IP Strobe Lights: we’re not talking about rock concerts for sysadmins. We’re talking about the network-attached notification peripheral that lights up as a visual alert.
This blog is simple. We answer questions about IP strobe lights:
- What is an IP strobe light?
- What scenarios call for an IP strobe light?
- What IP strobe light features should you look for?
- What are the colors of IP strobe lights used for?
- How do you connect an IP strobe light?
Let’s get into it!
What is an IP strobe light?
IP strobe lights are network-connected lights that provide a visual notification in situations where audio notifications are undesirable or insufficient. They are used with IP paging systems, IP emergency phones, IP security camera systems, and more. You can often use them as independent devices, as well.
There are analog strobe lights for use with analog paging systems, CCTV systems, and so on — but this blog isn’t about them.
We’re focusing on the network-connected version. They might be called IP strobe lights, IP strobes, IP visual alerters — and we’re probably missing a bunch more.
They’ll almost certainly be SIP devices, supporting the open SIP protocol. There are specialized versions for InformaCast, if you use that mass notification platform.
What scenarios call for an IP strobe light?
It’s easiest to understand what an IP strobe light is by seeing what it’s used for. Here are some common scenarios for using an IP strobe light. This is not a comprehensive list, but a representative one:
- Critical scenarios
- Loud environments
- Quiet environments
- Improve accessibility
- Headphones/headsets
- Schedules
Using IP strobe lights in critical scenarios
Strobes can be used to add an extra layer of security by acting as a deterrent, like displaying the feed from a surveillance camera at the entrance to a store or having a car alarm. For example, you might have a blue strobe light connected to an emergency phone. When a person in danger presses the call button, the strobe starts flashing, which can deter bad actors because it’s so eye-catching to everyone nearby.
There are many examples. You could use one in a more dangerous location like a construction worksite to let everyone know, for example, that the crane is being moved into position. You could use one in a public space like a school as a critical alarm that you hopefully never need to use but will be thankful for if you do need it. You might set one up to integrate with sensors to automatically signal, for example, a dangerous temperature.
Using IP strobe lights in loud environments
Sometimes, no matter how loud you play a phone’s ringer or the paging speaker, people can’t reliably hear messages. And you don’t want to cause ear damage by playing a ringer too loudly. For example, factories with heavy fabrication machinery might be too loud for even a loud ringer to be heard. In loud environments, workers will probably have on safety earmuffs, anyways.
In cases like these, you’ll need an IP strobe light. When there’s a critical page, emergency alert, or even just a schedule announcement, using a strobe to catch the eye of workers is essential.
Using IP strobe lights in quiet environments
Strobes are useful in locations that you want to keep quiet like sensitive manufacturing facilities or archives. Rather than playing a ringer that might startle workers, a strobe light is a silent yet highly noticeable signal. In these cases, IP strobe lights are particularly useful for emergency alerts and schedule information: “It’s now closing time.”
Similarly, workers in healthcare places like maternity wards or ICUs need to know when a call is coming in. But you don’t want to have two dozen crying babies on your hands when one comes in.
Using IP strobe lights to improve accessibility
IP strobe lights can be used to improve accessibility. In buildings where hearing-challenged individuals are present, strobes are essential. In fact, improving accessibility has been shown to improve experiences for all people, so having a strobe for accessibility is a good idea in general.
Using IP strobe lights where people use headphones or headsets
Many workers nowadays expect to be able to listen to their own music or podcasts while working. That’s great — except it means that people won’t be able to hear announcements or alarms, particularly if their headphones have Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). Same goes for schools: students will have their headphones on.
Why not try an IP strobe light attached to your paging system to catch the eye of people jamming out while working? It’s like having a headset busylight for the whole office.
Use IP strobes lights for scheduling
Need to let people know when it’s lunch break? You’ll typically be able to integrate an IP strobe light with scheduled announcements over your PA system, which makes the announcements that much more effective.
What IP strobe light features should you look for?
When shopping for an IP strobe light, what features are important?
