More features
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Motion detection. A sensor that allows the calling panel with a camera to respond to movement in the camera’s field of view. The specific reaction method may be different, depending on the model and settings of the entire system: turning on recording or broadcasting to an external device, sending a notification to the customer, sending a signal to the alarm output (see below), etc.
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Mobile app. This feature means that you can work with the calling panel via a smartphone or tablet with a special application installed on it. Such applications are usually released immediately for both of the most popular mobile operating systems today - Android and iOS; however, it would not hurt to clarify this point separately. In any case, control from a mobile device can have very extensive functionality (including even the ability to work via the Internet, in some models); and interacting with the panel through a gadget that you can always keep with you is definitely more convenient than every time going to the intercom or other stationary equipment.
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Face recognition. The facial recognition function is one of the types of biometric access systems. It is based on a digital camera, often complemented by a built-in backlight for identifying faces in the dark. Initially, such devices were not very accurate: they could be confused by changes in facial hair or makeup,
...the appearance or disappearance of glasses, and some models could be deceived using photography. With rare exceptions, facial recognition today uses advanced algorithms and high-end cameras with 3D scanners that read a three-dimensional model of the face. The device stores the customer library in its memory. The function is found in flagship calling panels.
— SIP protocol. The device supports the SIP protocol. This is a standard originally created for Internet telephony - the transmission of information (audio, video, special data) over telephone networks in digital format using the IP protocol (the same one on which the Internet is built). Internet telephony is quite popular nowadays, especially in business: it allows you to establish effective interaction between individual departments of a company, even tech located in different countries. Accordingly, if the building already uses equipment for Internet telephony, then SIP support can significantly facilitate the integration of the calling panel into the overall security system.
— Reading contactless keys. The presence in the design of the intercom calling panel of a module for reading data from contactless keys. They can be in the form of smart cards, key fobs or other devices that contain a microchip with a unique identifier. When the customer brings the key to the reader, the system identifies it, checks it against the database and allows access if there is a match. Note that the intercom calling panel can record not only the response time, but also the identifiers themselves - this provides advanced capabilities for access control and visitor registration.
— Alarm input/output. As a rule, calling panels with this function are equipped with both inputs and outputs; the number of both may be more than one. In general, these connectors are used to transmit control signals between different ones within a security system; they allow you to build a very advanced system and provide additional capabilities for managing its functions. At the same time, we note that the alarm input or output is not necessarily responsible for triggering the alarm - it all depends on the specific settings. For example, a signal from such an input can serve as a command to turn on the “night” IR illumination or start recording video from surveillance cameras.
— Display. Its own screen, installed directly on the calling panel, allows you to display various additional information useful for the visitor. The specific functionality of such a screen can be different - from a simple indicator that can show only numbers (for example, the number of a called apartment or office) to a full-color display suitable for two-way video communication. However, in any case, this feature increases the convenience and clarity of using the calling panel.
— Night shooting (IR illumination). The presence of an infrared illumination function in the camera video panel (see “Type”), which allows you to obtain a visible image in the dark and even in complete darkness. IR illumination is not visible to the human eye, but is well perceived by the sensors of modern digital cameras. True, the image in this mode can only be black and white, but in most cases this is not any significant drawback.
— LED backlight. The camera video panel (see “Type”) has LED backlighting. Like the infrared illumination described above, this backlight is designed to work in the dark; however, it provides light that is visible to the human eye. The latter, on the one hand, allows the camera to produce a relatively natural color image, on the other hand, it can create inconvenience for the guest due to the bright light in the eyes.
— Illuminated buttons. The design of the calling panel includes backlit buttons. The function allows you to see the keyboard normally even in low light conditions - in the evening, at night, in cloudy weather, when placing the panel in a dark place, etc. Note that the backlight usually covers other significant elements of the panel - for example, the location of the sensor for a smart card or key.Backlight compensation
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WDR. WDR technology (Wide Dynamic Range, extended dynamic range) combines several frames with different exposures into one picture, as a result, dark areas are brightened, and overexposures are darkened, and the output is a picture with extremely uniform lighting. The true wide dynamic range technology is called True-WDR and it is implemented in the optical circuit at the hardware level, a special microprocessor is responsible for creating and mixing exposures. A more affordable alternative to wide dynamic range is Digital-WDR technology, which equalizes lighting through software algorithms.
— DWDR. DWDR (Digital Wide Dynamic Range) technology brightens too dark areas of the frame, which can be completely blurred against the background of light areas. Digital brightening allows you to noticeably improve the quality of shooting in contrasting lighting conditions. Digital WDR cameras are noticeably cheaper than true True-WDR optics. Of course, the quality of digital brightening is inferior to True-WDR.
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BLC (Back Light Compensation) — backlight compensation technology. This system is based on the work of digital signal processors DSP. So, the device, relatively speaking, "breaks" the frame into many segments, making its own adjustments to each of them. Backlight compensation brightens dark areas of the frame well. The main disadvantage of the technology is the increase in the brightness of the already bright ar
...eas of the frame, due to which overexposure may appear in the picture.
— WDR+BLC. Call panels with a camera that supports several lighting technologies at once, each of which is described in more detail above. Immediately, we note that the combination of WDR + BLC allows you to achieve an extremely clear and clear picture in almost any lighting conditions, from extreme contrast to insufficient and excessively bright.Material
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Plastic. Plastic is characterized by low cost with good performance; besides, it can take on almost any colour. On the other hand, its strength is relatively low: it is enough for most everyday situations, but plastic resists hooliganism and vandalism poorly. Therefore, this material has not received wide popularity in calling panels.
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Metal (anti-vandal). The main advantage of the metal is its high strength, and, accordingly, resistance to damage, which made it possible to call this material "anti-vandal"; in addition, it is resistant to temperature extremes and ultraviolet, and it looks solid. The only drawback of metal in the case of outdoor panels is a higher cost than plastic; however, the difference in price is small and most often completely offset by the advantages of metal cases.