Best Equipment to Record an Online Course (Ultimate Creator Setup 2023)

► Watch the latest version of this video - UPDATED FOR 2024 ► • Best Recording Setup f...
Recording videos for your online course and want to know the best gear and equipment to desk setup to record with in 2023? We unveil our recording setup, and what we believe is the best solution for online course creators. Find out how to produce online course videos that not only look and sound great, but are efficient to make.
Learn how to choose recording gear that allows you to save your videos and audio directly to your computer, with little to no editing and post-processing needed so that you can launch your new online course faster.
Watch our OBS tutorial video to learn how to combine this equipment setup with Open Broadcaster Software to produce videos for your course efficiently: • How to Use OBS to Reco...
EQUIPMENT SHOWN IN THIS VIDEO:
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Find the full collection on our kit.co page: kit.co/HeightsPlatform/best-2...
► Dazzne Desk Mount LED Key Light 2 Pack:
amzn.to/3nFaaZm
► Blue Yeticaster Mic and Boom Arm Bundle:
amzn.to/39eQiUA
► Foam Windscreen for Blue Yeti Microphone (helps filter out unwanted noises):
amzn.to/2XoTiei
► Sony a6400 Camera Body Only:
amzn.to/3zmX0Cl
► Sony 35mm f1.8 Prime Lens (not necessary but what we use and great for rooms that have low light):
amzn.to/3CiRJ0H
► Sony a6400 Camera with Kit Lens (if you prefer a cheaper lens option):
amzn.to/2XqBQXq
► Elgato Cam Link 4k (allows you to connect the a6400 to your computer as a webcam):
amzn.to/3khEUxC
► AC Adapter Power Supply (allows you to leave the a6400 camera on without worrying about charging a battery):
amzn.to/2XsIFHe
► Elgato Master Mount L (great for mounting camera to your desk):
amzn.to/3zcGXqZ
► Elgato Stream Deck Mini (the small 6 button version is enough for course creators and makes it easier to find what to press without looking):
amzn.to/3lz8JJb
► Samsung T7 1TB SSD (if you're recording bunches of video, this is a great way to store it):
amzn.to/3kep0UG
(Note that the links above are affiliate links that help to support our channel. All of the gear we recommend is equipment we've tested and used ourselves for multiple years now. We bought everything we mentioned in this video, and were not sponsored by any of the brands mentioned here.)
RESOURCES & LINKS:
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► OBS download: obsproject.com/
► Start building your online course with a free 30-day trial for Heights Platform here: www.heightsplatform.com
► Not sure how to start creating your online course? Download our checklist with daily steps to help you launch an online course business in 30 days!
www.heightsplatform.com/30-da...
► Calculate the potential earnings from your online course: www.heightsplatform.com/onlin... (FREE - NO EMAIL REQUIRED)
#VideoEquipment #HeightsPlatform #SellOnlineCourses

[@heightsplatform]

Hey everyone! We're giving away the same recording equipment we use in our setup and more! If you're watching this now, there are a few days left to enter to win over $6000 of tools and equipment for creators. Enter here: giveaway.heightsplatform.com

[@JonnoPlays]

Great video Heights team! I loved seeing your setup and hardware. I've been working on my creator setup for many years and it's always improving. Also I'm a KZbinr making a course and I've been struggling to get started so this was helpful for me in many ways. Cheers!

[@heightsplatform]

That's awesome Jonno! So glad this helped you!

[@acarter7856]

Thank you. This is a very good resource for recording tools.

[@heightsplatform]

Glad it was helpful!

[@preciousjemtv7085]

Thanks for doing this video 👍

[@heightsplatform]

Glad you enjoyed it! 👍

[@MusicWorkflowAcademy]

Great video!

[@heightsplatform]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MahiAndMammaVlogs]

Good update

[@heightsplatform]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@KendraLock]

Excellent video

[@heightsplatform]

Thank you Kendra!

[@urbanplanninganddesign4651]

I want a light with the same height like urs but I couldn't find on Amazon. I want to put it on my desk. Most lighting are for putting on the ground....I love ur hair color btw 😊

[@heightsplatform]

I linked my exact lights with desk mounts in the description! It looks like they might be currently out of stock, but there is a smaller version by the same company with the same stand, but smaller size lights, and more affordable. Here's that link: amzn.to/3EYF9XT

[@celesteduckworth801]

I really appreciate this video. Thank you, I found it extremely helpful & easy to understand. I have an idea I've been going back & forth with but can't seem to work out if it's even possible. I'll give you an example of what I'm thinking of doing and then my dilemma. I would like to create a video teaching people how to knit, sew, paint etc but I wanted to do this with my grandchildren or various guests. Is there a way to have a child or a visitor on screen the entire time but change their face? I know there are ways to blur out the face but I don't like the idea of that. I feel like it would be a weird distraction. I've seen enough social media posts where people are using various apps to warp the face by making the mouth and eyes large etc. I was thinking of something less dramatic or maybe just more pleasant 😂. Almost like an animated version of their face. Is there anyway to easily do that? Basically everything in the video is normal but just the face itself is different then the reality. I love the idea of sharing the process of teaching children but do NOT like the idea of sharing the childs identity itself. Thank you in advance for any insight or suggestions you may offer.

