When you are looking for a teleprompter to rent, you should make sure that you consider the distance the speaker will be from the device. This will help you determine which size you should get. The further away they are the larger the teleprompter you need, so they can still see all of the words. For example, a 17-inch monitor is generally a good choice for those who are up to 18 feet away. You could get a smaller monitor if you are closer.

You also need to be sure that the teleprompter will be able to work well with the camera and setup that you have. Ideally, all pieces of equipment will be proportionate to one another so they can work well together.

However, as technology has progressed, so has the teleprompter. Today, they are monitors mounted below beam splitter glass. This is a mirror that allows video to be shot through it. The device also has a black shroud around the outside of it so the words that appear on the monitor are easier for the speaker to read. The shroud is typically plastic or metal, but it could be cloth as well.
A camera can be placed behind the beam splitter glass, so that the speaker is able to look at the teleprompter and the camera at the same time.
 

Teleprompters are useful for many different situations. Normally, people think of them when they imagine newscasters or talk show hosts on television. However, they can be a big help to anyone who has to stand up in front of an audience or a camera and give a speech. They have gone by other names as well, including telescripts and autocues. In the past, they were a roll or paper with the words printed on them. They were then rolled in front of the speaker so they could see the words. They were not much different from cue cards.
 

A number of companies make teleprompters today. Some of the most prominent include Autocue, OneTakeOnly, Prompt-It, Telmax, and Magicue.