Product of the month Product of the month: Logitech GROUP video conferencing system


How often has that overused phrase ‘plug’n’play been used to describe a product that turns out to be anything but? For once the Logitech GROUP video conferencing / collaboration solution proved to be exact- ly as described on the box- literally, since the simple instructions are actually printed on the underside of the box lid.


There is no software to down- load. No complex wiring to in- stall (wires and connections are colour-coded so you can’t really go wrong.) Just position the conference phone, camera and satellite microphones. Open your Skype/ Microsoft Lync 2013, Skype for Business, Cis- co Jabber or WebEx compatible account and call.


In less than five minutes we set up a multiparty call be- tween four meeting attendees in four different locations, two using desktop computers, one with a laptop and one with an Android smartphone. This kind of ease-of-use is very much at odds with the popular idea of what video conferencing is all about – and yes we know all about fire wall traversal and the other complicating factors in traditional VC.


Logitech GROUP gets around all of that by using Skype, and other popular apps, as the ba- sis for exchanging audio and video content. If you can use Skype, you can use Logitech GROUP to improve the experi- ence. So what do you get that improves on a standard Skype call from a web cam enabled laptop or tablet?


Capabilities First,


Logitech GROUP pro- vides crystal-clear audio and high-quality HD video confer- encing for workgroups of up to 14 people (or up to 20 with the optional Expansion Micro- phones to improve audio recep- tion). Movement of the cam- era is directed from the unit’s remote control and proves to be highly sensitive. The PTZ camera’s optical performance was excellent, and particular- ly impressive in low light. The range of camera movement was


excellent, so we could have it see both the floor and ceiling, with a 260-degree pan and a 90-degree field of view. Audio was again free of any noticeable artefacts. The ad- dition of the Expansion Micro- phones enabled the more dis- tant meeting participants to be heard clearly, wherever those in our Test Center were sitting in the room. The full-duplex, sleek speakerphone delivered sound that is crisp, clear, and can be heard by everyone in the meeting. The unit’s metal case


helps improve acoustic


performance, and by isolating the microphone and speaker it provides good audio quality. The combination of four om- nidirectional microphones, acoustic echo and noise-can- celling technology delivers con- versational realism. Conference participants can converse with- in a 20-foot diameter around the base, or extend the range to 28-feet with the Expansion Mi-


devices for audio calls. The 1080p video quality brings full HD video to confer- ence calls, enabling meeting participants to clearly read ex- pressions and body-language. A wide field of view and smooth pan and tilt controls enhance collaboration by making it easy to see everyone in the room. On-board H.264 with scalable video coding frees up band- width by putting video process- ing within the camera, result- ing in a smoother video stream. The 10x lossless HD zoom al- lows participants to zero in on close-ups of objects and white- board content with outstanding detail and clarity.


Pricing and conclusion


Logitech GROUP is affordable and enables organisations


to


use the same room system configuration for whichever unified communications, web conferencing or video confer-


A typical Logitech GROUP installation – a small to medium-sized meeting room with the expansion micro- phones deployed to increase the reach of the audio.


revealed clearly demonstrable advantages over the PC / web- cam combination that many prospective users might already


use. By dealing with the issues usually associated with Skype calls, Logitech GROUP may prove a pathfinder to further


business technology invest- ments.


Logitech GROUP Specifications


System Requirements Windows 7, 8.1 or 10 Mac OS X 10.7 or higher Dimensions


Camera: 130 mm x 170 mm x 138 mm Weight: 585 g


Speakerphone: 240 mm x 65 mm x 240 mm Weight: 1223 g


Hub: 94 mm x 34 mm x 74 mm Weight: 83 g


Remote: 50 mm x 120 mm x 12 mm Weight: 51 g Wall/Table Mount: 210 mm x 120 mm x 99 mm Weight: 255 g


Expansion Mics: 83 mm x 83 mm x 21 mms Weight: 230 g Warranty -Year Limited Hardware Warranty


Technical Specifications Camera: Smooth motorized pan Tilt and zoom


Controlled from remote or console 260°pan 130° tilt


10x lossless HD zoom 90° Field of View Full HD 1080p 30fps


The Logitech GROUP conference phone / base unit: “The full-duplex, sleek speakerphone delivering sound that is crisp, clear, and can be heard by everyone in the meeting.”


crophones. It can also be used with Bluetooth-enabled mobile


The Logitech GROUP camera: “A wide 90-degree field of view and smooth pan and tilt controls enhance collaboration by making it easy to see everyone in the room.”


encing application they already use. The solution deploys in minutes and is simple to use, allowing any meeting space to be a flexible multi-use video collaboration space. We thor- oughly recommend Logitech GROUP as a standalone video solution for SMEs and as a de- partmental or workgroup solu- tion for enterprises.


Logitech GROUP is available


in the UK at a suggested price of £999 ex VAT. To this, you would probably want to add a monitor or a 42-inch or bigger flatscreen or smart TV. The ex- pansion microphones have an SSP of £249 ex VAT. At this price, Logitech GROUP pro- vides new users with an ideal introduction to video collabora- tion with very little risk. It takes what they already know and use and takes it the experience to the next level.


Logitech GROUP answers many of the traditional ob- jections to an investment in video conferencing – limited audience, high cost and con- siderable complexity. Our tests


P6 AV News August 2016


H.264 UVC 1.5 with Scalable Video Coding (SVC) Autofocus 5 camera presets Far-end control (PTZ) of ConferenceCam product ZEISS lens certification Kensington security slot LED to confirm video streaming Standard tripod thread Remote control: Dockable 8.5 m Speakerphone:


Full-duplex performance Acoustic echo cancellation Noise reduction technology Ultra-wideband audio Bluetooth and NFC enabled


LCD for caller ID, call duration and other functional response LEDs for speakerphone streaming, mute, hold, and Bluetooth Touch controls for call answer/end, volume and mute, Bluetooth – plus camera PTZ, “home” preset and far-end control Microphones:


Four omni-directional microphones supporting 20-foot diameter range Frequency response: 100Hz – 11KHz Sensitivity: -28dB +/-3dB Distortion: <5% from 200Hz Kensington security slot Hub / Cable:


Central mountable hub for connection of all components Included adhesive solution for under-table mounting Two cables for connection between hub and camera/ speakerphone (Length: 5m) One USB cable for connection to PC/Mac (Length: 2 m) AC Power adapter (Length: 3 m) Mount:


Dual purpose mount for wall placement or for elevating camera on table Compliance and tools: USB 2.0 compliant


UVC-compliant video and audio for broad application compatibility Skype for Business certified, Microsoft Lync, Cisco Jabber and WebEx compatible


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