Elgato Prompter shows no image or isn't detected
The Elgato Prompter's screen is a DisplayLink display that Camera Hub drives. When it stays blank, the fix is usually Camera Hub or the DisplayLink driver. Here are Elgato's own steps, then what to try if it still won't work.
Step by step: use an Elgato Prompter as a screen
- Set the Prompter to Display Mode. Connect the Elgato Prompter by USB-C and set it to Display Mode, so your computer sees it as a second screen. Camera Hub isn’t needed.
- Drag Reframely onto it. Open the prompter, drag the browser window onto the Prompter’s screen and press F for full screen.
- Leave Mirror off. The Elgato Prompter flips the picture itself, so pick the Elgato preset with Mirror off. If the words read backwards, turn Mirror on.
- Drive it from your hand. Use a clicker, a Stream Deck or (with Pro) your phone to play, pause and change speed while you look into the lens.
Elgato's steps on Windows
- Find Camera Hub in the system tray (open the hidden-icons arrow if needed), right-click it and choose Check for Updates.
- If it's up to date, right-click it again and choose Quit Camera Hub.
- Install the latest DisplayLink driver for Windows from Synaptics' download page.
- Restart the computer, open Camera Hub and check the Prompter.
- Still not connecting? Install the latest chipset drivers from your computer or motherboard maker.
These steps are from Elgato's help article on the Prompter showing no image or display (Elgato).
Elgato's steps on Mac
- Right-click Camera Hub in the menu bar and choose Check for Updates; if it's current, choose Quit Camera Hub.
- Install the latest DisplayLink driver for macOS from Synaptics.
- Restart the Mac, open Camera Hub and check the Prompter.
On a Mac, the DisplayLink software also needs screen recording permission to draw on DisplayLink screens. If the Prompter stays black after an update, check that permission in System Settings → Privacy & Security.
Camera Hub's camera missing in OBS
A separate problem: Camera Hub sees a camera but OBS doesn't list it as a video capture device. One user who hit this after a macOS upgrade fixed it by reinstalling the Elgato drivers; another, using EpocCam on macOS Sequoia, only got a green frame and the thread has no fix for that (OBS Forums).
Workaround: use the Prompter as a plain screen
If Camera Hub's text mode is the problem but the Prompter works as a display, you can skip text mode:
- In Camera Hub, set the Prompter to show a display or window rather than its own script.
- Open Reframely in a browser window on that display and choose Your rig → Prompter with its own screen. The Prompter's optics correct the image, so mirror stays off.
- Double-click for full screen, and control it with your keyboard, a Stream Deck key or your phone as the remote.
Or keep Reframely on your laptop and send just the script to the Prompter with Second screen or OBS.
If the screen stays black
- Try another USB-C port and cable; the Prompter needs both power and display over the same connection.
- On a USB hub or dock, connect the Prompter directly to the computer to rule out the hub.
- Check the display settings show the Prompter as a separate screen, then drag the Reframely output window onto it.
Questions
Why is my Elgato Prompter screen black?
Usually Camera Hub or the DisplayLink driver. Elgato's fix is to update Camera Hub, quit it, install the latest DisplayLink driver, restart and reopen Camera Hub. On Windows, chipset drivers can also matter.
Do I need Camera Hub to use the Elgato Prompter?
Camera Hub and DisplayLink drive its screen. Once it works as a display, you can run any teleprompter software, such as Reframely in a browser window, on it.
Sources
Last updated .