Neat Preview Channel Firmware

Last updated on April 24, 2025

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This document details what features, updates and bug fixes are new in the Neat Preview channel when compared to the Stable update channel.

1. Introduction

On Thursday, April 24th, we rolled out a new update for NeatOS (25.2.0) to our Preview Channel. Read on to discover what’s new in features, improvements, and bug fixes.

Important note (AOSP support): Please note that AOSP Device Management is not included in our 25.2.0 preview release. If you upgrade to this preview release before downloading an AOSP-enabled build in TAC (when available), you will not be able to test AOSP migration until an AOSP-enabled version of 25.2.1 release is made available.

2. Important Information About the Preview Channel

At Neat, we use two channels for our software updates to give you the best experience.

Stable Channel – This is where our finalized, production-ready updates are released, ensuring everything runs smoothly in your environment.

Preview Channel – Before updates go live, we release them here for a few weeks. This lets you explore new features early and provide feedback.

The best part is that you already have access to both channels! So, whether you prefer rock-solid stability or an early look at what’s coming, you’re covered.

Please note that Preview updates are for evaluation and are not yet fully supported. We do not recommend installing Preview software on Neat devices used in a production environment. Ideally you should use a Neat device that is in a lab or a lower-risk user environment to try out the Preview software. And please report any feedback or issues you find while testing to us using the steps outlined in section 7. Getting help from Neat. We would love to hear from you!

Using Neat Pulse? Change the update channel in the device settings within Neat Pulse controls or via a room profile.

For Zoom Neat devices: Go to System Settings → System → Software Update → Update Channel on Neat Pad, Neat Board, and Neat Frame.

For Microsoft Teams Neat devices: Navigate to Settings → Device Settings → System → Software Update → Update Channel on Neat Pad and Neat Board.

If there is already a newer version available when you move your Neat device to the Preview channel, your Neat device will automatically download the new version and upgrade between 1am to 5am local time on the next day.

3. What’s New

	Preview release (April 24, 2025)
The Neat firmware builds:	Neat Pad firmware: NFA1.20250402.0213 Neat Bar firmware: NFB1.20250402.0007 Neat Board firmware: NFC1.20250402.0007 Neat Bar Pro firmware: NFD1.20250402.0010 Neat Bar Generation 2 firmware: NFE1.20250402.0010 Neat Frame firmware: NFF1.20250402.0010 Neat Board 50 firmware: NFH1.20250402.0010 Neat Board Pro firmware: NFK1.20250402.0010 Neat Center firmware: NFL1.20250402.0009 Neat Pulse Agent 1.2.74
The built-in Zoom Room versions.More information about the latest versions of Zoom can be found here: New Updates for Zoom Rooms Android Controller New updates for Zoom Room Appliances	Zoom Room Controller software version: 6.3.5 (3287) Zoom Room Appliance software version: 6.3.10 (6410)
The built-in Microsoft Teams versions:More information about the latest versions of Microsoft Teams can be found here: Release notes for Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android What’s new in Microsoft Teams devices – Teams Displays and Panels	Microsoft Teams Rooms Devices (Neat Bar, Neat Bar Gen 2,Neat Bar Pro,Neat Board, Neat Board 50, Neat Board Pro and a Pad as a controller): – Admin Agent (753): 1.0.0.202412110504.product – Company Portal (for MTR devices): 5.0.6152.0 – Teams Rooms Devices (MTRA 2.4.3): 1449/1.0.96.2025031102 Microsoft Teams Displays: – Admin Agent (753): 1.0.0.202412110504.product – Company Portal (for Displays and Panels): 5.0.6152.0 – Display (Display U3A): 1449/1.0.95.2024062804 Microsoft Teams Panels: – Admin Agent (753): 1.0.0.202412110504.product – Company Portal (for Displays and Panels): 5.0.6152.0 – Panels (Panels 3.3.2): 1449/1.0.97.2025031901

Table: Software release versions listed for each release.

Keeping your Neat devices supported: The table above shows the compatible Neat firmware builds with Zoom and Microsoft Teams versions. To ensure you can receive technical support, please keep your devices on a supported software combination. If you experience an issue while using an older or unsupported version, Neat’s support team will ask you to update to a supported release before troubleshooting. For more details, check out our Neat Technical Support Policy.

New features in this release:

PTZ Camera controls now available in the slide-out menu
PTZ camera controls are now available in the slide-out menu, giving you platform-agnostic, manual pan, tilt, and zoom functionality—perfect for fine-tuning your camera view directly from the Neat interface.

Improved framing accuracy: optional TV detection on Front-of-Room (FoR) devices
You can now optionally enable TV detection to prevent faces on screens from being mistaken as meeting participants—ideal for rooms with displays behind the seating area.

Customizable cable instructions for BYOD
Admins can now tailor the on-screen connection guidance to match each room’s setup—making it easier for users to connect correctly.

Support 4K30 HDMI input on all Gen 2 devices
Gen 2 Neat devices now support 4K30 HDMI and USB-C input, enabling sharper content sharing and improved compatibility with high-resolution external sources across BYOD and Microsoft Teams scenarios.

Admin password protection now available in BYOD and App Hub modes
Admin password protection is now available across all device modes—including BYOD and App Hub—providing consistent, flexible security for system settings regardless of platform.

Volume sync between Neat Pad and Neat Bar now available in App Hub mode
Volume sync is now supported in App Hub mode, allowing Neat Pad and Neat Bar/Board to stay in sync for seamless and consistent audio control across devices.

Beta label for BYOD removed
Neat Bar with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is now generally available, and the BYOD-only option in the setup flow has officially graduated from beta.

Active speaker mode now easier to access during meetings
Active Speaker Mode is now easier to access during meetings with a new shortcut in the slide-out menu, making it quicker to enable or disable without changing the underlying functionality.

Better handling of unsupported HDMI input formats
Neat devices now display a clear on-screen message when an unsupported HDMI input (like 4K60) is detected—helping users quickly understand and resolve the issue.

3.1 PTZ camera controls now available in the slide-out menu

With this update, Neat devices now offer manual Pan, Tilt, and Zoom (PTZ) camera controls directly from the slide-out menu.

What this means for you

Greater control – Easily adjust the camera’s view using intuitive PTZ buttons without leaving the Neat interface.
Better framing – Improve the in-room experience by manually centering participants or focusing on specific areas of interest.
Platform-agnostic functionality – Ideal for Microsoft Teams users and other platforms where built-in PTZ options are limited or unavailable.

Why this change

Introducing PTZ support within Neat’s slide-out menu, we ensure all users can benefit from greater flexibility, regardless of platform.

What do you need to do

No action is required. The PTZ control option will appear in the slide-out menu automatically on supported devices. Note that camera presets are not included in this release, but may be considered for future updates

3.2 Improved framing accuracy: optional TV detection on Front-of-Room (FoR) devices

In some room setups, people appearing on TV screens can be mistakenly framed as real participants during meetings. To improve framing accuracy, Neat has introduced a new feature toggle for TV detection on all FoR devices. This feature is disabled by default. It’s recommended to only enable this feature if necessary due to the risk of false positives

What this means for you

More accurate framing – Prevents Neat devices from mistakenly identifying faces on TV screens as meeting participants.
Customizable experience – Customers who experience false positives can now request to enable or disable this behavior at the device level.
Room optimization – Especially useful in rooms with wall-mounted TVs or displays behind the seating area.

Why this change

This feature—TV detection—was previously only available on Neat Center, where it is always enabled. With this update, we’re bringing the same functionality to front-of-room cameras as well. While some setups have relied on framing boundaries to avoid detecting faces on screens, this has not always been sufficient in certain rooms. Introducing TV detection for FoR devices adds an extra layer of accuracy. By keeping it disabled by default, we reduce the risk of false positives while still giving users the flexibility to enable it if needed.

What do you need to do

No action is required unless you’re experiencing issues related to people on TV screens being framed.

3.3 Customizable cable instructions for BYOD

Administrators can now select the correct on-screen cabling instructions for BYOD setups, ensuring the guidance shown matches the actual hardware configuration in each room. A new setting, Cable instruction on screen, is now available both on-device and in Neat Pulse, offering three options: USB-C, HDMI + USB-C, and HDMI + USB-A. Based on this selection, the screen will display a matching visual screen with clear, designed instructions.

What this means for you

Tailored user instructions – Help users connect correctly by aligning on-screen instructions with your actual BYOD cabling setup.
Improved room experience – Avoid confusion and reduce support needs with clear, consistent visual guidance tailored per room.
Central or local control – Configure this setting via Neat Pulse or directly from the device’s system settings (requires a paired Pad).

