What's New In Intercoms? Viking Electronics E-50 Compact Entry Phone

Viking Electronics has been providing its bag of tricks and tools to the telecommunications and security industries for many years. Their products are made in the U.S.A. and reflect as high a level of engineering and quality manufacturing as any I've used. Translation: They don't break and they operate as specified.

Viking Electronics' single-line telephone intercoms allow an easy means of setting up voice communications between a door and any phone in the premises, and enable the client to remotely release the electric door strike. Another Viking device, the LDB-2, monitors the incoming phone line and produces a dry contact when a call comes in.

Locksmith Ledger readers may recall that this feature was used for a special application where the client was deaf and needed to know when the phone was ringing.

Viking's new E-50 Video Intercom debuted in the Security Industry Association's New Product Showcase at the ISC West Show in the spring. The E-50 Series Video Entry phone is a compact, weather and vandal resistant speaker phone designed to provide two-way hands-free audio communication and color composite video for video surveillance and remote door or gate control.

A self-contained unit like this has appeal for many installations because it is attractive, discreet, simple to install, and is less a target for vandals than a separate camera and enclosure would present.

The intercom portion of the unit offers the similar features as other Viking door intercom units, with the advantages of enabling communications between any phone in the premises and the door or gate.

By using adapters offered by Viking, multiple door stations can be installed in a single premises or configured to dial particular occupants.

The integral video camera runs independently of the audio intercom, enabling continuous monitoring from any number of locations.

For interfacing, the E-50 entry phones requires the use of a Viking model C-200; or a C-2000A Entry Phone controller when sharing a single phone line with residential or small business telephones; connection to an unused analog station port (programmed for ring down) on a phone system; or connected directly to a telephone line when used with a Viking model K-1900-5 auto dialer. (This is all rather straightforward and easy to implement even for a newbie.)

BUILT-IN CAMERA

The E-50 has a built-in high resolution color video camera, microphone and speaker volume controls, selectable auto answer for monitoring and intelligent call progress detection for automatic hang-up when the call is completed.

The camera has a wide angle 70 degree lens, and may be adjusted plus or minus 20 degrees up and down, and plus or minus 30 degrees left and right.

The camera connects to a monitor or video distribution network using a modulator. The E-50 can be wired different ways, depending on the distance from the E-50 and where it's tied into the building.

For distances up to 150 feet, both camera and audio can be run over a single Cat 5e cable. For longer distances, coax is recommended for the camera and Cat5 for the audio and power to the unit.

Bear in mind that of you use a Viking interface for unlocking a door strike or gate operator, then the wiring requirements will be different.

The E-50 Series is available with Enhanced Weather Protection (EWP) for extreme outdoor environments or corrosive atmospheres,

TYPICAL CONFIGURATIONS

• Door or gate communication, business delivery entrances

• Use with a Viking C-200 to control one E-50 on a single phone line

• Use with a Viking C-2000A to control up to 4 E-50s and door/gate control on a single phone line

• Provide unique front and back door chimes and paging when used with a Viking SLP-1 and C-2000A

• Use with a Viking K-1900-5 for automatic speed dialing on telephone lines or analog PABX/KSU station ports

PRODUCT FEATURES

Built-in high resolution color video camera with wide viewing, tilt/swivel adjustments, and wide operating temperature of -30 degrees to 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

Audio and video transmission on one CAT5E cable

Compact size: Front panel is the size of a typical single gang midsize wall plate

Mounting: Flush mount in a single gang (1.7” deep x 2.1” wide min) electrical box or surface mount in a Viking model VE-3x5

Five standard faceplate finishes: Brushed Stainless Steel, Oil Rubbed Bronze, Polished Brass, Satin White and Satin Black

Replacement faceplates with matching screws available in all five standard finishes

Weather Resistant Features: Mylar speaker, faceplate gasket, microphone and speaker gasket, internally sealed (IP67) push button switch, sealed camera lens, potted camera circuit board, stainless steel phone and camera mounting hardware and UV stable weather resistant powder coating (excluding E-50-SS )

