If you are one of the growing people who does a good bit of your work with people who aren’t in the same space as you, you owe it to yourself to check out the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect conferencing system. I call it a “system” because, while the Logitech Connect is portable, it’s amazingly flexible and serves a variety of needs.
When I first opened the box, I was impressed by what a refined piece of equipment the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect is. The silver and black tube is solid and looks almost artistic in its design. Don’t let that fool you, as the Logitech Connect is a serious work device that will let up to six people teleconference with those who could be on the other side of the planet.
Inside the box, I found the ConferenceCam Connect device, a power adapter with plug, a USB cable, documentation, Warranty Information and documentation regarding the 2-Year Limited Hardware Warranty. The main device is 304.2 mm x 75 mm x 75 mm and weighs 766g. The remote is 41mm x 128mm x 9mm and weighs 32g. It ships with a 2m USB Cable and a 3m Power Adapter with Cord. It is compatible with Windows 7, 8.1 or 10 and Mac OS X 10.7 or higher.
Simplify video conferencing so anyone can set it up and run a meeting anywhere. Make it affordable so you can outfit every conference room with video. Designed for small groups and huddle rooms, from 1 to 6 people, Logitech Connect is also compact and mobile so you can take it from room to room. Connect is always ready for your next video conference call.
Connect is specifically designed to let a small group of people —from one to six — hold a clear voice or video conversation pretty much anywhere anytime. It looks simple but packs some serious tech inside. It delivers HD 1080p video for crisp, sharp video chats, a 4x digital zoom so you can get up close and personal, 360-degree sound so no-one is left out of the conversation, and wireless screen-mirror projection so you can share content from your mobile device with your entire team.
When Logitech says the ConferenceCam Connect offers “ultimate flexibility for the anywhere workplace” they mean it. Thanks to both its internal battery and its ability to connect to a wide range of different devices it works where and when you need it to work. That means real-time connection to your staff or clients.
This device is packed with features so let’s run down some of the key aspects of this powerful work tool.
- The Portable All-in-One Design: Sleek, easy to carry, and a snap to set up and use to expand the collaborative potential of the anywhere workplace.
- Perfect for Small Workgroups: Optimized for teams of 1-6, experience HD 1080p video, 360o sound, and wireless screen-mirror projection in virtually any workspace — and watch productivity soar.
- See and Be Seen: Automatically focus on people and objects for razor- sharp resolution wherever the lens is pointed.
- Multi-Device Connectivity: Simply connect PC or Mac® to conduct life-like meetings within your familiar computing environment, or use the convenience of wireless connectivity for screen mirroring and audio pairing from a compatible mobile device.*
- Interact with Everyone at the Table: The 90o eld of view with digital pan, tilt and 4x digital zoom in Full HD is ideal for small group meetings.
- Hear and Be Heard: The acoustics are tuned to provide a quality experience so that users can hear and be heard within a 12-foot diameter range.
- Conversations Sound Life-Like and Natural: Acoustic echo and noise-cancelling technology make it seem like conversations are happening in the same room.
- USB Plug-and-Play Connectivity: With no special software, training, or maintenance required, launching an enterprise-quality video conference has never been easier.
- Wireless Screen Mirroring: Connect wirelessly to ConferenceCam to screen mirror presentations, spreadsheets, videos or Internet content from a mobile device to a TV screen.
- H.264 UVC 1.5 with Scalable Video Coding (SVC): Frees up laptop bandwidth by putting video processing within the camera, resulting in a smoother video stream in applications like Microsoft LyncTM 2013 and Skype for Business.
- Near Field Communication (NFC) Technology: Pair mobile devices to ConferenceCam Connect by simply bringing them close together.*
- Bluetooth Wireless Connectivity: Quickly and easily create a connection between any Bluetooth device and the integrated speakerphone.
- Far-End Camera Control: Operate camera pan, tilt and zoom functions of another Logitech ConferenceCam or Webcam C930e in the other location.*
- Dockable Remote Control: Easily operate camera pan/tilt/zoom and audio functions (call answer/end, volume, mute) during meetings.* The remote covers the lens when the camera is not in use for added privacy.
- Works with Most Video Conference Applications: Users are free to use the desktop video conferencing program of their choice.
- Kensington Lock-Enabled
- Rechargeable Battery: Flexibility to leave the power cord behind: run video calls/screen mirroring for up to 3 hours or use the speakerphone for up to 15 hours with a fully charged battery (chargeable via USB or AC power.)
Design:
As mentioned, the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect is a fairly small and surprisingly light cylinder. It has an elegant, understated design that belies its power.
The bottom portion is a black mesh material the protects the speakers. It wraps around the entire device to allow it to deliver 360-degree sound.
The bottom of the device has a soft rubber ring running around it. This allows it to sit on any surface without damaging it and keeps the device from slipping and sliding.
The top of the device has some touch controls with the power button sitting in the center.
The upper portion of the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect is a soft touch metallic material. There is an oval running vertically with the Logitech name placed predominantly, but not obnoxiously, below it.
The oval is the removable remote. It is held in place by magnets and is easily slid off the device when you are ready to use it.
The remote has some controls built into it. There are volume controls, a large mute button that is easy to access, separate zoom in and zoom out buttons, a button to initiate a call and a separate one to disconnect the call and a four-way toggle for controlling media while using the device. The remote has a range of ten feet so you can pace back and forth while using it. You can also sit politely at the other end of the table and still control the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect, but I like the image of wandering back and forth while sharing one’s wisdom with others.