Why this change

Previously, Neat devices only offered one default cable instruction graphic, which didn’t necessarily reflect the actual setup in different rooms.

What do you need to do

Visit the BYOD settings section in Neat Pulse or the USB Connectivity section on the device (with paired Neat Pad) to select your preferred cable instruction layout.

3.4 Support 4K30 HDMI input on all Gen 2 devices

Neat now supports receiving 4K (30fps) resolution via HDMI and USB-C input on all Gen 2 devices–Neat Bar Gen 2, Neat Bar Pro, Neat Board 50, and Neat Board Pro– in addition to existing support for 1080p and lower resolutions. This enhancement allows external sources, such as laptops, to send higher-quality content when using features like BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) or content sharing in Microsoft Teams outside of active calls.

What this means for you

Higher quality content sharing – You can now share 4K resolution content from your device, resulting in sharper visuals and more detailed presentations.
Flexible input support – External sources automatically select the best supported resolution (up to 4K30), allowing seamless compatibility with a wider range of laptops and devices.
Optimized experiences – BYOD and Microsoft Teams (when sharing outside of meetings) preserve 4K quality end-to-end. In other scenarios, the input may be downscaled to 1080p and potentially upscaled for display.

Why this change

Previously, HDMI and USB-C inputs were limited to 1080p resolution, restricting the quality of shared content. With support for 4K30 input, Gen 2 devices now offer enhanced video quality and better accommodate modern content standards.

3.5 Admin password protection now available in BYOD and App Hub modes

Admin password protection is now supported across all device modes—including BYOD Only and App Hub—not just Microsoft Teams. This gives administrators greater flexibility to secure system settings on shared or personal devices, regardless of the platform in use.

Devices will use the same default password logic as in Microsoft Teams setups (the last 6 digits of the serial number), and password protection can be configured during setup or using the physical remote control. (Remote management via Neat Pulse will be supported later this year.)

What this means for you

Enhanced device security–Prevent unauthorized access to sensitive settings in BYOD and App Hub modes by enabling password protection.
Consistent admin experience—It uses the same logic as Microsoft Teams environments for locking down settings, creating a unified management approach.

Why this change

Previously, only Teams-mode devices supported admin password controls. Customers using App Hub, or BYOD requested similar protections—especially in shared spaces or open system environments. This update brings consistent security options across modes.

What do you need to do

No action is required unless you wish to enable admin password protection on your devices. You can set this up manually during device setup or via the remote control.

3.6 Volume sync between Neat Pad and Neat Bar now available in App Hub mode

In this release, Neat devices running in App Hub mode now support two-way volume synchronization between Neat Pad and Neat Bar or Neat Board. Adjusting the volume on Neat Pad will automatically update the volume level on the paired device, creating a consistent and intuitive audio control experience across the room. Likewise, adjusting the volume on a Neat Board device will automatically update the volume level on Neat Pad.

What this means for you

Unified audio control – Adjust the volume from either the Neat Pad or Neat Bar/Board and have the change reflected instantly on both devices.
Simplified user experience – No more mismatched audio levels or needing to adjust volume on multiple devices separately.
App Hub ready – This brings App Hub in line with the behavior already familiar to Teams users, enabling a consistent experience across modes.

Note: Volume sync is not currently supported in manual BYOD mode

Why this change

Previously, volume changes made on one device in App Hub mode had no effect on its paired counterpart, leading to confusion and inconsistent audio levels. With volume sync, users get a smoother, more cohesive experience—especially important for meeting spaces with shared controls.

What do you need to do

Volume sync is available in App Hub mode and can be enabled via feature toggle.

3.7 Beta label for BYOD removed

Neat Bar with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is now generally available, and the BYOD-only option in the setup flow has officially graduated from beta. Therefore, the “(beta)” label has been removed from the UI.

3.8 Active speaker mode now easier to access during meetings

We’ve added Active Speaker Mode to the slide-out menu for easier access during meetings. This feature was already supported on many Neat devices and this update does not change the underlying functionality—it just makes it quicker and more intuitive to enable or disable from the in-call UI.

