Video intercoms for a private house: selection and connection
The need for additional protection arises for many homeowners looking to restrict access to their property. Some of these tools are video intercoms for a private house. You can get to the protected area only with the help of special key cards. Or, if the visitor does not have their own key, by a signal received from home. Moreover, some models also play the role of a video surveillance camera, recording information on the card, transmitting it to its owner and even reacting to movement. Let's talk in more detail about these devices, their types and technical nuances of installation.
The content of the article
Video intercoms for a private house: device and equipment
A standard video intercom with a lock for a private house includes the following elements:
- base unit with display located inside the building;
- a panel equipped with a video camera and installed outside;
- an electronic lock that responds to a signal from a key card.
The central unit is wall-mounted hallway or other premises of a private house (if desired, it can be installed in the kitchen, or in the kitchen-studio). The device can be operated using conventional buttons, touch panel and handset. More expensive models are equipped with the Hands Free function, which allows you to communicate with visitors through the speakerphone. And, in addition to the image from external cameras, the unit monitor can display a clock, calendar and a menu for setting up a video intercom on the screen.
The video camera and the panel are two different elements, but are usually located in the same housing. However, to increase the view of the area in front of a door or gate, some models allow you to connect additional cameras. They are located away from the entrance and are usually masked to improve security.
The door station also houses a system for reading a digital code from a card or key.There is also a call button and a speaker. The lens of the camera installed on the panel must have anti-vandal design, as well as the case of the outdoor unit.
Types of electronic locks
Video intercoms can be equipped with two types of locks:
- Electromagneticconsisting of a core and a metal plate. The door is locked using the magnetic field of the coil, and opens after pressing a button on the unit or a signal from the key. In the event of a power outage, the lock is connected to the backup power supply;
- Electromechanical, which is a structure with crossbars. The design is distinguished by the ability to open the door with an ordinary key, and the lock itself works not only in the absence of electricity, but also when the uninterruptible power supply fails.
It should be noted that video intercoms for a private house with an electromechanical lock are chosen more often than an electromagnetic one. The high level of reliability and the absence of additional power supply make this option convenient and profitable. Electromagnetic locks are more suitable for multi-apartment buildings where there is no need for an increased level of security, and the doors are opened much more often.
How to choose and buy a wireless video intercom for a private house?
Before you buy a video intercom kit for a private house, you should decide on its characteristics and functionality. For an area with several entrances, it is worth choosing a model with the ability to connect additional cameras. This option will be convenient for a large area - one set (panel and video camera) is installed at the gate, the second is mounted at the door to the building. Additional visibility will increase security and single entry. In this case, the second camera is installed above and to the side of the main one.
One of the main elements of the video intercom is the monitor. He is chosen, first of all, by size - the larger the diagonal, the better the interlocutor can be seen in front of the camera. The best option, suitable even for visually impaired people, is a display with a diagonal of 7 inches. And the budget model of the intercom can also be chosen by the number of colors on the screen - the black and white version is cheaper and usually allows you to get a clearer picture. The color display increases the cost of the device, but conveys more accurate information about the color of the clothes, or the car.
The wireless function increases the usability of the intercom and is suitable for situations such as:
- for a two- or three-story private house. A block that does not require a wired connection to the panel can look like a tablet and be carried from one place to another;
- when installed on the gate of the site. Modern wireless video intercoms provide communication at a distance of more than 100 m;
- if necessary, install several call panels and avoid the installation of a large number of communications.
The disadvantages of wireless video intercoms include the high price. And the quality of their signal depends on the weather, distance and obstacles in the way. Therefore for one-storey private house with a small distance to the gate or without a fence at all, it is worth buying wired models. The location of the building is 20 meters or more from fence requires the installation of a wireless device. In other cases, the choice depends on the preferences of the owners of private housing.
Additional selection criteria
Not the most important, but also significant selection criteria are the type of lock, the strength of the case and the equipment of the device with a tube. Electromagnetic locks are more convenient to use, but less reliable. Electromechanical models will have to be opened not with a card, but with a key, but the probability of their failure is minimal.
The case of the external part of the intercom must be resistant to external influences, including intentional damage, moisture and severe frost.And having a tube inside the house will ensure confidentiality when talking with a visitor. However, push-button control is more convenient - with its help, you can contact a visiting guest with one click on a regular or touch button.
Installation and connection of a video intercom in a private house
To install a video intercom in a private house, you can use the services of masters or solve the issue on your own. With experience and the right tool, it won't take much time to install the device. The main installation steps are as follows:
- Choosing a place for the call panel, which is usually located on the right side of the entrance at a height of 150-165 cm from the ground; 7
- Panel and camera installation (if an additional video camera is supposed to be installed, separately from the main call unit);
- Placement of the internal elements of a video intercom kit for a private house - a block and tubes, if they are located separately;
- Connecting all devices to power supplies.
When installing the panel on the fence, a special scheme for connecting a video intercom in a private house is used. It includes laying an underground cable in a protective sheath and installing an uninterruptible power supply for an electromagnetic lock. For both the electric lock and the panel, it is advisable to buy a special cabinet with an IP65 protection class.
Video: connecting a video intercom, outdoor panel, controller, reader, electro-mechanical lock
Video intercoms for home: models and prices
To simplify the task of choosing a suitable model will help the rating of video intercoms for home, offered on the domestic market in 2017. Each of the models in the list has its own characteristics - from affordable cost to maximum functionality. All video intercoms, except for the budget one, allow you to connect additional cameras.
Falcon Eye FE-4HP2
The simplest device with minimal functionality and a black and white screen. Differs in a favorable price - less than $ 50. It is operated with mechanical keys and a handset is used for conversations with visitors. Due to its low cost Eye FE-4HP2 is the best option for a small cottage or summer cottage.
Commax CDV-35H
A device featuring a 3.5-inch color screen. Speakerphone is used for conversation. Any type of electronic lock can be used as a locking device. The CDV-35H model allows you to connect a second camera or a conventional driveway audio intercom.
Falcon Eye FE-35WI
The FE-35WI video doorphone is one of the most budgetary options that provide wireless communication between the main unit and the central panel. If necessary, it can be used with one or two additional cameras and can be carried throughout the house, installed in any room. The distance to the call panel can be up to 150 m if there are no obstacles for the signal The features of the intercom include switching on by a signal from a motion sensor.
Tantos Neo GSM
With the help of the Neo GSM model, the home owner can get information about the visitor, even while in another place. The communication module built into the intercom allows you to send a photo over the mobile network to one of 6 telephone numbers. And, thanks to the installed memory card (purchased separately from the device), the video intercom allows you to save up to 32 GB of video filmed in the absence of the house of its inhabitants. Another important feature is the adjustment of the signal volume depending on the time of day.
Slinex SL-10IP
The reason to buy the SL ‑ 10IP wireless video intercom may be the ability to view images from 4 cameras at once.And the high price is justified by the functionality of the ability to record video on a schedule, a large screen and support for communication with mobile phones. To use a smartphone as a remote control, just download the corresponding application from Google Play or App Store. The only drawback that can be noted with the device is the problem with the setting - to change the parameters, you will have to connect to the video intercom manually using the mouse.
Table 1. Specifications and characteristics of popular video door phones
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conclusions
Choosing a suitable model of video intercom, you can be guided by various criteria - from functionality to price. And most often it is the cost that is the main factor affecting the purchase. But it would be more correct to acquire a model that is capable of performing the tasks required of it - to show the visitor's face to the residents inside the house or to do it even if there are no people in the building. And some devices are even capable of replacing the video surveillance system on the site.