PANASONIC has released a new video intercom system that allows homeowners to monitor visitors and control doors and gates via the LCD screen of a portable DECT wireless handset in colour at high resolutions, as well as through a monitor station.
PANASONIC’S VL-SWD501AZ wireless video intercom system, distributed locally by EOS Australia, uses a camera and intercom mounted outside the front door or gate, and a fixed monitor station with a 5-inch colour touchscreen and up to 6 wireless video handsets with 2.2-inch LCD screens inside the home. Users can view, communicate with and open doors or gates from monitor station or handset.
According to Andrew Cho of EOS Australia, the VL-SWD501AZ is Panasonic’s top of the range intercom – combining door station, camera unit and a wireless handset.
“The VL-SWD501AZ comes as a kit and you can have up to 2 door stations one main monitor and 6 handsets,” explains Cho. “Wireless handsets are more flexible than wired systems, as the long range DECT-based wireless handset allows users see who’s at the door as they move around a home. They can also control door and gate locks from the handset.”
According to Cho, the distance between the main monitor station and the wireless handset is up to 100m and this can be expanded to 300m using an optional DECT repeater. The angle of view is stupendous – about 170 degrees. While this introduces some barrel distortion at the edges it’s brilliant in this intercom application, which is all about confirming identity of friends or allowing access to delivery people. The image is nice quality – better than many other intercoms. I have a play with the system outside to see how it handles WDR conditions and it manages these well, too.
When Cho demonstrates the wireless handset, I can see the image quality is there nice, too. DECT wireless technology not only gives faster transmission speeds, it offers longer ranges, too. The handset allows users to open gates remotely and you can transfer calls to another handset in the system.
It’s handsome hardware and driving the functionality is intuitive, too. The monitor station incorporates a touch screen and all configuration of door stations, handsets and camera settings, are handled through this interface. There’s internal memory up to 50 images and an SD card slot offers another 64GB of storage giving the ability to record 4 frames from 3000 visitors – you play these back via the built-in touchscreen or on a PC.
Panasonic’s VL-SWD501AZ is easy for a professional installer to set up and it expands easily, too. Each monitor station supports 2 door stations, 6 handsets, as well as 4 wireless sensor cameras. These optional wireless sensor camera features motion and heat sensing capabilities for added security.
The Panasonic VL-SWD501AZ comes as a kit comprised of an outdoor camera door station, a fixed touchscreen main monitor station, and a wireless video monitor handset, priced at $999 RRP. Panasonic offers 2 other models in the range, the VL-SW251AZ, priced at $549 RRP, and the VL-SF70AZ, priced at $299 RRP.♦
A VL-SWD501AZ wireless video intercom system kit includes:
* Wireless Portable Monitor
* Wide-angle 170-inch camera
* 5-inch touch panel
* 64GB SD card recording
* Electric lock relay output
* Voice changer
* IR for night vision
* Intercom call
* Optional wireless sensor cameras.
