[Asterisk-Users] Simple Front Gate Intercom

[Steve Creel]

On Thu, 26 Feb 2004, Greg Kedrovsky wrote:

>In a nutshell: Can I use Asterisk to hook up an intercom at my front
>gate? My wife would like to have one of those simple
>"speaker/microphone" intercoms. People show up at our front gate, press
>the doorbell, it rings in the house. We pick up a phone on my Asterisk
>system and dial (example) 105 to connect to the intercom and say, "Who's
>there?" The dipweed at the gate leans forward, and speaks into the same
>speaker he heard the voice come from and says, "Joe Sixpack."

<snip>

>Is this configurable in Asterisk? It seems to me that an intercom like
>that would just be the same thing as an open phone line, no dial tone.
>Then, we dial 105 (or whatever) to get the gate-com, and it opens the
>line with the intercom to speak with the person wanting in.

Greg,

As for hardware, take a look at:
http://www.vikingelectronics.com/products/doorentry/product_list.html

Sites like: http://www.wantphones.com/v-door-entry.html
http://www.globe-mart.com/index/c/communications_intercom_systems_viking_.htm
and http://www.phonemerchants.com/secprod.html (from google search
results) sell them and have prices listed.

These phones come in both FXO and FXS devices.  The FXO will be the
"autodialer" type, or those capable of using an "automatic ringdown" line.
Connect these to your TDM400P.  The FXS will be those that don't address
autodialing or ringdown circuits.  They will mention the REN (ringer
equivalence number) and require a power supply.

I would suggest you setup your door phone as an "immediate=yes" line.  As
soon as they push the button on the door phone, it starts ringing phones
in the house (maybe w/ a distinctive ring?).  You answer the phone and get
to talk to them (without dialing).


Best of luck to you,

Steve