HOW TO CHOOSE A BABY MONITORING SYSTEM
Are you planning to buy a baby monitor for the home?
Here are the features to consider!
Audio system
They are very easy to use: just turn on your unit and your child's unit to connect together, then adjust the listening volume.
The vast majority of audio monitors allow two-way communication. So when you hear your child waking up, you can talk to him to reassure him as you walk to his room. Some models are very compact and can be easily brought to your cottage or on vacation.
Audio-video system
The camera is mounted on the wall or on a piece of furniture so you can choose the best point of view. This allows you to move the viewing angle if your child is moving in their bed. These models also offer the ability to zoom in on parts of the image.
All AV models you may have have infrared lighting and automatically switch to "night vision" mode when the room darkens. The image then appears in shades of gray, and no longer in color. The field of view is larger or smaller depending on the number of infrared lights in front of the camera and their arrangement.
Microphone sensitivity and noise
Is your sleep easily disturbed by surrounding sounds? You will be at peace with a device capable of filtering or cutting out unwanted noise. Several devices allow you to adjust the sensitivity of the children's unit microphone to filter out, for example, the quietest noises. The microphone will therefore only transmit the loudest sounds, such as baby cries and cries.
Indoor and outdoor ranges
In a single-family house with three floors or in a smaller house. Be aware, however, that materials such as concrete and brick obstruct waves more than wood or drywall.
Do you plan to use your surveillance system especially when you go outside in the yard? In this case, choose a model with a range greater than your needs.
Battery life
If you want to use your device without a power cord, you will have less choice: only a few models offer full battery life (parent and child units). You must plug your child's unit into an electrical outlet and your unit must be operated with rechargeable batteries.
Additional units
Baby monitors all have at least two units: one that you place in the nursery (the transmitter) and one that you bring with you (the receiver). Some devices are sold with a second receiver. This can be useful if you want, for example, to use one receiver on the ground floor and another upstairs.
If you have several small children, you will appreciate an audio-video system to which you can attach additional cameras, one in each of the bedrooms, for example. From the parent's unit, you will be able to alternate watching your children take a nap.
The little extras
Some monitoring sets for your baby have other features that are not essential but may interest you.
• Ambient temperature. It lets you know the temperature in the room where your child’s unit is located.
• Sound level indication. This option is useful if you want to view the intensity of a sound without hearing it. The more bars that are lit on your unit, the louder the crying and screaming your child receives from your child's unit.
• Music. It allows you to play soft lullabies to put baby to sleep.
• Night light. Low intensity, the night light can secure your baby. It will also help you quickly locate the device in the dark. Almost all audio surveillance systems have it, as do some audio-video devices.
Wi-Fi system
Some audio-video surveillance sets have the Wi-Fi function, which allows you to use your smartphone or tablet. All you need to do is download the manufacturer's app, which will allow your mobile device to connect to your system's camera through the wireless router at home or wherever you are.
Devices with motion detector: not such a good idea
There are systems that continuously monitor the movements of the child's abdomen. If the device does not perceive any movement for 15, 18 or 20 seconds, an alarm is triggered. Some parents buy this type of product in the hope that it may prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
CAUTION: There are many false alarms with these motion monitors.
