Intercoms and Doorbells: Integrating Video Technology in Australia

The Early Days of Intercoms and Doorbells

As a homeowner and technology enthusiast living in Australia, I’ve had a front row seat to the rapid evolution of intercom and doorbell systems over the years. It’s incredible to think how far these systems have come in such a relatively short timeframe.

Just 20 or 30 years ago, the standard doorbell was a simple button on the exterior of your home wired to a basic buzzing chime inside. If you had an intercom system, it was a bulky box mounted on the wall with a speaker and microphone to talk to visitors. These primitive systems did their job at alerting occupants to someone’s arrival, but they lacked any type of security, customization or intelligent functionality.

My childhood home back in the 1980s had one of those old intercom boxes. I remember how clunky and inconvenient it was anytime someone rang the front gate. The sharp buzzing was only mildly better than someone knocking on your door unannounced. And shouting into the intercom to hear what any visitor wanted was far from a seamless experience. At the time though, it was the height of entryway technology in most residential homes.

The Introduction of Video Changed Everything

The first major shift toward contemporary systems was the introduction of black-and-white video cameras into intercoms and doorbells in the 1990s. This simple addition started opening up new possibilities in home entryway monitoring and communication.

Seeing who was ringing your bell from an interior video monitor was revelatory at the time. I still vividly remember the excitement of seeing my first video doorbell system demonstrated in an electronics store. But in hindsight, those early models look impossibly outdated now. The video quality was subpar even by 1990s standards, with grainy images on tiny screens. However, the seed was planted for the video-centric systems to come.

In the early 2000s, I had a color video intercom installed in my first apartment. Monitoring the front door with decent video from my living room was certainly more convenient than buzzing people in blindly. But features and integrations were still nonexistent. At most, you could wire it to an electric strike to activate a lock. They were useful security cameras focused specifically at entries, but still a far cry from the intelligent systems on the market today.

The Smart Home Revolution

Over the past decade, we’ve seen an absolute explosion in smart home technology. Internet connectivity, mobile apps, voice control, home automation integration – these have become standard features in electronics and appliances across the board. Naturally, this smart technology revolution has now extended to doorbells and intercoms as well.

Today’s models aren’t just video cameras – they’ve become integral hubs helping transform houses into responsive, automated, intelligent environments. Just in the few years since I installed my current smart doorbell, the capabilities have continued expanding tremendously.

Receiving visitor alerts directly on my smartphone no matter where I am, viewing crystal clear HDR video on demand, unlocking my door remotely, customizing motion detection sensitivity to eliminate false alerts, connecting seamlessly with my other smart devices – these conveniences seemed like far-flung sci-fi dreams just 15 or 20 years ago. And we undoubtedly still have a long way to go.

Key Benefits of Contemporary Video Doorbells and Intercoms

There are numerous reasons that integrating video, internet connectivity and intelligence into doorbells and intercoms has become so popular in recent years. While they all have the common goal of securing and monitoring a home’s entrance, the specific benefits can include:

• Increased Convenience – Receiving notifications and live video on your smartphone lets you see and communicate with visitors from anywhere. Remotely controlling locks and lighting also provides convenience.
• Customization – Sensitivity of motion and sound detection, areas monitored and other settings can be tweaked to your specific needs and preferences.
• Automation – Doorbells and intercoms can integrate with other smart devices throughout your home, creating scenes and automatic responses.
• Energy Savings – Smart doorbells with occupancy sensing only light up when someone approaches, reducing electricity usage.
• Peace of Mind – Video verification of visitors combined with smart alerts provides reassurance you’ll never miss a guest or delivery.

While prices have dropped significantly, contemporary video doorbells and smart intercoms do still represent a considerable investment for such a small home fixture. But millions of homeowners globally including myself have found their capabilities and convenience to be well worth the cost.

Privacy Concerns in an Ever-Connected World

Of course, increased connectivity and video surveillance abilities also raise important privacy considerations that vendors and consumers alike need to be mindful of.

As much as I appreciate the security my smart doorbell affords, I also am selective in the detection settings I enable. I make sure the video feed doesn’t peer into any neighbors’ homes, for instance. I also disable any facial recognition capabilities, as I’m uncomfortable with that level of personal data collection.

Cyber security is also a legitimate concern when installing any internet-connected device in your home. I’m very diligent in setting strong passwords and updating firmware whenever notifications are pushed out. Taking prudent steps to secure the devices and data is vital.

There’s always a balance with smart home tech between functionality and potential risks. I ultimately make choices based on my specific needs and comfort levels. But it’s crucial we have an open dialogue about how to maximize benefits of these systems while still preserving personal privacy in our increasingly interconnected world.

Notable Players in the Video Doorbell & Intercom Market

The smart home market has exploded with countless manufacturers releasing innovative new products regularly. When it comes to identifying the main thought leaders and reputable brands in video doorbells and smart intercoms, a few big names stand out from the pack:

Ring – Founded in 2013 and acquired by Amazon in 2018, Ring is one of the most popular consumer brands. Their affordable and user-friendly video doorbells and cameras can be found in households throughout Australia and worldwide.