3.9 Better handling of unsupported HDMI input formats

Neat devices now more gracefully handle situations where an unsupported HDMI resolution or framerate is received (e.g., 4K60). Instead of showing a corrupted or frozen image, the device will display a clear, static message informing users that the input format is not supported.

What this means for you

Clearer user feedback – When an unsupported HDMI format is detected, a helpful on-screen message will appear, guiding users to check their device’s display settings.
Reduced confusion – Customers no longer need to interpret glitchy or blank screens; the device clearly indicates what went wrong.

Why this change

Previously, unsupported HDMI formats could result in corrupted or misleading visuals, often interpreted as a device failure. This improvement helps customers understand the cause immediately and take corrective action, while reducing support case volume for avoidable issues.

What do you need to do

No action is required. This update is included automatically and will activate whenever an unsupported HDMI signal is detected.

4. Improvements and Bug Fixes

4.1 Improvements

Issue reference	Description
VID-218	Neat devices will now provide a less intrusive notification when installing or updating apps. Previously, installing or updating an app via Neat Pulse would trigger a full-screen overlay, Neat devices now display a more user-friendly name for built-in cameras when used with Microsoft Teams. Instead of generic labels, the camera will appear as “Built-in camera”, aligning with naming conventions used by other certified vendors.
AUD-163	With smarter speaker detection, devices (Gen 2 Neat Bar devices and Neat Board devices)* now more accurately frame the active speaker, while improved signal processing (reducing false positives) helps prevent background noise from being mistaken for speech. *Gen 2 Devices = Neat Bar 2, Neat Bar Pro, Neat Board 50, and Neat Board Pro.
AUD-238	Neat Board Pro now delivers improved speaker volume thanks to adjustments made in this release; you now get higher speaker output if you turn the volume all the way up.

4.2 Bug fixes

Issue reference	Description
CUS-1311	We’ve fixed an issue where Zoom Digital Signage would not display correctly on the second screen (HDMI 2) of Neat Bar Pro devices. This problem occurred after sleep or wake events, where the signage content failed to appear due to a presentation window not being properly dismissed. With this update, signage will now reliably appear on both screens when configured for dual-display setups. The fix includes improvements to HDMI handling and wake behavior.
CUS-1331	Resolved an issue where the camera could unexpectedly stop working during Microsoft Teams content sharing.
CUS-1334	We’ve resolved an issue where users experienced echo during BYOD calls in Manual BYOD mode on Neat Board 50. (The echo would occur after switching from Microsoft Teams mode unless the USB-C cable was unplugged and reconnected.).
CUS-1442	Neat devices now feature smarter camera switching between the front-of-room camera and Neat Center. The system better detects when participants aren’t visible to the front camera, and prioritizes Neat Center to ensure everyone is seen. This results in more inclusive and dynamic framing, especially in larger or asymmetrical room layouts. Remote participants benefit from a clearer view of all in-room attendees, improving engagement and equity. The update applies automatically and requires no action from users.
CUS-1464	We have added a correction for GMT+6 timezone. It is now listed as Asian/Dhaka (GMT+6) from Neat’s built-in timezones..
CUS-1497	This fix improves the white balance consistency between the wide and telephoto lenses on Neat Bar Pro—especially in scenes with dominant colors—and also resolves occasional white balance flickering.

5. Known Issues

Issue reference	Description

6. How to Check Your Software & Firmware Version

Here’s how to find out if your Neat device is running the latest build:

For Zoom Rooms: Select Settings (bottom left) on your Neat Pad, Neat Board, or Neat Frame, then select About. You’ll see the Zoom software version on the right.

For Microsoft Teams: Select More on the main screen, then go to Settings → About to view the Microsoft Teams software version.

For Neat Firmware: On your device, go to System Settings → System → About to find the firmware version and serial number.

You can also check the Zoom Room administrator portal or the Teams Admin Center (TAC) online to see the serial number and firmware version of your Neat devices.

7. Need Help? We’re Here for You!

For quick answers and troubleshooting, check out our Neat Support website, where you’ll find helpful articles, FAQs, and step-by-step guides. We regularly update our content to make finding solutions easier.

If you need further assistance, our support team is ready to help! Simply email us at support@neat.no, and one of our technical support engineers will get back to you.

Support Policy: Neat provides support for devices running the current or previous software release. For full details, see Neat’s Technical Support Policy.

Privacy Policy: You can review our privacy policy here: Neat Privacy Policy.