How to Select the Right Garage Door Remote
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF REMOTE CONTROLS FOR GATES
In the modern world, a person every day is faced with the automation of various processes in the field of access control to the territory, whether it be shopping or business centers, adjoining or public parking. How do all these automatic gates and gate control devices work? Everything is very simple, all these systems function thanks to the reception and sending of a radio signal. The garage remote control (transmitter key fob) is responsible for sending a command to the automated device. Let’s take a closer look at the main characteristics by which they differ and what to pay your attention to while choosing.
First of all, it should be noted that the remote control can be of two types:
- narrowly focused;
In the first case, the device works only in tandem with the products of a particular manufacturer. But universal remotes are able to establish contact with any garage door. This issue should be studied in advance in order to find the appropriate device option.
It is also important to note that some models of the remote control for the gate allow you to copy the signal from another device. It reads information from the receiver, which is located on the device board.
The most important characteristics and properties of the garage door remote include:
- frequency range – make sure that the device operates in a range of at least 433 MHz, otherwise its quality will be questionable;
- resistance to interference from the operation of various devices: electric drives, transformers or towers for mobile communications;
- operating range – the optimal indicator is considered to be from 50 meters;
- resistance to temperature changes;
- ample opportunities for configuring and programming the remote control for your own needs;
- signal security – the signal itself is static and dynamic, the second option is more reliable, since it makes an attempt to copy the code useless, because it is constantly changing when the remote control and the gate are connected.
RADIO FREQUENCY AND RANGE
To transmit a signal between the remote control and the receiver, two main radio frequencies are used, are 433.92 MHz (+/- 100 kHz) and 868.35 MHz (+/- 100 kHz), 433.92 MHz, which is more popular among manufacturers of gate automation and barriers, but many of you have come across a situation when, due to the density of urban development, you had to come closer to the automation to give a signal. Everything is correct. On the streets of a metropolis, popular frequencies are heavily loaded, so their transmission is difficult. In addition, the range of signal transmission is greatly influenced by various frequency interference that is caused by the magnetic field of this or that electrical equipment. Do not forget about the density of buildings, natural obstacles to the terrain. But despite all the difficulties, manufacturers of automation are trying to compensate for the negative technogenic impact by installing a more powerful nutrient and increasing the signal power or installing an additional antenna for signal amplification and repeaters. On average, the basic signal transmission distances for modern consoles range from 50 to 200 meters.
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL RADIO CHANNELS OR BUTTONS ON THE REMOTE CONTROL
The number of channels located on the remote control affects to a greater extent the number of devices connected and controlled from it. Sometimes at the same enterprise, there are several automated systems, such as barriers, industrial sectional doors, sliding gates, etc. and therefore it becomes necessary to control all these systems from one remote control. But only for use for automated access control systems, the matter is not limited, it is not uncommon for free channels to program the control of adjoining street lighting or roller shutter window systems. As a rule, the number of buttons on the consoles does not exceed 4, which is quite enough for a comfortable organization of the automation.
TYPE OF TRANSMITTED SIGNAL AND CODING SYSTEM
A lot of people, when controlling automation, have often caught yourself thinking about whether the system being used is reliable or possible failure. Let’s figure it out. There are two types of the radio signal for transmitting commands to gate automation or a barrier, namely Statistical and Dynamic. Today, systems using the Dynamic code are considered more modern, the main distinguishing feature of which from the Static code is its change according to a certain algorithm after each signal transmission to the receiver. In turn, systems using the Dynamic Code can set it in certain ranges, which can reach trillions of combinations. Therefore, you should not think that someone will hack or copy the signal from your remote control, it is absolutely impossible, the situation with the loss of the remote control is much more realistic.
CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN OF THE REMOTE CONTROL
In today’s market for remote control systems, there are a variety of beautiful and ergonomic key fobs. Here are just the main differences between the two. The indicator light serves to indicate and signal the operation of the key fob. The presence of a special hole for attaching to a bunch of keys or a separate strap. Made of metal or plastic, with rubber buttons or plastic and other features.