Arlo – Parent company Arlo Technologies specializes in smart security systems. Their wire-free and DIY-friendly video doorbell and intercom options integrate well with other Arlo products and major smart home ecosystems.

Google Nest – Google’s line of sleek and intuitive Nest devices includes the well-reviewed Nest Hello video doorbell with facial recognition abilities and smart home controls.

SimpliSafe – This U.S.-based company focuses on easy-to-install home security systems. Their SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro is a competitively priced option with extensive integration.

Netatmo – French home electronics company Netatmo makes the Smart Video Doorbell, a high-end product with custom smart alerts, visitor messaging and broad platform compatibility.

Intercomly – One of the few Australian-owned brands, Intercomly designs and assembles video intercoms in Melbourne tailored for local homes and conditions.

This list just scratches the surface of course. New manufacturers and product releases keep coming as video and smart technology in entryway monitoring continues evolving rapidly.

Key Differences Between Residential vs. Commercial Systems

While the core purpose is similar, important distinctions exist between video intercom and doorbell systems designed for homes compared to those built for office buildings and other commercial settings. Some of the key variances include:

Number of Users – Commercial systems need to accommodate dozens or hundreds of individual employees and visitors, while home setups usually just involve a single household.

Durability – Intercoms in high-traffic public buildings need indestructible vandal-resistant construction and weatherproofing suitable for the outdoors.

Integration – Office intercoms often connect with existing building management systems, security companies, access control and more. Home automation integration is a perk in houses rather than a requirement.

Power – Commercial models require higher video resolution, multiple access points and reliability surpassing consumer-grade options. Battery or wired power choices suffice in most homes.

Features – Business-oriented features like centralized call routing, scheduled door unlocking and department extensions are not typically needed in basic residential systems.

Cost – Budget is more limited and value is placed on simplicity with most home video doorbells rather than advanced enterprise-level capabilities.

Installation – Professional installation is usually recommended for commercial intercoms, while easy DIY setup is touted for mainstream consumer video doorbells.

The core premise of an entryway communication system remains consistent across residential and commercial applications. But accommodating the unique user needs, conditions and budgets of each situation requires specialized engineering and design attributes in the products. Companies that gain reputations for excelling in one domain don’t necessarily replicate that success venturing into the other.

Pro Tips for Choosing a Smart Video Doorbell

Upgrading to a contemporary video doorbell or intercom system with today’s latest features delivers significant lifestyle improvements. But all the options now available also make settling on the right device a daunting task. Here are a few of my top tips for selecting an ideal smart video doorbell for your household:

• Make sure the video resolution and night vision quality suit your needs – Is full HD 1080p necessary or will 720p suffice? What’s most important – seeing faces or capturing activity?
• Consider existing ecosystem integration – Do you already have Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit devices in your home? Prioritize doorbell models that will sync automatically with your platform.
• Compare power options carefully – Battery-powered offers flexibility in installation but may require more frequent charging. Wired-only models provide continuous power but limit placement.
• Look for special functionality that would enhance convenience based on your home layout and family members’ needs.
• Check that the doorbell’s size, design and materials will complement your home’s aesthetics rather than stick out like a sore thumb.
• Only pay extra for facial recognition if you’re fully comfortable with the privacy tradeoffs involved with that level of identifying data.
• Read reviews from other local customers describing real-world performance and ease of installation for novices.
• Consider bundle deals that include wireless chimes or other compatible security devices from a single trusted brand.

Taking the time upfront to evaluate your unique needs, home setup and priorities will ensure you select the ideal video doorbell for your household. Focus on overall value and utility rather than just going for the latest tech fads or lowest sticker price.

Are Pro Installers Worth the Added Expense?

One of the major selling points emphasized for mainstream consumer video doorbells today is how incredibly easy they are to install yourself with no professional assistance required. But while DIY setup is definitely feasible, you may still want to consider hiring a pro installer, depending on your specific situation.

Some of the advantages of paying a bit more for professional installation include:

• Optimized placement and angle chosen by experts for ideal monitoring coverage of entryways.
• Proper setup of all cables, wiring and weather sealing for a sleeker appearance.
• Configuration of your home’s WiFi, electrical and existing doorbell wiring to support the new system.
• Integrating the smart doorbell controls with other security, automation and entertainment devices already in your home.
• Technical guidance and tutorials on managing video storage, privacy settings, firmware updates and more.
• Troubleshooting if any issues arise immediately or in the future.

For simple plug-and-play installations where you can position the doorbell in an ideal visible spot and connect to existing chimes, DIY makes complete sense. But for more complex integrations or to get the most out of your new gadget’s capabilities, professional help may be worth the small added investment.

Final Thoughts

As both a lifelong gadget lover and a busy parent constantly coming and going from my home, I’ve truly come to appreciate the incredibly useful role a smart video doorbell now plays in my daily household life. Having a presence at my front door whether I’m there or not has provided security, convenience and peace of mind beyond what I ever expected from such a seemingly simple product.