Category Archives: About Technology

Apartment Intercoms

The Latest Network-Attached Multi-Tenant Building Intercoms

What is an Apartment Intercom?

IP Apartment Intercom ConceptAn apartment intercom is a communication device located in the lobby or at the front entrance.

The intercom allows you to contact the residents of a multi-tenant building or apartment. A visitor uses the apartment lobby intercom to request entry into the building or to another secure area. The lobby intercom display provides a list of all the tenants in the building.

The first systems were all analog-type intercoms and required wires from the lobby to all the apartments. Each apartment contained an answering intercom module. This intercom allowed the person in the apartment to talk to the visitor in the lobby. The tenant could then press the button to open the front door.

The new IP apartment intercoms do the same thing and much more. This article provides information about the new IP apartment intercom systems.

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The Best Single Door Access Control

Single-Door Access Control Systems

Building-man-access control

The new IP access control systems connect to the network and provide the flexibility that allows you to install a single door at a time.

These new IP access control systems include the door reader and controller that is all located at the door. The electric lock is connected to the controller.

The older access control systems used a large central controller that was located in a closet. The labor to run wires from the controller to the reader, and the electric lock was high.

Today there are several ways to control a single door. There are single-door systems that use a keypad and IP door reader-controller systems that use card credentials or your smartphone for access.

This article compares the single-door access control systems that attach to the network.

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Comparison of Apartment Intercom Systems

What is the Best Intercom?

Intercom History

History of Apartment IntercomsThe first intercoms were developed in the late 1800s. They used speaking tubes to talk to other people in the building.

Business organizations were the first to use these intercoms. The office manager could reach his secretary or other people in various departments in the building.

The invention of the telephone in the early 1900s made it easier to connect everyone. By the 1950s, the telephone connected people all over the world. The intercoms used the same technology as the phone system.  In the 1970s, the analog intercoms made it easy for the manager to talk to the accounting department or the manufacturing floor.

Digital IP intercoms that attach to the network were made available in the 1990s. It made it much easier to install intercoms around schools, offices, and hospitals. The latest intercom systems use smartphone apps and cloud servers to enable direct communication all over the world.  This article provides the pros and cons of different intercom systems.

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Technology Review for 2019

The New Technology of 2019

New Technology of 2019

2019 was a year of evolution rather than revolution. Security technology evolved and became more powerful and easier to use.

IP camera manufacturers focused on enhancing their products. Access control systems became more user-friendly, added mobile capability, and made it easier to integrate with IP camera systems. Paging systems added intercoms with better full-duplex sound. Portable emergency buttons became more popular and effective.

Here are the highlights of the new products available in 2019

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How to Upgrade Your Access Control System

Upgrade Your Door Access Control System

Door Access Control DiagramThe classic door access control systems have been around for many years. These access control systems include one or more central control panels that connect to all the door readers.

Usually, the door readers use a Wiegand connection for communication. The reader-to-controller cable includes the serial Wiegand wires, power, and electric lock control. It also can contain several door control signals such as Request to Exit and door contact sensors. These older systems don’t have the latest features provided by the new access control systems.

Your old controller can be replaced so you can get the latest features and functions available from the new access control system. The new systems connect to the network allowing them to be integrated with other security systems. They provide many new capabilities that will improve your safety and security.

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PoE for Network-Attached Devices

Door Access Control, IP Camera Systems, IP PA Systems use PoE

 

Network-Attached Devices IllustrationPower over Ethernet (PoE) is the easiest way to provide power to many network-attached devices such as IP cameras, door access control systems, and IP paging and Intercom systems. The network cable transfers both data and power to the device, making installation very simple.  The network cable includes up to eight wires. The data uses one set of wires, while the power uses another set of wires in the network cable.

This article describes how access control systems, IP Camera Systems, and IP paging systems utilize power over Ethernet (PoE)

 

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What is the Best Door Access Control System?

The best access control is defined by your objectives

Access Control Decisions

What is the best access control? It depends on your requirements. To determine your requirements, you should answer the following questions:

  1. Are your doors inside or outside?
  2. Do you want to control the floor an elevator goes to?
  3. Do you want to integrate access control with an IP camera system?
  4. What type of electric locks do you need?
  5. What type of access control credentials do you want?

 

The following article describes the way each access control system handles the answers to these questions.

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The Best Camera Video Recording System

Comparison of IP Camera Video Recording Systems 

Comparison of Video Recording SystemsThe IP recording and management system is a crucial part of your IP camera system. If you select the wrong solution, you could find yourself without the critical video evidence you need when an incident occurs, or worse still, your security could be breached, and safety threatened because your surveillance system didn’t provide an alarm.

We compared several video recording solutions. The best video recording and management system depends on your objectives.

 

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Comparison of PTZ Cameras

What is the Best PTZ Camera

Pan tilt zoom (PTZ) IP cameras connect to the network and provide the ability to view extensive areas. A PTZ camera can move back and forth (pan), up and down (tilt), and zoom in and out. When it is combined with intelligent video management software (VMS), it provides an effective surveillance system.PTZ Camera Comparison

This article compares several PTZ camera. We considered several characteristics, such as the zoom lens, camera resolution, low light sensitivity, pan, tilt ability, and nighttime viewing capability. This comparison should help you select the right PTZ camera.  Remember that the most critical question is to determine if the PTZ camera meets your objectives.

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Access Control: What is it

What is Access Control?

What is Access Control

Access control is anything that is used to prevent the wrong people from gaining access to your secure area. A door lock and key control access. If you have a dog in your yard, with a big sign that says, “Beware of Dog!” You have access control. Access control always includes a key to allow entry. The dog only lets in the people it knows, so that’s the key.

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