Intercom

[gmhill33]

Greetings,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Does anyone use a two way intercom from the garage to the house? I just a simple setup, one where she can push the button in the house and talk to me or I can push the button in the garage to talk to her (either unit can initiate the conversation).

Thanks,
Gary

 

[Ray-CA]

Not a wired inter-com but a cheap walkie-talkie set I bought at Big-5 for about $20.

Ray

 

[dougmac]

I have a used wired intercom set that I picked up on craigslist. It works exactly as you described. We use it a lot!

 

[dirttracker18]

buy cordless phone sets that have an intercom feature.

That is of course if you want someone to be able to bug you in the shop. My wife always seems to call when I am under a car.

 

[NitroPress]

Been a couple of threads about this lately - you might search for the wisdom imparted there.

We use Radio Shack 3-channel FM units in our three-level house and they work great. You can find them on eBay for around $15 a station.

Cordless phones are an option, too, but they vary widely in intercom usefulness - we have an AT&T system here that is fantastic as a phone system, but dismal as intercoms. I've never seen a set that did both jobs well. One of the main problems is that the handsets float around the house, and you have to know the handset number to reach someone. I guess if you just have a two-station unit and don't swap the house and garage ones, it would be simple to use. Our units also need about three or four keypresses to initiate a 'com call - very irritating.

 

[Crusty Nut]

We have been using the cordless phones with intercom. It does require a few button pushes to get to the intercom selection. I see it as a positive. It's rare I need to call her when I'm out there, and it's not just 1 button away for her. Plus, the audio sounds different than when on the phone. The intercom makes her sound sultry. We've got Panasonic cordless phones.

And she does always seem to call when I'm under a car.

 

[cowboyjosh]

I have a Panasonic phone system KX-TDA50 with phones in every room, when Wife wants to find me she "pages" me, i then pick up the closest extension. If im in a specific room she calls that phone.

 

[Silent One]

Do you really want to be found if you are busy in the garage?

 

[nehog]

A PABX (Key system, actually) which works very well... Anyone in any room can call any other phone, and have a private conversation. A business level system, lots of features and capabilities it has paid for itself over the years many times over.

 

[c/o say]

Hell if any one needs to talk to me when I'm in the shop they can walk that happy *** out to the shop. lol It is only 15 feet from the house.

 

[HOTFR8]

Not a wired inter-com but a cheap walkie-talkie set I bought at Big-5 for about $20.

Ray

I have a set of those but you have to remember to turn them on.
I have an intercom that simply plugs into the power point, one in the works and one in the house. Works through the power wires some how.

 

[Kevin54]

Cell phone to home phone. I'm thinking about picking up a set of 2 mile walkie talkies from WallyWorld though to talk. When the phone rings the wife doesn't know whether to answer it or not depending on who might call.

 

[DYNA BILL]

Like HOTFR8, I had a pair that plugged into the wall outlet and transmitted through the electrical wires. Don't ask me how that works! Just push a button to talk or another button to page. Had great reception even 100 feet between house and shop.
Sadly, I lost them during a move.

 

[Train]

I had the ones that just plug into an outlet, and I just found a set of the 3 chanel FM for 5 bucks. Both work excellent and the shop and house are about 100 feet apart.

 

[OccupantRJ]

We simply use cell phones. Works best of anything else I have tried through the years. My wife doesn't hassle me with phone calls. I just checked the last 60 calls on my phone. She called on 3 of them.

 

[Steevo]

No. And sometimes I turn off my cell phone when I am out there, too.

 

[JCQuick]

Hell if any one needs to talk to me when I'm in the shop they can walk that happy *** out to the shop. lol It is only 15 feet from the house.

Thats my thought as well

 

[malibu101]

I have had a pair of Radio Shack wireless FM intercoms for about 10 years. The garage is detached from the house.
They always have and still do work pefect and clear.
With one exeption
A few years ago they suddenly became real full of static. Nothing but static. Talking was impossible but the call buzzer still worked. One day by chance they worked fine to talk and then again all static. ch:
By accident I found out that when the CFL bulbs in the dining room were on it was all static-Turn them off and it's good.

 

[tncatadjuster]

+1 On the Radio Shack, had them for 15 years with no problem until CFL, got rid of the bulbs and all is good.

