Home intercom systems

[ponyfool]

With the house currently torn down to the studs and with the plans to build out the basement making our house three floors and over 4000 sq ft, my wife and I would like to install an intercom system to help communicate.

All we want is a unit for the garage, a unit for the kitchen, a unit for the family room, and a unit for the new basement media room and possibly, an optional exterior front door/doorbell unit.

Doing a brief online search I am finding all of these "whole house" intercom and music stations, etc. We don't want to pipe music through it, all we want is the ability to communicate to the garage and basement. Like I said, the doorbell/front door is only optional.

The only experience I have with these things are the 1970's Charlie Brown teacher clarity "waa want waaa wa wa want wa" systems.

Any of you have any real time experience with a basic, voice only intercom system?

 

[BugR]

Why not buy one of those 4 or 5 wireless 5.8 ghz phone kits and just put a handset in each area.

I was looking at one the other day it had a walkytalky feature as well ~$150 in Canada so you should be able to get it for a lot less in the states.

Chris

 

[Bounce]

go with a neural net wi-fi comm system!

issue everyone a clip-on "broach" that lets them communicate with anyone else (or broadcast) with just a tap of the finger to the broach. you could also use it to triangulate their position. from there you could address questions to the central processor and ask things like "locate Joe" and find that "Joe is in the garage".

 

[Hotboot]

I have good luck with these.

https://www.onqlegrand.com/jahia/Jahia/pid/1358

 

[bramfrank]

When we moved into our home I installed a Norstar phone system - you can pick up the bits on Ebay relatively cheaply and aside from the ability to page, intercom (with handsfree and/or handsfree talkback), it lets you know if someone is using a line, supports call display and there is an integrated cordless phone system that replicates the features - wife uses it when she is in the backyard.

I have it set to require a PIN to make long distance calls and I also have a call display recorder (a vestige of when the kids were young and the nanny had a propensity to yak on the phone to the Phillipnes for hours on end when we weren't at home).

I also have the integrated voicemail - but then I also have several company phone lines coming into the house, so I configured up one channel to act as an answering machine for the family whicle I was at it.

 

[RonBB]

Suggest looking at a NuTone. Add only the components that you desire. I've had a full blown system in the house we built 20 years ago. Happy with it. No affiliation with the company.

NuTone Link

Suggest checking with your local contractor electrical supplier. I'm not sure what Lowes & Home Depot carry. Good luck.

 

[ponyfool]

I have good luck with these.
https://www.onqlegrand.com/jahia/Jahia/pid/1358

That is the same unit as the one from Greyfox, so I am guessing Greyfox and On-Q are distributors. This is the one I am interested in. Thanks!

 

[ponyfool]

Just wanted to give an update, for anyone remotely interested in putting in a home wide intercom system. I bought the Greyfox by On-Q Legrand and finished the installation tonight.

I ended up putting in the master control unit in the kitchen, a room unit in the master bedroom, one in the garage, one in the hallway in front of the downstairs bedrooms, one in the downstairs living room, one in the basement movie/media/play room, a front door unit and a patio unit.

Easy to install, the sound quality is top notch (a million times better than the 70's Nutone ones I am familiar with- which is the only reason I didn't look at them today), has intuitive controls, and just absolutely rocks.