Key Takeaways
- Always bring at least two adapters to a presentation – even a built-in HDMI port can fail to be recognised by the projector.
- The Satechi R1 presenter is recommended for iPad presentations because it has a clearly identifiable on/off switch and a screen-blackout function.
- The Logitech Spotlight is particularly suitable for online presentations because it generates a software-based pointer that remains visible on the monitor.
- HDMI cables should be no longer than 5 metres; for greater distances a fibre optic HDMI cable (up to 20 metres) is needed – always observe the direction of insertion (follow the arrow).
- A 5-metre extension cable, a triple power strip, a travel adapter, and a flat network cable are essential items in any presentation kit.
- For mobile internet on the road, Thorsten Jekel recommends the Netgear Nighthawk and the GlocalMe with multiple SIM cards and an eSIM option.
- The Sennheiser USB-C7 headset (approx. 14 euros) delivers very good sound quality and noise cancellation and is ideal for webinars.
- A triple monitor expansion set allows you to replicate your familiar multi-screen home office setup while travelling.
- The DJI microphone set with USB-C adapter is a compact and professional solution for mobile video recording with a smartphone, iPad, or laptop.
- All accessory recommendations are listed at shopper.jekel.com – with direct links to Amazon.
Introduction
Welcome to another episode of TJ's Technology Tuesday. Today we address the question: What technical accessories do you recommend, Thorsten Jekel? This is a question I get asked very frequently. Which presenters do you use? Which adapters do you use to connect your PC or MacBook? Which cables? What do you use for webinars and all those things? So here is a brief overview of what I particularly like to use. Wonderful. Hello — and the music is here, I see, from the dear Wolfgang Summerer. That is the test of whether I read the comments. Of course I do. So whenever I glance slightly to the left, I have the comments in view. Right, let's start with the topic of accessories when I present — when I want to connect my laptop, whether a Mac or a PC, to a projector or a monitor. Then the most important recommendation is: take two. What does take two mean? It almost doesn't matter which adapter you use, but the most important rule is always to have at least two adapters with you at all times. And even if you have a MacBook or a notebook that has a built-in HDMI port, I have often found that this built-in HDMI port is still not recognised by the projector.
My Hardware Recommendations
This gives me three options. I basically have the option of using the built-in HDMI port, adapter number one, and adapter number two. If you are wondering which adapter I recommend, I have already included my accessories recommendation page in the comments, and I will display that page here. It is called shopper.jekel.com — so: https://shopper.com/jekelteam. I have that with me. And here you can see all the possible cables, adapters, and everything else I carry with me. So under Monitors with Accessories you will find all the adapters, headsets and speakers, cables and adapters. If I click on one of them, for example, you can see the various adapters I use — as cables, as adapters. And if you still have an iPad or iPhone with Apple connectors, you should always use the original Apple adapters. Otherwise, you can happily use standard adapters with USB-C connections. Here I have one with me, as you can see. The idea is that for each accessory recommendation I always include a short description, and when you click on it, the Amazon product page opens.
Of course you do not have to buy it from Amazon. So there you will find my common accessory recommendations for all things, including cables and everything else. Since we have fifteen minutes here, I will just go live and show the most important things. Adapters — first rule, always two. Next topic: presenters. When it comes to presenters, there are different things to consider. If you are presenting with an iPad, I recommend this one by Satechi. Its great advantage is that it has a clearly defined on/off switch. A defined on/off switch means: I know for certain whether it is on or off. When you pair a Bluetooth presenter with an iPad, the challenge is always: is it on now or is it off? That is why I recommend this one — you can go forward, go backward, and what very few presenters can do, with the Satechi R1 you can also black out the screen. And going forward and backward works not just in PowerPoint or WPS Office, but also in PDF Expert. You cannot black out in PDF Expert, but forward and back does work.
By the way, there is of course a recording of this automatically. So if I lose you during my quick run-through, you can always watch the recording again at your leisure. Exactly — I know, USB, white, black, orange, blue, the difference is big with cables… Yes, USB cables, cables in general, make a big difference. I will come back to that in a moment. Before I get to cables, a note on two other presenters I have. I have this presenter from Doosl, which is green. Green can usually be seen a little better. I also have an alternative one here, and if one of my recommendations is not on the page, please let me know and I will add it. Green always has the advantage that you can see it a little more easily. And what also works, by the way, is one of those classic types where you can pull something out from the bottom. Even if you have an iPad, you can also put those nicely into these adapters. So if you only want one presenter, you can do that perfectly with these adapters. The important thing is that the adapter also has a USB-A connection.
Accessory Recommendations for Online Situations and Travel
Whenever you are in online situations or working with monitors on the road, I recommend this one. This is the Logitech Spotlight. It creates a spotlight effect, or you can switch to a red or green dot. This is generated by software. The great advantage is that it can be seen on the monitor, because if you use a laser pointer on a monitor, it is not visible. And in an online setting it is also not visible. For that reason it is really good to have this with you. Yes, while I am speaking — what about cables, which we mentioned earlier? Cables are a good idea. I always carry two cables. Specifically, I will just quickly fetch a different cable. I always carry a power cable — yes, a power cable — in my bag. And these power cables are not enormously thick when you take them along. So I always carry a standard 5-metre power extension cable. I always carry one of those triple power strips you can get at the hardware store. I also always carry a travel adapter, so I can then pack everything neatly into my extension cable.
