Remote video call desk setup: PRO TIER 

One interesting tidbit from the field of psychoacoustics is that while audio leading the video by 200ms is quite noticeable, audio trailing by the same amount isn't. That's because in the natural world, sound always lags behind vision due to the speed of sound being much slower than light. The delay is roughly 1ms per foot of distance.

When I was a kid, we visited TV studios, like to sit in the gallery of local kiddie shows. It was overwhelming. Gigantic cameras connected by massive cables snaking along the floor, dozens of blinding hot overhead lights, control rooms and countless staffers running around to operate it all. In glorious, occasionally fuzzy, black and white. One-way broadcast. Now, we have one guy setting up and running his own studio for a few grand, hi-def color and optionally two-way interaction with the viewers. Times really have changed that much.

I remember early in pandemic when webcams were hard to find, so NDI gave away free license to their smartphone app that let you use the phone's camera as a webcam (via NDI network protocol). Fast-forward a few years and Apple "Sherlocked" that feature into iOS and macOS, but even an old iPhone is way better than the 720p webcam built into most MacBooks. I used to use a green screen - $3 green plastic tablecloth from walmart, clipped to a clothes-drying rack.

You need a matching intro: "I'm Jeff Geerling and you are 5 by 9 +30dB!"

Didn't realize how much you need your own studio until you moved out of your basement and into that one. Nice set up - even if it is already starting to get a little crowded! 🤣

I feel like after 9 years, you might be a bit biased on the simplicity of your set-up, plus the fact that you do this for a living. 😂

I use voicemeeter to take the audio output from OBS so i can use that with zoom while using virtual camera. That way all output from OBS goes to zoom. It works great!

On a PC you could use VB-Audio Virtual Audio Cable for the looped audio.

This was such a fun video to watch! In early 2020 we all had to switch to a lot of remote calls. I started out using a Canon C300 mkII, LiteMat 4, and MixPre/Sennheiser as my “webcam setup”… but quickly found out that the quality difference between my feed and everyone else was too jarring 😂 switched to just the FaceTime camera & good mic after that

oh man that real ending is pretty funny!

Interesting about the audio delay. I currently spend 40hrs a week on camera teaching online in zoom. Similarly complex setup but on pc, the delay as I understand in OBS is applied to the video not the audio. But maybe that's because I have it at -250ms. I had spent time dialling this in on another computer using voicemeeter, but on my new system it works out of the box no delay no complaints from my students and not noticeable in zoom recordings. Thanks for sharing

Your ending is from Gerald Undone.

I use a similar setup on my PopOS computer. I have a Virtual Audio Sink which I use for Zoom, Google Meet and other video call apps. I have mi mic channel to be monitored on that virtual device and then I configure all my video call apps to use it as input. And, as you mentioned, I added a delay in OBS to have my voice in sync with the video

That Elgato Prompter is really interesting, I did not know that such a great non-iPad device existed at the price point. Personally I don't need it but I could imagine a lot of people using one just to enhance everyday office communication.

Audio IS more important ♥♥

Thank you for sharing!

Level 2 Jeff! I just noticed I was watching a new channel. I love the name.

I'm in the process of reassembling and upgrading my setup, but I'm a fan of the black magic atem mini line, and have an atem mini extreme iso for offloading a lot of the work to dedicated hardware, I also use a digital mixer and after reading some comments here might play with one of those used conference room audio processors, I've already got a lot of the equipment in a separate room so fan noise shouldn't be an issue.

Definitely in advanced audio territory, but one of the coolest pieces of tech I've added to my audio chain was an outboard AV teleconferencing processor. Now, I'm a little buck wild, and I have a digital mixer in my audio chain as well, but I don't really need it except for being a convenient place to mix, apply channel strip style processing (EQ, compression, gate), but one thing this does for me is acoustic echo cancellation. I can send audio output from all my audio generating components (I usually have a primary and a media PC at my desk), and feed that as the AEC reference. The processor strips that out from my microphone signal, leaving just my clean mic audio. Combined with good off-axis rejection microphones, and I get a clean mic signal without any bleed from my speakers on an audio call. Best part? You can pick up these discontinued audio processors for anywhere from $50 to $150 USD on eBay. A couple downsides for casual folks is that the interface to configure it is far from user friendly, and to wire stuff into it, you're splicing cables into Phoenix terminals.

