Whether you use Skype or FaceTime, or you do a weekly video podcast, the quality of the video camera you use is important. It also helps to have more than one camera to switch between, for variety and to make your video look more professional. Most webcams are USB-based, and I've often found that HD cams can actually 'overload' the USB bus so that only one can be used at a time. That's why the (US$199.99) is such a pleasant surprise. By using a Wi-Fi connection to beam 720p HD video to your Mac or iOS device, it's possible to use two or more HD cameras at the same time. The Wi-Fi connectivity also makes it possible to place the camera anywhere - there's no need to be tethered to a computer.
Design The design of the Logitech Broadcaster is quite different from other webcams we've tested. The camera is a rather small black rectangular object with a lens and lamp in the front, mode and lamp buttons on the side, and external microphone, micro-USB port (for charging and setup), and power button on the back. On the bottom is a hemispherical bump for placing the camera on its stand (more about that in a minute), and on the top is a large round capture button, a Wi-Fi signal strength indicator, and a battery level indicator.
The camera comes with a cylindrical hard plastic carrying case that also serves as a stand. That bump on the bottom of the camera fits into a dimple on the top of the case, and there's a magnet that holds the two securely together. Adjustment is simple; just move the camera to a position that's useful and it stays there. The bottom of the carrying case lid has a tripod screw mount, so the entire assembly can be put on a tripod. I like the idea of the hard case. It holds the camera very securely and keeps it from being damaged during transit, and works as a mini-tripod. Very ingenious!
Functionality Enough about how it looks; how does it work? To use the Broadcaster, you need to (for Mac or iPad) to your appropriate device. Once installed, that app is used to set up the camera for use. You don't actually have to connect the Broadcaster to your device to set it up. The app takes you through the process one step at a time, starting with turning the Broadcaster on, giving the camera a name to identify it and giving the app your Wi-Fi password. Once you've done that, it displays a QR code that you point the camera at, pressing the large capture button until the camera beeps. A few seconds later, it is ready to use with your device.
Logitech has designed the Broadcaster to work seamlessly with, the streaming video service that we use for. In fact, once you've set up the Broadcaster to work with Ustream, you don't even need to use a Mac or iOS device to stream your video (assuming you're still in range of the configured WiFi network). Just turn on the camera and press the capture button, and you're on the air. Of course, if you're doing video podcasting or making VoIP calls, you'll need to have some other app open. I found that just about every Mac app I tried - FaceTime, Skype, Wirecast, Ustream Producer (a version of Wirecast), Wirecast for YouTube, PhotoBooth, Boinx TV, Camtasia, and Motion FX - worked fine with the camera. In some cases, particularly with the Wirecast apps, the video resolution seemed to be stuck in non-HD modes, but that is most likely an issue with the apps not recognizing the camera as an HD device.
Speaking of modes, the mode button described earlier is used for one thing only - using the device to broadcast directly to Ustream. The color and picture quality of the Broadcaster is excellent. I currently use a Logitech C910 HD webcam for TUAW TV Live, and the Broadcaster does as good a job as the wired camera. One concern I would have is how the camera would work in conditions with high network traffic, for example when an live HD stream is being broadcast from a Mac and the camera is is trying to send a stream as well. With the iPhone and iPad app, I found I had some difficulties connecting to the camera unless the Mac or other device was completely asleep and the camera was restarted. In fact, I was never able to connect to the camera from my iPhone, getting a 'Camera Disconnected' message every time. The iPad worked very well.
The app provides a way to record or to broadcast to UStream from your iOS device. When recording, the video can be captured in 360p, 480p, or 720p resolution. The app provides a way to monitor the battery level of the camera as well - I found the battery to last about three hours in actual use without using the light, although part of that time the camera wasn't actually streaming. For doing livestreams, the combination of the Broadcaster and the iOS app is a winner.
