Logitech BCC950 ConferenceCam review

We’re really impressed by the clarity of the speaker and microphone, too. When using the webcam in an internet conference call, the people we were speaking to sounded clear and natural, while they reported that our voices were also coming through loud and clear. A 3.5mm stereo port on the base allows you to connect a pair of headphones for more private calls, although it doesn’t support microphone-equipped headsets.

The BCC950 will work with anything from Cisco video conferencing to Microsoft Lync and Avaya’s Asterisk-based VoIP systems. However, it’s Skype that’s usually the VoIP service of choice when it comes to small business video conferencing, thanks to its free basic features and ease of use. Logitech provides a specific Skype plug-in to ensure that the answer and hang-up buttons on the base work properly with your Skype client.

You can answer and hang-up calls using the remote

There are some downsides to video conferencing with Skype that you should bear in mind, though. Skype will by default use all available bandwidth across your internet connection in order to ensure the smoothest possible video quality. This is good news when it comes to the smoothness of your video conference, but can adversely affect anyone who’s trying to work across the same internet connection at the same time. This particularly applies to small businesses sharing a relatively slow cable, VDSL or even ADSL connection among its staff, particularly if other users need to use critical but by default low-priority SSH connections without interruptions.

This is unlikely to be a problem in a business with only a handful of staff, but if it proves to be an issue, your options are to use a router with configurable QoS (Quality of Service) settings which allow you to prioritise certain kinds of network traffic. By default, most QoS prioritises video traffic, which is extremely sensitive to dropped or mis-ordered packets, but a handful of routers provide you with the kind of detailed controls that allow you to limit bandwidth usage by port, IP address or even based on the characteristic usage of specific programs, such as Skype.

While the BCC950 ConferenceCam doesn’t have pixel-perfect picture quality when it comes to capturing fast movement, it’s easy to use, looks good and provides accurate colour and excellent audio quality. If your business uses Skype, Linc or similar services for its communications, then this is an excellent alternative to similarly priced voice-only VoIP conference phones.