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Doorbell camera / intercom system suggestions for new home?

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Jr. Member
Jul 3, 2011
128 posts
49 upvotes
Toronto

Doorbell camera / intercom system suggestions for new home?

I'm in the process of building a home and was wondering if anyone has some good suggestions on a combo doorbell / intercom system. I'm looking for something that has a camera for up to 2 front doors and allow for 5-6 stations throughout the home.

Each station should be able to talk to each other like a standard intercom as well as to the front door. There seem to be many, many systems out there. Ideally there should be an app available to control remotely. I've looked at some high-end systems like The Aiphone JP Series, but it's extremely expensive at almost $10k installed. Right now, the walls are still open so a wired option is a possibility, but I'm open to wireless as it seems to be far cheaper.

I'd very much appreciate some insight into this. I'm no expert but I want to make the right decision as a wired system won't be easy to replace down the road.

Thanks!
8 replies
Deal Expert
User avatar
Feb 9, 2003
19892 posts
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Wireless systems will hurt your wifi rates. Don't even consider it. Install cat5/6 to each location and worry about it later. I grew up in a house with an intercom system and we never used it.
Jr. Member
Jul 3, 2011
128 posts
49 upvotes
Toronto
Thanks. Any recommendation on a good wired system?
Deal Expert
Oct 6, 2005
16872 posts
2557 upvotes
Jamal79 wrote: Thanks. Any recommendation on a good wired system?
What's your budget - a professional quality system is probably around $1,000 for the installation ($500 - 600+ for the unit, and a couple hundred for the labour).

You can also consider installing a surveillance system - cost will be around $300 - 400 per camera although there are a lot of cut rate installers out there.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Aug 2, 2010
15196 posts
5016 upvotes
Here 'n There
Jamal79 wrote: I'm in the process of building a home and was wondering if anyone has some good suggestions on a combo doorbell / intercom system. I'm looking for something that has a camera for up to 2 front doors and allow for 5-6 stations throughout the home.

Each station should be able to talk to each other like a standard intercom as well as to the front door. There seem to be many, many systems out there. Ideally there should be an app available to control remotely. I've looked at some high-end systems like The Aiphone JP Series, but it's extremely expensive at almost $10k installed. Right now, the walls are still open so a wired option is a possibility, but I'm open to wireless as it seems to be far cheaper.

I'd very much appreciate some insight into this. I'm no expert but I want to make the right decision as a wired system won't be easy to replace down the road.

Thanks!
I thought of this too and even though I live in what I consider a large 2-story 3,500 sq ft house I decided that having a one way mirror on the window at my bay window that faces the porch is the simplest solution to see who is there. I know one can see in at night from the porch but no big deal. I am also installing a cam at the front door that can record months of activity and one on each side of the house and the back (bought a 4-cam system from Costco). The front porch also has a motion detector that turns on the porch lights if someone approaches. I am going to have an intercom on the inside wall beside the front door that is connected to one on the other side. When they ring the doorbell and I look through the side window and see someone I recognize I open the door. If I do not recognize them I push the intercom button on the inside and ask them what they want.

This was the simplest least costly idiot-proof system that gives me all of the capability I need. The only reason people need these fancy systems that allow you to see who is at the door and talk to them from anywhere in the house is if they have an absolutely huge house. At 3,500 sq ft, if the person pressing the doorbell can't wait 15 seconds for me to get to the front door then if they are selling something they are poor salespeople and if they are friends I know they are coming anyway.
Jr. Member
Jul 3, 2011
128 posts
49 upvotes
Toronto
coolspot wrote: What's your budget - a professional quality system is probably around $1,000 for the installation ($500 - 600+ for the unit, and a couple hundred for the labour).

You can also consider installing a surveillance system - cost will be around $300 - 400 per camera although there are a lot of cut rate installers out there.
My budget is as low as possible for the best... :D

I would like something more cutting-edge like the August Doorbell but that's just a doorbell. Something like that where it's connected to an in-house intercom system and works with Apple would be ideal but I don't think it quite exists yet. I'm sure it will eventually. I'm leaning towards just getting the wiring done now and figure out the exact system at a later date.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Sep 1, 2005
21699 posts
17373 upvotes
Markham
Look for RING Video doorbell or Dbell (at Bestbuy)....there are others.

I've installed Dbell and testing it out. In general it's OK, so far....I get some false motion alarms when cars go buy and app right now eats a fair amount of battery, I've had to restart the thing a few times as well by cutting power to it.
We're all bozos on the bus until we find a way to express ourselves...

Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!
Deal Expert
User avatar
Sep 1, 2005
21699 posts
17373 upvotes
Markham
xxgg wrote: Yeah,,,, Ring Door Bell seems very popular. www.ring.com
The two things I didn't like about Ring door bell are:

1) you can open "live" view" whenever you want, it is only triggered via someone ringing the doorbell or motion
2) monthly fee/annual fee to record motion. It goes into their cloud servers and you can't record your own motion via the app. Big question may be what if they increase the fee or go out of business and no server at all.

=> FYI, Dbell logs a picture, it does not auto record video ever, you can record video or take a snapshot via pressing button on the app yourself which is then recorded onto your phone (no fee).
We're all bozos on the bus until we find a way to express ourselves...

Failure is always an option...just not the preferred one!

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