And I also always carry a flat network cable, because you know my motto: wireless makes you clueless. I know that this is a high-quality network cable that will definitely work. And if I look at all this power kit, I carry it in a small, compact bag and I pretty much never run out of power. On the accessories recommendation list you will also find power banks. One of them is even approved for air travel. With it I can fully recharge my MacBook once. So that is also available. Very often that is also sufficient. Yes, cables. I always carry an HDMI cable without fail — let me quickly show the bottom right. What I always have in my presentation kit is an HDMI extension cable. On one side I have HDMI male and on the other side I have HDMI female. The female end has the great advantage that if I arrive somewhere and the HDMI cable is somehow two metres too short, I have two metres of extension right here. And if there is no HDMI cable at all, I have a two-metre HDMI cable with male-to-male adapters that I always carry — always in the case.
And believe me, I need it at least once a month. For longer distances I carry a 20-metre HDMI fibre optic cable. The important thing is that a normal HDMI cable should not be longer than 5 metres. For longer distances you definitely need a fibre optic cable. With that I can bridge up to 20 metres. The important thing to remember is that fibre optic HDMI cables are unidirectional — they only work in one direction. There is always an arrow on the connectors indicating which direction to insert them. You also need to handle them with some care, as they tend to break fairly easily. So you should not coil them too aggressively. On the topic of cables, there is of course also the subject of power. Here I can always recommend adapters like these. I now have a 100-watt power supply that has multiple outputs. This means I can charge both my MacBook and my iPad and other devices from it at the same time. Always a good idea so you do not need to carry too many chargers. What I also have for my iPhone — the dear Bärbel Rademacher, who is here with us, knows this — there are these MagSafe accessories that I can simply attach to the back of my phone.
So I simply stick this to the back and have a very slim battery pack right there. It can charge the iPhone once. And something I used again just last week at a conference — which is why it is currently at zero — is this wonderful little adapter accessory. It has two cables integrated. One is USB-C and the other is Lightning. When I have both in, here is an example of how I use this: I had it at a conference. I have my iPad Pro here, and what I do now is simply take this adapter and plug it in. I have this Apple keyboard where I also have my charging port, and I just slide this thing in — and I have a hidden battery pack that is beautifully slim, while still having the option to connect further adapters for the projector. Maybe that is an idea for all of those who also present with an iPad. Right, let me pack up my presenters. On the topic of presenters, I have one more that should also be on the list.
This is one that I really like. It also has the great advantage that I can switch it on and off, so I know whether it is there or not, it has a green laser pointer, and what I really like about it: on the right side there is a volume-up and a volume-down button. This means that without needing to install any software, as you do with the Logitech Spotlight, I can turn the volume up and down directly. A really great device in that respect too. I need to set it aside because I have to charge it. Yes, then when you are travelling, I can only recommend the Netgear Nighthawk for mobile internet. My Telekom SIM card is in there. I have a contract where I can have multiple SIM cards, and this gives you fast internet at all times. Just last week I again had a situation where the Wi-Fi was very, very poor. And if you are as dependent on connectivity as I am, there is a second option — the GlocalMe. It also has a SIM card slot, and here I have a Vodafone SIM card, and here I have one from Telekom, and one of the two always works.
And I even have an eSIM in there that can be activated abroad, because I can of course book an eSIM somewhere when abroad, but I do not have to worry about it — I can pay perhaps 3.50 euros more and book an eSIM directly on the device. So that is also very practical. Yes, what other accessories do I have? When I give presentations from a hotel room, it is always important to me to be at eye level with the participants. For that I have this book stand. I basically unfold it like this. And then I can open this book stand — I always call it that — like this. I did exactly that just last week for the AI Kickstarter. I then have this thing that I place on the desk. And the brilliant thing is that it also has a USB hub built in, so my Mac or PC is at eye level. For good audio there are many headsets out there. I personally like this Sennheiser USB-C7. It costs 14 euros — so it really costs next to nothing. It is single-ear, it is dark coloured. With dark hair I always find that very practical.
It has very good noise cancellation. I think the quality is very, very good, and many of you have certainly heard it before. I will share my accessories recommendation screen once more to show you what else I think is really great. Something else I like to use on the road is a triple monitor setup. The idea is that I have both screens folded together at the back — I have one unit there. When I unfold them, I have my laptop in the middle, a screen on the left, and a screen on the right. I then arrange them so that I have the participant gallery on one screen. On the other I have the chat and participants and things I need for myself. And on the third I have what I am sharing, so I always have a screen showing what I am presenting — just like at home, where I have the same kind of setup. So you will find everything on that list.