Optional Enhanced Weather Protection (EWP) available

Vandal Resistant Features: 16 gauge polished brass or 18 gauge stainless steel faceplate, stainless steel push button, stainless steel speaker screen, scratch resistant powder coating, impact and scratch resistant camera lens, and hex drive mounting screws

Microphone and speaker volume controls

Programmable Intelligent call progress detection for automatic hang-up on CPC, silence, busy signal, or time out

Selectable auto answer feature for monitoring

Programmable VOX (mic/speaker) switching speed

ENTRY PHONE SPECIFICATIONS

• Power: Telephone line powered (18 VDC/20mA minimum)

• Dimensions: Faceplate: 123.8mm x 79.4mm x 4.6mm (4.875” x 3.125” x 0.18”),

• Phone Board: 71mm x 46mm x 42mm (2.8” x 1.8” x 1.65”)

• Shipping Weight: 0.45 kg (1.0 lbs)

• Speaker Volume: Approximately 62db maximum @ 1m

• Ring Voltage: 25V AC RMS minimum (for auto answer)

• CPC Disconnect Time: 300ms minimum

• REN: 0.8A

CAMERA SPECIFICATIONS

• Power: 5-9V DC regulated 150mA (6V DC adapter included)

• Image Sensor: 1/4” color CMOS

• Video Output: 1 VP-P composite, NTSC, 75 ohms

• Resolution: 450 lines (640 x 480 / 307,200 pixels)

• Sensitivity: 0.26 LUX (20 IRE) F 2.0

• Lens: 3.4mm, pinhole 70° FOV (Field of View)

• Tilt/Swivel Adjustment: Vertical +/- 20 degrees, horizontal +/- 30 degrees

• Maximum Wire Run Length: 150 feet with CAT5E (longer video runs possible w/ RG6 or RG59)

C-2000A

The C-2000A is used to add up to four entry phones to call into an existing residential or business phones or phone system. Tenants may answer the call, converse with the visitor and activate a contact closure to control electronic gates or door strikes.

The C-2000A provides “Caller ID,” “Call Waiting ID” and “Call Waiting” tones when the phone line is in use. Tenants may gain entry at each gate by entering a Touch Tone keyless entry code.

Tenants may call out to each entry phone for monitoring purposes. An auxiliary input is also available for connecting a lighted doorbell switch, a common garage door opener/ receiver or an auxiliary keyless entry keypad.

APPLICATIONS

Add one to four entry phones to your standard home or office phones to provide:

• Door communication

• Door entry

• Gate entry

• Keyless entry

Provide commercial or residential security via two-way hands free communication at the door and gate

C-200

The C-200 allows a single line phone or phone system to share a phone line with an entry phone. Tenants may answer an entry phone call and converse with the visitor.

The C-200 provides a “Call Waiting” tone when the phone line is in use.

Tenants may call out to the entry phone for monitoring purposes. Auxiliary contacts are provided to operate a doorbell, or activate a camera, lights, etc.

If additional features (such as door strike, multiple entry phone with caller ID, and keyless entry) are needed, use the Viking model C-2000A.

C-200 APPLICATIONS

Add an entry phone to your standard home or office phones to provide door communication

Provide commercial or residential security via two-way hands-free communication at the door and gate

Connects in series with a single phone line or to a phone system's unused line input (loop start trunk input)

LDB-2

The LDB-2 Ring/Loop Detector monitors an analog phone line for ringing or an in-use condition. A built-in relay can be activated when either of these conditions is detected. This is ideal for monitoring line status or for providing a visual indication of such.

When monitoring for ring, an internal pot can be adjusted to allow the relay closure to stay on steady, or follow standard ring cadence.

The LDB-2 comes complete with a 12 VDC power adapter, and can also provide 12V DC power through its auxiliary 12V DC output terminals.

LDB-2 APPLICATIONS

• Control a strobe light for ring indication

• Provide relay closures on ring and off-hook

• Trigger a security camera

• Trigger a tape recorder

• Phone “In Use” indicator

FEATURES

• Detects ring voltage and loop connect

• Screw terminal connections

• Wall mountable with foam tape (included) or screws (not included)