[Asterisk-Users] Integrating door intercom?

[Jeff Noxon]

On Fri, Apr 01, 2005 at 04:07:30PM -0500, C F wrote:
> Well, depends how you set it up. If you leave it as is, it will only
> ring 3 times. You can't just call up the box (without the chip), b/c
> it will just throw you to the other end of the doorbell fon (the co
> port). So no this is one of the more cheaper one and I wouldn't
> recommend it with Asterisk, try Vikingelectronics instead (the c2000
> from them even support callerid). Or you can try Valcom.

In my configuration, the Doorbell Fon has a dedicated FXO port.  I would
not recommend using it any other way.  Asterisk answers immediately
when the user hits the button on the intercom and indicates ringing to
the intercom.  Asterisk sets the Caller ID, and rings my house phones
(and cell phone) with distinctive ring.

Personally I have no need or desire to make calls to the intercom box.
Unless someone pushed the button, I'd be unaware anyone was there in
the first place.

> The distinctive ring doesn't really work with asterisk, since it is
> never (well, almost never 1 out of 5 might repeat, but then again it
> might switch the pattaren with the other box) exactly the same
> pattaren. Caller ID just simply doesn't work with this box, it does'nt
> send callerid, the only thing you acomplish by turning it off, is to
> ring the phones imediatly.

There's no need for the distinctive ring to work with Asterisk unless you
are trying to get by with one FXO port for both the doorbell and a POTS
line.  I have not tested that configuration and would not recommend it.
With a dedicated FXO interface for the doorbell, those issues go away.

Regards,

Jeff