Last but not least, something I can highly recommend. When you want to record things on the go, the best camera is always the one we carry with us — our smartphone. I really like this DJI microphone set for that purpose. The idea is that in one box I have a receiver, two microphones, and a USB-C adapter. This means I can plug it directly into my iPhone, into Android, or into my Mac or PC without any issues. And these microphones can either be clipped on, or there is the Rhode microphone adapter — which also fits the DJI microphones — and with that I can add a windshield on top. That gives me a professional handheld microphone to take with me.
Conclusion
So with that I am not at the end of all the accessories I carry with me, but I have covered quite a lot of the basics — the things I use every single day. One final tip: on Thursday at 7 pm I am hosting a webinar together with Martin Sänger, where we will look at how you can very easily set up a video studio and the workflow Martin Sänger uses to produce highly professional videos, including three free tools you can use to do the same. There you will already find the hardware basics — his floor spots that add great colour, his camera with gimbal, his microphone solution. That is actually an alternative to the one I showed, and Martin will also explain the advantages of his approach on Thursday. Here are also two more lighting solutions. I will post the link to this webinar as well — it is on Thursday at 7 pm.
And with that I am not at my wit's end, but I am at the end of the 15 minutes of TJ's Technology Tuesday, and I look forward to seeing you again next week. If you like, tomorrow at 7 pm I will be presenting Apple's latest updates at Smile2. And on Thursday morning there is a Lunch and Learn, and at noon another Lunch and Learn, and at 7 pm we will have our joint session with the dear Martin Sänger. On that note, have a successful week and I hope to see you again this week.
Until then, yours, Thorsten Jekel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should you always bring two adapters to a presentation?
Carrying two adapters is important because even a built-in HDMI port on your laptop is sometimes not recognised by the projector. With a second and third connection option (e.g. two external adapters), the chances of successfully connecting your device increase significantly.
Which presenter does Thorsten Jekel recommend for iPad presentations?
For iPad presentations, Thorsten Jekel recommends the Satechi R1. This presenter convinces with its unambiguous on/off switch, so you always know whether the device is active, as well as its ability to black out the screen.
What is the advantage of the Logitech Spotlight over a laser pointer?
The Logitech Spotlight generates a software-based light spot or coloured dot (red or green) that appears directly on the screen. A classic laser pointer is not visible on a monitor or in online meetings, which is why the Spotlight is especially suitable for webinars and digital presentations.
How long can a standard HDMI cable be?
According to Thorsten Jekel, a standard HDMI cable should be no longer than 5 metres, as signal loss can occur beyond that. For greater distances of up to 20 metres, he recommends a fibre optic HDMI cable, which is unidirectional and must therefore be plugged in the correct direction (following the arrow).
What power accessories does Thorsten Jekel recommend for presentation travel?
Thorsten Jekel recommends a 5-metre extension cable, a triple power strip, and a travel adapter, all transported compactly in a small bag. He also uses a 100-watt power supply with multiple outputs to charge his MacBook, iPad, and other devices simultaneously.
What solution does Thorsten Jekel recommend for mobile internet while travelling?
For reliable mobile internet, Thorsten Jekel recommends the Netgear Nighthawk with a Telekom SIM card and the GlocalMe, which simultaneously holds a Telekom and a Vodafone SIM. When abroad, an eSIM can also be booked directly on the GlocalMe device.
Which headset does Thorsten Jekel use for webinars and online presentations?
Thorsten Jekel uses the Sennheiser USB-C7 headset, which costs around 14 euros. The single-ear, dark-coloured headset offers very good noise cancellation and sound quality in his view, making it well suited for professional online formats.
How does Thorsten Jekel use the triple monitor setup while travelling?
The triple monitor expansion set folds out to the left and right of the laptop, providing one additional screen on each side. Thorsten Jekel distributes the participant gallery, the chat, and his own presentation view across them to replicate the same multi-screen setup he uses at home.
Which microphone set does Thorsten Jekel recommend for mobile video recording?
For mobile video recording, Thorsten Jekel recommends the DJI microphone set, which contains a receiver and two microphones in one box. Thanks to the integrated USB-C adapter, it can be connected directly to an iPhone, Android smartphone, iPad, or laptop.
Where can you find Thorsten Jekel's complete accessory recommendations?
All of Thorsten Jekel's accessory recommendations are listed on shopper.jekel.com, organised by categories such as adapters, cables, headsets, and speakers. Each entry includes a short description and a direct link to the product on Amazon.
Tools & Resources Mentioned
- shopper.jekel.com – Thorsten Jekel's personal accessory recommendation list with adapters, cables, headsets, and more
- Satechi R1 Presenter – recommended presenter for iPad presentations with on/off switch and screen-blackout function
- Logitech Spotlight – presenter with software-generated pointer, ideal for online presentations and monitors
- Doosl Presenter – alternative presenter option with green laser pointer
- Netgear Nighthawk – mobile Wi-Fi router for reliable internet on the road
- GlocalMe – mobile hotspot with dual SIM and eSIM option for international travel
- Sennheiser USB-C7 – affordable single-ear headset with good noise cancellation for webinars
- DJI Microphone Set – compact wireless microphone set with USB-C connection for mobile video recording
- digital4productivity.de/ipad – further tips on the iPad
