The evolution of the intercom system illustrates that digital intercom is an inevitable trend for building intercoms!

First Generation Building Intercom [Single Intercom (4N Type)]
Initially, the intercom products were functionally limited, featuring only unit-to-unit communication. This decentralized control system, with its lack of compatibility, was not conducive to unified management within residential communities. At the time, the market was relatively small, and there were only a few manufacturers producing intercom products in Guangdong, with the user base primarily concentrated in that region.
Second Generation Building Intercom [Single Visual Intercom (Bus Type)]
As domestic demand continues to rise, the requirements for non-networked and non-visual systems are no longer sufficient for the general public. Since 1998, networking has become a basic requirement for intelligent buildings. Consequently, the control network technology in residential communities has widely adopted fieldbus technology based on single-chip microcontrollers. This technology interconnects and networks various decentralized systems within the community, facilitating unified management and coordinated operation, thereby forming a relatively large regional system.
The intercom products have entered their second period of rapid development, with large community networking and comprehensive intelligent intercom equipment beginning to emerge. Since 2000, the demand for intercom products in provincial capitals across the country has grown rapidly, prompting a corresponding increase in manufacturers, leading to the formation of two main manufacturing clusters in the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta regions.
From a market demand perspective, the product has entered the demand volume plateau. After extensive applications, traditional bus-based intercom systems also exhibit certain limitations:
Poor anti-interference capability often results in unclear sound or image due to interference.
2. Limited transmission distance; video amplifiers are required for long distances, networking becomes challenging in large communities, and costs are higher.
3. Utilizing bus technology, there are many instances of busy lines as only two parties are allowed to communicate over the same audio-video bus, thus individual-to-individual calls cannot be facilitated.
4. Limited functionality; most products are restricted to basic features like calling, with low device utilization.
5. Technical limitations make it challenging to upgrade the product or expand its features.
6. The industry lacks standards, making system integration challenging. Products from different manufacturers cannot interconnect, and video intercom systems also struggle to integrate with other low-power electronic systems.
7. Cannot share the community's integrated cabling system; requires significant installation work, high service costs, and does not integrate well into the community's comprehensive network.
In 2000, we launched the Network Video Intercom System, which shattered the traditional bus structure and provided a feasible testament for the transition of building intercom systems into the digital phase. Consequently, it belongs to the 2.5th generation of products.
Third Generation Building Intercom [Multi-functional Visual Intercom (Local Area Network Type)]
As the widespread adoption of the Internet and the rapid development of computer technology, the concept of digital and intelligent communities has been increasingly accepted by more and more people. The intercom product market is entering its third period of rapid growth, with multifunctional intercom devices emerging. Data transmission over the network blurs the concept of distance and can be infinitely scalable. Integrating security systems into the devices enhances their practicality.
Key advantages include:
Ideal for complex, large-scale, and ultra-large-scale community networking requirements.
2. The digital indoor unit achieves the transmission of digital, voice, and image data through a single Ethernet cable, eliminating the need for separate data bus, audio, and video lines. Simply connect the digital indoor unit to the indoor information point.
3. It enables simultaneous multi-way communication without experiencing line busy issues.
4. The industry's market impact has been significant, and it can cross over into other industries.
5. Interface standardization, specification standardization.
6. Establishing the network is cost-effective, easy to upgrade, and expand.
7. Leverage existing networks to eliminate construction work.
8. Easy maintenance and product upgrades.
Fourth Generation Building Intercom [Freely Enjoyable Video Intercom (Internet-Type)]
As of 2005, the real estate projects featuring the Wide Area Network Digital Intercom System have quietly emerged across the nation, with their system stability and operability proving to be highly reliable. The era of digital intercom with video truly arrives!
From 2004 to 2005, the Wide Area Network (WAN) Video Intercom System was constructed on the basis of the Internet WAN. The digital indoor unit, as a terminal device in the community network, serves two functions: 1) It facilitates multi-party intercom video communication within the community through the digital indoor unit; 2) It enables calls to be made from anywhere on the internet to video IP phones or PCs connected through the community's Ethernet or internet. (Source: Zhongguancun Online, compiled by Qianjia Zhike)