Logitech TV Cam

No optical zoom, no panning or tilting. No 1080p calling. Not currently compatible with other Google TV products. Logitech Vid HD software is not as feature packed as Skype 5.

Still, if you're looking for HD video calls on your living room, the TV Cam offers a simple, quality experience. Just keep in mind that HD video calls require more than the camera itself; you'll need a fast-enough Internet connection and the Google TV-powered Logitech Revue ($299.99 direct, 4 stars).

The Logitech Vid HD video calling application comes pre-installed on the Logitech Revue, and will soon be available on all Google TV products. According to Logitech, the TV Cam will eventually work with Sony Internet TVs, the Editor's Choice Sony Internet Blu-Ray player ($399, 4 stars), and other non-Logitech devices. Also, at some point in the future, the Logitech Revue should work with webcams other than the TV Cam.

Logitech Vid HD is available for Windows and Mac computers, so you can video chat with anyone with a webcam. Logitech Vid HD is extremely simple and not nearly as full-featured as Skype 5, which offers group video chat for up to 10 people, file transfers, VoIP, and other services.

Image quality can be excellent, but is dependent on the speed of your Internet connection; in order to transmit and receive HD video you'll need at least 1Mbps upload and download speeds. In the lab we average about 30Mbps up and down, and when I communicated with my brother in Texas he averaged 11.8Mbps down and 1.8 up, so we were in the clear, but you should definitely test out your internet connection first (www.speedtest.net). The speeds from Time Warner Cable in my apartment in Manhattan averaged 12 down but a measly .53 up. The connection was fast enough to receive HD video calls but not to transmit them, so my calls would drop down to standard-def. The Logitech TV Cam has built-in stereo microphones with noise reduction and echo cancellation. In our busy lab, video callers were able to hear me just fine.

Logitech Revue box

If you have a Logitech Revue box, and you want to add video calling to your HDTV, the $149 Logitech TV Cam will deliver a great experience without a headache, but you'll need a fast-enough Internet connection. If you're on the fence, it might be worth holding off until you have a choice of Google TV products to use with the TV Cam.

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