Hardware-Level Stealth AI: Separate Hardware vs Software Overlays
Interview Phantom practice worksheet
https://interviewphantom.com/guides/hardware-level-stealth-vs-software-overlays

Interview Phantom’s defining feature is hardware-level separation. The interview call runs on one computer; AI processing and guidance run on another. This guide explains the signal path and why that is a different design from hiding an on-device software overlay.

Two computers with different jobs
The interview computer runs the call and connects to the camera and keyboard. The separate AI computer receives the captured interview feed and produces guidance. AI guidance is not an application window on the interview computer. That separation is the basis of the hardware-level stealth design.

Follow the video path
The interview computer’s HDMI output goes through a capture card to the AI computer. The AI computer combines the captured video with guidance and sends the result to the external monitor. You view one monitor containing the interview feed and hints. A hotkey pad controls the separate AI system. The homepage diagram shows each component so you can understand where the information travels.

Why this differs from an on-device overlay
A software-overlay design places an assistant on the same computer used for the interview. Its visibility depends on the application and the way the screen is captured. Interview Phantom instead adds guidance after the video leaves the interview computer. The guidance is outside that computer’s desktop, rather than a window whose visibility must be managed by the overlay application. This compares two architectural approaches; individual products and configurations vary.

What the separation establishes
The architecture separates the AI process, its controls, and its guidance display from the interview computer. It does not depend on calling an overlay invisible while leaving the assistant application on that machine. The concrete distinction is where processing happens and where the guidance enters the display path. During setup, follow the signal from the interview computer through capture, processing, and display to verify that separation.

Check the complete setup in a mock session
Before a practice session, confirm which computer runs the call, where the camera and keyboard connect, which HDMI source is captured, and which device the hotkey pad controls. Compare the desktop feed from the interview computer with the final external-monitor view: they serve different roles in this design. Use the actual capture and call configuration you intend to practice with. Review the setup with a trainer instead of assuming every hardware connection is interchangeable.

Hardware is one part of preparation
Training also covers the knowledge needed for your target role, prompt customization, reading guidance, and explaining your own reasoning. A separate display path does not replace technical understanding or an accurate account of your experience. Discuss the hardware arrangement and training goals together in your consultation.

MY NOTES
What was clear?

What needs verification?

One change for the next attempt: