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04 Nov

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Obsbot Tiny Review: Bringing A.I. Smarts to the Webcam

November 4, 2021
Posted by Samson

Obsbot Tiny with LED lighting switched on

"The Obsbot Tiny is a unique webcam that could have benefited from a larger sensor."

advantages

Subject tracking works fine
AI-controlled panning, tilting and zooming
Noise-canceling microphones
Innovative gimbal design

disadvantage

Image quality suffers in low light
Maximum resolution of 1080p

Webcams have become an integral part of our lives – especially in the past year and a half – and allow us to collaborate and communicate remotely. While most webcams try to differentiate themselves in terms of video and microphone quality, Obsbot takes a radically different approach.

Based on the proven 1080p video standard, the $ 199 Obsbot Tiny is a personal home webcam that blends artificial intelligence, a two-axis gimbal, and subject tracking capabilities into a truly powerful solution that is normally found in larger and often more expensive devices too is to find conference room products.

It promises to be a smart tool for YouTubers, with more natural pan, tilt, and zoom functions that will make your videos appear dynamic.

draft

Obsbot Tiny with LED lighting switched on

In a room where most webcams haven't changed much over the years, Obsbot's setting is a surprising breath of fresh air. Instead of relying on a humble one-piece case to house the image sensor and microphones and a stand that attaches to most monitors, Obsbot instead gives the traditional design an extreme makeover. With the Obsbot Tiny you get a mix of a traditional webcam and a gimbal, like the Osmo series from DJI.

At first glance, the design of the Obsbot may seem refreshing, but a bit over the top. After all, monitors don't need the stabilization mechanism of a gimbal as they are meant to be a stationary piece of technology and most people don't have important video calls from a noisy train or a turbulent airplane. However, in this case the gimbal is not designed for stabilized video feeds, but for controlling the cam.

The Tiny uses artificial intelligence to drive the motor in the two-axis gimbal so that the camera can pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ). This makes them one of the most compact PTZ desktop webcams on the market today, if not the most compact.

In fact, this design is similar to the Obsbot Tiny DJI's Pocket 4K with a choppy handle. The Tiny comes with a magnetic base that allows it to be attached to most metal surfaces and a magnetic mounting clip so it can be easily attached to laptops and monitors. Creatives looking to use this on a tripod can also rely on the threads on the bottom of the Tiny.

Obsbot Tiny on the MacBook Pro

Like many modern webcams, the Obsbot can record video at FHD 1080p resolution, but the downside is that you're limited to 30 frames per second – other fps formats aren't supported. Digital zoom is supported, and the maximum zoom is 2x, which gives you some flexibility in panning and zooming for closer shots if you're willing to sacrifice some image quality in the process.

The camera has omnidirectional microphones with noise canceling technology, which worked surprisingly well when testing the device at home and in a quieter coffee shop in the afternoon.

Magnetic holder for Obsbot Tiny.

The gimbal allows the camera to pan up to 150 degrees and tilt up or down up to 45 degrees, adding the flexibility to get the perfect shot if you're a video artist looking to stream.

A single USB cable is all you need to connect your desktop or laptop. Obsbot also included a DC connector in case your device isn't supplying enough power to the Tiny. In our tests, we didn't have to use DC power on a variety of Apple, HP, and Lenovo laptops.

Performance and image quality

Obsbot Tiny looks like a webcam attached to a choppy gimbal.

It's easy to get excited about the advanced features of the Obsbot Tiny in an area that has only seen iterative improvements, but you really need to evaluate how you're doing your video calling or streaming sessions before investing in the Tiny. For example, most people sit relatively stationary at their desks during video calls, so the PTZ functions do not work at all.

If you want to turn your living room into a shark tank-like stage with easels, a whiteboard, and posters, then the Tiny makes sense. With that in mind, the Tiny makes your home presentation look more like an Apple product announcement keynote and tracks you and your movements on your “home stage” to deliver a more dynamic video.

For its tiny size, the Obsbot Tiny works really well – the performance of the omnidirectional noise-canceling microphone was solid. The group I videoconference with found that despite the background noise in a coffee shop, my voice was clean and clear and distractions were minimized.

The video quality was competent for the most part. At 1080p FHD, it was definitely sharper and less grainy than the 720p HD camera on my 2016 MacBook Pro. In general, I found the image quality to be roughly on par with Windows laptops with a 1080p webcam. That's not a huge compliment, given that laptop webcams are notorious for their poor quality.

Compared to a 4K webcam, like the UltraSharp webcam from Dell or the highly rated Brio from Logitech, the video quality of the Obsbot Tiny is definitely not that sharp. If you are using the camera for video recording – rather than streaming or video conferencing – this shouldn't be a huge problem, as most call services limit the upload resolution to 1080p or less.

Obsbot Tiny with magnetic holder for monitors and laptops.

The biggest disadvantage of a webcam as advanced as the Obsbot Tiny is that the image sensor is small. This means that the camera won't capture as much light as a larger camera, like a DSLR or mirrorless camera. In this case, it means that the picture quality quickly drops in low light and you will notice more graininess in your videos when you make video calls in darker rooms. In brightly lit environments with adequate ambient lighting, this isn't a problem, so office calls are fine, but gamers and streamers who play in darker rooms may want to look elsewhere for a streaming solution.

