Elgato makes a teleprompter....

[@thejasontlewis]

I've been using teleprompters on my channel and elsewhere for the past 5-6 years. Probably around 400+ videosw. I started with the Parrot, which was fine as long as you accepted it for what it was. Then I moved to a Glide Gear with 4k Camera monitor as the screen, which allowed me to use the teleprompter as a display for livestreams with guests, a confidence monitor for videos, as well as a teleprompter. It worked well, but there were a lot of moving parts to deal with if you had to move things around. WHen elgato announced the Prompter I ordered one right away. It is exactly what my Jerry rigged setup was, but in one lightweight unit. The software is better than most telepromter software I've used and it has the added benefit of controlling how you use the screen. It's the easiest steup and usage I've ever had with any kind of teleprompter and I got it out of the box and was filming with it the same day. It soiunds like you bought this hoping it would be something else and based on what you said you planned on buying instead, that sounds like it's the case. I think it's worth saying that in a review. So I'll say it here.

[@technovangelist]

i bought this hoping for a single vendor solution i could rely on that worked great. I hoped it would be what they sold. Unfortunately single vendor was the only benefit. The software is terrible. Many reviews I have seen have said the sw is terrible, but good enough. All their software for all their products is terrible. Don't buy their stuff for the software. Speakflow is currently my favorite for teleprompting. Sure setup is easy, but its super brittle. I love that it was lightweight, but you don't have to build cheap to get lightweight. And considering the price, they should have built it better. To sell 60-70 in materials for 300 is greedy, especially considering the terrible software you have to use with it. You mention that you sometimes moved your setup around. I hope you don't do that much with this, because it will snap in a vital place. I hate having to buy something twice in a single year. I would have to buy this a few times because its built like garbage, hence my review.

[@drummerdoc04]

I hear ya. Just got my prompter from Elgato. Took and my techie friend over two hours to get it to run. Called support and they were not helpful, always looking up my questions to know what to say. Untrained staff. But when I got it to work, the screen was nice and I was able to finish shooting my video. Oh yeah, scrolling speed in the software did not work. I'm pretty dissappointed in it. But there is not much els eout there to compete with it. Probably going to keep it for now.

[@TheRealTommyR]

Kind on annoying all these people making virtual conferencing equipment that need drivers. Most people that do video conferencing because they work from home, cannot install drivers on the work-issued computers, therefore, making their product useless for these purposes. Companies need to allow their devices to be controlled without software and drivers. Software and drivers are nice as additional option, but should not be required to use or control the device.

[@VDeeO_Buff]

I completely agree. Well said.

[@VDeeO_Buff]

Hey Matt, like yourself I also like Elgato gear. I also agree with you on a lot of points you make about the Elgato Prompter. It is flimsy, it’s plastic is quite brittle and has a “cheap” feel to it, so I also wonder about its robustness, it’s s/w is very limited and it’s painful loading and switching between script, there’s no on/off and damn, no hdmi either! Its advantage though is that there isn’t really any competing “all-in-one” HW /SW prompter alternative in this price range, at least not that I know of. So they are simply “making hay while the sun shines” (although botching that up a little!), having identified and filled a “niche” that, for some unknown reason” was never identified or exploited by someone else. So hats off to Elgato for doing that. If I owned Elgato though, I would be pretty miffed at their Marketing Team for getting its demand curve so badly wrong, or maybe they didn’t and just executed its manufacturing or supply chain so poorly. I don’t know, but they openly admit they got its demand curve totally wrong so Marketing get my vote. They are desperately on back order and no doubt are losing some significant first mover advantages as a result. It wouldn’t take a lot for some of the established Prompter suppliers to “tweak” one of their products and provide a significantly improved alternative, especially now that Elgato have done the hard work and seemingly identified that there is actually quite a good market out there for this. Watch this space!

[@steveperry4243]

Love this honest assessment! I was seriously considering this but now leaning towards using bigger iPad + amazon teleprompter (neewer, glide gear, desview etc). I know they're not ideal either...any suggestion among them? Talking head style vids - language teaching. You must be absolutely loving your Ikan!

[@technovangelist]

I ended up not going that way. The ikan has a bigger screen but lower resolution that the Elgato. Most folks don't want to use a teleprompter as a screen. I would like to have that be my screen that I actually use. I need to build my own, just havent done it yet.

[@steveperry4243]

@@technovangelist What do you like to use in the meantime until you build your own? I'm still mildly considering elgato but leaning towards glide gear tmp 100 and iPad? Did you like your glide gear enough to recommend it?

