| Term | Definition |
|---|
| 3-Wire |
System with 3 core wires - wires interconnected between the Door Phone installed outside at the main entrance and the Intercom part installed inside the house is 3 (speaker, Microphone and Return) |
| 5-Wire |
System with 5 core wires - wires interconnected between the Door Phone installed outside at the main entrance and the Intercom part installed inside the house is 5 (speaker, Microphone, Buzzer, Door Opener and Return) |
| Access Control |
Control of entrance to properties |
| Alternating Current ("AC") |
Differs from direct current (DC) in only one very important point. It typically starts at zero, gradually increases to a maximum, then gradually decreases to zero. This change is then repeated in the opposite direction. Alternating current changes direction 60 times per second. |
| Ampere |
The unit of current. One ampere is the current flowing through one ohm of resistance at one volt potential. Analogous to when gallons of water flow past a given point. |
| ANSI |
American National Standards Institute. A premier source for timely, relevant, actionable information on national, regional, international standards and conformity assessment issues |
| Call Tone |
Electronic tone signal which sounds when a remote/sub station calls a master station. |
| Direct Current ("DC") |
Term used to describe the flow of an electrical current in one direction only, uniform and continuous. |
| Door Phone |
A remote (sub) station located at a door or gate. With a call button for tone signaling. Many times with an Access Control keypad. Communication is hands-free at the door, and controlled by the indoor master. |
| DTMF |
Dual Tone Multi Frequency. Set of standard dialing tones. |
| Egress |
The act of coming or going out; emergence.
In Access Control it is related mostly to a switch installed inside a home or business which is activates an electric strike for exit purposes.
Sometimes this term is synonymous to fast exit |
| Electric Strike |
An electro mechanical device used to unlock a door from a remote location. |
| Fail Safe |
In a power down state, the device is unlocked or unlatched. |
| Fail Secure |
In a power down state, the device is locked or latched. |
| Flush Mount |
A mounting method requiring a cutout to be made into the finished wall or other surface. Flush mounted equipment will be recessed into the wall so the mounted object protrudes little from the face of the wall (see ‘recessed’). |
| Hands-Free |
Ability to reply to an incoming call from a master station, without touching your intercom. |
| Intercom |
An electronic communication system, between 2 or more points in a building. i.e.: Front door or gate and any room inside a home or office. |
| Interphone |
Short for Intercom Phone. a communication system linking different rooms within a building or ship etc. |
| Mortise |
A notch or hole cut in a piece of wood or metal to receive a projecting part shaped to fit. |
| PABX |
A PABX (private automatic branch exchange) is an automatic telephone switching system within a private enterprise. |
| PBX |
(private branch exchange) is a telephone system within an enterprise that switches calls between enterprise users on local lines while |
| Recessed |
A mounting method requiring a cutout is made into the finished wall or other surface. Recessed equipment will be recessed into the wall so the mounted object protrudes little from the face of the wall (see ‘flush’). |
| Strike |
the metal piece on a doorjamb, into which the latch fits when the door is shut |
| Surface Mount |
A mounting method utilizing the finished surface of a wall as the anchor point. Surface mounted stations or panels will protrude their full depth from the face of the wall. |
| Transformer |
A device for transferring energy in an alternating current system from one circuit to another. Thus energy at high voltage may be transformed to energy at low voltage and vice-versa. Most intercom applications operate at low voltage, and thus require a “step down” transformer to reduce voltage to system specifications (most typically 12 to 24 volts AC). |
| Transformer |
A device for transferring energy in an alternating current system from one circuit to another. Thus energy at high voltage may be transformed to energy at low voltage and vice-versa. Most intercom applications operate at low voltage, and thus require a “step down” transformer to reduce voltage to system specifications (most typically 12 to 24 volts AC). |
| USPS |
U.S. Postal Service |
| Voltage Rating |
The highest voltage that may be continuously applied to a wire in conformance with standards or specifications. |
Special Promotions 