Due to the lack of HDR video support, if you sit in front of a bright window, you will notice some blown out lights and darker areas in the picture will lose some detail differ little when the camera is pointed at your face.

AI smart

Obsbot Tiny with USB-C and DC connection for power supply.

Many of the camera's controls and settings can be set manually using software that can be installed on your PC. However, if you don't want to operate the camera yourself, you can rely on artificial intelligence to get the job done.

Like more advanced webcams, the Tiny can automatically track and frame your subject by panning and tilting the camera to create a smooth video feed with no choppy transitions. The feature works really well, although it may take a few seconds for the Obsbot Tiny to capture and locate the subject. If you're not jogging from one end of the room to the other – think of a small, steady pace on stage – then the camera can easily follow. The camera had a bit of a problem with faster moving subjects, like a baby running around the room.

Another AI-controlled element is gesture control. Instead of navigating the software or fiddling with the hardware, you can simply put your hand with your fingers outward next to your face and the camera will capture the target. The LED light strip on the base of the Obsbot Tiny will flash, indicating that it has clicked into place on you.

Once the camera has identified who to track, it uses AI. to pan and pan the camera with the motors in the gimbal anywhere in the room. The engine is not loud at all during operation, which was a nice feature that minimized annoying background noise.

If you need to zoom in, you can put your hand next to your face and use your index finger and thumb to form an “L”. This will cause the camera to zoom in 2 times for a tighter area around your face.

If you're recording a sales pitch or presentation yourself, you can create a more compelling video with a camera that can automatically pan, tilt, and zoom. The best part is you don't even have to have a cameraman to get the job done.

And while this camera doesn't have its own privacy lock, you can put the camera to sleep when you're done. In this mode, the Obsbot Tiny will point the lens down, giving you the peace of mind that it is not shooting when it shouldn't be. The LED indicator strip also shows whether the camera is in recording mode.

Our opinion

The Obsbot Tiny offers many advanced AI-powered features in one compelling hardware package. Obsbot's Tiny Webcam brings premium PTZ capabilities more commonly found in video solutions for larger conference rooms in an affordable package for home use. However, it really is only a good option for someone who needs this functionality as the image quality is not the best.

Are there alternatives?

There are plenty of capable 1080p and 4K webcams out there. Inexpensive webcams start at well under $ 100, but generally, you get what you pay for. At $ 199, the Obsbot Tiny competes with premium webcams like Logitech's Brio.

The Brio costs the same as the Tiny but sacrifices the Obsbot's more advanced AI. Features in favor of more advanced picture quality. That means you get better 4K resolution – compared to 1080p – and HDR support on the Brio.

How long it will take?

The Obsbot Tiny has a standard one-year limited warranty, but webcams are built to last for many years. Unlike smartphones, a webcam is not a peripheral designed for annual or biennial upgrades, and the Obsbot can potentially last for five years or even more. Unless the hardware breaks – due to the gimbal mechanism, the Obsbot Tiny may be more vulnerable than other competing webcams due to the number of moving parts – the device should last for many years.

Should you buy it?

Yes, although it really depends on the features you need from a webcam. If you're only using the Tiny for general video chatting, its advanced features may be over the top and you will be better off getting something with better picture quality. However, if you're recording a sales pitch or presentation, an AI-powered cameraman is a unique tool.

Editor's recommendations

20 Jul

Blog

Death’s Door Review: Bringing Life to a Dark, Dead World

July 20, 2021
Posted by Samson

Deaths Door Review laugh at the Reaper xbox game1

Death & # 39; s Door Review: Bringing Life to a Dark, Dead World

"Death's Door is a must-have Metroidvania game that combines intense combat with bright, hilarious characters."

advantages

Hilarious cast of characters
Exciting boss fights
Simple but complex fight
A world that wants to be explored

disadvantage

Repetitive enemies
Some unforgiving checkpoints

Dark, riddled with wit and adrenaline – Death’s Door is the Metroidvania that has finally got me hooked.

Metroidvanias has long escaped me as a genre. I've never been able to bother with the backtracking aspect of them; their maps have never fascinated me enough and their stories have always lost me. That all changed when the little crow from Death’s Door took control. Where other large, expansive maps had disinterested me, this one had my full attention. Where other stories have lost me, I was completely absorbed here.

Death & # 39; s Door presents players with an endlessly interlocking fantastic world full of secrets, exciting boss fights and a dark story that managed to get more than just a few laughs out of me. In between there is a simple but exciting combat system that proves once again that the right developer can achieve a lot with a few simple tools.

At its base, Death & # 39; s Door isn't complicated. It's not an emotional show of strength; It's not a blockbuster title with massive hype behind it. But it's a rarity, an indie title that surpasses its AAA counterparts in almost every way.

To reap laughter

The premise of Death & # 39; s Door is macabre. They fill the … claws, I suppose, of a reaper who's not a grim skeleton but a feathered crow. In the game world, death is a red tape and if you can't finish your job, you're out of luck. The Reaper is on a mission to find a stolen soul and sends it on a goose hunt through a meaninglessly hopeless world to harvest even more souls just to get to yours.

