I'd welcome hearing the experience of anyone who has recently installed a doorbell/intercom system which utilizes the existing landline telephone in the house.
I'm especially interested in the cost -- realizing, of course, that the cost can vary if there are special considerations.
And also I wonder whether the intercom system provides a distinctive ring -- say two short rings for the doorbell, as opposed to the standard long ring for a call.
IIRC, most of those will not work with standard POTS phones, short of adding technology between the Ma Bell demarc and where the phones split out. If your house has one of those baby PBX systems that works with analog POTS lines, it may be an available option. 'Ringdown' extensions (I think that is the term) are pretty common on business-class phone systems, but most houses are not big enough to make it worth the bother. In the old days, NuTone made a doorbell/intercom combination, but I don't know if they are still in that business. Somebody out there probably makes one, but then you are back to stringing and fishing wire, unless you can hijack some pairs on the phone wiring without causing problems.
-- Bobby G.
THAT is the 'technology between the Ma Bell demarc and where the phones split out' that I was remembering. Wonder if it plays nice with DSL on the voice pair? Or if it plays nice with caller ID and call waiting, and such.
Thanks Bobby -- That's very helpful. Now I only need to know how much installation will cost.
-- Ray
I think Smarthome has a registry of home automation installers across the country that they regularly work with. There are other places that sell the unit more cheaply, but Smarthome's got excellent support and return policies. It's a pretty simple installation. You have to wire the unit into the demarcation point (the place where the phone line enters the building) IIRC, but it's been years so I wouldn't trust my failing memory or changes in design. (0:
Good luck and let us know how it shakes out.
-- Bobby G.
I've just bought a wireless doorbell intercom from here:
Do you mean here:
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