Home video studio for webcasts and meetings

Primary desk left, standing desk right (still setting up). Please excuse the mess, but it’s reality.

I’ve had a requests to share my home office and video studio setup. Part one covers the equipment I’m using or recommend. Part 2 will be the office setup. I focused on value and budget. If you have an unlimited budget, hire someone with video production to setup your dream studio. For everyone else, here are some very affordable options to get you started and appear far better than anyone but the professionals. I’ve used [Purchased] to indicate the items I purchased and use, although the other options are highly rated and great alternatives. Some come down to finding a great sale or personal preference. Most links are to Amazon Smile US, and I encourage you to make your shopping a benefit to your favorite non-profit.

Ikea (Pax) wardrobes for background. Acoustic foam on ceiling and air duct.

Recommended brands for affordable video/photo equipment
Video camera – I’m running the Logitech C930 and C922x for streaming on a small tripod or monopod, and my Nikon DSLR for video recording.
Stands and backdrops – I have a set of muslin backdrops in chromakey green, black, and white and separate stand. I recommend buying a backdrop kit instead. I first purchased the Neewer collapsible background, but found it was too small for most video work.
Setting up my background was a nightmare. I battled between having the background too close to light correctly or not being wide enough for my camera. I was in an unfinished basement office that I finally installed Ikea wardrobes as my standard background, and will use the standing desk with backdrops on a stand.
Lighting – Originally I purchased two lighting kits with softboxes, but they were too bright for my office space, even with 300 lumen CRI 90 LED bulbs. I recommend buying the LED light panels instead. Add the silk diffuser (taped in place) if you want to soften the light further. Make sure you get one capable of 5,200K.
- Plan on having two lights for your face, each at a 45 degree angle for even lighting. I have two lights for my background so I can turn the overhead light off. When using a green or black screen, I used a light directly behind me to backlight me and separate me from the background. My body hides the light. This is also why I love the new LED panels and recommend them over softboxes in small spaces.
- Neewer 2 Packs Dimmable 5600K USB LED Video Light with Adjustable Tripod 2 pack [Purchased]
- Emart LED Video Light 11 Brightness/4 Color Filters Dimmable Photography Continuous Table Top Lighting, Adjustable Tripod Stand 2 pack [Purchased]
- VILTROX 2-Pack VL-200 3300K-5600K CRI95 Super Slim LED Video Light Panel Photography Lighting Kit with Light Stand
- LED flexible desk lamp covered with tissue – Walmart [Purchased]
- Neewer 2 Yard x 60 Inch/1.8M x 1.5M Nylon Silk White Seamless Diffusion Fabric for Photography Softbox,Light Tent and Lighting Light Modifier [Purchased]
Microphones and Headsets – I run several different audio setups. My primary for normal work calls is my Game One headset. For webinars and video recording, I use the Blue Yeti microphone (with cover and screen) and a set of ear buds. I use the lapel mic to record video using my Nikon camera.
- Microphones
  - The Blue microphones are some of the best home studio microphones around the $100 mark I’ve found. If space is a concern, the Nano is a good option. I went with the regular Blue Yeti which was slightly more on sale. The voice quality is noticeable.
  - If you want a very similar mic but under $50, check out the Fifine line of microphones. Michael Bathurst discovered this brand and uses it for his daily broadcast. The quality is better than most headsets.
    - Fifine microphones
Video adapters and monitors – I’ll have a separate article on my desk setup. I’m running two monitors off my laptop with separate keyboard and mouse. I have my video camera between the monitors on a selfie tripod. This keeps my eyes looking slightly up and close to the camera lens. This setup is duplicated for my standing desk and using HDMI splitters and switches to flip between sitting and standing. Make sure you buy a monitor with resolution that matches your laptop output. There wasn’t any reason to get a bigger or better monitor since my video card was the limiting factor.
- Monitor adapters
- Monitors
  - HP VH240a 23.8-Inch Full HD 1080p IPS LED Monitor with Built-In Speakers and VESA Mounting [Purchased]
  - HP – 24f 23.8″ IPS LED FHD FreeSync Monitor (HDMI, VGA) [Purchased]
Other useful items
- Acoustic foam – I covered my ceiling and open walls with acoustic foam to isolate other noises and reduce echoes. It has dramatically improved my audio quality.
  - https://www.foambymail.com/acoustical-pyramid-foam.html [Purchased]
  - I decided on the 1″ foam since my office is in the basement and already insulated in the ceiling and interior walls. If you have a high noise room, 2″ is better, but I see no reason to buy better foam unless you are doing professional audio recording.
- Wireless phone charger – I find it easier to keep my phone on a charging stand just below my monitors wo I can see texts and messages during a broadcast.
- Other adapters – These are other adapters that help my setup, but most are related to my desk setup.
  - Anker 2-in-1 USB 3.0 SD Card Reader for SDXC, SDHC, SD, MMC, RS-MMC, Micro SDXC, Micro SD, Micro SDHC Card and UHS-I Cards – Used to retrieve videos from other cameras [Purchased]
  - SD Card Reader, VOGEK 3-in-1 USB 3.0 / USB C / Micro USB Card Reader – SD, Micro SD, SDXC, SDHC, Micro SDHC, Micro SDXC Memory Card Reader – Used to retrieve videos from other cameras [Purchased]
  - Anker USB C Hub, 5-in-1 USB C Adapter, with SD/TF Card Reader [Purchased]
  - Logitech Professional Presenter R800, Wireless Presentation Clicker Remote with Green Laser Pointer and LCD Display [Purchased]
  - Anker USB C Hub Adapter, PowerExpand+ 7-in-1 USB C Hub, with 4K USB C to HDMI [Purchased]
  - Anker 4-Port USB 3.0 Ultra Slim Data Hub [Purchased]
  - MMFB Arts & Crafts Extra Large Thicker Whiteboard Banner Vinyl Adhesive Paper Wall Decal Poster (7 FEET) [Purchased]

office setup, podcasting, video broadcasts, video studio

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