If I had to pick, I'd say this reminds me of Explaining Computers studio walkthrough. 🖖

The Rogue Amoeba stuff is great!

Hi again Jeff! I have a similar setup, with a nice camera on a camlink 4k. For my light control I want to keep it super simple, so I've got a physical button that runs to a little switched pass-through plug in the outlet. It has a long name, but less errant RF and wifi clients "Philips Grounded Plug with Braided Cord, 6 Ft Long Power Cable, ON/Off Switch". For Audio I lean into the tech worker thing and use a Plantronics headset with a 2.4ghz dongle. When I do videos though, I use a rode go 2, with the receiver plugged into the PC for audio, and use the camera's mic for scratch audio to sync.

On PC you want to use VoiceMeeter tools to get that delay and do all sorts of other stuff, that can't be done on Mac easily.

I do appreciate the software side of things BUT: your whole camera stream setup is a good chunk of my main pc cost and would be rough to setup for anyone that is still trying to figure out if this is worth the investment. (I do understand you wanting to document for yourself -and others) I would be very interested in more of a software focus (both mac and windows) that could cover more regular stream gear (usb mic and webcam kinda stuff) so people could polish the setup they already have or get into it for ~$100 depending. (TLDR: I know this isn't what your video was about so ignore me, just throwing my thoughts out there) always love your content regardless. (I still like seeing how you do things)

Good Video ,coming in good on my mac mini m1 2020 Running Asahi linux 😁😁😁😁

I learned how to snap my fingers from watching Addams Family.

Great video Jeff! How do you (if at all) prevent the camera on the arm from shaking when doing a live stream or taking a zoom call where you need to take notes or use something on your desk?

I can see the setup a few years from now: I have these old Red 8k cameras I found in the trash set up for a full 360 degree view with enough mics to accurately do 9.2 surround sound. Also my lights are color accurate down to the sub nanometer. 🤣

we need this outro on the main channel

I enjoy so much your content, that even if you had a 10th channel, I would subscribe

Finger clicking...check out the grasshopper leg video by Steve Mould. A couple of comments on that video are helpful on how to master finger clicking!

Hi Jeff. I'm really curious about your use of that Behringer USB interface. I had bought a UMC for my own Zoom setup and it just won't work. Read a bit online about it and the general opinion was that those just aren't compatible with Zoom for some reason. I can use it easily with all my other apps that take audio (GarageBand, etc.) but Zoom just balks. I'm wondering now if it works for you bc you run it through that pre-prod software chain and Zoom never actually sees the UMC as the audio source. Guess I have a new project to fiddle with. :-)

Hey this was great! I have one question, what about feedback, do you wear headphones on calls or does the mic not pick up the speakers? I’ve always wanted a good full duplex setup that lets me use my own mic.

Needs more Purple if you are going to be Gerald :-P

So, we have a pretty similar setup, but the main difference I have is that I'm using an ATEM Mini for my Mic and Video capture - this lets me dial in all of those settings to that external device (this was especially important when I was using an Intel based Mac, I found doing the audio processing and equalizing in software was a bit tough on my machine). This also has the benefit of being useful for capturing multiple input sources, such as when I connect up another PC or device to test it out, I don't have to unplug HDMI cables on my external monitors and can use OBS to capture and record that input if I want.

Have you experimented with offboard hardware for vocal processing? I think the next step in my setup is to get a (simple) vocal chain running, but running it through a plugin host sadly isn’t much of an option since I switch between machines and OSes often.

VB cable or NDI for audio with OBS virtual camera

Do you also use Zoom original sound or just the default? Kinda annoy to activate original sound every single meeting to archive higher Zoom audio quality.

I have a DBX 286s for my audio, does compression/limiter and some audio filtering. Hardware is more reliable than software in my experience.

What are you using for audio output? Do you have to do anything clever to stop your mic picking it up?

I started a deep dive into using obs for hybrid work meetings (local plus zoom participants) about 3 weeks ago. Crushed to discover Zoom is sending my carefully constructed camera output at 640x360 (unless you have a license ) Not so impressive, so I have had to go back to screen sharing for the PowerPoint slides.

Meanwhile me with my 720p MacBook Air webcam: 🫥

Everything is great in your setup, I personally would put the Sony cam a bit further away and lock it's focus so you can get some more focus depth and not have to rely on the auto focus. I'd also add a small and weak light on the coming from underneath your chin to lighten it up more. But still, out of a production value, it's a great set up!!