As I said, it's not exactly sunshine and lollipops.

But through its grim haze, light shines through the door of death. Despite all of the monster kills that leave blood and corpses behind to finish the job, the game gives players endless reasons to smile.

Pothead from the door of death.

Every character in Death & # 39; s Door has a certain charm, from bosses to friendly NPCs. While the underlying story is undoubtedly obscure, there is a warmth to every character, even if tragic themselves. Take, for example, my favorite character in the game, Pothead. Its head was turned into a pot by the magic of the urn witch, hence the name. But if you ask him, he doesn't see it as a disadvantage. Instead, he uses his pot head to store soup that he gives to passers-by.

No matter what I did, whether it was fighting my way through enemies or chatting with NPCs, Death & # 39; s Door always left a smile on my face.

Most of the characters have that kind of depth, even the NPCs that don't seem that important. They all have their own lives, interests, and passions. No matter what I did, whether it was fighting my way through enemies or chatting with NPCs, Death & # 39; s Door always left a smile on my face.

The remains of a world

While Death & # 39; s Door's funniest moments result from talking to NPCs, its most exciting moments are found in combat and exploration. None of these functions are overly complicated. In fact, both are extremely simple. Once you've explored the game's first area and defeated its first boss, you've pretty much seen what to expect in the rest of the game.

Death door urn witch house room.

However, it's the little tweaks in Death's Door that make everything more useful. Enemies are largely the same throughout the game, but there are a new villain or two in each area. Likewise, the exploration is pretty much the same everywhere until you unlock the game's four power-ups that can be used outside of combat to uncover new areas. Death & # 39; s Door starts with basic forms of these ideas and slowly builds on them, integrating every facet of its gameplay into one another.

Death & # 39; s Door starts with basic forms of these ideas and slowly builds on them, integrating every facet of its gameplay into one another.

Of course, the exploration isn't always positive. Each death sets you back, of course, and some of the game's shortcuts aren't that far apart. I just walked through some areas that I found too difficult, trying to get to the nearest ladder to lower or the path to uncover.

The more times I've played Death & # 39; s Door, the more the design choices, especially the structure of the world, reminded me of entries in the Zelda franchise. While Death & # 39; s Door encourages more backtracking, it shares some DNA with the earliest Legend of Zelda games. Players slowly unlock new power-ups and access new parts of the map from areas they've already been to. Even the top-down perspective of the game is reminiscent of Nintendo's classic franchise. The game's dark world is even offset by bright characters, a constant in most Legend of Zelda titles. Death & # 39; s Door has some distinct influences, but it uses them to create something completely original.

Growing struggle

Death & # 39; s Door's worldbuilding is best when it comes to a boss fight. Each boss is first given context by the area you go through to get them there. Maybe you speak to an NPC who says the boss killed her wife, or in the case of the urn witch, you're traveling through a mansion that was clearly a happy family home at one point or another.

The approach to each boss follows the same structure: explore an area, gain a new power, and then take on a boss. While this pattern repeats itself three times and eventually becomes predictable, the context for each keeps it fresh. Functionally, you do the same thing every time you build yourself into a boss fight. But each experience feels different because of the landscape, the enemies, and the boss's own interjections as you explore.

The game's boss fights are some of the most exciting I've ever fought thanks to the emphasis on evolution. Like the rest of the game, bosses build on themselves with different phases and become more difficult as the damage increases. Also, they don't know exactly how much damage you've done because Death & # 39; s Door thoughtfully left health bars out of the equation. Instead, enemies will be damaged and their skin will tear when you howl at them.

I didn't jump after beating a lot of bosses before. Sure, there might be a punch here or there, but actually cheering after I've won? Before facing the urn witch in Death & # 39; s Door, the last time was against Ornstein & Smough in Dark Souls.

Of course, normal enemies aren't nearly as addicting, and provide the same experience as punching bags, once you get used to the combat of the game. Even the game's mini-bosses aren't much of a challenge, especially if you face the same one multiple times. Enemies have simple attack patterns, and once you've learned how to move and weave between them, defeating an enemy is less an art than a science.

The game's boss fights are some of the most exciting I've ever fought thanks to the emphasis on evolution.

That being said, Death & # 39; s Door allows players to approach the battle in a wonderfully open manner. The game has multiple weapons, each with their own unique movesets and bonuses. The game's standard sword does solid damage, but you can swap it out for a pair of knives or a massive hammer. Simply switching your weapon will even affect how much you can use your skills, as you can use four charges that can only be replenished by hitting enemies. Once again, not a single part of Death & # 39; s Door is isolated; they all interlock.

Our opinion

With a world that practically begs you to explore every nook and cranny, and a cast of characters that will make you grin from the beginning to the end of the story, Death & # 39; s Door is one of those rare games to play with I struggled to find faults. It's addicting from start to finish (a journey that took about 10 hours) and lets players explore even more content after the story is complete. Death & # 39; s Door is beyond extraordinary and has solidified itself on my list of games of the year.