04/07/2024." I'm not happy that I have to wait all this time for this product.
I think I ordered not long before that and it originally said January, so you never know!
Brilliant review… still waiting on my pre-order… in the meantime, can I ask where you got the amazing desk pad.. love the colors and patterns… thx
Great review thank you. I found the glare to be a big problem. I like to have my scripts in Google doc. So it’s really bright on a white background. And if I’m doing a loom video where I’m doing a walkthrough. Again the white background gives a pretty harsh glare. And I get a clear white line going across my chest.
Amazing promoter all around. It I’ll need to figure out this glare issue.
The glare can be tricky (but that's the case with most prompters). Turning the brightness down and using dark mode for the Google Doc can be helpful.
I've found Elgato's Camera Hub script feature works well since it's easy to have a black background, but it's still pretty limited in terms of adding/editing scripts (especially if you want more than one at a time).
Get the chrome extension 'Dark Reader'. Turn anything into dark mode 😎
Great review Tom! Overall been enjoying it too, but definitely could do with better software. Sometimes my Mac (M1 Max MBP) won’t see it as a display but hoping some of these minor things get fixed with updates.
They seem like hopefully easy improvements…and it’s still SO much better than everything else!
This thing is pretty sick - I currently use a laptop to iPad with software that flips the image - basically this - but this is much more compact, on cable and its smaller then the glide cam. That pedal is pretty is awesome too. I have found that the software of teleprompters is the biggest issue and they seem to have to taken into account.
The software is always a HUGE stumbling block. Even the expensive prompters I've used in the past at different jobs have had awful, unreliable software. I have no idea why.
What software are you using now? I've been playing with Better Display to flip the iPad image with any text editor...and with just the free HTML solution (telepromptermirror) + sidecar. What I don't like with either is the mouse also flipping.
Hi, Tom, fantastic review as always. Question: I would be using it with a laptop. I'm not clear on if I need to buy a tripod even to sit on my desk for this and also if it will work with my Logitech webcam that sits atop the laptop monitor now or if it only works with a camera or camcorder. You didn't display those scenarios. Thanks
Hi! I just found your channel and subscribed. I had set up a home studio but had to take a break and am just coming back to it. This was very helpful. Also, I love the colors you have going on, on your set. Looks great 😄
When I finish my degree and start interviewing for reals I am definitely getting this
Looking at the call participants and looking like I’m looking at them simultaneously shouldn’t need to cost $300 but I’ll gladly pay it anyway
I love the simplicity of this product and the built-in stream very clever idea. Great video as always, Tom! #loveyourcreators
Thank Paul! They really did smooth out so many pain points in the typical prompter workflow.
Hey Tom, I just got a DJI Ronin RS3 Pro. Is this teleprompter small enough to attach to the lens and mount on the Ronin? This would give more flexibility in "walk and talks"!
That’s a good question, but I don’t think so because it has to be connected to a computer with a super high speed cable.
This would probably be a good use for something like the Parrot Pro or other similar small prompter that relies on a phone 👍
Ordered one aaaaages ago. STILL waiting for it
is there an HDMI port? how are you using it as a confidence monitor without a HDMI?
Excellent review, as always, but one question > how wide of a lens can be used?
I do a lot of tabletop demos, so I HAVE to use my 16-35 Sony lens (on my A7-4). At some wider focal lengths, the edge of the teleprompter frame will be visible. My current workaround is cropping in post and shooting in 4K, which I don’t really need.
Great question! I should've mentioned- I've been using my 24mm lens on a full frame camera and it's just fine. Much wider than that would likely start to show the edges of the frame.
I Need a good inexpensive camera to work with this- what do you recommend?
Hey Tom. Longtime fan (you had me at the dad jokes), and I bought the Elgato Prompter based on your review. And it worked perfectly (on Windows) right out of the box, including the Opacity slider which allowed me to see my camera for framing through the prompter. Upon subsequent uses, however, all I see behind the text is my Computer desktop and the opacity slider now does nothing. This forces me to add a second monitor to my Sony camera to tweak the framing. Any ideas? Thanks!
The software can definitely be a bit buggy sometimes. If things aren't responding as they should, reconnecting the prompter and closing/reopening the app usually does the trick for me. You might have already tried that, but it's what's fixed most of my problems.
Yo, love the Seattle Kraken jersey at 9:33, looks really good on you!
Instead of the camera can I video record on iPhone?
Thank you in advance
Sorry for the ignorance, how does one upload the script to the Elgato device? Google Doc? Microsoft Word?
