Teleprompter Mirror Mode: How Glass Rigs and Flip Work

If you have ever seen a professional teleprompter in a studio or on a news desk, you have seen mirror mode in action — even if you didn't realize it. Here is how it works, when you need it, and how to set it up on a budget.

What Is Mirror Mode?

Mirror mode flips your teleprompter text horizontally (or vertically) so that it reads correctly when reflected off a piece of glass. This is the core principle behind every professional beam-splitter teleprompter rig.

How a Beam-Splitter Rig Works

1. A screen (phone, tablet, or monitor) faces upward, displaying the flipped script.
2. A semi-transparent glass panel sits at a 45° angle above the screen.
3. The text reflects off the glass toward the talent. Because the text was flipped, the reflection reads normally — left to right.
4. The camera sits behind the glass and shoots straight through it. The glass is transparent enough that the camera sees the talent, not the text.

The result: the talent reads the script while appearing to look directly into the camera lens. This is how news anchors maintain perfect eye contact.

When You Need Mirror Mode

Horizontal vs. Vertical Flip

GoTeleprompter supports both:

• Horizontal flip — the most common. Text is mirrored left-to-right. Used in standard beam-splitter rigs where the screen faces up and the glass reflects forward.
• Vertical flip — less common. Text is mirrored top-to-bottom. Used in rigs where the screen faces the talent and the glass reflects downward (or in certain presidential prompter configurations).

If your rig setup makes the text appear backwards, try horizontal flip first. If it appears upside-down instead, switch to vertical flip.

Setting Up a Budget Glass Rig

You can build a functional beam-splitter rig for under $200:

1. Get a prompter hood. Budget teleprompter hoods ($80–150) come with a frame, glass panel, and hood to block ambient light. They mount directly on your camera's tripod.
2. Mount your phone or tablet in the hood. The device sits flat, screen facing up, below the glass.
3. Enable mirror mode in GoTeleprompter. Turn on horizontal flip so the text reads correctly when reflected.
4. Position your camera behind the glass. The lens should look through the center of the glass panel.
5. Adjust brightness. Increase your device's screen brightness to maximum so the text is clearly visible on the glass. Dim ambient lighting to reduce glare.

For a full breakdown of DIY options at every budget level, see our DIY teleprompter guide.

Common Problems and Fixes

• Text is backwards. Mirror mode is off. Enable horizontal flip in GoTeleprompter.
• Text is dim on the glass. Increase screen brightness. Reduce room lighting. Use a hood to shade the glass from overhead lights.
• Camera sees the text. The glass is too reflective or the screen is too bright relative to the talent's lighting. Balance the lighting so the talent is brighter than the reflected text.
• Glare or hotspots. Reposition lights so they don't hit the glass directly. A matte-finish glass (included in better hoods) reduces this.

Alternatives to Glass Rigs

If a glass rig is more complexity than you need, there are simpler ways to get good eye contact:

• Phone app with camera overlay. GoTeleprompter puts the script on the camera viewfinder — no glass, no rig, perfect eye contact.
• Tablet directly below the lens. The slight downward glance is barely noticeable on camera.

Most content creators don't need a glass rig. It's primarily for broadcast studios, stage presentations, and professional productions where the camera is far from the talent.