Perfect set-up to get creative juices flowing
Elgato’s got you covered with a range of add-ons for your online content
IN MANY ways, we’re all content creators now – even if all we’re creating is a decent performance on a video call.
Since the pandemic left a lot of us spending at least part of our working week at home, we’re doing a lot more communication over the internet. Then there’s all the new podcasters, videographers, influencers, photographers, game streamers, and YouTubers.
Making stuff to share online is a mass participation event these days. You can do all this stuff with just a laptop, of course – you can’t buy one now without a built-in camera and a few mics.
But what if you want to up your game and improve the quality of everything you do online?
Well, whether you’re crafting the next viral video or just hoping to make a good impression in a virtual job interview, Elgato has got you covered with its new Neo range of add-ons.
These are quality peripherals that’ll work with most PCs and Macs, and some of it will even play nice with iPads and other tablets.
Neo is a system that’s also designed to work together – there are five devices in all, each aimed either broadly at anyone who wants better video and audio, or at individuals with more specific needs.
WAVE NEO – £89.99
Aimed at ensuring you sound your best at all times, the Neo Wave is a USB condenser mic that is crammed with all kinds of thoughtful features.
Its crystal clear audio capture will make sure that you come through loud and clear whatever point you’re trying to make – it comes with a headphone jack to avoid latency, and a riser stand to elevate it away from your desk to avoid unwanted sounds coming through.
This bit of kit is the most basic way to elevate your online presence – whether you’re doing meetings, podcasting, or live-streaming your gaming sessions.
KEY LIGHT NEO – £89.99
Once you sound your best, you’ll want to look your best, and the first thing to do to make that happen is get yourself lit properly.
Key Light Neo mounts on the top of your monitor – whether you’re using a desktop or laptop.
It’s an LED panel with a diffusion cover that casts an even glow across your face.
The two presets offer warm or cool lighting, but you can easily customise to match your needs.
There’s no better way to stand out than to give your camera more light to work with.
FACECAM NEO – £99.99
One thing that will always be less than optimal will be the built-in webcam on your laptop or monitor – it’s an easy place for its makers to make compromises.
The Facecam Neo comes to the rescue with full HD 1080p capture at 60 frames per second.
Teamed with the Key Light, the Facecam results in video calls that offer a much more life-like version of you with smooth movement and accurate skin-tones.
It all makes for a much more engaging experience for those viewing.
STREAM DECK NEO – £99.99
This innovative piece of kit acts like a control centre for your day – you can programme its six buttons to do almost anything you like.
If you’re podcasting this might be playing stingers or switching off guests’ mics when they’re not talking, if you’re streaming gameplay you can control music and audio levels to punch in and out.
And if you’re just plain old working you could set it up to launch a chat window to message your team with the touch of a button, or launch a specific application.
You can also use it to control music playback, set different scenes on your smart lights, or even monitor notifications.
It’s the control centre you didn’t know you needed, but streamlines your workflow so effectively that once you try it, you can’t be without it.
GAME CAPTURE NEO – £119.99
This has one of those names that pretty accurately reflects its function – it’s the most niche device in the range, being aimed at game streamers.
It’s a simple little box that sits between your game console and your screen to capture everything you do in 1080p60 without slowing your gaming experience down.
You can continue to play at resolutions up to 4K60.
Meanwhile, the device can also be connected to your computer, where you can use your favourite software to share what you have captured or stream live over Twitch and YouTube.
Streamline your set-up further by hooking the device up to your iPad and using that as a screen and streaming device for your console without the need for an external monitor or another computer.
■ Find out more about the Neo range at elgato.com