Video Intercoms and Video Door Entry

A video intercom does one job that a camera on its own cannot: it lets you see who is at the door, speak to them, and decide whether to let them in, all before the door is opened. For a home, that means answering the gate from the kitchen or from your phone on the other side of the country. For a small business, workshop or unit, it means controlling who gets past the front door without somebody having to walk down and check.

Modern IP systems have made this a far simpler install than it used to be. A single Cat5e or Cat6 run carries power and data to the door station over standard PoE, the indoor monitor sits on the same network, and remote access runs through the manufacturer's app rather than needing a dedicated phone line or a proprietary bus. For most single entrance installs, that is one cable to the door and one to the monitor position.

What to look for

• Camera resolution and field of view, a wide angle matters more than raw megapixels on a door panel, since visitors stand close to it and couriers tend to step back
• Wide dynamic range, most door stations face either full sun or deep shade, and WDR is what keeps a face usable in both
• Night illumination, IR range on a door station is short by design, a few metres is normally enough
• IP rating, anything mounted outdoors should be IP65 or better, and a protective shield is worth adding on exposed entrances
• Lock control, check the relay rating suits your lock or gate release, and confirm whether exit button and door contact inputs are provided
• Power options, standard PoE keeps installs tidy, but a 12 VDC option is useful where no PoE switch is present
• Expansion, if more monitors might be added later, check how many indoor extensions the system supports before you commit

Our range

We currently stock the HiLook VI-K43P, a complete single entrance IP kit with a 2MP IP65 door station and a 7-inch touch screen indoor monitor. It covers the great majority of domestic and light commercial door entry jobs and is the kit we would put forward for a straightforward one door, one monitor install.

We are building this range out, so if you need something the VI-K43P does not cover, a multi-button panel for flats, a modular door station, or a larger system across several entrances, please get in touch. We can source across the HiLook and Hikvision video intercom ranges and will happily quote for a specific install rather than leave you guessing at what fits.