Why you’ll be able to belief TechRadar
We spend hours testing each services or products we evaluate, so that you could be certain you’re shopping for the most effective. Find out more about how we test.
This evaluate first appeared in subject 354 of PC Pro.
Jabra’s PanaCast 50 video bar ensures that no-one feels disregarded, with its triple 13MP 4K camera turret presenting a full 180° horizontal subject of view (FoV). What’s extra, lurking inside this 650mm vast cylinder is an 8-microphone beamforming array teamed up with pairs of 50mm woofers and 20mm tweeters.
Speaker monitoring is a minimize above the remaining, too, because the PanaCast 50 incorporates no fewer than 9 Edge processors, together with two Edge AI chips. These permit it to offer integral video analytics, apply always-on individuals counting and use Jabra’s Digital Director know-how to concentrate on the energetic speaker and nil in on them with its computerized 6x digital zoom.
The digital camera gives a USB-C port for BYOD conferences or connection to a everlasting room laptop. Jabra additionally presents two-room system options the place one companions the digital camera with its Android-powered touchscreen tablet whereas one other comes with Lenovo’s ThinkSmart Core + Controller gadgets.
The package features a wall-mounting bracket, with the non-compulsory aluminum desk stand costing £63. We additionally checked out Jabra’s Bluetooth distant pad (£39), which gives digital camera and audio controls plus direct entry to whiteboard sharing.
We reviewed the mannequin with a gray cloth cowl, however Jabra additionally presents a black model for a similar value. Whichever mannequin you select, you’ll discover integral Wi-Fi 5 providers plus a ten/100 Ethernet port on the again for distant administration utilizing Jabra’s free Xpress internet portal.
BYOD set up is straightforward: you merely join the digital camera to a USB port on a Home windows or macOS host laptop and await the drivers to load. It’s going to work fortunately with any UVC-compliant VC app, however don’t neglect to obtain Jabra’s Direct app in any other case you’ll miss out on a wealth of options.
The app’s digital camera controller window means that you can play with the picture high quality, set a zoom stage, transfer the digital camera view and save two presets that may be accessed from the distant. From the overall settings tab, you’ll be able to management individuals counting, allow the Digital Director and activate the brand new dynamic composition function, which places the 4 most up-to-date audio system in a cut up display screen.
A big monitor is beneficial, because the highest decision is a really vast 3,840 x 1,080 pixels. The PanaCast’s military of Edge CPUs come into play right here as they apply Jabra’s patented video-stitching know-how to provide a single picture from the three digital camera feeds.
This works completely as we couldn’t see any joins and the cameras ship a pin-sharp picture with nice coloration stability and distinction. Speaker monitoring could be very responsive, too: we might stroll round our assembly room and, even with out talking, the digital camera adopted us whereas we have been transferring.
Jabra’s microphone experience shines by way of. Distant individuals might hear us clearly at a five-metre distance, and the quad speaker combo was simply as spectacular. Jabra gained’t beat Biamp’s 2023 Excellence award-winning Parle VBC 2500 because the PanaCast 50 lacks somewhat within the bass division, but it surely delivers a clear and clear sound high quality with a 65% quantity stage fairly adequate for our 24m2assembly room.
Distant monitoring and administration are good, with the Xpress portal offering analytics on digital camera and room utilization. “Packages” group digital camera settings collectively and, while you set up the native Jabra Direct app, simply copy a bundle URL to it.
You possibly can remotely apply settings that override the native app. Throughout room creation, you add a tool serial quantity and apply most and security participant capacities. The digital camera makes use of its people-counting expertise to offer room utilization particulars and can warn you if the room is over capability.
This smooth cylinder delivers nice video and audio high quality, quick speaker monitoring and a wealth of superior options. Jabra’s Xpress internet portal presents sensible distant administration providers, and the super-wide view helps make the PanaCast 50 superb for all-inclusive conferences.