iPad Teleprompter

Choosing an iPad Teleprompter

Should I purchase an iPad teleprompter rather than a traditional teleprompter?

Autocue has offered iPad teleprompters ever since the iPad was first launched by Apple and it has proven hugely popular with all our customers from top broadcasters all the way through to schools, universities and home video bloggers.

The key advantage of the iPad or any other tablet teleprompter is that the software (the app) is running on the tablet itself, which is also serving as the teleprompter monitor, so there is no need for a separate laptop or any cabling between the laptop and the teleprompter. This makes for a very portable, quick and easy unit to set up and operate so broadcasters have embraced this concept for mobile reporting. It also reduces the cost versus a traditional teleprompter set up as there is no laptop, no teleprompter monitor and no cabling required – this appeals to many professional and home studios who are operating on a tight budget.

There are however some constraints to using an iPad or tablet teleprompter:

• The script must be prepared in advance and it is more difficult to modify a script from the iPad rather than a dedicated laptop, and no live edits are possible once you are in prompt mode
• There are fewer features within the iPad apps than our full software programmes, where you can expect to see things like markers, rundown management and presenter profiles
• There are fewer control options – you can only attach one controller which has different ergonomics to a traditional prompting controller (no scroll wheel) and it is typically only ever presenter operated. The system is standalone so you cannot prompt the same script across a number of cameras, and there is no connection back to the studio or newsroom system if required

In summary, an iPad prompter is great for simple, short scripts that are prepared in advance, for single camera operations with no connection to other cameras/systems, and are easily presenter operated. This is true for thousands of simple prompting applications, hence the iPad prompters are some of the most popular units we sell, however if you have more complex requirements, we can readily recommend other portable solutions that will provide much more advanced functionality and are just as simple to use.

Which Autocue iPad teleprompter is best for me?

Autocue offer 3 iPad products – the iPad Portable, the iPad LITE and the iPad straight-read.

The iPad portable and the iPad LITE are both complete on-camera units, designed to mount to any standard tripod. They both employ a wide angle hood as standard in order to accommodate wide angle lenses and they both use the same iPad/ tablet mounting bracket. This bracket can also be adjusted and the hood removed to convert it in to straight-read prompter with the iPad below the lens – perfect for use with a light ring.

The key difference is the size and functionality of the camera rig – the larger iPad portable unit can accommodate anything up to an ENG camera and has an adjustable camera mounting plate. The smaller iPad LITE unit has a thinner mount and no height adjustment, and therefore is perfect for smaller DV and DSLR cameras. The iPad portable is also designed to be flat packed, and folds up in to very small form factor to fit in to an optional carry case. There is no carry case option for the iPad LITE.

The iPad straight-read provides an over the camera straight-read prompter that attaches the iPad mounting plate to the handle of the camera via an adjustable arm. This is a very basic set up but is often used for handheld ENG shots.

Why should I purchase Autocue rather than any other brand?

Autocue led the teleprompting industry since its inception in 1955 and was one of the first companies to offer an iPad prompter. All our iPad prompters are designed with the same principles as the Starter Series range, and feature many of the benefits of our broadcast standard Master Series range:

• All units arrive pre-assembled and flat-packed, making transportation, installation and set-up as quick and easy as possible
• All units are supplied with a wide angle hood, allowing you to use wide angle lenses without any issue
• The height of the hood (and camera, on the iPad portable) can be adjusted up and down to ensure the lens is centred on the glass and the presenter is looking directly at the camera
• The glass is 70:30 broadcast quality – the same that we use throughout our product range

If you don’t like what you see, then we offer a no quibble returns policy, thankfully yet to be enacted by any of our thousands of customers. We also have support teams on hand in the UK and USA to offer helpful advice should you have any questions or issues.

What are my control options?

Autocue supply a choice of two control options – a wired or a wireless controller that both work with the iPrompt Pro app. Alternatively, there are other apps available that allow you to control the script from your iPhone. You can also prompt without a controller by setting the speed of the script in advance, and then pressing play – however, this makes it difficult to allow for any natural pauses and changes in pace when speaking and requires spacing to be inserted in to the script in the appropriate places.

Which App do you recommend?

Autocue controllers work with the iPrompt Pro app, however there are many others to choose from and these are listed on the tab above, or can be found via the app store.

Can I purchase a carry case?

Yes, a carry case is available for the iPad portable, but not for the iPad LITE or iPad Straight-Read.

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Autocue's iPad Teleprompter App

Our very own iPad Teleprompter App to make the most out of your prompter

iAutocue is a feature rich teleprompter for iPad designed to be powerful and yet intuitive. Includes a multitude of file sharing methods and remote controls. Display the content on an external monitor and even record video of yourself giving your speech.

Features:
• Variable Speed
• Bidirectional Timer
• Onscreen Countdown
• Reading Guide: Line or Marker
• Flip Horizontally and/or Vertically
• Formatted Text Support
• External Monitor Support
• Six Remote Control Options
• Video Recording
• Onboard Help
• Web Server for Sharing Files
• Email Files
• Dropbox File Support
• Rich Text Format File Support

- Appearance:

Change the appearance of iAutocue to suit your needs:

• Font, Font Style, Font Size
• Text Color and Background Color
• Reading Guide: location, size, opacity, color, style
• Text Presets: Use text presets to save text formats to easily apply to other text

- Text Formatting

Change the text format to all or part of the text content including:

• Font, Style, Size
• Underline, Strikethrough
• Indentation
• Alignment
• Text and Background Color.
And much, much more.

Visit the App Store

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Service & Support

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