Video conference calls have become a regular occurrence in offices, but squeezing everybody into frame can be a challenge. To help make sure everyone in a tight meeting room can be both seen and heard, Logitech has announced the MeetUp, a 4K conference camera with a wide-angle lens and microphones tuned for small-space acoustics.
There's no shortage of conference cameras out there, from small portable systems to those built into collaborative digital whiteboards. But not many are designed to take the size of the room into account, and Logitech believes it's filling a niche with a focus on smaller "huddle spaces."
"As companies move to open floor plans, huddle spaces are becoming increasingly popular in workplaces today," says Scott Wharton, vice president and general manager of Logitech Video Collaboration. "But until now, the devices in these meeting spaces have been scaled-down versions of large room systems, offering a subpar video experience. Logitech MeetUp is purpose-built for the huddle room and its unique video and audio requirements, making sure everyone at the table is clearly seen and heard."
The camera captures the room at 4K resolution, with a 120-degree field of view that can be panned an extra 25 degrees left or right, as needed. On the audio front, the MeetUp contains three sound-isolating microphones, and an optional extra microphone can extend the voice pick-up range to 14 ft (4.3 m).
Plugging into a device's USB slot, the MeetUp is designed to be ready to go out of the box. It can be controlled through the Logitech ConferenceCam Soft Remote app on iOS and Android devices, while Windows 10 systems make it compatible with voice commands through the Cortana assistant.
The Logitech MeetUp will be available in July for US$899 (€1099, £999), while the Expansion Mic can be bought separately for $219 (€249, £229). The company demonstrates the device in the video below.
Source: Logitech