Video door entry systems, also known as video door-phones or video intercoms, are a way of controlling communication between visitors at a building's entrance and the people inside.
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Video intercoms are used in a wide range of environments to facilitate audiovisual communication with visitors at a building’s entrance. They are particularly common in apartment blocks, where the entrance of the building can be a long way from each resident’s front door. The intercom system allows the visitor to call a specific resident, and the resident to identify the visitor before deciding whether to grant them access to the building.
Giving the resident the power to both see and speak to visitors before allowing them into the building improves security and gives residents better peace of mind.
Video door entry systems are also used in student accommodation, gated communities, and some businesses to control entry to a defined place.
Video door entry systems require three essential components:
The monitor is installed inside the premises and is where residents receive calls from visitors and grant/deny permission for access. The door station is installed outside the front entrance and consists of a camera and one or more call buttons.
There is usually one call button per internal apartment, or in an installation for a single property, just one single call button.
The monitors are installed within each internal apartment or unit on one interconnected network (linked to a PoE+ switch). The door station is installed outside the front entrance of the building and is connected to the same PoE+ switch (same network).
When a visitor approaches, they press the appropriate call button on the door station. The door station triggers the corresponding internal monitor and activates its camera. Inside, the monitor rings out loud to indicate to the resident that someone is requesting access. Most systems will display the video from the door station camera while the monitor is ringing, allowing the resident to see the visitor and decide whether to answer the call or not.
When the resident answers the call, audio communication is also activated, and the two parties can speak to each other. Some systems allow two-way video, while others only allow the resident to see the visitor and not the other way around.
