Crude Teleprompter

[Worm]

I was playing around and got curious if there was a way to mirror text then use the scrolling functions I wrote the other day to scroll it. This is what I came up with. Maybe it'll be of use to someone.

[eric_darling]

Pretty cool, Worm.

As a regular user of prompter software, I have a few ideas.

Most prompter software allows for non-mirrored text since most operators would prefer to be able to read what they are prompting to the talent. Almost no teleprompter readers control their own prompter, so it is imperative that the teleprompter operator reads along with the talent. Teleprompter monitors usually prompt the mirrored image by default, but many also have a mirror hardware switch, making it unncessary for the software to do it at all. I guess that means the default should probably be un-mirrored.

Also, I think that running a teleprompter based off a timer is a good idea in theory, but bad in practice. Ask any talent with teleprompter experience, and they'll tell you they would prefer an adjustable rate. Some sentences require more time to read than others. And some deliveries require variable pacing. So, I'd like to see you change the method of scroll rate to one that is controlled by a mouse or some other input device (keyboard backup would probably be a good idea).

Oh, the default text size is way too small, and you should choose a less serifed font for better readability.

Great idea for a software product using AMS, though.

[Worm]

I've never even seen one, so that just shows how little I know about the subject. Someone mentioned that using the scroll function I wrote that creating a teleprompter would be a good use. The issue was that mirroring the text is not possible in AMS. Curiousity got the better of me, and I found the CSS style that would flip the tag vertical or horizontal.

I won't be doing anything more with this project, my curiousity is satisfied

I thought maybe someone else might have an interest in how to flip the text.

[eric_darling]

Well, you've now piqued my curiosity on whether I can create something truly usable for teleprompting. It's not that far a stretch to do it, probably. Software doesn't get much more basic.

[Corey]

Actually I have a half built teleprompter around here somewhere, this is one of the freeware tools I planned to put out this year but I got busy and set it aside. Seems like Flash is the way to go for displaying the text IMO, but Wrom's new html scroller got me thinking too, it would be awful nice to allow folks to simply enter a link and a font size and be able to scroll web pages.

[JerryQuinn]

Great concepts all. Here're a few experiences I'd like to share in lieu of offering my programming talents (which are non-existant). I had a use for a teleprompter last year when I was voicing something at home. I tried manually scrolling text and the mike picked up mouse sounds which rendered all of my recordings unusable. I tried auto-scrolling and ran into Eric Darling's comments (speed needs to be variable to allow for easy vs hard stuff.) So what's the middle line guys? Timers have the before-mentioned limitations and mouse or keyboard activated controls audible interfere with the end result.

Worm, thanx for the scrolling text. I've been needing to be able to do that.

Jerry in Virginia

[Intrigued]

How about counting each line of text (or is it block, I have not seen any teleprompters up close or Worm's project yet) and then if such is say over 50 characters, slow the speed down, if under 50 characters, speed up the scroll speed.

[clubsoda]

I’ve seen our resident video guy use/provide a little hand held device for the reading talent. Basically it looks like a joystick handle with a dial on top that controls the speed of the scrolling text. I’m imagining it is a USB device (connects to laptop); I’ll check it out after the holidays and report back.

[eric_darling]

We've got one of those - came as a package with the teleprompting software. The software is OK, but certainly expensive for the simple job it does.

http://www.baycoast.com/prompt/scontrol.htm

The controller is a DB9 serial connection, so on newer laptops, you have to use an adapter to get it to connect via USB. This presents some quirks.

[Corey]

Hmmm, if one wrote the code to use a MIDI controller it would be cheap as borscht with any $50 midi foot pedal, and way smoother than a hand controller. I've got one right here, "great kit that" as the aussies say, I use it every single day. They're very precise and easy to use, the learning curve is zero for anyone who's ever used/misused a gas pedal. They are small and easy to conceal, and stay firmly at whatever point you set them to until/if you change it so once the person finds the right spot they can just forget about it.

Or you could even build one:

http://www.maxmidi.com/diy/foot/

It's not even complicated for softare to grab the MIDI data from what I've heard, it's just a simple continuous MIDI message containing a single numeric variable between 0 (pedal back) and 127 (pedal forward) which could be very easily mapped to any sort of application function. Receiving MIDI data in general is relatively easy supposedly. Hmmm, maybe I should get back on that teleprompter project.

[yosik]

What about using the Contour ShuttlePro? Hooks to USB and you can program any commands you want for the wheel(s) and/or buttons?

Yossi

[Corey]

Hey yeah, I have a cheap cirque glide cat pad here too which would work silently and conveniently. It's a touch pad, you can get them cheap used too.

[Intrigued]

Or just track via retina!

D'oh!

[clubsoda]

Not a bad idea with the foot peddles only, you may have to include a shifter too. Lots of retakes in audio so you will need reverse too.

Eric is right on the money with the serial device. I was shocked when I looked at it. Funny they don't have a USB model.

[Corey]

It's probably made for professional applications. No top pro-gear tends to have USB that I've seen. I mightb e wrong but I think the good thing about those DB9s is that you can adapt it to practically any I/O for a few bucks whereas a USB would have been limited to only USB functionality...