Summer Infant Day & Night Handheld Color Video Monitor
Getting a good baby monitor can really put your mind at ease. As baby sleeps soundly, you can pucker around the house doing your own things without worrying too much if baby needs you at that moment.
There are many kinds of baby monitors available but it looks like many parents like the Summer Infant Day & Night Handheld Color Video Monitor 1.8″ Screen
FEATURES
- Wireless video and audio monitoring
- 900 MHz technology
- 1.8″ Screen
- 350 foot range
- Compact and lightweight
- Can be wall mounted
- Power saver feature
- Video snooze button
HOW WELL DOES IT WORK?
I know you want the best value for your money. One way to judge is to read other parents’ experiences with the product. On Amazon, there are currently 562 customer reviews that you can go through. That will take a while, so let me summarize it for you. 70% of those reviews gave the video monitor a ranking of 4 stars and higher. That is pretty good statistics.
Here are the good points about this video monitor as pointed out by other parents.
PLUS POINTS
- You get a very clear picture. You can see if baby is awake or just turning in his sleep. Now that you can see baby, you don’t have to keep running to the room every time you hear a noise on the baby monitor.
- It has night vision. You can see baby in clear black and white images. You can check up on your sleeping baby at night without disturbing him or her.
- You can adjust the brightness of the monitor to your liking.
- The microphone is real sensitive which allows you to hear baby’s breathing.
- If you turn off the sound, you still have the lights to let you know there’s noise like when baby is crying.
- It is portable and has a belt clip and kickstand for further convenience. You can take the monitor everywhere with you. Makes checking up on baby very easy.
- When it is cordless, the video will shut off by itself after several minutes to save on energy. You can easily turn it on by pressing the button on top. You can also use the button to turn off the video at night. The audio will still be on though.
- The batteries are rechargeable. You can save a little money there as you don’t have to keep on buying batteries. The battery is said to last only 12-18 months. You can always order a replacement battery when the original can no longer hold a charge.
- You can hook it up to your TV.
- Easy to set up.
- One parent talked about how she used it to sleep train her baby. With the video monitor, she could confidently see that her baby was okay and wait it out. In the end, her baby became a very good sleeper.
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Every product has some bad points. Here are some of the complaints.
NEGATIVE POINTS
- Static
This product is not free from static. Some people say they only get minimal static which goes away once they reposition the hand-held unit. Others say the static gets on their nerves. As you can see, the feedback on this is inconsistent. Whether or not you get static depends on the environmental interference around your house or neighborhood. If you live in a townhouse or apartment building, you will likely experience interference. This product is on the 900Mhz band so, any other gadgets (like a cordless phone) using the same frequency could cause interference. To determine if the static is a product defect or caused by the environment, try using the product in someone else’s home like a friend’s or relative’s. If you still get the same kind of static, it may be a problem with the product and you can send it back to the manufacturer for a replacement. If the static is due to your environment, you won’t be able to get a refund but you can return it to the store. So don’t forget to keep your receipt safely.Overall, the product is pretty good but then, there is always the possibility that you may get more static than you want.
- No privacy
The monitor uses public airwaves. So, if your neighbor has a baby monitor on the same frequency within the same range, you may end up seeing your their baby or vice versa. Anybody who tunes in to your channel can also eaves drop on your conversations. One way to stop that from happening is to turn off your camera when not in use. Some people are really creep-ed out about this no privacy issue. Others are not very bothered by it because the camera only points at the baby’s crib. So, whether this is a problem or not depends on how paranoid you are. If you don’t feel comfortable about it, return the product to the store. If your monitor is still under the 1 year warranty, you also have the option of sending it back to the manufacturer and swapping it with a different product. If you choose a monitor that uses digital technology, you won’t have this problem.
- It only has 2 channels. If both the channels are not clear, you are out of options.
- The LED sound indicator can be too bright at night. If it bothers you while you’re trying to sleep, you can just put some tape over it. That way you can still see the light but in a “toned down” form.
- Durability
There seems to be mixed reviews on the durability of this product. A few mothers used their unit for 2-3 years while others complained how it only lasted a few months. Once again, keep your receipt in case you end up with a “lemon”. Remember, you have 1 year warranty. Their customer service seems to be excellent. The process of replacing one unit for another is hassle free.
- Not that much color
It is a color video monitor but don’t expect vivid colors. You won’t see very colorful images unless the room is very, very bright. But this is not a concern for most people because the images are still very clear.
VERDICT
This is a good buy. Reading reviews from Amazon and other discussion groups on the net, there seem to be more happy customers than disgruntled ones. Plus, Babble.com awarded it as the best overall video monitor on the market. It’s clear images is a boon to many parents. Being able to carry the monitor around easily is another plus. It has put many parent’s mind at ease. You can use it to sleep train your child, make sure baby is sleeping safely, hear baby breathing or to make sure baby isn’t planning to “jail break” the crib. One consumer even commented that he was using it to monitor his sick dad who was back from the hospital.
When it comes to baby monitors, there isn’t one that is perfect for everybody. We all live in different places, are exposed to different environments and have different needs. One mother commented that she was glad she went ahead to buy this product even after reading a comment that said she shouldn’t. So even though this baby monitor is not free of flaws, it is one of the best in the market. It is worth it to try it out.
