Logitech go after video conferencing market

10 February 2005 13:50 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Logitech has announced a new webcam - the ViewPort AV 100. The new unit combines a USB based, features a Logitech video camera, an integrated microphone with acoustic echo cancellation, and a Bluetooth wireless headset into a single, sleek console.

“Video conferencing has been around for years in the boardroom, but the technology had not reached a point where price, quality and ease of use made it viable for widespread use at the desktop,” said Gina Clark, director of product marketing for Logitech's Video Business Unit. “This landscape is changing, as custom-designed products such as the Logitech ViewPort AV 100 address an eager corporate market with high-quality, versatile hardware at a very compelling price. We're working closely with a number of valued partners to help them deliver a variety of video communications solutions to businesses of all sizes.”

Logitech is marketing the ViewPort AV 100 with Polycom's PVX software video conferencing solution through select distributors and value added resellers to enterprise customers. The ViewPort/PVX solution extends Polycom's market-leading, conference-room-quality voice and video experience to the PC, delivering TV-like video quality at 30 frames per second with H.264 video compression, and near-CD quality audio using Polycom's Siren 14™ (14 kHz) sound, even over low bandwidth connections.

The face of this stylish product contains only two buttons - one to launch the conferencing application, and the other to block video and mute sound for temporary privacy during a conference call. The design also incorporates a docking cradle to house and recharge the included Bluetooth wireless headset. The Logitech ViewPort AV 100 offers the option of communicating through an embedded microphone for conferencing mode, or through the Bluetooth wireless headset for privacy and increased mobility.

The Logitech ViewPort AV 100 has a 51-degree field-of-view and the ability to transmit high-quality video up to 30 frames per second, depending on the application and speed of the Internet connection.

The Logitech ViewPort AV 100 will initially be available to solution providers, VARs and system builders.

Full tags

Cameras, Video And Editing, Webcams, Logitech, Wi-Fi