AT HOME COMPONENT
It doesn't have to be a video lecture. Let me get that out of the way first. Sometimes the only thing worse than a lecture in class, is a lecture you have to watch at home where you have the power to press play or not.
If you do use video components, that's fine - but make them short: 1 or 2 good videos, nothing over 15 minutes.
The at home material should be easier than what you want to do in class where students will need your help. Remember, one of the reasons flipping got started was too many students would get home having felt like they understood the lecture and then not be able to do the homework on their own!
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You should also emphasize to your students that you don't expect them to master the at home material. The goal is to get them familiar enough with the material that you can hit the ground running in class.
So what else is there other than a video lecture? Well for one, the material doesn't even have to be on the computer. They could have reading assigned. But, beware, many students view "Read Ch 1.2-1.4" as "No homework!" (especially in math class). If you do assign book reading, I strongly recommend coordinating with your textbook publisher to see if they have online materials. If they do, most of them work in quick reading quizzes along the way that can be useful for student comprehension checks (and accountability checks).
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The at home piece is ripe for creativity. Instead of assigning a reading, or a video, challenge the students to find their own articles or videos on the topic and summarize one or two. Turn the challenge into a game by grouping students into teams with a prize or bonus points on a quiz for the team that finds the most (relevant) resources.
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You can also find ready made multimedia experiences available to students on many topics - and one of these may serve as just as good of an intro as a lecture. Remember the goal is for the students to learn something, so it helps if the material or at least the presentation of the material is engaging.