Konftel is a Sweden-based audio peripherals provider that’s been around since the 1980s.
The company is squarely focused on reducing the friction in meeting experiences while keeping in mind environmental needs. The company has a wide range of audio and video products, with resellers across the world that are all climate-neutral certified. In fact, Konftel is among the first ones in the industry to offer climate-neutral conferencing solutions.
Its recent release, Konftel CC200, carries on these principles, in line with its Scandinavian design aesthetic and world-leading audio technology. Here’s our review.
Inside Konftel CC200
The CC200 is an all-in-one, audio + video solution for meeting rooms with 1 to 6 participants. It is a standalone device, which means that you don’t need a PC to run it.
Here is a quick review of its key features:
- Video – The CC200 supports most major video protocols, including H.264 and H.264 High Profile. You can run up to two simultaneous channels, streaming from a camera as well as content from a connected PC/smartphone. There is a wide range of encoding formats to choose from when working with live video, touching 352 x 240p@25, 30fps as the lower limit and 1920 x 1080p@25, 30fps as the upper limit
- Audio – The CC200 supports audio connectivity via both Bluetooth and USB (input) – there are two USB ports, leaving you spoilt for choice. For audio output, you can plug in an HDMI outlet or connect an additional peripheral through Bluetooth or USB. The CC200 ships with Konftel’s signature omnisound technology that provides crystal clear sound in all directions
- Collaboration – As a standalone device, Konftel CC200 does not sacrifice collaboration features for portability. There is a 1080p camera onboard for wireless presentations. Or, you could present content via Android apps or a traditional USB memory stick. Your meetings can be recorded on the USB memory stick as well (at a 720p resolution), complete with a digital signature. The device is powered by Miracast, so you can share your screen on a peripheral display
- Security – We like that Konftel has embedded a number of security features to prepare the CC200 for both home use and enterprise scenarios. There is a cryptographic hash, HTTP web access, whitelisting, public key utilization, and SIp authentication
- User interface – The UI has a seamless learning curve with your typical IR remote control and Android apps for smartphone-based usage. Enterprise customers can gain from the CC200’s API-based interface, but it also supports touchscreens, keyboards, and mice for additional control interfaces. You can integrate the CC200 with your Microsoft Exchange data for calendar synchronization and data exchange
- Form factor and connectivity – The CC200 is as compact as they come, at just 11 inches long, 2.2 inches wide, and 2.6 inches tall. This makes it excellent for sitting atop any industry-standard display/monitor. A large part of the device’s real estate is taken up by its powerful camera, and the rest by four built-in microphones. The ports are neatly tucked away on the back, and if you need more extensibility, you can add on accessories such as the Konftel AV Grabber (to connect the CC200 to a PC), Konftel Ego (a personal speakerphone), and Konftel 55Wx (a business speakerphone)
Why Konftel CC200 Makes a Difference
Three’s three reasons why Konftel’s CC200 stands out in the huddle room technology crowd. First, it is a one-stop-solution that sits quietly on your display, with all updates and device management on the cloud. Second, its double-channel capability means that it supports both video and audio – which is unusual in the standalone segment. Finally, it is climate-neutral certified, which is definitely a move in the right direction as we try to reduce our carbon footprint in small but meaningful ways.
What We Think
In the age of remote working, personal meeting rooms are extremely relevant. The Konftel CC200 is meant for the collaboration power user who regularly relies on video for a variety of content/ideas sharing needs.
When the company unveiled the device at ISE 2020 and IT Expo, it highlighted its sheer ease of use; “It takes no more than a few minutes to install a Konftel CC200, and there is no need to run new cables in the room. Once up and running, the user can count on sharp video and stable audio, since this dedicated video conferencing device is not reliant on the quality of a PC to function as a video platform.”
Expectedly, this places it at a slightly premium segment of personal WFH devices and within the mid-range of enterprise products at an MSRP of $899. But this is a one-time investment for continued productivity, without any interruptions, which is always a good idea.
