prompt-it Maxi Bundle Teleprompter and Ring Kit User Guide
- June 6, 2024
- prompt-it
Table of Contents
prompt-it Maxi Bundle Teleprompter and Ring Kit
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR prompt-it® maxi PURCHASE!
Thank you for choosing prompt-it®. As fellow industry professionals ourselves,
we know what it’s like to be underwhelmed with an $1800 teleprompter. That’s
why we created this! We shook up the market in 2009 and became the first to
offer an affordable teleprompter without sacrificing quality. Since then,
we’ve worked with our customers, you, to keep improving our product. From the
very beginning, prompt-it® has remained a favorite amongst industry
professionals and we are proud to have you as part of the family.
So what happens now? Well, take a minute to visit our website prompt-it.com.au
to see more of our tips and tricks! We’ll show you how to make the most out of
your prompt-it® maxi. We promise that with each use, you will be presenting
with more confidence
and delivering results to the camera. Don’t forget to give us some feedback!
In fact, we encourage it! Send us an email or better yet, link a photo to our
social media. We’re not some large corporation that outsources our customer
service line. We are a small business, so we are your customer service team!
We look forward to hearing from you!
Richard & Becky
IN THE BOX
HOW TO SET UP
-
STEP 1
Screw your tripod (not included) into the bottom of the prompt-it® maxi base. The base has a 1/4” brass screw thread, which will fit all consumer tripods and some light stands. Ensure that it is firmly tightened. -
STEP 2
The beamsplitter glass is in a black protective sleeve. The sticker dot faces the talent. Or a simple reflection test on the glass will indicate which side faces the camera and which side faces the presenter. Put your fingernail against the bottom of the beamsplitter glass. If your reflection touches your finger, then this side faces in towards the presenter. -
STEP 3
Avoid touching the glass surface with your fingers, by keeping the glass inside of the black protective sleeve until you are ready to attach it on the prompt-it® maxi base. The glass slides into the 45-degree angled slot on the back of the prompt-it® maxi base. Once attached onto the base, gently remove the black protective sleeve. -
STEP 4
The glare cover is the black cloth. Ensure that it is properly fitted to avoid glare and reflections in your footage. The top section of the glare cover slides over the top part of the glass. -
STEP 5
OPTION 1: REAR HOOK
The glare cover has elastic ties that hook to the back of the prompt-it® maxi base to tighten the cover and secure the glass in place. You can tighten or loosen these ties using the toggles.
OPTION 2: BOTTOM HOOK
Additional hooks on the bottom of the base allow you to choose from either position. Hooking the ties under the base reduces glare by creating ‘walls’ and is recommended when working outdoors. -
STEP 6
Place your camera behind the teleprompter. If you did not purchase the maxi rig kit, then you will need a separate tripod for your camera.
OPTIONAL: The large pocket on top of the glare cover can hold a rigid piece of cardboard or thin plastic (not included) to eliminate any drooping of the glare cover in front of the lens. -
STEP 7
Launch your teleprompting app (not included) and place your tablet/device on the prompt-it® maxi base.
You are now ready to record your presentation. Happy prompt-ing! Remember we have great “tips & tricks” tutorials on our website.
FAQs
GLARE COVER
What is the glare cover for?
Without the glare cover, all lights (ceiling, studio lights, etc.) will show
reflections on the beamsplitter glass and your video will look bad. The glare
cover prevents these reflections.
Two glare cover positions … why?
Once the glare cover is fitted to the top of the beamsplitter glass, there are
two options for hooking the elastic ties: (1) at the rear of the base or (2)
under the base. Hooking the ties under the base will reduce glare if you are
outdoors in full sunlight as it creates two “walls” on either side of the
base.
Why doesn’t the glare cover have a special
elastic to tighten over the lens?
Because not all lenses are created equal. With prompt-it® maxi’s glare cover,
you can simply drape it over your camera (even put your head under the cover
if you are using a small camera like a GoPro). If you want a tighter fit, use
a clip such as a binder clip or a clothes peg and clip the cover tightly
around your camera lens. It’s easy, fast to set up and works with EVERY
camera, regardless of your lens.
I have a matte box with barn doors on my camera, will it fit?
Yes, prompt-it® maxi’s glare cover simply drapes over the lens or the camera.
There are no fiddly or annoying ties to fit around your lens. Simply use a
clip such as a binder clip or a clothes peg to get a tighter fit. Professional
TV camera operators have congratulated us on the simplicity of the design.
It’s fast and easy to set up and works on any lens size.
BEAMSPLITTER GLASS
The text on my glass is doubling up, what’s wrong?
If you are standing very close (within 50cm to 1m of the glass),
and your tablet brightness is set to maximum, you will see slight ghosting.