[@NeurodivergentTM]

I have a cheap teleprompter, that works OK'ish with my Facecam and also with my Canon EOS RP if i stick to the 50 or 16 mm. Problem with the 16 mm is that i can see the edges of the prompter, and my 24-105 is too long for it. If I am doing any kind of screen demo, there is no this works, as I will be looking the side all the time. I thought about the Elgato Prompter, as i cannot spend 2.000 on a better solution.

[@ErickRodrCodes]

Hello Matt. I hada good experience with the teleprompter as I'm starting creating content. I don't feel it is a bad product, but i think it depends on the user. The $40 amazom teleprompter is total garbage compared to this, and I can focus on content while using the peompter as chat output or even retro gaming. Since it will rest on my desk, literally i have no beed to move it around. I think it depends on your needs and check if it is for you. Im quite satisfied with the device.

[@technovangelist]

great. yes it’s a perfectly good beginner teleprompter. but for the cost there are better options and as a company they have a history of making bad software and this kinda relies on it. Every other product they make don't require using their sw. But until you know what that means, this may be good enough.

[@NeurodivergentTM]

@@technovangelist I hear that you do not need the software and using other prompter software works just fine.

[@technovangelist]

sort of. You don't need their prompter, but to even get a display you have to use their driver.

[@robertkennedy3]

What honeycomb are you using on the key lights?

[@technovangelist]

The Amazon description is : Neewer LED Light Panel Softbox Diffuser with Grid for 960 LED Light: Inner Opening 15.9x7 inches, Pop-up 23.4x15.7 inches, Foldable with Strap Attachment and Carry Bag for Photo Studio Video Shooting. But it says no longer available. Maybe something else is.

[@coachdan007]

Thanks for making this video. Like you, almost all my gear is from elgato. I just like having one ecosystem to play. Like you, I have to agree that the prompter has been the biggest disappointment. I still cannot get it to work. I have watched several troubleshooting videos and articles. I was on with elgato support 2 days ago for almost an hour. They said they would escalate my ticket. I haven't heard anything since. Really, really disappointing. I would not recommend anyone buy this particular product. Sorry.

[@technovangelist]

I know. Thanks for the comment.

[@nickjames5602]

Hi Matt. Thanks very much for sharing this review. Totally agree with you that the USB-A was quite disappointing given that we're in 2024, and the lack of a power switch is quite shocking. That said, I think I may keep mine as I won't be traveling with it and will see if i can use it an an interrotron Errol Morris type device for interviews. Unfortunatey the Ikan you mentioned is way beyond my budget and this seems to be my only option right now in terms what it can do - act as a second monitor as well as a teleprompter. But thanks again for sharing. 😀

[@technovangelist]

yeah, i quickly dismissed the ikan. it’s a terrible resolution on the monitor.

[@technovangelist]

If you don't ever have to touch it, well you still have to deal with their software.... but remove their software and just use it as a monitor and use something like speakflow.com and it might be useable.

[@nickjames5602]

For software, I've been using Camstudio which is open source and free and works actually quite well.@@technovangelist

[@DayPartyExperience]

Your crazy enjoyed the video anyway lol thank you for your input been going back and fourth on this prompter I made one diy I purchased the elgato want to see what it is all about.

[@technovangelist]

I’m crazy for not liking the idea of spending $300 on a flimsy poorly made plastic trinket?? Ok

[@TimothyGraupmann]

If you use NVidia Maxine, nobody can tell you are reading because your eyes remain fixed on the camera.

[@SimonLYW]

The software is bad but the hardware is decent for the price, and you don't need to use the first party software. I disagree that it feels flimsy, it's a light-weight plastic because it's designed to hang off the camera unsupported. It's a great device for people who just want a simple teleprompter and don't want to mess around with a tablet set up. It's not the best teleprompter in the world, it's not appropriate in all use cases, but for it's intended audience, it's great at a reasonable price.

[@technovangelist]

I am fine with it being light. Its just made so poorly. But it certainly isn't the cheapest way to go for a good setup. And yes, you do have to use their drivers to run it. You have no choice.

[@SimonLYW]

​@@technovangelist What about it do you believe is made poorly? From the video, your complaints with the hardware were that: It's not collapsible It's made from "flimsy" plastic By their drivers, are you referring to DisplayLink?

[@technovangelist]

I would suggest you watch the video. The plastic used and build quality is super shoddy. If you are ok with that garbage, that's fine. I won't waste my time with it, which is why I returned it in November of last year.

[@jerbear7952]

That video was ridiculous claiming that everyone could afford it or needed it.

[@technovangelist]

Wow can you make it more obvious that you didn’t even watch the video? I clearly state that you should not buy it. It’s garbage and there are so many other decent quality options out there. And once you have outgrown them there is not a lot left

[@XxDutchysPackinxX]

Man it be a ten out of ten gadgit if only they would have applied a polerizer would make it purfect

[@technovangelist]

I wish I had such low standards