How can the text be controlled without the pedal?
The Elgato app has a text editor where you can past a script and then format it, but you can also drag any other app to the prompter (Docs, Word, Keynote, etc).
There are clickable controls on screen, or you can use the keyboard and/or mouse to control the script 👍
@@tombuckThank you for the answer and help
Added this to my wishlist. I love your multi-colored desk pad. Is it available to buy?
The brand is GDBT on Amazon, but I don't know if they have this specific pattern any more.
Great review. My biggest question, and one that Elgato is specifically guilty of in the past, is does this require drivers *of any sort* to function? In other words, will this just work when plugged into a Linux laptop or server? Does it _require_ Windows or macOS to function? The offset camera in meetings has always been a problem, since I look at my monitor where the meeting participants/shared content is displayed, not into the camera lens which is off to the side of my main monitors. If it works out of the box with Linux, I'll get one right away.
Update: Looks like this requires DisplayLink, so that counts it out. DisplayLink's drivers have been absolute garbage for the better part of 10-15 years, and still continue to hard-lock every machine they've ever been installed on, regardless of processor or machine type. It also looks like you need the Camera Hub software to drive the prompter features, so that's another negative. They really need to get into this decade and start supporting Linux natively with their products. They're missing an enormous creator market by ignoring the millions of Linux users out there.
This was very helpful Tom. I’m currently using the Easy Glide with my Canon DSLR and an iPad mini. That system is working well for me but I have wires going everywhere so that I can monitor my camera and download the video from the camera. It also makes it more difficult to use the camera for other things. This teleprompter might help with some of that. The light weight is fantastic.
My biggest issue is that the teleprompter software I’m using follows my voice. I love that feature because I read my scripts. It looks like the El Gato software doesn’t support anything like that. If El Gato could add this feature that would make this teleprompter perfect for my needs. Your idea of using the foot pedal is great. I really like the way you have that set up. It might make this teleprompter a better choice for me. Now I need to figure out how to buy one along with a foot pedal. Your videos are outstanding but expensive. 😃
So far there's no voice control for the Elgato software. I was using an app with my old prompter that did that and it worked surprisingly well. I'd love to see something like that implemented in a future update!
Great overview! I have a big old caddy buddy teleprompter I used for business video tutorials, but the glass created such a noticeably darker image that it was just easier for me to fold the monitor glass down and use it as a base to support my phone that scrolled the script/outline, rather than fix it in post. (Defeated the purpose of having the prompter to begin with). The difference with this glass seems a lot less noticeable. Just wondering if you white balance your camera with the prompter in place or not.
I really like your video! Using teleprompter have been game-changer for me. I bought the ILOKNZI 18 inch Wide Angle Large Teleprompter Plus. It’s perfect, but I have to connect it with my large iPad. By the way, what lens do you use for this video ? Thx
Since it came out in my wishlist. Going to buy it soon.
Your videos are the best, Tom.
Great review! I was just in the market for a teleprompter and this one is perfect for what I want to do. The only problem it seems to be sold out everywhere :(
Shipping times always fluctuate- I would just get on a list and hope for the best to be honest!
The level of pun in this video is on point👌
I want one however Elgato has left a really bad taste in my mouth, recently too.
I bought four key lights from Best Buy. Took about a week. Got them home and started to open the boxes and set them up. I have two streaming setups. On the second setup I had to remove everything off my desk so I could move it away from the wall and mount the key lights to the desk. Got both mounts connected and started to attach the lights. One was fine, nothing broken and got it setup fine. The second one however had part of the wing nut broken, the half of it was missing but later found it in the box.
I could still fasten and tighten it up with just the one half there still, so I did. Figured I could just take some pictures and send my receipt to Elgato requesting a new wing nut.
Sent them an email and eventually heard back from them. We went back and forth until I got an email that included a shipping label.
They wanted me to pack up the entire key light and send it back to them. After all the work it took me to attach the mount to my desk I told them all I needed was a replacement wing nut. They refused to send me just that. They knew exactly what was broken too.
I told them to just close the ticket and I ended up buying a replacement from their site. It was only $10 that they could have easily replaced. It came that way. Now if I had broke it I would haven't even reached out to them.
I'm very dissatisfied with their customer service.
Tom, I have a Feelworld 4k display connected directly to my camera. It's great to help nail down exposure with false color. But I also have a Elgato prompter connected with Ecamm etc etc... Basically, the Feelworld image is amazing with proper false colors, But the prompter throws-off of the explore and the image quality is not as good. Any suggestions?