Hello everyone,
Slowly but surely, the exterior plaster is going on, so we urgently need to decide on an intercom system.
The general contractor is installing some kind of "standard unit" (I don’t remember the manufacturer – but he said it’s a very cheap one for 200€) which we actually don’t really want.
However, we don’t want to spend a fortune either and have set a budget of around 700€.
We have:
- Front door with fingerprint reader and motorized lock (fully wired electrically)
- All necessary connections in the entrance area prepared for this (2-wire system and LAN)
- Our tech setup in the basement with PoE switch, Speedport for fiber optics, 2 access points (one each on the ground floor and top floor) to provide sufficient Wi-Fi (if that matters at all for the choice of intercom system)
We want:
- No intercom upstairs (we consider it “unnecessary” nowadays – however, it would be important that the doorbell can be operated via app or external device, so we can open the door and speak even when upstairs on the move)
- Intercom on the ground floor (preferably a “tablet” with video – but not a must! Audio would also be sufficient, but it should look nice and not be a handset with cable or similar)
- Is a door chime necessary inside the house? Is it possible to install something so I can hear the doorbell upstairs and maybe also in the hallway area? Otherwise, I would only hear the chime on the tablet and possibly on the external devices, right? What would be the best way to do this?
- Appearance is very important – a nice, simple doorbell (if possible with name engraving) and a nice indoor unit (preferably tablet-style if possible)
--> I read a lot about the company Metzler here – this could also fit within the 700€ budget in my opinion (model VDM10). After some research, I think you can hardly go wrong with this. The question I have, though, is: Can I find it somewhere cheaper?
I would appreciate any personal experiences with your “intercom search” and how satisfied you are with your current system.
Also, I welcome tips/tricks, installation advice for the home network (with app control via Wi-Fi, etc.), and the best ways to manage it all.
Thanks in advance!
Slowly but surely, the exterior plaster is going on, so we urgently need to decide on an intercom system.
The general contractor is installing some kind of "standard unit" (I don’t remember the manufacturer – but he said it’s a very cheap one for 200€) which we actually don’t really want.
However, we don’t want to spend a fortune either and have set a budget of around 700€.
We have:
- Front door with fingerprint reader and motorized lock (fully wired electrically)
- All necessary connections in the entrance area prepared for this (2-wire system and LAN)
- Our tech setup in the basement with PoE switch, Speedport for fiber optics, 2 access points (one each on the ground floor and top floor) to provide sufficient Wi-Fi (if that matters at all for the choice of intercom system)
We want:
- No intercom upstairs (we consider it “unnecessary” nowadays – however, it would be important that the doorbell can be operated via app or external device, so we can open the door and speak even when upstairs on the move)
- Intercom on the ground floor (preferably a “tablet” with video – but not a must! Audio would also be sufficient, but it should look nice and not be a handset with cable or similar)
- Is a door chime necessary inside the house? Is it possible to install something so I can hear the doorbell upstairs and maybe also in the hallway area? Otherwise, I would only hear the chime on the tablet and possibly on the external devices, right? What would be the best way to do this?
- Appearance is very important – a nice, simple doorbell (if possible with name engraving) and a nice indoor unit (preferably tablet-style if possible)
--> I read a lot about the company Metzler here – this could also fit within the 700€ budget in my opinion (model VDM10). After some research, I think you can hardly go wrong with this. The question I have, though, is: Can I find it somewhere cheaper?
I would appreciate any personal experiences with your “intercom search” and how satisfied you are with your current system.
Also, I welcome tips/tricks, installation advice for the home network (with app control via Wi-Fi, etc.), and the best ways to manage it all.
Thanks in advance!
gplz1980 schrieb:
Ah ok, so far a 24-port switch is planned for the utility room. Do they all basically have PoE functionality, or do I need to pay special attention to that? No, not all switches inherently support PoE. However, if you search for a PoE switch, you will definitely find suitable options. As Araknis already mentioned, it’s worth considering supplying the PoE-relevant devices (such as access points) separately from the regular switch. So, possibly using a smaller dedicated PoE switch in addition.
The power consumption (standby) of PoE-capable switches should not be underestimated, so it’s advisable to review this carefully.
I was already planning to install a switch with 24, possibly even 32 ports in the utility room. So, could I then connect a "smaller" PoE switch to it and run the patch cables for the doorbell and indoor stations from there?
Another question about the VDM10: There is no separate chime. Is the doorbell sound still loud enough to be clearly heard in the hallway?
Is there anyone here who is using the Balter EVO? I would be interested in your experiences as well, as it might also be an option.
I also wanted to take a look at the products from Mathfel.
Another question about the VDM10: There is no separate chime. Is the doorbell sound still loud enough to be clearly heard in the hallway?
Is there anyone here who is using the Balter EVO? I would be interested in your experiences as well, as it might also be an option.
I also wanted to take a look at the products from Mathfel.
gplz1980 schrieb:
I was already planning to install a switch with 24, possibly even 32 ports in the utility room. So could I then connect a "smaller" PoE switch to it and run the patch cables from the doorbell and indoor stations to that? Yes. Personally, I would stick with the 24-port switch and use an additional 8-port (?) PoE-capable switch for a low cost and lower power consumption.
gplz1980 schrieb:
One more question about the VDM10: There is no separate chime. Is the doorbell sound still clearly audible in the hallway? I had the same concern at first. The preinstalled ringtones didn’t impress me, so I added 2-3 custom ones. Depending on the "tone," some are quite loud and audible throughout the house 🙂
Ours is installed, for example, in the kitchen area, and I originally thought I would need at least one more upstairs just for volume. Although I will still install the upstairs one later, the volume of the one on the ground floor is enough to be heard upstairs as well.
So while it is quite loud downstairs, you get used to it 🙂 … adjustments will follow.
We are currently in the shell construction phase and have had similar considerations regarding the electrical planning. For now, we have decided to install a standard doorbell and also run an additional LAN cable outside. Power over Ethernet (PoE) will be included as well.
This might not be ideal for everyone, but I am planning to manage the house using Home Assistant and Homebridge anyway. Since everyone in the household uses iPhones, it will most likely be a HomeKit-compatible doorbell.
When someone rings the doorbell, everyone receives an automatic notification on their phone. Additionally, all HomePods in the house will chime, and the camera feed will be displayed on the Apple TV if the TV is on. The door can also be opened using Siri or the phone.
Of course, this is only suitable for those within the Apple ecosystem, but for them, it’s definitely an attractive solution.
This might not be ideal for everyone, but I am planning to manage the house using Home Assistant and Homebridge anyway. Since everyone in the household uses iPhones, it will most likely be a HomeKit-compatible doorbell.
When someone rings the doorbell, everyone receives an automatic notification on their phone. Additionally, all HomePods in the house will chime, and the camera feed will be displayed on the Apple TV if the TV is on. The door can also be opened using Siri or the phone.
Of course, this is only suitable for those within the Apple ecosystem, but for them, it’s definitely an attractive solution.
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