Viking E-50-WH Single Gang Video Entry Phone w/ Color Camera

Viking Electronics E-50-WH Single Gang Video Entry Phone with Color Camera

The Viking Electronics E-50-WH is a compact, telephone-line-powered video entry phone designed for commercial and multi-tenant deployments where lobby or entry control needs to live in a single gang box. It integrates a 420-line color camera, a 125KHz proximity card reader, two-way handsfree audio, and auto-disconnect logic — all in a satin white faceplate that measures just 4.875" x 4.938" x 0.17". If you're specifying a access control solution where conduit runs and box depth are already fixed by the building, the single-gang form factor matters more than it might appear on paper.

Overview

The E-50-WH (often searched as E 50 WH) sits at the intersection of entry intercom, video surveillance, and credential reading. It's telephone-line powered — no separate power supply, no PoE switch, no Class 2 transformer — which simplifies wiring in both new construction and retrofit scenarios. The weatherproof design is rated for operation from -30°F to 150°F with humidity tolerance up to 100%, making it viable in unheated vestibules, parking structures, and covered exterior entry points. The push button itself carries an IP67 rating; the full enclosure meets IP66 EWP (Extra Weather Protection), so it handles direct rain and dust without issue in nearly every North American climate. If you're evaluating entry phones and intercoms, this unit covers more bases than a standalone audio intercom at a comparable footprint.

Key Features

• 420-Line Color Camera with 2.1mm Conical Pinhole Lens: The 80° horizontal / 60° vertical / 100° diagonal field of view captures the full entry area in front of a standard door — wide enough for ADA-compliant side approaches. The pinhole form factor keeps the camera profile low and difficult to tamper with compared to exposed dome or bullet styles. Camera tilt adjusts ±20° vertically and ±30° horizontally during installation, so you can fine-tune framing without shimming the backbox.
• 0.025 Lux Minimum Illumination (F1.2, 3200K): Usable color detail down to 0.025 lux — roughly equivalent to a very dim hallway. For covered exterior entries with overhead lighting or interior lobbies on emergency power, this means you keep color footage rather than dropping to monochrome or losing detail entirely.
• Composite NTSC Video Output (1 Vp-p, 75Ω): The camera outputs standard NTSC composite over a 75-ohm shielded connection. This integrates directly with analog DVRs, video door monitors, or hybrid NVR inputs. The 6–22V DC power range for the camera circuit (150mA maximum) accommodates a wide variety of auxiliary power supplies already on-site.
• 125KHz Proximity Card Reader — 26-Bit Wiegand: The built-in reader supports standard HID-compatible 125KHz credentials and outputs 26-bit Wiegand data, which is the near-universal format accepted by commercial access control panels. Read range is 1.25" to 2.0" — appropriate for controlled presentation reads, not casual walk-by. Max cable run is 500 ft on 24 AWG stranded, which covers most single-building reader-to-panel runs without a signal repeater. Card reader power draw is 5–14V DC at 60mA maximum, so it won't stress the panel's auxiliary output.
• Telephone-Line Powered with 25V AC RMS Ring Voltage: No auxiliary power supply required — the phone circuitry runs on standard POTS or PBX telephone line power. Ring voltage requirement is 25V AC RMS minimum, compatible with most commercial PBX systems and analog telephone adapters. This dramatically reduces the number of trades involved in a retrofit install.
• Auto-Disconnect with 300ms CPC: The 300ms minimum CPC (Calling Party Control) disconnect ensures the line releases cleanly after a call ends. In multi-tenant or high-traffic entry environments, stuck lines that hold the intercom circuit tied up are a real operational problem — auto-disconnect eliminates the need for manual intervention.
• IP67 Push Button / IP66 EWP Full Enclosure: The push button achieves IP67 (submersion-rated), and the full assembly meets IP66 EWP. For a device mounted at door level in a climate with freeze-thaw cycles or wind-driven rain, this level of ingress protection means the unit handles real-world conditions, not just lab drizzle. Operating range of -30°F to 150°F and 100% humidity tolerance covers nearly every covered-exterior or semi-conditioned space without heater accessories.
• Speaker Volume 62 dB @ 1m: Adequate for covered exterior entries and interior lobbies. Not designed for open parking structures with significant ambient noise — plan for a higher-output speaker station in those environments.
• Single Gang Flush Mount / Optional Surface Mount: Flush-mounts in a single gang box (the phone module is 2.84" x 1.8" x 1.65"), which keeps the wall face clean and reduces vandal leverage points compared to surface-mount boxes. The optional VE-3x5 surface mount box accommodates installations where in-wall conduit isn't available.

