Re: Re: Home intercom newbie question

[Calum Morrell <calum@xxxxxxx>]

David Buckley wrote:
> I too am a fan of DECT (just three phones though!).
>
> However, none of my DECT things qualify as an intercom.  Sure, I can
> pick up a phone and call another phone, and someone nearby can pick
> up a ringing phonme and answer it, but this not what I call an
> intercomm.
>
> An intercom I believe must do two things:
>
> 1) I use a thing (either a handset or a speakerphone thing) to call
> another speaker equipped thing somewhere else, so the person
> receiving the call isnt forced to press some button to answer the
> call (providing a privacy or do not disturb feature isnt set).
>
> 2) Paging - one station mmust be able to page groups of or all
> stations.
>
> 2.a) Paging to external devices, ie for shouting down the factory or
> the garden.

This is where problems emerge when you use your own definitions ;-)

1) Fine if you know the person is there, but they still need to press a
button to reply on the systems I've seen.

2) My systems can call a single handset or all for a "first to
answer" use.

2.a) It's DECT, you carry the handset to the garden.

> Having said that, a DECT system offers a limited flavour of
> intercomms with less cost.  My DECT, and no other DECT I've seen
> can't do this.  Dedicated intercom systems can (see a James Bond
> movie when Miss Moneypenny is distrubed from kissing James when the
> boss's voice booms out).  But this means having both phones and
> intercomms around the place, which looked good in the eighties when
> the number of communication things on your desk was a supposed
> symbol of position, but is tat around the home.
>
> My old experience says the two good phone systems for home use are
> the Meridian, and the Panasonic.  The Meridian is the "more
> powerful" system, but the Panny is cheaper, can use ordinary
phones,
> faxes and modems directly, and has door comms and door opening,
> which most models of Meridian dont.

Are we talking about the same thing here? DECT .. the cordless digital
handsets you carry with you? I may just be picking you up incorrectly,
but it seems like you keep reffering to DECT as being a static wired
phone. The difference in intercom useage is roughly this ... instead of
calling a location, you call a person. If it's *whoever happens to be in
the kitchen* you want to talk to, then the type of intercom you mention
is clearly best. If you want to speak to SWMBO, then DECT always wins as
you don't need to know where she is first.

--
Calum Morrell
www.drochaid.org