[@heightsplatform]

Glad you found this helpful! What I would suggest is having a video editor help you to add a cartoon or illustrated image of a face to cover the child's face. This would be more friendly than blurring, and less dramatic than a funny filter. Veed.io is a simple web based video tool you can use that allows you to add an image over your video. See here for a tutorial: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaKWe5ifn9OBj6Mfeature=shared

[@davidmontalvo9959]

awesome video, very informative. question: what type of PC are u running? Processor, ram suggestions? thanks!

[@heightsplatform]

Glad it helped! I primarily use a 16” MacBook Pro. Ram and processor aren’t going to make much difference for recording with OBS or using a cam link, however the important thing is that you have good USB bandwidth on a USB 3 port. Any modern MacBook with USB c / thunderbolt works and any Windows PC with a USB 3 port. Also best to plug directly into the computer and not plug the cam link in a USB hub as it could cause recording issues.

[@startscalenow]

Great video! I watched many but this was the best! What type of laptop (graphic card, RAM etc) do you use and recommend so the videos are streamed and recorded without studdering and interruptions? I currently have a Microsoft surface Laptop and it even has problems with a webcam 🙈 so I can only the internal shitty Webcam. Thanks in advance!

[@heightsplatform]

I have a been using a Macbook Pro and a Windows desktop. Right now I'm using the Camlink 4k on an M2 Max Macbook Pro with 64GB of ram. The ram won't matter too much for this, but the USB bandwidth is very important (don't plug multiple things into the port that has the camlink plugged in), and the graphics card. Many record in 1080p to be safe as that will not only be a much smaller file, but also much less strain on computer resources. At the time this video was published I still had an intel-based Macbook pro and it worked fine with this setup as well. The settings you choose in the recording tab of OBS can make a big difference! Here is a screenshot of my settings in case this runs smoother for you: share.heightsplatform.com/p9uYyZ2L

[@startscalenow]

Great, thanks for the answer! If I use this set up for a live stream, what are your experiences with internet speed? If I want to stream in 4k, what mbps should the connection have? @@heightsplatform

[@GringlesFacil]

What type of foam are you using for your walls and lights that are green?

[@heightsplatform]

Many have asked about the foam and apparently the company went out of business. A shame because it is a unique pattern! The bar lights are 3-4 Lifx Beams combined together.

[@szabojanos4410]

Can you tell me the brand of the sound panel/acoustic panel behind you? I would be very grateful. Affiliate link is also welcome :) Also, if it's not too much trouble for you, please write down the brand and type of the LED strip behind your back. Thank you! I saw two objects on your desk: 1.) a red little box on the right edge of your desk, 2.) a laid amplifier or power amp or mic limiter? Could you also please describe what brand it is and what exactly you use it for? And my last question: please describe the exact brand and type of your two studio speakers. Thank you very much!

[@heightsplatform]

Hello, Sure! For the acoustic foam, others have asked about this before and I looked it up, but unfortunately it seems that company isn't around anymore! It is a bummer because they made a really neat pattern for the foam! For the LED bars behind me, I have 3 Lifx Beam lights connected together. The rest of the gear isn't necessarily for course creators, just things I enjoy as a creator myself! The red box on the right is an Asus desktop PC (though the MacBook is what I am using for the recording). The black box that looks like a power amp is an Axe FX III (I'm a guitar player as well). The studio speakers are KRK V8's (1st generation I believe). For all the gear I mentioned specifically about course creation in the video, you can find it listed here: kit.co/HeightsPlatform/best-2022-online-course-creation-gear

[@szabojanos4410]

@@heightsplatform Thank you Sir your detailed answers/explanations!

[@frankysnephew]

Hi, can I have a link for those sound absorbing panels behind you? Thanks.

[@heightsplatform]

Many have asked and I tried to look them up, but it turns out the company appears to be out of business! Unfortunate because they are a very unique design.

