Logitech BCC950 ConferenceCam review

Dave Mitchell Read more December 3, 2012

£204

Price when reviewed

Videoconferencing solutions are usually out of reach of small businesses, but Logitech’s BCC950 melds an HD eyeball camera and speakerphone for a more affordable alternative.

The camera offers 1080p image quality at 30fps and its built-in pan and tilt motors can be operated from the base unit or a small remote control. It uses H.264 encoding, which reduces network demands significantly.

The camera plugs into a recess in the base unit or to the end of a 9in extender stalk. The unit has USB host and power ports, or you can use the included power supply.

The unit is UVC compliant, so works with common apps such as Skype, Adobe Connect and Cisco’s WebEx. We had no problems installing it on a Windows 7 host. For Skype users, a patch enables the accept and decline call buttons on the base unit.

Logitech BCC950 ConferenceCam

The Skype patch also provides a webcam properties page where you can switch between manual and autofocus, and modify the image quality. Logitech’s RightLight manages brightness, colour and white balance, and we rarely had to resort to manual adjustment.

Image quality puts many HD IP cameras to shame, with sharp focus, rich colours and smooth motion. The 78-degree field of view allows for group video calls, and the pan and tilt feature covers 180 degrees horizontally and 55 degrees vertically.

Audio is clear, and loud enough to cover a large room. Full duplex audio means both parties can talk without cancelling each other out.

The camera has its problems. With a bright window directly behind, RightLight over-compensates, leaving the foreground far too dark, requiring manual adjustment.

Logitech’s BCC950 remains a great product, though: it’s cheap, easy to use and gives great-quality audio and video.