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Tools & Hardware : Chamberlain ROI2 Wireless Indoor/Outdoor Intercom Units |
- Great intercomI bought these for my parents who have a garage which is over 100' from the house. My mom is now able to talk clearly to my dad. They are wonderful.
Rating:
- A little flakey but toughI purchased the Reporter ROI2 units to give my two year old son a way to call when he was scared from his room during what seems to be a bout with nightmares. The button is actually too difficult for a two year old to depress so that idea is out, and the tone that signals an incoming call is far too loud for nighttime indoor use. We instead use it from the playset in the backyard to the living room that overlooks it, and our older daughter is strong enough to use it. The units have on occasion just stopped working together and we have to do the setup again. Hence the flakey title. They survive weather pretty well and are resistant so far to kid play impacts.
Rating:
- Awful!I use these indoors and to communicate with the dock at our lake house. The clarity is so bad that you have to repeat yourself at least 3 times to get even part of your message through to the person on the other end. Do not buy this product!
Rating:
- Good Product, As Advertised, Works Well With Other Add-on'sPurchased July 2008:
I purchased these wireless indoor/outdoor intercom units in conjunction with the wall-mounted recessed indoor intercoms. All together, these products work flawlessly. The programming is truly simple if you read the instructions carefully beforehand.
Mounting these indoor/outdoor units is very basic. I even mounted mine against brick, using a wooden backing for aesthetics. Works great.
As far as reception interference, I've had NONE. I believe the success is based on the frequency. According to my understanding, these units function on a 900Mhz band. More and more products now operate on 2.4Ghz and 5.8Ghz bands, which allows this product to--more or less--stand alone and "uninterrupted" on the older 900Mhz channels. In a way, the fact that these units operate on the older 9000Mhz technology is beneficial.
In one other review, someone compared these indoor/outdoor units to a two-way radio or "walkie-talkie." I'd say that is a very fair assessment. These units (and all of the other compatibles and add on's) function just like a two-way radio would. These models can even create a secure link between just two units (when using more than 2) during a conversation. That way, if you have multiple intercoms setup in your house, you can actually have "private" conversations between just two of the intercoms. For some people, that could be useful.
For just about anyone, I think that these units serve the purpose as a loud and reliable intercom system that will keep you connected with other parts of the home and add to your security. I primarily use them to serve as my doorbell, so that we can speak with the person at the door before we choose to answer it. I've also create a basic home security camera system around my property that gives me the chance to see who I'm talking to. It's a great communication and security solution, as well as a way to make your property look secure to outsiders. The range on these units is also quite impressive. I have intercoms on three different floors inside, and of course the ones pictured above mounted on the exterior as doorbells.
If I had to list complaints, I would really have to scrutinize the wireless system sold by Chamberlin and that's probably not fair. These products are NOT sold as wired industrial security intercoms from some expensive security company. This is a do-it-yourself package for someone looking to save a buck or two.
But, if I must, I'd remind buyers of two things...Firstly, these units are intercoms (NOT true doorbells) and, secondly, they are not the best looking at that.
As far as the aesthetics go: The indoor units are very nice! These outdoor units pictured above, however, aren't very attractive...maybe if they came in more colors, or were shaped a little differently. I don't know.
As far as the doorbell complaint goes: That is to say, when you press the TALK button, you hear a brief tone and then the intention is that the person would begin talking. Again, think of a two-way radio, whereby one holds down the Push-To-Talk button and speaks into the direction of the speaker. So, if someone is at your door and assumes it is just a doorbell, they're only going to press the button; in that case, the most you'll hear inside is that brief tone. Understand that it is not even a Call tone (which some intercoms have). Just like a two-way radio, it is a beep before the talking starts. I'm thinking about putting a P-Touch label on the unit telling visitors to speak...I haven't decided yet.
Now, if you have multiple intercoms placed throughout your home, then you're bound to hear that tone "in stereo" as each unit sounds off when one of the units transmits that initial tone. When "in stereo" like that, it can actually be a decent doorbell. You will NOT, however, hear the "DING DONG". Chamberlin makes a doorbell buzzer unit (I believe I saw it advertised on Amazon somewhere), which is compatible, but I believe that it CANNOT be used as an intercom for two-way communication. So, make your pick accordingly.
I'd imagine that the benefit for these units is the ability to intercom with your front and rear doors, garage area, backyard, basement, work bench, kitchen, etc. all together. It makes connecting different areas of the property simple. If that's what you're looking to do with an inexpensive, reliable product that will give you decent sound quality, then this is a great purchase. I'm very happy, and I recommend it.
Rating:
- Ugly as hell, but easy set-up and seems to work okPROS: Easy set-up and installation. Works as described.
CONS: Ugly. Cannot finely control volume. It only uses a dip-switch of high/low volume (not very helpful).
OVERALL: Overall, I'm satisfied because it does it's main job well enough (I knew it was ugly when I ordered it).
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