An intercom with camera is a system that replaces a doorbell at a security door. They are available in wireless or wired forms and are usually self-contained units. There are options for viewing the camera on a monitor inside the building or on a smartphone or tablet PC.
The first thing you need to decide is whether or not you want a wired or wireless intercom with camera. A wired system requires running a cable between the camera intercom and a wall or desk-mounted inside monitor. The benefit of a wired system is that you never have to worry about the quality of the wireless connection. The downside is that you usually lose mobility so you have to walk over to a monitor to see who is visiting. Although, there is a hybrid camera intercom system that lets you have the best of both worlds.
A wireless doorbell with camera and intercom system uses either radio frequency or Wi-Fi signals to transfer the video and audio. The benefit of these is that you can be mobile and receive calls on your smartphone. Of course the other benefit is not having to run wires, which can be costly. Wi-Fi systems require a strong signal at the door where you intend to mount the security camera with intercom. A radio frequency system may require mounting an antenna inside the building depending on the construction of the walls or how far inside the building the signal has to travel. The outside walls of a building do reduce the signal strength by the time the signal gets through them.
There are also wireless camera intercoms that use cell phone signals to transmit and receive video and audio. The intercom has its own cell phone plan and it can call landline phones or smartphones. A smartphone can have an app that allows you to see who is at the door, even when you aren’t home.
To see systems available click here: intercom with camera