Video Intercom buyers guide

If you have come across this page while searching for video intercom then welcome! I have put together this simple buyers guide to help explain the different kinds of intercom on the market, what to look out for when making a purchasing decision and a rough guide to the sort of prices you’d expect to pay for decent, reliable and long lasting product. I hope you find the page useful, if you do please leave a comment.

Before we get down the business let’s make sure we are on the same page. Whenever I hear anyone say intercom, or video intercom, I immediately think of those systems than allow you to see and speak with whoever is at the door before you let them in. But when I came to research this page I discovered that those types of system are frequently referred to as Door Entry Systems. (To confuse the matter further a front door monitoring system may or may not be able to actually open the door, but we’ll save that for later). In my experience most other people think the same as I do and consider that an intercom is really about seeing and talking to the person outside your house or business. So in the page that’s what I’ll discuss.

Most people are familiar with the idea of a door entry system. Previously these systems had poor audio quality and no video capability. However, the move to digital audio has led to a dramatic increase in the quality of sound and the advances that we see in display technology on our TV sets and cell phones has trickled down and made high quality screens available at a very low price. But the screens are no use without anything to show on them. This is where improvements in digital video have now made full color video (and sound) door entry systems affordable for anyone who wants extra peace of mind before opening their door.

There are a minimum of two parts to a door entry system:

• The Monitor – for seeing and talking to the person stood outside your door.
• The door camera or door station – used to send the video picture and sound.

But there are more optional parts including a door strike, also known as strike plates. These are the components that allow the lock to be opened from the monitoring station, in other words, this is the mechanism that is used when people ‘buzz you in’ to an apartment or building. There are several variation to the type of locking mechanism that strikes use. The locks can be unlocked using an electric or electro-magnetic trigger. Electric locks are most common for domestic use and electro-magnetic locks tend to be stronger and bulkier, the type usually found on business premises.

Other extra products include:

• outdoor security cameras which can feed their picture into the monitor unit.
• remote controls for the monitor allowing you to answer the door (audio only as far as I’ve seen)  and open it without returning to the monitor and even
• extra door bell ringers so you can be working in the shed or basement and still hear the front door bell.

If you want to start off simple with the basic function of seeing and hearing who is at the door then make sure the manufacturer you choose has the necessary range of products if you want to upgrade or add extra features at a later date. Most of them do but it's worth making sure you’re not locking yourself into a product line with limited functionality.

The basic monitor let you see the person, hear their voice and if you have opted for a door strike, let them in. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. As usual the more money you are willing to spend the more extravagant the features. High level systems have large screens, 7 inches in some cases, with touch capability and recording so you can save pictures or videos of the person at the door. I’ve seen one system that automatically takes a picture and records a video when someone presses the door bell. They can send their picture to a TV and multiple monitor units can be connected throughout the house to form an internal intercom system.

The main selling points of more expensive cameras are the quality of the lens and its CCD (used to convert the picture into a digital format), having a wide angle lens and infrared capability for night time visitors.

An entry level system can cost from $400 - $500. For a system with some of the bells and whistles described above add another $200-$300 dollars on to, but of course, as with any system like this if you have the money they have the product. Finally, before purchasing do your homework and then shop around. It’s also worth remembering that the internet doesn’t always offer the best prices. If you’re not sure about installation then buying from a local retailer is a good idea as they can usually offer installation and you may be able to negotiate this as part of the purchase price.