Finding the Best Wireless Video Baby Monitor
For some parents, hearing a baby’s gurgles or incoherent ramblings through an audio baby monitor system is enough to know that the baby is safe and sound, while hearing the screeches and the screams is enough to know the baby’s up and needs something, if not everything. Yet, especially for first-time parents, there’s always so much curiosity as to, “What is the baby doing in there? Is the baby up? Did we hear the first sounds of a half-cry? How long does it really take the baby to fall asleep in there? Did the baby sleep during nap-time today?” The wireless video baby monitor is an exciting device used to capture some of the baby’s unseen moments, without disrupting crucial sleep time.
When purchasing a wireless, video monitoring system, you’ll need to consider how you intend to use it first. Some 5″ to 7″ video baby monitors attach underneath cabinets in a more permanent way, while others can be propped up on any nightstand or countertop. Another category of receivers are the handheld varieties, allowing you the ability to roam freely, while watching your baby on a smaller 1.8″ screen. The actual baby monitor camera may be mounted to the wall, attached to the crib or affixed to a bookshelf. Can you pan, tilt, zoom or get a wide-angle view of the room with your camera? These are all options to consider, and it’s important to note that they do not come one standard way, across the board.
Another feature to consider for your wireless video baby monitor device is how many of each unit you’ll need. For instance, a standard baby monitor system will come with one camera and one screen. However, some systems offer an optional two-parent handheld unit, a video screen and a handheld unit, or multiple cameras for watching more than one room and baby at a time. For some people, a more advanced system might be the best fit.
There are many popular models of wireless video baby monitor systems to choose from. The MobiCam Color Video Baby Monitor ($117 at Amazon) offers night-vision, TV hookups, lightweight units and no cordless phone interference. The Safety 1st baby monitors ($186) have versatile crib/table/wall mount options, excellent resolution, zoom/pan and limited interference. Summer Infant video monitors ($105) come with large screens, color/night vision, audio-only mode and multi-room monitoring. Lastly, the Graco baby monitor, called the iMonitor, comes with a handheld unit, has great sound clarity and exports to TV.
