- What is a confidence monitor？
- What is a teleprompter?
- Confidence monitor vs teleprompter, which is better?
- How to read better from a teleprompter or monitor?
What is a confidence monitor？
It is a video display that can be readily read by a presenter, usually from a stage. At the stage's base, one or more flat-screen monitors are arranged so that the majority of them are hidden from the audience's view. The location and angle allow you to retain good eye contact with your audience while taking glances at your slides or talking points.
This video screen confronts musicians, performers, or speakers. Since there are diverse applications, it can be a confidence monitor for church, concerts, presentations, meetings, and other activities. It often does not scroll but rather acts as a point of reference for previous presentations, recitals, and practiced songs. With comfort monitors, you can access notes with the ease of not having to put them on a podium or, worse, hold them in your hands. Multiple Confidence Monitors can be utilized and combined for a total solution.
What features does it have?
- Multiple sizes are available, and discrete independent feeds may be provided to each monitor.
- Give the presenter a very professional appearance.
- May either be fixed on a confidence monitor that stands farther from the stage or put on the floor.
- Possesses the ability to serve as a conventional prompter with a scrolling script.
Three types of monitors and their pros & cons
- Back of auditorium video screen: This type is often placed behind the audience, usually on the front of a balcony, and is rather big.
- These configurations—also referred to as "Comfort Monitors"—are simple since just one monitor is required. They are frequently found in churches and are placed using readily accessible brackets, much like a home television.
- Stage projection referencing: For the audience to follow along, there are frequent screens on each side of the stage or behind the presenter. Most business presentations in this format involve the presenter pointing at or interacting with the graphics on the screen.
- Downstage monitor: Large computer monitors will be positioned near the front of the stage in this confidence monitor layout. This is yet another simple and reasonably priced method of providing information to those on stage who want it.
What is a teleprompter?
The teleprompter is positioned in front of the speaker, or each prompter stand is positioned on either side of the podium. Standing still allows the speaker to view the script from several perspectives. The writing is projected onto the glass panels set up at the top of the stand by a teleprompter monitor positioned at the base. The speaker then simply has to read the script while gazing at the glass panel. This two-stand configuration of a teleprompter for presentations is perfect for occasions where speakers will give addresses while seated at a podium. Politicians frequently use it when making speeches at conferences or summits.
Three kinds of teleprompter for diverse applications
Talent may focus on their showmanship rather than their lines while using a teleprompter for recording, vlogging, Facebook Live, and so on. Utilizing such a tool improves their performance abilities. What sort will work for my event is a common question we get from production managers and event organizers seeking the right one.
- Presidential: A two-stand setup called the Presidential Teleprompter is perfect for occasions where speakers will be giving addresses while seated at a podium. As the name would imply, politicians frequently utilize this kind of teleprompter when making speeches.
- Floor or stand: It is set at an angle to the floor, often on each side of the podium for the speaker or in the center of the stage. Similar to tabletop types, it is installed on a stand. It may also be suspended from the ceiling behind the audience in a room.
- Camera-mounted: This type is the type mounted in front of the camera lens, whether it is cameras, camcorders, laptops, tablets, or teleprompter for mobile phones all belong to this type. Like Moman MT12, this type is usually portable, compact, and suitable for YouTube video recording, live streaming, zoom meetings, and other applications.
Confidence monitor vs teleprompter, which is better?
- While confidence monitors are ideal for performers and singers, teleprompters are best for speeches or educational films.
- Unlike teleprompters, confidence monitors do not display a scrolling script.
- A teleprompter is a set-up that consists of a camera, monitor, and mirror, whereas confidence monitors are often large TV displays.
- The audience may be able to view what is shown on a confidence monitor, but only the speaker can see the scrolling text on a teleprompter.
- For speakers at a podium, teleprompters function best, however, stage performers who move about a lot on stage benefit most from confidence monitors.
Tips for reading from a teleprompter or a monitor
1. Keep your eyes on your audience
When giving a presentation, keep in mind that the audience is watching you. Whichever way you look, they will probably follow. Therefore, you will immediately lose that connection with the audience if you turn your eyes away from them and towards the confidence monitor. The presentation seems forced at this point.
2. Maintain eye contact and move on naturally
You want to maintain eye contact with each individual in the audience as long as you can when making a presentation. After making a point, you should then move on to the next person. Although the use of confidence monitors is likely to reduce presentation errors, it trains you to gaze at the screen rather than the audience. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the display is frequently lower than your audience, making you seem down on or higher than them.
3. Be confident or take your script
If you have adequately prepared for your presentation, you may forego using confidence monitors or Zoom meeting teleprompter, and instead depend on your preparation. Just in case, bring your notes with you, but disconnect the displays or cover them to prevent yourself from falling into the trap of staring at them nonstop and maybe losing the audience's attention.
Conclusion: How to choose between the two?
For performers and presenters on stage, especially large-scale ones may be extremely stressful. They must manage the duties of giving a speech or performing a song while interacting with the listeners. The greatest option could be the teleprompter or confidence monitor setup.
The two are designed to assist presenters in giving their lines as effectively as feasible. However, teleprompters are better for public speaking and filming instructional films, whereas confidence monitors are most effective for artists like singers.
Further reading: Three things of news reporter teleprompter: Why, what, how
