For meeting and event professionals, having remote or virtual speakers deliver content with confidence and precision is paramount. Enter the game-changing device: Elgato’s new Prompter. This piece of equipment is poised to become an indispensable tool for planners that want to provide their talent with the tools needed to provide clear and engaging online presentations.
Features to Boost Virtual Presentations
- All-in-one Solution: Priced at $279.99, the Prompter is a teleprompter and an additional monitor, compatible with both Mac and PC. This is a breakthrough for presenters who wish to maintain eye contact during virtual meetings or stream content without missing a beat.
- Easy Connectivity: Ditching the need for a phone or tablet, this teleprompter connects effortlessly via USB-C to your computer, requiring no external power source.
- Purpose-Built Display: The Prompter boasts a nine-inch display (1024 x 600) that projects onto beamsplitter glass. This unique feature allows cameras to capture footage without recording what’s displayed. Furthermore, Elgato has tailored the Prompter to support various devices, including DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, and even smartphones, courtesy of a universal adaptor.
- Included Accessories: The package has nine step-up rings suitable for various camera lenses, ensuring compatibility. Multiple quarter-inch threads and cold-shoe mounts have added flexibility to accommodate mics and other accessories.
- Integrated Software: Elgato’s Camera Hub app makes the Prompter even more intuitive. From auto-scrolling scripts to showcasing a live chat feed, this tool ensures your speaker’s content is front and center. Moreover, the software allows for font size, color, and scroll speed adjustments. A handy feature lets them control the screen brightness, which is especially helpful in maintaining eye contact during video interactions, leading to a better experience for your attendees.
- Streamlined Operations with Stream Deck: If your speakers already use Elgato’s products (and many do, even me), one additional perk is Elgato’s integration of a Stream Deck plugin, enabling you to control the teleprompter text, adjust brightness, and modify font size instantly.
Practical Application
In the age of virtual conferences and meetings, the Prompter shines. Beyond speaker and presenter use, planners can use it to maintain engagement during Zoom or Microsoft Teams meetings by dragging calls onto the Prompter, ensuring direct eye contact. You can be the one on the call that looks like you have your act together! For those creating content for pre-recorded sessions, the Prompter can eliminate the tedious process of memorizing scripts, which will make them seem more relaxed ensuring that your attendees are getting the best presentation possible.
Is it Worth the Investment?
While the $279.99 price tag might seem steep at first glance, its value is evident when considering its transformative impact on presentations. While alternatives may be more affordable, none quite match Elgato’s perfect blend of innovative hardware and user-friendly software which is key to ensuring that speakers will actually use it. This tool is tailor-made for the crazy conference world we now live in – from those being forced to give sessions from home due to the ongoing pandemic and global conflicts to organizations that still rely on virtual or hybrid events to reach members and attendees… This tool will take your sessions to the next level by increasing the production quality right out of the box.
