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You no longer have to peep through the doors to see who has come home. Video door phones (VDP) have made life easier, helping residents identify visitors, authenticating their entry or occasionally, shooing pesky salesman away.

Video door phones come along with a bell switch and are categorised into two variants- colour or black and white. One has the option of selecting hands free and a handset console that comes with a four to five inch screen which is connected to the bell switch.

A camera with a ‘fish eye’ lens is fixed on the bell switch console in addition to a speaker and a micro phone for a two-way conversation. The camera is activated as the calling key is pressed and a visual of the visitor appears on the screen of the VDP which keeps on beeping until one picks up the receiver or activates the talk option. Also, the cameras have LED’s around them to increase visibility during dark hours, a pick from the latest web cameras that work on the principle of light sensitivity.

Moreover, VDP’s are not limited to independent homes; contemporary apartments are equipped with a video door phone as builders have included these gadgets as part of the deal. “This is the best and safest way to know who’s on the other side of the door. The setup is user-friendly which is why there is a big demand for video door phones”, says K. Shashank, Business Director of e-Zone securities at Hyderabad.

Those at apartments are placed at the entrance and have calling buttons alongside flat numbers; enabling residents to talk directly to visitors. As a precautionary measure, an additional bell switch is placed next to individual flat, enabling residents to keep an eye on internal movement.

Another interesting feature that makes these locks wanted is the ‘door unlocking system’. The console is connected to an electro-mechanical lock, which can be opened by the ‘unlock’ option. “For instance, one can have the console installed in the bedroom and can unlock the door by pressing a button in case a family member or a friend rings the bell”, informs Mr. Shashank.

Some of the bell switches are vandal proof. An alloy metal is used for casing the bell switch where the camera, micro phone and speaker are hidden except for the calling button. The rigid body serves as a protection for the equipment it houses and also boasts of a good life. “The whole concept of these door bells revolves around access control. One can talk to visitors and ensure their identity before allowing them inside the apartments at the press of a button”, says V.K. Sunil, Sr. Executive Manager at Home Town.

Many established brands like Godrej, e-Zone and the latest entrant, Zicom make these video door phones that are priced between Rs.5000 to Rs.7,500 for black and white door phones and Rs.12,000 to Rs.15,000 for those with colour screens.

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