What's teleprompter glass? The ultimate guide for creators & speakers.

Delivering a flawless script while looking directly into a camera lens is the core challenge for any creator or public speaker. You need to connect with your audience, but you also need to remember your lines. The industry-standard solution for decades has been the teleprompter, a device made possible by one critical component: teleprompter glass. This guide explains the science behind this special glass, addresses common questions about DIY setups, and reveals how the technology is evolving from a large pane of glass into a discreet pair of smart glasses.

How does teleprompter glass work?

Teleprompter glass is not just a standard piece of glass or a simple two-way mirror. It refers to a specific component: a beamsplitter mirror. This is a specialized, semi-transparent piece of glass that forms the core of a traditional teleprompter setup, like those used for news broadcasts or mounted on cameras. Its function is based on a principle that has been in use for decades. According to a foundational patent for in-the-lens prompters, the system uses a mirror to reflect a script from a monitor onto the glass, which is angled at 45 degrees in front of the camera lens. This allows a presenter to read the reflected text while the camera captures their image through the transparent side of the glass. The glass is coated with a material that gives it a 70/30 transmission-to-reflection ratio.

This means:

• 70% Transmission: 70% of the light from the scene (including the speaker) passes directly through the glass into the camera lens. This ensures a bright, clear video recording.
• 30% Reflection: 30% of the light from the monitor below is reflected toward the speaker, making the script easy to read.

This precise optical balance is crucial. It's reflective enough for the speaker to read the text but transparent enough that the camera captures no trace of the script, only the person speaking.

How can teleprompter glass help?

While most associated with news anchors, teleprompter glass is a key tool for a wide range of professionals who rely on scripted communication:

• Video creators: YouTubers and corporate video producers use it to deliver polished, direct-to-camera content without memorizing hours of scripts.
• Public speakers: Presenters at conferences and events use it to maintain a strong connection with the audience while referencing key points.
• Business professionals: Executives use it for all-hands meetings and virtual presentations to deliver clear and consistent messaging.
• Educators: Teachers and online course instructors use it to create engaging, high-quality lesson content.

The DIY question: can you use regular glass?

Many creators looking for a budget-friendly solution consider building their own teleprompter. This leads to a common question: can you substitute teleprompter glass with a standard pane of glass or plexiglass? While you can build a functional device this way, the results are almost always compromised.

• Standard glass: Regular glass reflects light from both its front and back surfaces. This creates a faint, secondary reflection known as "ghosting," which makes the text blurry and difficult to read.
• Plexiglass/acrylic: This material is lightweight but optically inferior. It's prone to warping, which distorts the camera's view, and scratches easily, further degrading video quality.

From glass to glasses. Why consider the upgrade?

Even with perfect teleprompter glass, the traditional rig has fundamental limitations that hinder a truly dynamic performance.

The Problem:

• Immobility and bulk: You are physically tethered to a heavy, complex rig. Any natural movement away from the camera breaks the illusion.
• Unnatural gaze: The "teleprompter stare" is a known issue. Your eyes remain fixed on one spot, which can feel disconnected to a live audience or when you want to create a more intimate video.
• Lack of discretion: The equipment is large, obvious, and impractical for filming in various locations or speaking on an open stage.

The Solution:

The answer to these problems is to move the technology from a large, external rig to a small, personal device. Teleprompter glasses represent this evolution. They work by projecting the script from a tiny internal micro-display directly into your line of sight using the waveguide technology, making the text visible only to you. This changes the principle from external reflection to internal projection.

Cost breakdown. Traditional rig vs. teleprompter glasses.

For anyone considering a professional setup, a cost analysis reveals the value of an integrated solution. Building a traditional rig requires purchasing multiple components.

While a DIY rig can be cheaper, a professional-grade setup often exceeds the cost of teleprompter glasses like Even G1, which provides all the necessary hardware and software in one package.

How to use Even G1 as a teleprompter.

Using Even G1 as a teleprompter is straightforward. The entire system is controlled through the companion app on your smartphone.

• Step 1: Initial setup. Pair the G1 glasses with your iOS or Android device via Bluetooth. The Even Realities App manages all functions.
• Step 2: Script management. Inside the app, you can either type your script directly or import existing files in DOC, DOCX, or TXT formats.
• Step 3: Delivery and control. Choose the scrolling method that best fits your presentation style:
  • AI Mode: The script intelligently follows your speaking pace.
  • Auto Mode: Text scrolls at a consistent, pre-set speed (words per minute).
  • Manual Mode: You control the scroll by tapping the TouchBar on the glasses' temple or by using your phone's volume buttons as a remote.

Conclusion.

The technology of teleprompter glass solved a major problem for presenters by merging the script with the camera's viewpoint. However, the physical rig it required created new limitations. The evolution from this setup to integrated teleprompter glasses is the next logical step, offering a solution that provides the same core benefit—reading a script while maintaining eye contact—but with complete freedom of movement and discretion. For modern creators and speakers, this is more than an upgrade; it's a new way to connect.

FAQs.