Review: Intelbras EVC 300 is a portable and complete videoconferencing system

The Brazilian intelbras, known for manufacturing security, network and telecommunications solutions, has just launched in Brazil a complete system for videoconferencing, EVC 300. Compatible with virtually any computer Windows, Linux ou Mac, The device does not require installing no software to work and still serves as a speaker.

Next, you can check the review complete that we made of Intelbras EVC 300, where we cover the main pros and cons of the device, as well as answer the question: is it worth investing in a system of video calls in times of pandemic and Home Office?

Design and Construction

The first thing to understand about video conferencing equipment from intelbras is that it is not a simple webcam, but a complete system for video calls – for this, it has a camera wide angle (capable of capturing a much wider scene than a webcam), noise-canceling microphone and a built-in speaker, with volume controls on the device itself, worth mentioning.

The arrangement of these elements is even easy to understand: at the top of the device, there are the volume controls for the speakers, the microphone and the Hi-Fi function – all touch sensitive, worth mentioning. Just below the camera, in turn, a manual adjustment lets you control the vertical slope of the lens. 

As for the general appearance of the device, it may not seem like it, but the EVC 300 It's big – about the size of a can of chips, or a bottle of wine, whichever you prefer. The size, despite sounding exaggerated, is ideal so that the device is positioned well above a table and is able to capture, both in video and in audio, as many people in the environment as possible.

Despite its size, it is worth mentioning that the device is light (425g) and its format helps with transport, as it has no moving parts or is connected to some kind of exchange, as with some other systems for video calls. This feature, by the way, counts a lot in favor of the EVC 300, since being a single cylinder concentrating the camera, the microphones and the speakers, there is not that mess of wires linking one thing to another.

By the way, wire mess is precisely what there is not here: the device only needs a cable to connect to the computer. The bad part of this cable, however, is that in addition to being relatively short (1,5 meters), the tip that connects to the device is of type mini-USB – an outdated connection and not to be confused with micro-USB or USB-C, standards already known in smartphones Android.

In short, the single handle offers practicality and a 'clean' look to the EVC 300, but in case you need to install the device longe computer or need to replace the cable sometime, you may encounter some difficulty as the mini-USB cable is not so easily found.

Videoconferencing: quality and functions

When it comes to testing what really matters, that is, the Quality of the audio and video captured by the EVC 300, as well as the features it offers for video calls, the point that most catches the eye is the ease of installing the device: due to the device being plug-n-play, it installs the necessary drivers itself as soon as it is connected for the first time.

In other words, the user does not have to download anything to the Intelbras EVC 300 work. Just plug it in, wait for the installation to start automatically and that's it, your videoconferencing system is ready to use. For this to work, however, you must be using a computer running Windows (7 or higher), Linux or Mac (OS X 10.10 or higher).

Once installed, the camera is compavailable with any video calling service (Skype or Whatsapp, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts, Google Meet and others). In fact, you can even use the Intelbras device as a camera same – in Windows, for example, this can be done by opening the Camera application and, if your PC already has a webcam, tapping on the icon to change the camera, so that the EVC 300 be activated.

When using the EVC 300 to Skype or Whatsapp and Zoom, I noticed that the image quality is satisfactory, however, it is not surprising: the device's camera has 2,1 megapixels and can record in Full HD, still, do not think that the quality of video calls will be superior to that of a smartphone – on the contrary.

Here, the goal is to provide everything you will need for a group video conference, and not necessarily one with very high quality broadcast. In fact, it is in this matter of groups that the EVC 300 more than a regular webcam: as the camera is a wide-angle, it captures a wide scene, allowing multiple people to appear in the image without having to huddle together.

As for the audio, in turn, the sound captured by the microphones is also not surprising for its quality, but it is clear and loud enough to be understood, even when the speaker is distant of the device. To be well heard, however, it is important to speak in the direction of the EVC 300 – this is because the noise suppression it is quite efficient and muffles most sounds coming from the back or sides of the device.

We tested the EVC 300 on Skype and Zoom, click on the images to enlarge:

That is, even if the device even captures the voice of someone who is far away, it is important to speak towards him to be well heard.

Still in terms of usability, the only factor that really bothered me when using the intelbras was the absence of a remote control: considering that the device seems to have been designed with a focus on practicality, an accessory of the genre was to be expected. Unfortunately, every time you want to adjust the volume of calls or disable the microphone, for example, you will have to go to the device (or connected computer) to make this adjustment.

Hi-Fi function

A Hi-Fi function is what gives a card up its sleeve to the Intelbras EVC 300. Contrary to what it seems, the purpose of the functionality has nothing to do with improving the quality of calls, since the device is plug-n-play and requires no adjustment to work. In fact, this function turns the system into a PC speaker – something most competing devices don't offer.

By activating the function, the fidelity of the sound emitted by the speaker improves considerably and allows you to enjoy music, videos and movies with great quality. It must be made clear that the function does not replace a sound system, even because it is a single speaker and it is not that loud, however it is a function that can be convenient, especially if your computer's speakers are not so competent.

Also, when activating the Hi-Fi function, the microphone is automatically disabled, which does not make the function useful for calls, only for media consumption.

Worth it?

Whether for the image quality or the features it offers, the videoconferencing system EVC 300 da intelbras it's an option in average of those available on the market. Still, the most important question to be answered is: do you accurate of such a system?

As we explained above, the EVC 300 has a different proposition than a webcam, so it shouldn't be compared to one or bought if one meets your needs. This type of device is only suitable for those who do professional video conferences frequently and you need a camera that captures many people at once.

If this is your case, the EVC 300 is a good choice, as it has a design and cabling that facilitate transport and installation, a plug-n-play system (just connect and use), records the images in Full HD (1080p), is capable of capturing up to six people in the same environment, due to the wide-angle camera, and even serves as a speaker, which can be useful in presentations.

Your only defect is not having a remote control to adjust the volume or disable the microphone from a distance.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a system just to “turbine” your video calls in home office, it is best to invest in a good webcam. Although none offers a package as complete as the product from intelbras, does not justify investing the approximate R$2.499 charged for the device if you don't need absolutely everything it offers.

But what about you, did you like our videoconferencing system review EVC 300 da intelbras? Remember that you can leave your opinion and interact with us in the comments field below!