Home Recording: Hardware Setup & Best Practices Guide for Faculty

Not Sure What Equipment You Need? 

If you are unsure what equipment to use, contact the Digital Media Team for support 

We can help with:

• Equipment recommendations
• Setup guidance
• Gear rental options (if available)
• Purchase recommendations based on your needs 

Overview 

To produce clear, professional recordings, you will need:

• A camera (standalone or external USB-webcam)
• A microphone (USB desktop mic, wireless lavalier/lapel, or shotgun mic) 
• Basic lighting (ring light or other soft diffused light)
• A quiet, controlled environment 

1. Connect Your Equipment 

Camera 

1. Plug your webcam into your computer (USB or built-in camera) 

2. If prompted, install any required software or drivers 

3. Confirm your camera is recognized: 

• Open Zoom → Settings → Video 

• Select your camera from the dropdown 

Microphone 

1. Connect your microphone: 

• USB microphone → plug directly into computer   

• Wireless lav → connect receiver to computer   

• Shotgun mic → connect via audio interface or adapter   

2. Install drivers if prompted 

3. Confirm your microphone is recognized: 

• Open Zoom → Settings → Audio 

• Select your microphone from the dropdown 

4. Use “Test Microphone” to verify audio is working 

2. Camera Placement 

• Position your camera at eye level
• Frame yourself waist-up or head-and-shoulders
• Center yourself in the frame
• Leave a small amount of space above your head 

Tip: Avoid placing the camera too low or too high 

3. Microphone Placement (general guidelines)

• Keep the microphone close to your mouth (6–12 inches when possible) 

• Position it just out of camera frame if visible (exception: lavalier/lapel microphones)

Microphone Types 

Lavalier/lapel (Clip-on Microphone) 

• Run cable under shirt or jacket to hide cable
• Clip near your collar or upper chest
• Keep it centered and unobstructed 

Shotgun Microphone

• Place 1-2 feet away
• Position above or just out of frame
• Point directly toward your mouth 

USB/Desktop Mic 

• Place on desk, angled toward you
• Avoid placing further than 2 feet away if possible 

4. Lighting Setup 

Good lighting significantly improves video quality. 

 Basic Setup 

• Use a ring light or soft, diffused light source
• Place light in front of you, slightly above eye leve
• Aim light toward your face 

Avoid 

• Bright light behind you
• Harsh shadows
• Overhead-only lighting 

5. Choose Your Recording Environment 

• Record in a quiet room
• Close doors and windows
• Turn off fans and notification
• Use soft furnishings to reduce echo 

6. Background and Framing 

• Use a clean, uncluttered background (avoid distractions behind you)
• Keep the focus on you
• Position camera at eye-level
• Frame yourself from the waist-up or chest-up
• Give yourself a small amount of head room in shot (do not cut off your head) 

7. Test Your Setup 

Before recording: 

1. Open Zoom 

2. Check: 

• Camera framing
• Audio levels
• Lighting 

3. Record a short test clip (10–15 seconds) 

4. Review for quality 

View our Zoom Recording Guide for Faculty for full instructions.

8. Common Issues to Avoid 

• Using built-in laptop microphone in a noisy room
• Sitting too far from the microphone
• Backlighting (bright window behind you)
• Camera below or well above eye level
• Cluttered background  

Quick Setup Checklist 

Before recording, confirm: 

• Camera is connected and selected
• Microphone is connected and tested
• Lighting is in front of you
• Background is clean
• Environment is quiet
• Framing is waist-up or chest-up