 

[DYNA BILL]

Not trying to flame here but, for those of you who say "If my wife/girlfriend/significant other/child/grandma/or anybody else wants me they can walk their *** out to the shop and talk to me". What if you or they were suddenly incapacitated and could only crawl a short distance...maybe a few feet to get to the intercom. Maybe for some reason you don't have your cell phone with you. Think about the possibilities when seconds could save a life.

 

[slghmmr88]

I was thinking more along the line of programming my keyfob to ring a buzzer in the kitchen. You know like one buzz = bring me a sandwich, two buzzes = don't forget chips, three buzzes = Ice for my soda, 2then 3 then 2 buzzes = go to the store the beer fridge is running low, continual buzzing = out of beer situation critical bring the emergency beer first before going to the store and hurry.

Think this will work?

 

[Kevin54]

I was thinking more along the line of programming my keyfob to ring a buzzer in the kitchen. You know like one buzz = bring me a sandwich, two buzzes = don't forget chips, three buzzes = Ice for my soda, 2then 3 then 2 buzzes = go to the store the beer fridge is running low, continual buzzing = out of beer situation critical bring the emergency beer first before going to the store and hurry.

Think this will work?

 

[Crusty Nut]

Not trying to flame here but, for those of you who say "If my wife/girlfriend/significant other/child/grandma/or anybody else wants me they can walk their *** out to the shop and talk to me". What if you or they were suddenly incapacitated and could only crawl a short distance...maybe a few feet to get to the intercom. Maybe for some reason you don't have your cell phone with you. Think about the possibilities when seconds could save a life.

All this plus, whatever I may be doing in the shop...there is a possibility something more pressing could come up. It's not like I'm meeting with the queen in there.

 

[tkiranch]

My wife and I are both disabled, so communication is very important. We have a farm and use a lot of different types of comms. We have the Cell phone/ Iphone option, the 2 way radio that is in each vehicle, 4 hand helds, and a base in the shop. I am just now starting to play with skype. My laptop in the shop ( across the street on the farm side) will answer skype from her computer, my other laptop and both Iphones automatically. My house laptop answers automatically.

She can see the shop work area on the screen and if she cant see me, she can hear what is going on. ( music, radio, dog barking and maybe me snoring under the truck.

My goal is to put a camera in living room, garage, in the shop, and barn as a security / safety system. Not including the monitored alarm system. I cant imagine what will happen when we get old. (FYI... Can you tell I am OCD a little)

 

[crewchief888]

many years ago at my parents house we had the radioshack plug in intercoms in the house and garage.
house one was right next to the onlyphone in the house, we could lock the keypad on and hear the phone ring in the garage over the intercom.

yea it was the 60's,
rotary dial phone, attached to the wall........

 

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

The missus has been pestering me about an intercom system as well, so good timing. Good points about being pestered...what she deems important makes me scratch my head. But with two small children and the whole safety thing it may be a good idea if she needs to find me. For the time being, if I have the outside shop flood lights on then she knows I'm in there. Since I have currently have no heat I'll also leave the man-door open. The kids find their way easily, especially the boy, since he likes his pedal car that's parked in there:

 

[NitroPress]

+1 On the Radio Shack, had them for 15 years with no problem until CFL, got rid of the bulbs and all is good.

We have a house full of CFLs and only occasional raspiness on the 'coms. It's a matter of what's on what circuit and how close... and sometimes switching among the three channels will clear a particular noise.

As for those who don't want to be bothered in their man-caves, you might want to think about why you hooked up with anyone except beer buddies in the first place.

 

[DYNA BILL]

The odds of that are so slim when compared to the countless calls that you would normally get for stupis stuff like going in the house to see if her **** looks fat in the new jeans don't make an intercom worth it to me.

If I was that concerned I would get an intercom but i would put it in one of these boxes.

Chris

I have to wonder if you don't carry any car/home/health/life insurance because the chances of you getting into an accident/house catching fire/getting sick/dying are slim.

 

[formek]

I was thinking more along the line of programming my keyfob to ring a buzzer in the kitchen. You know like one buzz = bring me a sandwich, two buzzes = don't forget chips, three buzzes = Ice for my soda, 2then 3 then 2 buzzes = go to the store the beer fridge is running low, continual buzzing = out of beer situation critical bring the emergency beer first before going to the store and hurry.

