Logitech Rally Bar HuddlePRODUCT REVIEW
Logitech Rally Bar Huddle
Huddle spaces shouldn’t be literal! Crouching around a laptop and having three or four colleagues rely on a built-in webcam, microphone, and speakers is no fun. On the other hand, video conferencing bars are designed to capture larger spaces – a pan-tilt-zoom camera with optical zoom is not needed. The Rally Bar Huddle provides the simplicity of an all-in-one hardware solution, tailored to a smaller gathering. With a BYOD mode, USB mode, and even Appliance mode (with a Tap or Tap IP for control), the Rally Bar Huddle is able to bring the benefits of Logitech’s CollabOS to a more modest set of built-in components. It’s perfect when the room needs a great set of features and a seamless user experience, but not necessarily high performance audio or visuals.
Key Specifications
- Certifications Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet
- Appliance Mode Yes, requires Tap IP or Tap
- USB Mode Yes
- Built-in Video Fixed camera Supported resolutions: 4K Zoom: 4x digital Total room coverage: 113 degrees Horizontal, 80 degrees Vertical
- Built-in Microphones 6 MEMS
- Built-in Speakers 1
- Displays supported 1
Price range
At $1,699 MSRP, the Logitech Rally Bar Huddle is priced to compete with other entry-level video bars. Former Profound Technologies project manager and current head of purchasing Don Hirtley immediately thought of the Yealink A20 and HP | Poly’s Studio X30 conferencing solutions. Account executive Trevor Depp compared the pricing to the exact same competing models from Yealink and HP | Poly. “For the price, (the Huddle is) a good product,” he said. “I’d say it’s right there where it needs to be.”
Build Quality
“Looking at the Rally Bar Huddle itself, it looks like it’s built well,” Head of Accounting Karen Waller said, “when you took the (grille) off, it wasn’t loose or sloppy. “I do like the thought process to be able to hang it above the TV, with a sticky pad so it doesn’t fall off,” she said. “That was well-thought out.” Don agreed, praising the overall build quality and versatility of the included mount, calling it “an innovation with the Huddle, compared to the Rally Bars that have been out for years.” “It is very sleek, and I love that the colors can be swapped out,” Trevor said, referring to the removable grille. “The wire management is really on point.”
Installation experience
The Rally Bar Huddle provides an installer with several mounting options, providing important flexibility for any application. “The multi-mount is great. There’s a variety of different positions it can do, but they also made (the Rally Bar Huddle) compatible with other Rally mounting options,” Don said, “so if you needed to have a VESA mount – not just connected the wall – you can still use that Rally family VESA mount to not attach to the wall, but still have (the Rally Bar Huddle) underneath the TV.” Don also called attention to the adhesive pad on the multi-mount. “You have that lock, so if someone bumps into the display, it won’t fall down,” he said. “It really makes (the Rally Bar Huddle) secure.”
Industry standards
The Logitech Rally Bar Huddle does not support high definition copyright protection (HDCP) via HDMI, which is standard practice to allow for meeting content to be recorded. Its HDMI output supports 1080p, so be aware of that if you plan to connect a computer running at a higher resolution. Like its older siblings in the Rally Bar family, the Huddle supports USB 3.0 via a USB A and USB C input. Despite the distance limitation with USB, the Rally Bar Huddle is able to connect to a huge number of existing devices. Logitech has certified the Rally Bar Huddle with Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android and (with PC) Windows, with certifications pending for Zoom and Google Meet.
User interface
Our team had a positive experience with Logitech’s CollabOS via the Tap IP. “I don’t know what it would be like to use it without the Tap (IP),” Karen said, “but using the Tap seems just as easy as any of the other (all-in-ones).” The Rally Bar Huddle “keeps in line with the Zoom standards, and it’s easy to use,” Trevor said. Don agreed, saying it would be familiar to anyone who has already used Logitech Rally products. “When you’re in the Logitech ecosystem, you get a really good, consistent user experience.”
Standard Features
For the size and price point of the Rally Bar Huddle, our panelists were impressed with the video features and removable grille. “I like that you physically have a camera shade on the front, so people will know they’re not on camera,” Trevor said. For Karen, the speaker framing stood out. “It’s not jumpy. It’s very smooth,” she said, and the far-end video output was “very clear, even though the preview doesn’t look as clear.” “The one thing that really stood out to me is the removable grille cover for the Huddle,” Don said. “It comes with graphite, but also different colors. … there’s an easy-clean one for healthcare, so that they can wipe it off after each patient visit.” Heckler, an AV furniture company, makes custom covers for the Rally Bar Huddle, he added.
Reasons to buy
Our team agreed the entry-level price point made the Logitech Rally Bar Huddle an attractive option for smaller spaces. “The price point is good, even though you may need additional equipment,” Karen said. “It seems like it would be easy to install and bring up to speed, without a lot of labor costs.” “(End users) would and should buy this product for a smaller huddle room. This is a great fit for them, where they want a dedicated room system, all-in-one,” Trevor said. “You’re dealing with better tech support from the manufacturer,” he added, noting that Logitech has been around longer than its competitors in the category. “I would go with the (Rally Bar Huddle) if you’re more familiar with the Logitech gear,” Don said. “If you already have a Rally Bar, if you already have a Rally system, you know what you’re getting.”
Reasons to reconsider
Trevor said that a common mistake is trying to cover a larger room with a small video bar. “The thing I see clients do is try to put a device that’s meant for a small room in a larger space, and then complain that it doesn’t fit their needs, which – of course it wouldn’t,” he said. “They might have bigger conference rooms,” Karen concurred. “This product seems like it’s more for smaller (applications).” “People don’t take into account the acoustics of (their) room, the size of the room, the distance from where the table is to where the camera is going to be installed,” Don said. Don also noted that the Rally Bar Huddle doesn’t support BYOD mode, so end users interested in that feature would need to step up to the Rally Bar Mini.
Conclusion
The Logitech Rally Bar Huddle is a compelling entry point for an all-in-one video product. Although it is not a standalone product, the Huddle offers a friendly price point when packaged with a Tap IP – and many users prefer to have a touch panel interface for their meeting rooms anyway. Innovations on the design side, like the customizable grille and mounting hardware, offer flexibility that hasn’t been offered yet on other Rally products. As with other video conferencing bars, buyers should be wary of trying to use the Rally Bar Huddle in a room space that’s simply too large for it to adequately cover. Check out the table below for the ratings from our team