integrate door entry camera with dvr

[installer_dale]

Thanks Paul I appreciate the reply

 

I suppose it depends on if the amp is in the doorknox or the monitors.  I'd already priced this mini add on job up as 2 of your sales chaps were adamant it was possible.  I know the Voiceoff would work but its very pricey for a talkback only speaker on a domestic property, plus I have to fit it somewhere.

 

If I can get this working the way I like with just the doorknox then I will start pushing it to new customers as it's the sort of thing they all want, and there is a gap in the market for something that ties in so nicely with the dvr. 

 

Thanks

Dale

[SystemQ]

Hi Dale.

In regards the direction of audio. I think it may look for what to do with alarms and sound based on where the audio line sits in reference to ground, but I need to ask the tech team as to how it exactly works. It may be possible for you to create a solution yourself but I can check next week what the possibilities are and you can choose.

 

I would agree the VoiceOff is a tad big for your application. We are designing a new case for it so it will be “prettier” but that will not reduce its size.

 

As a last resort, if you are stuck we could supply you with a VoiceOff PCB only as we manufacturer the VoiceOff in house. (this would be lower cost) This may allow you to hide it somewhere else and drive the door cameras speaker via the VoiceOff?

 

Paul.

[installer_dale]

Thanks Paul that would be great.

 

 

If the doorknox does turn out to need an amp then a voiceoff pcb would be great as I can put that in the kitvault with the dvr.

 

Thanks 

[SystemQ]

Hi Dale.

 

I have got the tech guys to do a few further tests and they say it will produce some sound without an amplifier, but as thought its too quiet to really be of any use.

 

Ideally you would need to use a basic audio amp and they have drawn up a schematic of how it would be wired.

 

You could get a basic audio amp for something like this perhaps online?

 

I will have a look if we have anything that small and simple that would do the job and let you know.

 

Paul.

DoorKnox Audio and AlienDVR.pdf

[installer_dale]

Thanks Paul that's fantastic!

 

Would you still be able to supply me with a VoiceOff PCB as I like the idea of using its relay to stop the talkback?

 

The cable run will be about 6 or 7 meters.  I plan on having all the kit at the DVR end.  Will alarm cable be suitable over this distance?

 

Thanks

Dale

 

[SystemQ]

Hi Dale.

 

Yes we could if you PM me your details I will email you the VoiceOff PCB only cost.

 

I have our electronics designer who is looking at some amps we use for other applications to see if one of those could be adapted as it would be smaller and neater solution. 

 

Cheers,

 

Paul.

 

 

[installer_dale]

Hi Paul.  Thanks again for the the help so far. Was great to finally visit and see the full range on display in the shop.

 

I've built the setup on a test bench.  It works great apart from the echo / talkback.  I'm using the normally closed relay on the VoiceOff to route the audio back into the DVR and it just gets caught in a loop of switching on and off.  Even the sound of the relay clicking is enough to cause an echo!

 

The problem seems to be that the DVR audio out includes whatever enters the audio in as soon as the mic icon is selected on the app.  Is there anyway to configure it so that it's audio out only comes from remote talkback?  The speaker icon on the app doesn't seem to do anything, instead the mic button enables two way audio.  I assumed that the speaker would toggle audio in and the mic would toggle talkback?

 

Thanks

Dale

 

[SystemQ]

Hi Dale.

 

I will get Mike to call you on the mobile, it will help speed up any diagnostics as he did the testing for you here at SQ.

 

Cheers,

 

Paul.

[installer_dale]

Just wanted to update.

 

Many thanks to Paul and Mike at SystemQ for helping me with this.  It's been working for the last month and the customer is very happy with it.  I couldn't quite get the relay to work properly, it kept getting stuck in a loop.  Instead added a changeover relay connected to the alarm outputs, so the custom toggles on and off an alarm output which activates talkback and disables the mic and vice versa.  A bit clunky for my liking plus the popup for the alarm output covers half the image, but the customer is happy with it, and there is no feedback.  I also outputted to the burglar alarm so that we have a doorchime and push notifications via the Texecom app.

 

There are several of these video entry systems on the market, a lot of standalone systems with their own app.  If you could adjust the doorknox to have a proper full duplex audio system it would be a great addition to the alien range.  Ideally push notifications would be expected nowadays.

 

Thanks again

Dale

Edited July 13, 2017 by installer_dale