360 Camera Reviews

Standalone Video Conferencing Camera with 360-degree auto tracking – no PC needed (Kandao Meeting Pro)

Kandao Meeting Pro is a standalone video conferencing camera with 360-degree subject tracking
Kandao Meeting Pro is a standalone video conferencing camera with 360-degree subject tracking

How would you like a standalone video conferencing camera that can track subjects in 360 degrees for Zoom, Skype, or other popular video conferencing apps?   Here are the key features of the Kandao Meeting Pro.

Background

COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way many of us work, learn, shop and even meet.  A year ago, no one would have imagined that many of us would be working from home or that many children would be learning through video conferencing.  Although we can hope that the pandemic will eventually be controlled, some of these changes may persist.

Kandao Meeting Pro is a standalone video conferencing 360 camera with advanced features such as being able to track multiple subjects automatically in 360 degrees.   It’s an upgraded version of the Kandao Meeting video conferencing camera, which was launched in August 2019 and has since been used in many universities and businesses around the world.  With an even greater need now for video conferencing, Meeting Pro builds on its predecessor’s success with new features that could make it one of the best video conferencing cameras.

Conventional video conferencing cameras rely on only one lens.  Kandao Meeting Pro uses two fisheye lenses to capture the view in 360 degrees like a 360 camera but with two important differences.  First, rather than using a desktop or phone app to stitch the videos, it stitches the video in-camera and in realtime.  Second, instead of showing a 360 degree video, Meeting Pro uses AI to identify subjects and shows the subject as a non-360 video in 1080p or 720p.

Kandao Meeting Pro Specifications and Features

Kandao Meeting ProKandao Meeting
LensesTwo 220-degree fisheye lensesTwo 220-degree fisheye lenses
Resolution per lensTBD4000 x 3000
Stitched video resolution1920 x 1080 @ 30fps or 1280 x 720 @ 30fps1920 x 1080 @30fps
Video codecH.264 or MJPEGMJPEG
Operating SystemAndroidNone
StorageMicro SD
Speaker5 watts10 watts
Microphone and speaker range5.5 meters radius4 meters radius
DimensionsTBD126mm x 285mm
Weight400 grams1484 grams
PriceTBD$699

Here are the key features of the Kandao Meeting Pro.

    1. Standalone use.  The biggest improvement over the Kandao Meeting is that Meeting Pro can be used as a standalone video conferencing camera.   It can be used without a PC or phone because it runs on Android and can run video conferencing software.
    2. Compatibility.  Meeting Pro works with popular video conferencing software including Zoom, Skype, Cisco Webex, Slack, and GoToMeeting.  Because it uses Android, it can potentially be used for any Android-compatible video conferencing app.
    3. Ease of use.  Simply connect Meeting Pro via HDMI to a TV or monitor and use the optional remote control to navigate through the menu.  You can connect to your home or office Wi-Fi network and launch your preferred video conferencing app.  Alternatively, you can connect the Meeting Pro to your laptop via a USB Type C cable and use it for video conferencing the same way as you would any other webcam.
    4. 360-degree AI subject tracking.  Meeting Pro uses AI to track multiple subjects and can switch the view to whomever is the speaker.
    5. Multiple modes.  Meeting Pro has multiple display modes depending on whether it is being used for a presentation, video conference or other purpose.  There is also a custom mode that lets you design the ideal view for your usage.
      Kandao Meeting Pro has multiple display modes, including a custom mode
      Kandao Meeting Pro has multiple display modes, including a custom mode
    6. Omnidirectional microphone and speaker.  Meeting Pro uses echo cancellation, noise reduction, and beam forming so that it can record and be heard by participants as far away as 5.5 meters radius.
    7. Portability.  Meeting Pro is much more portable than Kandao Meeting or most other video conferencing cameras.  It can readily fit in a laptop bag or a handbag.  It’s also light at only 400 grams.  It’s easy to take on business trips even when you don’t plan to have check-in luggage.
    8. Record the video conference.  You can simultaneously record the video conference on a Micro SD card, in MP4 format (H.264) or MJPEG (motion JPEG).
Kandao Meeting Pro is portable and weighs only 400 grams
Kandao Meeting Pro is portable and weighs only 400 grams

Connectivity

Kandao Meeting Pro supports several types of connections:

  1. 5G and 2.4G Wi-Fi for establishing a wireless internet connection.
  2. HDMI to connect to TVs and monitors.
  3. USB Type C for connecting to a PC (as an option).
  4. USB Type A to connect to external devices such as a keyboard or mouse.
  5. 100mbps RJ45 ethernet port for a more reliable internet connection.
  6. Bluetooth 4.1 for connecting to its remote control accessory.

Price and availability

Kandao Meeting Pro is available from Kandao for $899 and will start shipping on January 8, 2021.

About the author

Mic Ty

6 Comments

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  • That’s what they were doing instead of improve Qoocam 8k functionality and giving they actual real customers a better firmware. I am so sad to choose kandao as my 360 provider… I give up with them, changing to another brand soon. 🙁

    • I agree with and understand your frustration. The thing is – and I say this as a Qoocam 8K owner – that an enterprise camera is going to sell better. The number of consumer/prosumer 360 users is going to be less than the number of potential business customers for a long time, so this approach makes more sense for the company.

      • Is it really, though? Are there so many enterprise customers out there that it could out-weight the potential direct-to-consumer sales? It’s not as if these seem to be priced in the 4-figure enterprise range.

        Also it seems like this is, at most, a software engine married to a Qoocam with a couple extra ports. This probably could have been sold as a $200 dock that looked like a Google or Amazon puck, with a 1/4-20 to mount the a QooCam 8k and a USB-C connector that plugged into the 8K or even a future, next-gen QooCam – without having to dedicate an entire camera system to drop in the meeting features.

  • I wish there were a way to volunteer to edit their scripts for videos before they posted them. The YouTube intro video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNQICi80MZw) has some excellent content, but… wow, the English is terrible. I mean, I understand why, but it’s just too bad that they couldn’t run it past a native or fluent speaker first.