So, a video intercom. The Door Phone, that is the camera itself for video calls with a microphone and the speaker for 2-way audio communication, and the button for initiating the call itself. It’s on the outside. Inside, we’ve got the indoor station – an intercom monitor with a touch screen, that gives a little control over the system and allows us to receive calls, communicate with the visitor, and open the door. This is a classic understanding, but presently in our times, the possibilities are much greater. This is what we talk about today, and answering the question – Why Do You Need a Video Intercom? After all, in fact, there are way more uses for it and many more reasons to get one for yourself, and it isn’t just to receive video calls from a visitor on the outside. This is a blog, where we’ve got for you a range of industry’s TOP Video Intercoms, Alarm Systems, Cameras, and many else.
Intercom Main Features
Let’s count how many applications there are for a modern video intercom system:
1. 2-way communication with audio and video between the visitor and you, as well as the ability to open the door instantly on the spot by pressing the button on the intercom.
The next level reached in this area was is when by pressing the same button on the external panel the call goes directly to your phone, as if it was an ordinary call, only that you get both sound and video straight on your phone and you can answer the visitor and instantly open the door to him directly from your phone, with no need to approach the intercom by the door. And this way we come to question – “Why do we need a monitor then?” And the fact of the matter is that it’s no longer needed. After all, a while back, standalone wired and wireless Wi-fi door phones appeared on the stage – installed it easily enough, secured it, activated it with an application on the phone, and connected it to Wi-fi.
And boom – network video intercom from basically a single element and a simple installation. Then why do we need monitors and wired systems at all? And here things sufficiently depend on the method of application, which is also influenced by the fact that wired systems are MUCH cheaper. Though with their specific drawbacks. Like, if you can’t supply the devices with a stable network connection, the price issue, of course, as well as the required functionality, you might not need all those functions, and why would you overpay for them? And the wired analog system is also not difficult to install, either.
2. Security Features
The 2nd is about safety – modern door phones are also able to detect the presence of a person in their field of view, thanks to the infrared sensor, able to distinguish a person’s temperature from the environment. Or that could be a software algorithm, they did grow up sufficiently, too. Let’s say, the middle of the night, and you get an alert on your phone saying that some undefined person is hanging out in front of your door. You instantly call him on the phone and tell him what you think about the situation. And even though it’s the middle of the night, such a door phone has infrared illumination, so the visibility will remain quite good.
And you will also have a recording of the incident if you turned on the motion recording function. And let’s say, even set a specific schedule for this function. Such a door station, in any case, records short 10-second videos by every single motion sign in their field of view, they are then rewritten by the intercom itself, and you don’t have to do that manually, but you will always have, let’s say, 5 last records. Meaning, no one will get away unnoticed, and that’s an awesome feature.
3. Integration
Your intercom monitor is not just a video, sound, and open the door button. You can also watch live video from IP cameras through it, right from its interface, and this is just the beginning. From the indoor station, you can control and monitor smart home devices, your alarm system, and a variety of wired and wireless security sensors, for instance.
The same Ajax Systems’ Alarm made a video about this recently. Let’s continue – exit and entry buttons, access card readers, doors, locks, and even an elevator control. And all these can be 3-party manufacturers, not directly related to the manufacturer of the equipment you have chosen. All these devices can be connected to your intercom system. To a monitor like this Hikvision’s one, and be accessed and used from there, and in some places even get more advanced control over them.
4. Access Control & Time Attendance
Generally, you already know that there are many applications for these seemingly just 2x devices, but that’s not all. Let’s talk about the access control, facilitating and speeding up entry and exit processes, and a time log of all exits and entries with user labels. You know that if you have a fairly simple keychain or card, you can just put over the card reading area, over a particular icon, and get inside. The door will automatically open. This is the same key as you have in your pocket, but an electronic version. And these cards cost less than a dollar?
And there you can enroll your entire family or your entire company. Usually, the possible number of users is measured in hundreds. And besides, when you bring your whole family there, you will also know who and when came in and out. In addition to the convenience, speed, and ease, it is also a control and management tool. In fact, in this segment, there are also Bluetooth panels that are unlocked by the phone, by a fingerprint, through face recognition, like in our phones, and the code passwords on the supplied keypad.
5. Other Important Features
Additionally, a very important feature of modern video intercoms is. The 1st is an alarm signal to the control center, where the Control Panel receives an alarm signal sent from your intercom, and then we all approximately understand what happens next. So, it is possible to do this from your intercom as well.
Next, a call to the concierge either from the side of the entering house visitor, or the outgoing from you call. And also, this is a providing communication of the required subscribers in the network of an apartment building with a visitor through the concierge. Well, another security measure.
And in a nutshell, about the convenience of the devices themselves. The cameras in them offer a huge view angle up to 180 degrees, which allows you to very broadly assess the situation. Night vision, which will allow you to see visitors clearly in the middle of the night. What’s clear, the protection against moisture, dust, and the normal functioning of the external door stations in cold and hot weather conditions.
So, from such a calling panel, you can also make a full-featured video surveillance camera with constant recording to the NVR. With motion alerts and with live view from the phone. In terms of the protection against theft and attempts to remove the device, there is a tamper button. When someone moves the device from its initial position, when they try to take it down, you will be instantly notified about that on your phone, on the indoor intercom, and you will also hear the specific alarm sound. And let’s finish on the scale. A video intercom system for a multi-apartment residential complex or a company can consist of hundreds of subscribers, apartments, and offices. And all this can be done with the help of a modern intercom system.
Quite a sufficient list we got here. It looks like 5 items, but inside each, there are a lot of ramifications, among which you will definitely find the reasons you need for yourself.