Does anyone else remember video intercom systems? Over time, intercoms have improved and adapted to the needs of people and, accordingly, have gradually replaced their old versions. IP Intercom has become better, more convenient to use, and now the device allows you to not waste a lot of your energy to identify visitors and decide to open the front door to let them in or deny entry to a private area.
Nowadays, IP intercoms are more demanded, and it’s are explainable. IP intercom — a high-tech device based on a digital computer network with IP-addressing devices. Surely we can say that the «smart home» age is here, and the ip intercom is a big part of it.
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IP Intercom made our houses «smart»
Modern homes contain many electronic devices. For the convenience of using air conditioning, lighting and ventilation systems, for ease of access and communication in large rooms, it is desirable to have a system to control it all – that is, to control a smart home. IP video intercoms, which are now more and more common and are replacing older models, can provide it. This is possible because they are becoming more and more affordable, initially having more functionality. That is, now there is no point in spending money on traditional devices when you can get brand-new features for the same amount of money.
To realize the privilege of IP first, we need to define how it differs from the old intercoms. Usually, audio intercoms are installed in apartment buildings, equipped only with a telephone handset or intercom. You can only hear the visitor through these simple devices and open the door equipped with an electric lock, but you cannot see him. Video intercoms eliminate the problem of visual surveillance because they are equipped with a camera and a screen. You’ll be able to see, hear and open the visitor’s door – but only if you’re indoors. The video recordings are also stored on media in or near the room.
Why should I choose an IP intercom?
IP intercom differs from its predecessor first because it is permanently connected to the Internet and has an interface for the Internet. Digital IP intercom can forward calls from panel to any Internet-enabled device if you need it. So if you’re often away from home, the IP intercom will forward incoming calls to your smartphone or tablet, laptop, or other devices. So you can see who’s coming to see you, and even open your visitor’s front door – if it’s equipped with an electric lock, of course. Speaking of locks, you should not be afraid that stealers will turn off the current and unlock the lock in your absence because such locks are blocked mechanically when you turn off the current.
The possibility to integrate IP intercom into the Internet appeared due to SIP protocol. This protocol gives you the opportunity to communicate with the visitor remotely and set the intercom so that the protocol will store the video from surveillance cameras in the cloud, that is on a remote server, which can also be accessed from anywhere in the world. This solves two problems at once:
- You don’t need a DVR on physical media anymore. The cloud does;
- You can easily view the video archive, even when you are on a trip.
You can connect to the IP intercom control modules of home systems via special controllers. For example, control of lights – switching on and off on a preset schedule or remote switching on via the Internet. You can also turn on or off your air conditioning, ventilation, and heating. All of these systems will be controlled by your IP intercom while you control the intercom – remotely, of course, via your smartphone.
Of course, you need special controllers to transmit the control signals from the intercom to the electronic devices, and if you need a mechanical force – to close the blinds, for example – then you also need a special servo drive for the system.
Additional functions of IP intercoms usually vary depending on the model. For example, some manufacturers equip their devices with answering machines. Most models of IP intercoms can be included in so-called building intercom. This is a connection of several intercoms located in different room parts. With the intercom function, you can communicate directly within a large room without using a telephone connection and use this function for notification. This is very convenient for large offices or small production facilities.
Of course, IP intercoms also offer a wide range of options for controlling all locks in a room. You can control access to any room from a single central panel. If you want to create special access conditions, you can use intercoms, which open the lock by the signal from a special card or by dialing a code.
IP systems create a wide range of imaginative applications. IP intercoms are becoming more often a part of our lives, thanks to their simplicity and convenience, as well as their intuitiveness. IP video intercoms are not an exception and IP panels. Controlling all the systems in the house from a single remote control or even a smartphone is the future we watched fiction movies about yesterday.
