WeContact: iContact Video Conference Camera Review
At Groove Management we focus on driving employee and client engagement through our work. This occurs both in person and virtually. Much of our executive coaching work is done over video. To aid in that work we have adopted the use of the iContact webcam with its unique fold down design, the camera improves eye contact. This improvement leads to better active listening and more focus during coaching calls. Read our full review here. iContact took this approach a step further to solve for team meetings with the introduction of the iContact Video Conference Camera. We have taken the liberty to rename the device “WeContact” as it drives team connection and engagement for video conference calls.
WeContact: Why this matters
Hybrid meetings are a challenge. Those in the room together get an added benefit of seeing all participants at once and being able to focus in on the speaker, while those on video only get a view of the entire team in the room. This challenge is solved by the iContact Conference Camera. Using AI the camera quickly shifts views from a wide-angle shot in 4K of the entire room to zooming in on the speaker. The shift happens seamlessly and allows video participants to engage with each person as they speak while also feeling a part of the room. The AI can be tuned to frame the speaker or the group and the image is optimized in real time as the camera shifts.
The camera is a 4K Ultra HD resolution camera with a Crisp 7 element lens and 120° field of view. The high quality of the camera is quite noticeable. The iContact Video Conference Camera looks like a soundbar with a built in camera. It features built-in speakers, noise cancellation and a 4 microphone array that helps with clear sound and the auto-tracking. There is an optional 360° table top microphone, yet in our use case we did not find the need for the external microphone.
The unit can be mounted above or below a monitor/TV or on a tabletop. In our use case we mounted the camera to the bottom of the TV. Our biggest complaint about the unit is the lack of clear instructions. The small instruction booklet is very generic and vague. There is not much additional information available online. The bottom of the base has a tripod mounting screw which could have been helpful for mounting the device under the TV however, it was unclear in the instructions that the camera has the ability to flip the image 180° for mounting it upside down. Therefore we used zip ties to attach it to the bottom of the TV. Better instructions and better mounting options would be an improvement, but these are minor issues.
We installed the iContact Video Conference Camera in a client’s conference room. We installed the camera in their US Headquarters so the US team could make their daily calls with their overseas counterparts more engaging. Between language, culture and timezone obstacles, the iContact Video Conference Camera serves as a great tool to drive engagement and bring the teams closer together.
There are several options for connectivity. We connected the unit via USB to the laptop, but it can also function stand alone using ethernet and an HDMI cable directly connected to the monitor or TV. The client use case saw the team using the setup with Microsoft Teams and for an occasional Zoom call as well.
The Specs:
4K Ultra HD webcam
AI Voice and group tracking
4 microphone array for noise- canceling
Autofocus, Auto white balance
Windows and Mac compatible
Works with all meeting apps:
Our Conclusion:
Hybrid meetings are tough especially for those not in the room or when two groups are spread across different conference rooms. While there is no perfect solution to hybrid meetings, the iContact Conference Camera does a pretty good job improving meeting quality. The AI driven zooming capability with participant tracking works quite well and provides a more immersive experience for those not in the room. The setup and instructions left room for improvement, but if you are at all tech savvy it is pretty self explanatory. In our tests we used the camera through Microsoft Teams and it performed quite well. If you pair the iContact Camera Pro for individuals with the iContact Conference Camera for a conference room, you will definitely enhance meeting engagement. The iContact Conference Camera is $329.00 and can be purchased here
