Meraki Smart Cameras with third party video intercom solution

[BigPete]

Hello

I have a client who wants to swap exiting legacy cameras and storage for Meraki CCTV Smart Cameras and Cloud-based archiving.  The only issue is - they use IP Intercom's for access in a couple of different areas.  Is there any way to integrate the intercoms with the Meraki system?  The intercoms are from 2N.

Pete

[mlefebvre]

When you say you want to integrate them, what exactly do you mean? What do the two systems have to do together to achieve? Also, how many intercoms are we talking about and are they indoor or outdoor? How are the intercoms currently monitored (from a central security desk, etc.), and is there an existing NVR solution either built into the intercoms or separate from them?

[BigPete]

Hi.  Any type of integration would be positive.  My client is trying to push all storage/archiving into the cloud, and already has a Meraki network, so the cameras make sense.  Ideally storing the video from the 2N intercom on the Meraki cloud would be awesome .. but even a very simple thing like getting alerts or alike from one system to the other would be good.  I believe that the 2N intercoms they use can me cloud managed via the 2N portal ... so at least thats something.

[alemabrahao]

No, it's not possible.

[GreenMan]

A few thoughts occur to me on this;

The Meraki MV solution doesn't store in the cloud (at least, not in an ideal deployment).  While the solution is managed in the cloud and metadata is stored in the cloud, ideally the footage itself stays on the cameras (the vast majority of footage is never viewed, so why move it anywhere - particularly as improved resolution only makes bandwidth & storage needs ever larger)

Cloud Archive is available if you need it.  That tends to be only if you have an absolute need to store some footage for extended periods though.   Bear in mind that any clip of interest can always be exported as an MP4, to be saved wherever you like, for as long as you like.

You mention 'storing the video from the 2N intercom' - but the intercom system would not actually have anything to do with the footage, long-term, ideally   ..?

You could stream footage from an MV camera to an intercom system, provided that system has the ability to ingest it and incorporate it in it's audio interactions with the user...   That would use RTSP  https://documentation.meraki.com/MV/Advanced_Configuration/External_RTSP