Integration and Compatibility

The 26-bit Wiegand card reader output integrates with commercial access control panels from Lenel, Software House, HID, Honeywell Pro-Watch, and most others that accept standard Wiegand input. The composite NTSC video output connects to analog DVRs and hybrid NVRs or dedicated video door monitors — it is not an IP stream, so it will not appear natively in a VMS without a video encoder in between. The telephone interface works with POTS lines, analog PBX extensions, and most analog telephone adapters (ATAs) used with VoIP systems. Verify ring voltage output at the ATA or PBX port meets the 25V AC RMS minimum before finalizing design. The 2 gel-filled UR2 butt connectors are included for telephone line termination, keeping the install clean in wet or exposed locations.

For deployments pairing this unit with a electric strike or magnetic lock, the relay control output at the panel side handles door release — the E-50-WH itself does not carry a relay; door control is driven by the access control panel receiving the Wiegand output.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does the E-50-WH work with VoIP phone systems or only traditional POTS lines?

A: The E-50-WH is telephone-line powered and requires a standard analog telephone interface. It works with POTS lines, analog PBX extensions, and VoIP systems via an analog telephone adapter (ATA), provided the ATA or PBX port supplies at least 25V AC RMS ring voltage. Confirm this spec with your VoIP gateway vendor before deploying.

Q: What access control panel formats does the built-in card reader support?

A: The reader outputs 26-bit Wiegand at 125KHz, which is the standard format accepted by the vast majority of commercial access control panels including HID, Lenel, Software House, and Honeywell systems. Read range is 1.25" to 2.0" and the maximum cable run to the panel is 500 ft on 24 AWG stranded wire.

Q: Is the E-50-WH rated for outdoor installation?

A: Yes. The push button carries an IP67 rating (submersion-rated) and the full EWP assembly meets IP66. Operating temperature range is -30°F to 150°F with humidity tolerance up to 100%, suitable for covered exterior entry points and unheated vestibules in most climates.

Q: What type of video output does the camera produce — is it IP or analog?

A: The camera outputs standard NTSC composite video (1 Vp-p, 75-ohm shielded). This is an analog signal — it connects to analog DVRs, hybrid NVRs, or dedicated video door monitors. It is not an IP stream and will not appear natively in an IP VMS without a video encoder.

Q: Does the E-50-WH include a relay for door strike control?

A: No. The E-50-WH does not have an onboard relay for door release. Door control is handled by the access control panel receiving the Wiegand output from the built-in card reader. The panel's relay triggers the electric strike or mag lock.

Q: What box does the E-50-WH flush-mount into?

A: The phone module (2.84" x 1.8" x 1.65") flush-mounts in a double gang box with minimum inside dimensions of 2.25" deep x 3.65" wide x 2.84" tall (Carlon BH234R or equivalent). For surface-mount installations, the optional VE-3x5 surface mount box is available separately.

Karl Wilson

When I spec the E-50-WH for a multi-tenant lobby or controlled entry, the detail that always comes up first is the telephone-line-powered architecture — there's no auxiliary power supply to provision, no PoE port to reserve, and no Class 2 circuit to pull. That single constraint drives a lot of install decisions, especially in retrofit scenarios where the electrician's scope is already closed and you're working with existing telephone conduit to the door.

Technical Highlights:

• 26-Bit Wiegand at 125KHz, 500 ft cable run: The built-in proximity reader outputs the format your access control panel already expects. At 500 ft maximum on 24 AWG stranded, a single reader-to-panel home run covers most mid-rise floor plans without a Wiegand extender — a real wiring cost saver on multi-story buildings.
• 0.025 Lux Camera Sensitivity: Color detail at 0.025 lux (F1.2, 3200K) is the spec that separates a usable evidence image from a silhouette in a dim vestibule. At lobby or covered-exterior light levels, you'll hold color footage — which matters when HR or security needs to identify a person in post-incident review.
• IP67 Push Button / IP66 EWP Assembly, -30°F to 150°F: The -30°F lower bound handles unheated northern vestibules without a heater accessory. The IP67-rated push button specifically means freeze-thaw water ingress at the most-exposed component isn't a service call driver — a common failure point on units rated only to IP65.

Deployment Considerations:

• The composite NTSC video output (1 Vp-p, 75Ω) is analog — if your head-end is an IP VMS, you'll need a video encoder or a dedicated door monitor; budget that hardware into the system design upfront rather than discovering it at integration time.
• Watch the ring voltage requirement: 25V AC RMS minimum. Some ATAs and older PBX analog ports drop below this under load. Test at the port with a meter before the device ships — a low-ring-voltage port will produce intermittent or no ring behavior that's frustrating to diagnose after installation.

The E-50-WH fits cleanest in commercial building lobbies, multi-tenant residential entries, and controlled interior checkpoints where the telephone backbone is already in place and the access control panel accepts Wiegand — specifically, facilities that want video verification at the entry point without running IP camera infrastructure to the door.