Think this will work?

This was very funny. But now on the serious side I see divorce in your future LOL LOL

 

[NUTTSGT]

I was thinking more along the line of programming my keyfob to ring a buzzer in the kitchen. You know like one buzz = bring me a sandwich, two buzzes = don't forget chips, three buzzes = Ice for my soda, 2then 3 then 2 buzzes = go to the store the beer fridge is running low, continual buzzing = out of beer situation critical bring the emergency beer first before going to the store and hurry.

Think this will work?

This was very funny. But now on the serious side I see divorce in your future LOL LOL

I believe he's single and will be for a long time.

 

[Jagmandave]

We just yell...it's surprisingly effective!

 

[HOTFR8]

Like HOTFR8, I had a pair that plugged into the wall outlet and transmitted through the electrical wires. Don't ask me how that works! Just push a button to talk or another button to page. Had great reception even 100 feet between house and shop.
Sadly, I lost them during a move.

They transmit through the power wires. If you have a stand alone or UPS power system they will not work. Also pays to check no one is listening in on the same channel as they can transmit via the street power cables.

I had the ones that just plug into an outlet, and I just found a set of the 3 chanel FM for 5 bucks. Both work excellent and the shop and house are about 100 feet apart.

Bargain.

 

[DYNA BILL]

They transmit through the power wires. If you have a stand alone or UPS power system they will not work. Also pays to check no one is listening in on the same channel as they can transmit via the street power cables.



Bargain.

HOTFR8, I'm pretty sure that mine transmitted through the wires within the house circuit. Is that what you mean?

 

[c/o say]

Not trying to flame here but, for those of you who say "If my wife/girlfriend/significant other/child/grandma/or anybody else wants me they can walk their *** out to the shop and talk to me". What if you or they were suddenly incapacitated and could only crawl a short distance...maybe a few feet to get to the intercom. Maybe for some reason you don't have your cell phone with you. Think about the possibilities when seconds could save a life.

DYNABILL what happens when I am out there and no one is home. I work in my shop all the time with no one home. A intercom will not keep you safe. It would be a waste of MY time and money. I never said you or anyone else could not have one in your shops. Sorry but lets agree to disagree. I just stated how I look at them.

 

[DYNA BILL]

DYNABILL what happens when I am out there and no one is home. I work in my shop all the time with no one home. A intercom will not keep you safe. It would be a waste of MY time and money. I never said you or anyone else could not have one in your shops. Sorry but lets agree to disagree. I just stated how I look at them.

I didn't say it would keep you safe. Only you can do that. I just look at it as a convenience. And in a worst case scenario, a possible lifeline. I prefer to play it on the safe side. YMMV.

 

[1jjpop]

I have a extra garage, 3 blocks from our house with a double garage, when I retired I wanted to buy a lot and build a new shop. City said no, unless you have a house with it.So i drove by this place they were tearing down the old house, I asked owner what he was going to do with lot with double garage[ on back of lot] he said sell it, so I bought it. Put new roof on ,insulated, new doors, lined inside, and painted. Used walkie-talkies for 5 years+-, then changed to cell phones.They work good.

 

[slghmmr88]

I believe he's single and will be for a long time.

After the second property split I determined "if it floats, flies or f**ks it is better to rent it (or borrow the neighbor's

 

[HOTFR8]

HOTFR8, I'm pretty sure that mine transmitted through the wires within the house circuit. Is that what you mean?

Yes that is what I mean through the power cables on your property.

 

[Lippyp]

I had a thread about this a while ago, seemed the geenral wisdom was man in garage, woman in kitchen, do not disturb........LOL

In the end I've just bought a four handset cordless phone as we needed to replace our aging two handset system as the display on one is knackered. This set does have an intercom function and should reach my garage easily so the intention is to keep one handset in the garage, that way if no one else is in and I'm working out there I won't miss any calls either. I'll tell you how it works when we move in and I get power in the garage!

 

[dougmac]

Believe it or not...... sometimes I want to talk to her without having to walk to the house. She often calls to ask if I would like her to make lunch...... twenty minutes later she appears ar the door with my lunch. I am good with that!

On athe similar note, I also have the doorbell from the front door ring in the shop. This is very nice to have too!