[2009-01-06] DIY teleprompter
Here's a way to reuse that old CRT monitor. Unlike flat-panel displays, it's very easy to modify a CRT to display the mirror image of its input signal. All you have to do is reverse the polarity of the horizontal steering coils, which amounts to opening up the case, cutting two wires, swapping the leads, and reconnecting them with wire nuts. Details will vary from one monitor to the next, but if you're smart enough to get the case off without electrocuting yourself you're probably smart enough to find the horizontal steering coils.
This homebrew teleprompter cabinet is a bit of a space-hog, but it could come in very handy if you record regular webcasts or spend a lot of time in video-chat. What's so great about a teleprompter? Well, for one thing, it allows you to look at the camera and the screen at the same time, so you can read your copy or watch another person's face without breaking eye contact. The most expensive part of this design is the one-way mirror. Everything else should be dirt cheap.
last modified 2009-01-06