Here are some of the key features of IP strobe lights to keep an eye out for:
Weatherproofing. If you plan to use the strobe light outside, make sure that it’s rated for outdoor installation. Check the operating temperature range if you’re in Death Valley or Nome to make sure it’ll work in the heat or cold.
Mounting options. A strobe light is typically mounted on either a wall or a ceiling. Some are intended for only one of these options and others for both. If you want to mount it to a stand, for example in a parking garage, you’ll likely need an optional mounting kit.
Adjustable brightness levels. You don’t want to blind people with overly bright flashes from the strobe light, but you want to make sure it’s easily visible. If this is a concern for you, look for IP strobe lights with customizable brightness levels.
Directionality. How visible is the strobe light from different directions? For example, many strobes are designed to be 360° x 180° visible — that is, visible all around from one side. But maybe you want a strobe light whose visibility is more contained so you’re not illuminating areas you don’t want illuminated.
Flashing patterns. A strobe light doesn’t just have to flash on and off, one-two-one-two. Some support flashing patterns that can be more or less eye-catching, depending on the situation.
Integrated loud ringer. Some network strobes like Axis D4100-E have an integrated alarm, so you can play an amplified alert tone or message. This adds another layer to your alerting system that could be valuable.
InformaCast compatibility. Singlewire InformaCast is a popular mass notification platform. If you want the strobe light to be used with an InformaCast system, there are specialized options available for you.
Bulb type. What kind of bulb does the strobe light use? LED bulbs typically have longer lifetimes and are more energy efficient than other types of bulbs, so you might look out for those in particular.
Color. Finally, you want to make sure your strobe light is the correct color. Because color is a more in-depth topic, we cover it in the next section.
Note that available features depend on the platform you’re using. Not every feature will be supported by every platform, even if the strobe light itself is capable. Check device-to-platform compatibility before purchase.
What are the colors of IP strobe lights used for?
When it comes to color, IP strobe lights come in two varieties: single color or multi-color.
With single color IP strobe lights, you typically can choose a blue model, a red model, a green model, etc. Some IP strobe lights are single color, but you can purchase different colored lens covers.
With multi-color IP strobe lights, the light can flash different colors. It’ll be an LED light, so you can compare it to a smart light at home whose colors you can manipulate. You’ll select the colors through the system interface.
The selection of IP strobe lights colors you’ll typically find are from white, red, blue, green, and amber/orange.
What are different colored strobe lights for? Do you just pick your favorite color?
There are no hard-and-fast rules to what color you use for what situation. However, there are common color associations that you can use to your advantage. Also, some colors are more visible than others.
A red traffic light means stop and a green traffic light means go — of course. You could set up a multi-color strobe light to flash red when heavy trucks are in motion, then flash green for a few seconds when it’s all-clear.
Blue is associated with the police, so you might use a blue strobe at an emergency phone.
Amber lights are associated with caution, like with yellow traffic lights, so you might use one over an entrance to an underground garage where people have to drive slowly.
In most lighting conditions, a white light is more visible to the human eye than a red light. If you really want people to see the strobe light, choose the color that fits the lighting environment.
In the end, it’s about what you think is the most effective color for a given situation. Think about color associations and choose accordingly.
How do you connect and manage an IP strobe light?
IP strobe lights are network-connected devices like IP cameras, VoIP phones, IP paging speakers, and so on.
They connect to your IP network via an Ethernet cable. There are no Wi-Fi enabled IP strobe lights that we’re aware of. Typically, you’d power them via POE (Power Over Ethernet) by using a POE switch or POE injector/midspan, which means the light is powered by the same Ethernet cable that connects it to the network.
You manage IP strobe lights via the application or browser-based interface that you use for paging or security, which could be an IP phone system, unified communications service, IP surveillance platform, or similar.
When used with a PA system, you’ll typically be able to set one up as part of a multicast solution. And you might be able to connect them directly to another device via a contact relay, which is useful with, for example, using an IP camera to trigger an alarm.
You’ll typically use an IP strobe light as part of a larger paging, phone, or security system, but some can be used independently, which might be useful for one-off alarms in isolated areas.