This is normal. Decrease the brightness of your tablet and step back to a
reasonable distance (approx. 2m) and the ghosting will no longer be visible.
If the doubling of the text is still really visible, then you may have the
glass set up the wrong way around.
Do I really need this special glass?
The thin-film optical coating provides the reflective surface for the script.
Also, ordinary glass has a green tint which will affect all your footage. The
beamsplitter glass is color-neutral.
Which side of the glass faces the camera?
The sticker dot faces the talent. Or a simple reflection test on the glass
will indicate which side faces the camera and which side faces the presenter.
Put your fingernail against the beamsplitter glass. If there is a gap between
your nail and the reflection of your nail (about 3mm), then that side faces
the camera. If you turn the glass around and do the same process, then your
fingernail should be right against the reflection (no gap); this side faces
the presenter. See photo on p. 4.
TRIPODS
Can the prompt-it® maxi be on the same tripod as the camera?
Yes, but you will need a “rig” setup. If you did not purchase the bundle, you
can still purchase the rig at prompt-it.com.au. We sell an excellent rig. If
you currently have a rig system, simply follow the manufacturer’s instructions
before mounting the prompt-it® maxi on the rig.
Is there a particular tripod you recommend?
There are so many different tripods at different price points. We recommend a
tripod that will allow you to reach chin height of the person who is talking
to the camera, if they are standing up. A light stand is also another
affordable solution.
RECOMMENDED TELEPROMPTING APPS
Do I need to install an app on my iPad/tablet before using it with the
prompt-it® maxi?
Yes. The text will reflect off the beamsplitter glass, so it needs to be
“reversed”. An app will reverse the text for you, allowing you to read the
script while it’s scrolling.
What app do you recommend?
We recommend using Teleprompter Premium and PromptSmart Pro if you are using
Apple devices. For Android devices, we recommend using Teleprompter Premium,
Nano Teleprompter or PromptSmart Pro. If you are using Windows devices then we
recommend Prompt Dog.
CARE & MAINTENANCE
BEAMSPLITTER GLASS
Your prompt-it® maxi comes with a beamsplitter glass cleaning kit. To ensure your beamsplitter glass stays clear, it will need to be carefully and regularly cleaned.
- NEVER use ammonia-based cleaning agents, strong alkalis, acids, detergents with fluoride or solvents on your glass as they can damage the special coating.
- Always use a soft, lint-free cloth to wipe any spots.
- Keep the glass spot-free & dry. Spots will stain the special coating. If any liquid falls on the glass, clean it off immediately. Otherwise you will end up with dirty circles on your glass.
- Clean the glass after every use. This ensures it is clean and doesn’t end up with stains.
- Don’t handle with greasy or dirty fingers.
Always keep the beamsplitter glass in a dry and UV-protected environment. We strongly recommend you keep the beamsplitter glass in the supplied black protective sleeve whenever it is not in use. It is not recommended to put any kind of stickers on the beamsplitter glass because you can damage the coating when removing the sticker.
BEAMSPLITTER GLASS CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS
- Place it on a soft surface. You can use the glare cover provided in the prompt-it® maxi kit.
- Take the ammonia-free spray bottle from the cleaning kit and spray once or twice on the beamsplitter glass. Using the squeegee, push backwards and forwards, up and down the glass to clean it. Make sure that the surface is completely dry before cleaning the other side of the glass.
- Lay the black beamsplitter glass sleeve next to the beamsplitter glass and slide the beamsplitter glass back in the sleeve, carefully, without putting fingerprints back on the glass.
prompt-it® maxi BASE
The prompt-it® maxi base is made from high-quality hard plastic. This can be cleaned with a damp cloth. Use soft soap or detergent if needed. Ensure that the base is completely dry before use.
prompt-it® GLARE COVER
The prompt-it® glare cover is made of cotton and if needed, should be gently hand-washed in cold water only, using a soft detergent. Air dry only – do not tumble dry.
WARRANTY
2 YEAR WARRANTY
prompt-it® guarantees the prompt-it® product, which is limited to the carry
case, base, glare cover and the protective sleeve against defects in material
and workmanship for two years.
If you have a defective part in your kit, contact us immediately with photos
and a clear, concise description of the defect. We will assess the defect and
notify you of the results from your claim. prompt-it® reserves the right to
request the defective part in question in order to process your claim.
Proof of purchase is required to claim warranty. This warranty is limited to
the purchaser and is not transferable.
This warranty does not cover cosmetic damage or damage due to accident,
misuse, abuse, negligence, or modification of or to any part of the product.
This warranty does not cover damage due to improper operation, maintenance or
attempted modification to the part(s) of the unit.
T +61(2) 8959 3024
E storemanager@prompt-it.com.au
PO Box 483, Kingsgrove NSW 1480, Australia