Client is a major pharmaceutical company gearing up for a big conference. I brought two teleprompter machines - a MacBook-based system and a Windows Vista machine, both with several software packages installed.
MiniDisplay Port to VGA connector: Check. The Windows laptop has VGA-out built in.
Every creative person in the conference room had a MacBook Pro. There must have been six. And the live show, which includes slides, speeches, a live show, and more. When I asked them about prompting on the MacBook (a newer one) they said the graphics were way smoother as compared to their experience with PC based solutions (although I'm sure even a 10-year-old graphics card should be able to handle the work). Taking a look at the output, I totally agreed. I was generating graphics out to four huge monitors with zero problems and it was smooth as silk.
Getting used to up/down keys, though, instead of a scroller, was different... you push up to scroll up, and down to both slow down (or configure however you want) and eventually reverse the flow. This became a little confusing, as sometimes you wind up doing too much input and there's lag time between pressing the button and getting the result you want as the prompter goes through its process.
This precipitated two gaffes with the talent ("Can we go back just a few lines? Eh.... just a few..." as the script copy flew by) but the situation came under control as I got used to my hardware.
Probably the easiest part, though, was having a show producer who was wholly unafraid to take as many phone calls as it took to make sure I talked with everyone from IT to the writer as I sketched my mental model together of the workflow. MP, you rock. KL, and JAM were also great to work with preparing the script. P. gave total reassurance of the IT flow and made sure there was a DisplayPort to VGA connection (I got one last night at the Apple Store just for my kit bag, but it's always nice to arrive knowing they've worked on a Mac before).
Second easiest part? Plugging into the corporate internet and OSX finding all the printers near me immediately and being able to print updates for the writer with zero IT/IS issues to contend with.
Good luck to Celgene at their conference.
MiniDisplay Port to VGA connector: Check. The Windows laptop has VGA-out built in.
Every creative person in the conference room had a MacBook Pro. There must have been six. And the live show, which includes slides, speeches, a live show, and more. When I asked them about prompting on the MacBook (a newer one) they said the graphics were way smoother as compared to their experience with PC based solutions (although I'm sure even a 10-year-old graphics card should be able to handle the work). Taking a look at the output, I totally agreed. I was generating graphics out to four huge monitors with zero problems and it was smooth as silk.
Getting used to up/down keys, though, instead of a scroller, was different... you push up to scroll up, and down to both slow down (or configure however you want) and eventually reverse the flow. This became a little confusing, as sometimes you wind up doing too much input and there's lag time between pressing the button and getting the result you want as the prompter goes through its process.
This precipitated two gaffes with the talent ("Can we go back just a few lines? Eh.... just a few..." as the script copy flew by) but the situation came under control as I got used to my hardware.
Probably the easiest part, though, was having a show producer who was wholly unafraid to take as many phone calls as it took to make sure I talked with everyone from IT to the writer as I sketched my mental model together of the workflow. MP, you rock. KL, and JAM were also great to work with preparing the script. P. gave total reassurance of the IT flow and made sure there was a DisplayPort to VGA connection (I got one last night at the Apple Store just for my kit bag, but it's always nice to arrive knowing they've worked on a Mac before).
Second easiest part? Plugging into the corporate internet and OSX finding all the printers near me immediately and being able to print updates for the writer with zero IT/IS issues to contend with.
Good luck to Celgene at their conference.
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