Brief Explanation and History of
Baby Video Monitors:
Baby monitors in general are used to remotely listen to sounds made by
the baby. In other words allow the who ever is attending the baby to hear
them when they wake up, while being out of hearing distance of the infant.
They come in variety of shapes, sizes, features, prices, and even now have
video (baby cams). A standard baby monitor consist of a transmitter which
contains the microphone and a receiver which contains a speaker. The
transmitter is placed near the baby and the speaker is used by the care
giver. Some baby monitors include features like "parent talk-back" which
means it is bi-directional and you can speak to the baby, while others can
play music to the baby.
Can a baby monitor help with SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)? Well
that's up for debate. It could possible help if you have the volume turned
up loud enough and you are so in tune with your baby's breathing pattern you
wake up if you notice something off. Although there has been no evidence
that baby monitors or video baby monitors can help prevent SIDS, and some
doctors even believe they can give the parent a false sense of security. One
of the best prevention methods of SIDS is always putting the baby to bed on
his/her back not stomach.
More About How baby video monitors Work:
Baby video monitors or baby cams are getting increasingly high tech.
Nowadays you can get them with a night vision feature. They have infrared
LEDs attached to the front of the camera so that the infant can be seen at
night. Video baby monitors that have this feature will switch to night
vision mode automatically in the dark.
Baby video monitors usually come in either a wired or wireless version,
although the wired version is not nearly as popular and widespread as the
wireless. The wireless systems use radio frequencies that are reserved by
the government for non-licensed use. Most newer ones use 2.4 GHz and higher.
The only problem is that these same frequencies are used by other household
appliances such as telephones, wireless toys, Wi-Fi networks, and even
microwave. As a result one of the biggest complaints or problems with baby
video monitors is that the picture is not clear due to the transmission
interference.
Digital Versus Analog Baby Video Monitors - Recent technology
advances have allowed for digital video transmission and frequency hopping
(modulation) so that the image remains clear. Of course this technology is
more expensive. Digital systems also have a longer range (up to 300 meters),
of course this is outdoor rating. Digital baby video monitors also have the
added benefit of being more secure. Analog audio transmissions can be picked
up at a distance from the home by a scanner receiver, other baby monitors,
and even wireless phones. The Digital transmission especially with
frequency-hopping provides a little more protection of your privacy.
Analog wireless systems
- Are usually not secure. Anyone with a similar receiver and who is
within range, can receive the signal.
- Can suffer from irritating interference static, whines or squeals.
- Should have more than one channel so that if there is any
interference, another channel can be selected.
The Future Baby Monitor? - Recently software for smartphone
technology has been written so that a blackberry or iphone can be used for a
baby monitor. When the program detects a sound it calls a number and allows
you to hear what is going on. Of course one could think of multiple other
uses for this technology.
Other Features of Standard Baby Monitors:
- Portable battery-operated receivers can be carried by the caregiver
around the house. The transmitter stays near the infant crib and is usually
plugged into a socket.
- Visible signal as well as a speaker.
This is often in the form of a set of lights to indicate the noise level,
allowing the device to be used when it is inappropriate or impractical for
the receiver to play the sound.
- Vibrating alert on the
receiver making it particularly useful for people with hearing difficulties.
- Several transmitters can be used to monitor several rooms in the
home at once.
- Pressure-sensitive mat
placed beneath the child's mattress give additional warning of restless
activity by the infant.
Helpful Hints on How to Find a Portable Video Baby Monitor
Gaining in popularity are portable video baby monitors. These provide the
best of both worlds. You have the mobility of the audio only and the video.
Wading through all the different features and options can be difficult. Here
are some helpful hints to follow.
- Step 1: Go digital, the biggest complaint is interference and a
digital monitor has much less of it.
- Step 2: If you can't go digital and even if you can. It's a good
idea to try and avoid getting a baby monitors that uses the same
frequency that other devices you have in your home do. For example if
you have a 900 MHz cordless phone then avoid getting the 900 MHz baby
monitor.
- Step 3: Multiple charging options. Avoid buying a video baby
monitor that relies completely on batteries.
There are portable baby monitors that can be charged from an outlet or a USB
port.
- Step 4: Search the internet for feedback, reviews, and ratings. This
site is a good place to start.
Digital, Wireless, Color and Handheld Monitors Explained
Wired or wireless? Digital or analog? What about night vision? Here's how
to choose the right baby video monitor.
The picture quality on the video screen is normally not that great. It's
comparable to webcam quality or worse. The minimum you should accept is to
be ably to see if the baby is awake or asleep. Which means you need to be
able to their eyes with the camera a few feet away. Some monitors provide
color, but usually black and white is just fine. Night vision is in black
and white anyway which is when you'll be using it the most.
Video Screen Options:
- Battery-powered handheld portable unit, with a 1.8 to 2.5 inch screen
(diagonal length). Some have a video outlet that can also be plugged into a
standard TV. Batteries last only a few hours, with an AC adapter providing
unlimited run time.
- Larger dedicated non-portable screen (plugged into electrical mains,
no batteries), 5 to 7 inches.
- Standard TV connected to
parent unit receiver (no video screen provided). Some systems allow a
combination of different types of screens to be used.
Useful features to look for in baby video monitors:
- Ability to control the brightness of the LCD baby monitor screen.
They can be too bright for a dark room. Check that you have more than 2
levels of brightness which is common on some units.
- Remote pan and zoom of the camera. Most only offer a digital pan
zoom where the camera doesn't actually move, it's the software enlarging
the image. This can result in a blurry image.
- Night vision: Range is typically six feet or less. Look for a camera
that auto switches to night vision.
- Voice activated video (VOX): This saves battery by switching the
unit off till a sound is heard.
- Internet Connection Ability: Some monitors can be connected to the
web so they can be view from any pc connected to the internet. Be
careful some companies charge a monthly fee for this.
- Ability to monitor two cameras at once. Either split screen or by
rotating images.
- Ability to view camera by two monitors. One monitor for each parent,
or for when one gets flushed by a toddler you'll have a back-up.
About ReviewLizard.com:At
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so that you can compare the prices to make sure you are getting the best
deal. This sub site of ReviewLizard.com is focused solely on baby video
monitors.
Here you will find the latest and greatest baby video monitors from companies like
Graco, Summer Infant, Mobicam, Angelcare, Philips, and more. All reviewed by people like
you. We hope that you find this site useful and more importantly find that
perfect baby monitor for your little one.
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