Was this the setup you had with Redshirt Jeff during Talking Heads?

Jeff, I bought the same webcam because I do video calls all day, but I look like garbage. Is it because I don't have enough light? Is it because it's a 4K camera but I'm just sending 1080p? I'm using Google meet

you mentioned a teleprompter monitor that uses Display Link on it, do you have the model by any chance?

For PC you can use Voicemeeter.

You have just put me off becoming a creator!

I watched a lighting video a few years ago and learned a lot about setting up a proper 3-point lighting configuration. it was great. 8:48 Man, I practiced so much when I was a kid/teenager... I have no idea how people can snap their fingers independently like musical instruments lol. I can only snap my left hand's fingers at-will. My right hand is uncoordinated with finger snapping lol. 9:44 I'm not sure if it's the same, but VoiceMeeter on Windows does similar if not the same thing. You'd probably be able to pick it up much quicker than I could due to your radio background, since the UI is just a virtual mixer.

Love the 3rd channel, great content. Can't really fault the setup, looks pretty well optimised to me. A decent shotgun mic is a must, gives you the flexibility to move around, plus you don't have to be super close like you do a "studio" mic. Even if I mic up a subject with a lapel mic, I will always setup a shotgun above them as a backup. Jeff's set up lends itself well audio wise coz he's got a wall off screens in front of him, that prevents audio travelling too far and echoing on bounce back, so if you find you get echo, rig up a heavy piece of cloth, blanket, curtain or even mattress behind the camera. Just remember audio trumps video, people will sit through a poor picture with good audio, but not a good picture with bad audio. Teleprompters can get expensive, and at $280 the Elgato Prompter seems good value, coz you'd be looking at around $200 for a decent one, plus you need a tablet or large phone after that, a teleprompter is a good investment though if a subject is looking at the camera, in my early days of camera work I'd have a laptop on books and whatnot just under the lens for them look at, almost unnoticeable compared to reading from the side or above. Really like the screen mirror function on the Elgato Prompter too, really useful that. Search "three point lighting" for good lighting people, your main lights at the front is your key light, usually the brightest, what Jeff described is the back light, to separate subject from background, and optional is fill light from the a 45 degree angle or the side to create a soft shadow across the face. People often don't realise, lighting is the key to a good image, good lighting can improve the lowest quality of cameras, obviously there's a little to this. If lighting is too bright or harsh and you can't turn it down, buy some lighting gel sheets (they are heat proof so safe to use on lights that get hot) to diffuse the light, or turn the light and bounce it of the wall or ceiling. And also, anyone thinking about buying magic arms, buy a good quality one, don't cheap out coz they don't hold what they say they do, but they are very useful and versatile. Great advice on the audio delay, and that Apple only software looks super good, I'm not sure about Windows off hand, but there will be something similar even if it's not a pretty or simple to use. Edit - Thinking about it, I use VB-Audio Virtual Audio on Windows when I restream something to a friend when we watch something together, I use OBS to create the virtual cam for the software used to pick up coz there's no screen share option, then I change my speakers device to "VB Audio Cable In" which I've configured to loop my desktop audio through, so in the software I select "VB Audio Cable Out", I would therefore assume, I could configure the Cable In to be my mic, but I haven't tested that, so I don't know for sure.

Zoom not having a built-in audio delay function is so frustrating.

voicemeeter for windows.

If you want something more minimalistic you can try out Blackhole

I'm against adding delay to any live communication because it tends to lead to people talking over each other way more often, as it breaks the natural flow of conversations. How are you avoiding that issue?

For Windows audio loot back, I recommend this horrible bit of freeware called virtual audio cable

Gerald Undone

@Jeff you didn't tell us how you hear! Do you use speakers or headphones

MKBHD?

as someone who cannot snap their fingers, be prepared for all the comments of people trying to tell you how to snap your fingers!

your android smartphone now has webcam function over USB

Wow Im early! :)

Dave Plumber

so if i do this, i will automatically get selected for any job interviews i do? ok GOT IT ;)

awesome setup, just going to assume whatever @CraftComputing used to bring you onto the live stream made it blurry?

That effect at the end looked painful.

GERALD UNDONE MENTIONED!!!1!!! 🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪🟪