Video Intercom System
Intercom System’s can be loaded with different features and one of those is video surveillance, either a simple camera and monitor setup or with a record and playback function. The video intercom system provides increased security by being able to see who is approaching your house or who is at the door before communicating with them. These systems work by having a small camera located at the entry point and a monitor fixed in a suitable location. On a lot of systems the monitor is part of the Intercom’s central control panel, making it easy to communicate and view the monitor at the same time.
Many people have their Video Intercom System working on the front door or the main entry and exit point. The trouble with this setup is that burglars aren’t usually fussy about which door or window they use so if your budget allows go for a multi-camera system and even consider buying a system with a recording feature for when you are away from the house. This may be way out of your budget but it is worth checking into. There are several things to consider when looking for a suitable Video Intercom System, some of which are outlined below.
Which monitor, Colour or Black and White?
There are pro’s and con’s of each type of monitor and different applications may suit one more than the other. Colour monitors produce a more natural looking picture and provide more detail, such as what colour clothing a person is wearing or the colour of the car that pulled up in the driveway. When installing a colour monitor consideration needs to be given to the amount of light in the target area as colour monitors need a reasonable amount of light to provide a clear picture. Perhaps some flood lights fitted with motion detectors should be considered for effective night time use.
Black and White monitors are more suited to low light areas although picture quality and ’sharpness’ will not be as good as a colour monitor. With black and white monitors different colours are seen as different shades of grey or black so there is no telling between different colours. This can be a disadvantage if the un-thinkable happens and the only description you can give comes from what you have seen on the Intercom Monitor.
Budget constraints will also figure in your decision between a Colour or Black and White monitor and you need to keep in mind that any form of monitoring is better than none, however Video Monitoring is only one part of a Intercom Security System.