Logitech MeetUp
Upgrade your online meetings.
If you have a newish laptop or a entry level webcam you’ll successfully be able to hold one-on-one conference calls. If, however, you need to regularly connect groups of people via video feed (and throw presentations into the mix) then there’s a case to be made for hardware that makes it easy for everyone to be seen and heard.
The Logitech MeetUp is a high quality camera, microphone and speaker package that is designed to create a seamless online meeting experience for small teams of up to six or eight people. Looking like a fancy consumer soundbar this all-in-one conference cam connects to a PC and a screen to facilitate high quality conferencing without too many moving parts or spaghetti junctions.
The device is fitted with a wide 120-degree field of view camera that can pivot and tilt to capture everyone in a single frame, even in smaller meeting rooms where people are close to the camera. This wide angle lens has been calibrated to not distort or barrel the video footage at the edges — as you get with fish-eye style magnification — providing clarity to see people and read text at the edges of the frame. Complimenting this is a 4K sensor that gives the camera five times digital zoom and works in conjunction with auto-framing software to position everyone optimally in the FullHD video feed.
One of the unique elements of the MeetUp is the integration of the speakers into the camera and mic hub. This central location is great for the overall experience because it projects the audio and records the video from the same point as displaying the video feed — which means that when you look at or listen to someone, your gaze and audio reference point are spatially where they should be.
Logitech recommends the standalone MeetUp device for groups of up to six, though you could probably get away with up to 12 if you’re willing to add optional extras like the $370 Expansion Mic. While the MeetUp’s three beamforming microphones and voice tuned speakers guarantee great recorded and reproduced vocals within a 2.4 metre range, the Expansion Mic extends this optimal range to 4.2 metres. Both these wideband, noisecancelling microphone hubs do an excellent job of isolating important speech and reducing unwanted background noise.
You wont’ have to worry about compatible software, with plug-and-play compatibility for Skype for Business, Microsoft Cortana and Cisco Jabber, and enhanced functionality with the BlueJeans, Broadsoft, LifeSize Cloud, Vidyo, and Zoom conferencing software. If you use Google Hangouts, or any other software that recognises a webcam, MeetUp is close to perfect.
A regular remote control is packaged with MeetUp, but your smartphone can be paired to the device with an Android or iOS app. This software helps you to make sure the camera is pointing in the right direction and the volume is appropriate for the space. You can also use the Bluetooth connection to stream a conference call you’ve dialed in for, to considerably boost the audio quality.
At $1,399, they’re a little more pricey than the $400 or so you’d pay for a highend web cam, but this device is a perfect solution for a modern office that needs to have small teams in different locations collaborate quickly and effectively.