Removing the remote reveals the business center of the device. There’s an HD 1080P camera with 4X optical zoom. And, as you might expect on something of this quality, Logitech used a Zeiss lens. Just below that is a focus wheel, so you get a crisp a picture as possible. There is an opening for the microphone and some icons that illuminate to let you know what is going on at any given moment.
On the back, there is an indicator for the NFC touchpoint. (Yes, the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect is ready for those of you seeking to connect an NFC-enabled device!) There is a Kensington lock slot, so this little gem won’t walk, a micro-USB connection port, a charging port, and a full HDMI port. That means you can connect the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect via HMDI, USB or Bluetooth. How’s that for flexibility?!?
Setup:
Setting up the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect is a breeze thanks to its Plug and Play design. That’s not entirely accurate and is better put this way… Setting up the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect is a breeze thanks to its Plug and Play OR Unplug and Play design. That minor change in wording is rather important since the device can be used in Plug and Play mode using either the USB port or the full HDMI port or you can go wireless over Bluetooth. When you do go over Bluetooth pairing is either done with a tap of the content device to the nicely indicated NFC touch spot or, if you use a device that is not NFC-enabled such as an iPhone or iPad you can pair it the old-fashioned way by going to the Bluetooth Settings and selecting Logitech ConferenceCam Connect from the menu. In other words, you can either use a simple physical connection or create a wireless one. That kind of flexibility alone makes this a device worth consideration.
I’ve alluded to the portability of the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect, and it is worth detailed mention. Too often your choices when it comes to teleconferencing options include either installing a pricey, permanent system in a conference room or resorting to using a small, crappy-sounding mobile device. The Logitech ConferenceCam Connect sits smack dab in the middle. It offers a huge number of the same features you would find in a fixed-infall system but the portability of a mobile conferencing tool. The internal rechargeable battery lets you use the device as a speakerphone for up to 15 hours, or you can get up to three hours if you are using for a video conference. (And, after all, if you need more than three hours for a video conference someone is talking way too much!) Of course, you can also plug it in using the included wall adapter, and it will run as long as you like.
The flexibility of the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect also extended to the range of apps and services that are compatible with it. You can use it with Skype for Business, Cisco Jabber, WebEx, Microsoft Lync, and a host of other video conferencing software applications. (This is accomplished through the Logitech Collaboration Program). An add-on kit expands this flexibility even further.
Ready to amp up your video meetings? The Logitech Connect Kit with Intel NUC meeting room bundle adds Intel NUC, Intel Unite, Iluminari QuickLaunch SE, and Logitech K400 Plus Wireless Touch Keyboard. This is high-performance video conferencing for up to 6 people.
Technical Specifications
Camera:
- Full HD 1080p video calling (up to 1920 x 1080 pixels);
- 720p HD video calling (up to 1280 x 720 pixels) with supported clients
- H.264 UVC 1.5 with Scalable Video Coding (SVC)
- Supports H.264 SVC 1080p, along with optimizations for best call performance in single or multiparty HD video
- 90-degree field of view with autofocus
- 4X digital zoom in Full HD
- Rightlight 2 Technology for clear image in various lighting environments (even low light)
- Digital pan, tilt, and zoom from remote control or optional downloadable app
- Mechanical tilt
- ZEISS lens certification
- Camera LED for active streaming indication
Speakerphone:
- Integrated full duplex speakerphone with echo and noise cancellation
- 360-degree wideband audio with 12-foot (3.6 m) diameter range
- Bluetooth® and NFC enabled
- LEDs for speakerphone streaming, mute, hold, and Bluetooth pairing
- Controls for call answer/end, volume mute
- Microphones (Tx):
- Two omnidirectional microphones supporting 3.6 m diameter range
- Frequency response: 100Hz – 16KHz
- Sensitivity: -34dB +/-3dB
- Distortion: <1% @ 1KHz at 65dB
- Speakers (Rx):
- Frequency response: 140Hz – 16KHz
- Sensitivity: 89dBSPL +/-3dB at 1W/0.5M
- Max output: 91.5dBSPL at 0.5M
- Distortion: <5% from 200Hz
Remote control:
- Dockable remote control for camera/speakerphone functions
- 10-foot (3 meters) range
Range:
- 12-foot diameter range (3.7 meters)
- 360-degree sound
Use Experience:
So what about actually using the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect? In a word it is … great. I’ve primarily used it as a speakerphone but have occasion to try our the video conferencing. Both work as promised with a clear picture and superb sound. My Board of Trustees meets monthly, and there is an increasing number of people who end up calling in. We don’t need the video conferencing abilities, but the speakerphone aspect works like a charm. (We’ve tried a few different devices and this is the best I’ve used!) I plan to start doing some remote teaching and will be using this. I’ll write an update to this review when I do. By any standard, it is an excellent telecommunications device but, when you add in its portability and the ability for it to work without the need to plug it into an outlet, it goes from excellent to downright awesome. At just under $500 it is more than a bit of a splurge if you only need a speakerphone that will allow an entire room full of people to be part of the conversation.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Easy to take anywhere; Decent but not amazing battery life; Connects physically or over Bluetooth; Works with most conferencing services; Easy to set up 360º sound; Excellent camera; Remote is part of the system but easily removable
What Needs Improvement: At $499 it is a bit of an investment