I can easily imagine using an iPad and Broadcaster to do 'live remotes' from locations with Wi-Fi - this would be perfect for broadcasting seminars or conferences. One final note: this really is the perfect webcam for anyone with either a Mac mini or Mac Pro who isn't using an Apple Thunderbolt Display with the built-in FaceTime HD camera. It won't take up a port on your device, can be moved anywhere in your workspace, and is easy to take on the road. Conclusion While many people will probably be happy with using the built-in FaceTime camera on their Mac or iOS device, there's definitely an market for external HD video cameras. The Logitech Broadcaster should be at the top of any video podcaster's shopping list, as it provides a well-designed wireless option to the webcam market. Pros.
To use the Broadcaster, you need to download the Logitech Broadcaster app (for Mac or iPad) to your appropriate device. Once installed, that app is used to set up the camera for use.
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Lightweight design with a dual-purpose hard case that both protects and supports the camera. Good battery life - enough to do a two-hour show on a single charge. Excellent integration and compatibility with the Mac and iPad. Easy setup, doesn't require a USB tether to a device to set up. Logitech Broadcaster software is free and easy to use.
Can be set up to broadcast to Ustream without a computer Cons. Price is significantly higher than most USB webcams. Could not get the camera to work with the Broadcaster app on an iPhone 4S Who is it for? Anyone who needs a primary or secondary HD webcam for videoconferencing or video podcasting who needs the flexibility afforded by being able to place the camera well away from a computer. Also, anyone who would like a way to do broadcasts via Ustream without the need for a computer.
Mac Operation To install the application on your Mac, navigate to www.logitech.com/broadcaster. You'll be prompted to choose your OS, and then to download the Broadcaster software.
Install that as normal, and the software will walk you through a series of steps to turn on the camera, name the camera, connect it to your Wi-Fi, and then scan an onscreen QR code to finish the connection. Note that this software does not run on Windows; you'll need a Mac, iPad, or iPhone to set up the unit. Once installed, you have several preferences to set; most important is NTSC vs. Most others relate to setting up Wi-Fi and Ustream connections, which you'll configure in the normal course of operation. The Broadcaster software has two interfaces: one for recording to the computer, and the Broadcast to Ustream interface shown below in Figure 2. As you can see in Figure 2, there are two status indicators beneath the preview window: one showing the strength of your Wi-Fi connection, the other showing remaining battery life.
This is the interface you use to broadcast to Ustream on your Mac. Note the status info on the lower left, showing the actual and target bitrate and frame rate. Audio and video configuration controls are modest and shown below in Figure 3; you can adjust exposure and audio gain, or leave both in auto as I did in my tests. You access these by clicking the wrench on the lower left of the Broadcast to Ustream window.
These are your exposure and gain adjustments. Ustream-related configuration options are also modest, and shown in Figure 4 (below), accessed via the configuration button on the lower right of the Broadcast to Ustream interface. You can choose one of four video resolutions, with your choice typically dictated by the outbound bandwidth of your Wi-Fi connection. For the record, the 176p broadcast targeted 262 Kbps while the 360p targeted 525 Kbps, both data rates my outbound DSL connection was able to achieve. These are your Ustream recording options. At 480p, the Broadcaster targeted 786 Kbps, and the actual data rate often fluctuated beyond the capabilities of my DSL connection, resulting in noticeable gaps in the video.
At 720p, the unit targeted 1,573 Kbps, well beyond my outbound connection speed. All tests maxed out at 24 fps, though as you can see in Figure 2, the unit will drop frames if bandwidth is insufficient to meet the target. The other options shown in Figure 4 include whether to record the broadcast and show statistics. If you don't record the broadcast, it will appear live but won't be saved by Ustream; this is good for experimenting and configuring, but you probably want to enable this for most regular broadcasts. With statistics enabled, you get the information shown on the lower left of Figure 1, which I found pretty useful. Once you've got these items configured, you press the Start Broadcasting button on the bottom of the Broadcast to Ustream window.
This button then toggles into a Stop Broadcast button used to stop the broadcast.