[@SleepCoachMom]

Did I miss the item you mentioned that allows your phone to work as a webcam? Any suggestions for that?

[@heightsplatform]

There is an iOS app for OBS that allows this here: obs.camera/ I don't personally use it, but that is what I would try.

[@nyustdent]

an updated version of this video with better products?

[@heightsplatform]

Hey there! Actually this is still up to date! I'm using the same equipment in my latest video (but I have moved to a different office for my setup), and I haven't found anything that is better quality for the price. New video for comparison: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gH-kY6GYr82Gg6ssi=-Qv6LdvtiOdpiRQ1

[@laotzu1111]

0:08 There is no task this Task Bar can't handle 😂😂😂😂😂

[@heightsplatform]

😂

[@user-uk9qj1yc8p]

Does Heights offer a registration page with a printable certificate that populates the student's registration info at the end of their course completion?

[@heightsplatform]

Yes! You can design a certificate for any of your courses that can be automatically issued to a student when they complete the course. This can be shared or printed by the student once they have received it. You can see an example of how certificates look here: support.heightsplatform.com/article/212-course-completion-certificates

[@AshieduJude]

PowerPoint cameo and Camtasia makes it easier to record & edit course

[@heightsplatform]

Camtasia is a great tool for when you need to do simple editing! This was more focused on how one can avoid having to do some of that editing in the first place.

[@Marta_is_here]

Ok…lol Now I’m intimidated. I have a laptop and an iPhone. I’m 59, a retired personal trainer and now a Reiki practitioner/ teacher with a teeny tiny budget that wants to put my courses online so my students can learn on their own schedule. I’ve been doing some zoom classes and some in person…I’m tired of that quite frankly. It’s time consuming. (I’m figuring out the whole website thing out now.) Guess that’s not gunna happen though, I didn’t realize I needed a masters in movie production 🤦‍♀️

[@heightsplatform]

The goal was not to be intimidating! Definitely recording with your laptop or iPhone is good enough to start! The important thing is to start, like you have. This video was meant to show the “best” possible setup, not necessarily the one you need to begin with. We would also say that simply using a laptop or iPhone is much better than setting up something more high-end/expensive than what was shown in this video because having tripods, lights, green screens and all that all over your room is a major hassle to set up and can be a blocker from creators actually recording anything! So stick with what you have and keep creating! As you grow, maybe invest in something like an affordable microphone that can plug into your laptop or iPhone, or a single light if your recording area tends to be dark. The microphone can be around $50 and the light might be around $100. I realize my personal desk setup can appear intimidating (I really enjoy tech), but it sounds like you are on the right track!

[@LivingxAbundance]

Got anything beginner friendly?

[@heightsplatform]

If you are starting out, simply using your smartphone camera, and then either staying in a bright room or purchasing a single light to start, plus a $20-$30 lavalier mic from Amazon can give you excellent quality on a budget.

[@play2much_]

is that a maschine mikro 2?

[@heightsplatform]

Yes, it is! That particular device is not really going to help the average course creator, but I enjoy making music. The intro music to our podcast was made with that actually: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGPOfKWLqKafeqs

[@hectorsanchez1978]

"Hi everyone, please could you help me? I am planning on creating an online course on (how to Create an online course for beginners . and I'm just in my research phase. I was wondering, if you were to take a course in this field/topic, what questions would you hope it would answer for you? Thank you so much for helping me!"

[@heightsplatform]

Hey Hector, we’d be glad to offer some advice with this! We’ve helped thousands of creators launch their online course businesses in the last year alone. Some of the most common questions you’ll want to answer are: How do I choose what my online course should be about? How do I make sure my online course solves my audience’s problems? How do I create the content for my online course? How do I price my online course? How do I launch and get my first sales? Hope that helps!

[@hectorsanchez1978]

@@heightsplatform sorry for the late response. Yes it certainly helped me! Thank you so much🙏🏽☺️

[@engulupaul7662]

@@heightsplatform Am so much interested in this and perhaps some training, how can we get intouch. Am open to a call. Its something i have been planning, i have organised my data for the courses for the last one year now i need to begin recording

[@heightsplatform]

@@engulupaul7662 we'd be glad to help you get your courses launched! I'd like to invite you to join our community of creators and course here: www.creatorclimb.com/ Everything you see there is built with our online course creation software: www.heightsplatform.com/ You don't have to purchase our course to join, you can access part of the community for free, and when you are ready to start building your course, we offer a 30-day free trial for Heights Platform. Either way, once you are inside you'll be able to get in touch with me and my team so we can help you with any questions!

[@Joo0boz]

Great video !

[@heightsplatform]

Glad you liked it!