Just from the last time I was pregnant three years ago until now, there are so many new products out there. Some already great ones have either been updated or have entirely new features.
I’ve been test driving baby monitors because I really want a monitor that’s compatible with multiple cameras so I can keep an eye on both of my kiddies.
VTech recently sent me the Safe&Sound Full Color Video and Audio Monitor to review. Here’s my take and experience with the monitor.
What I personally enjoy and find necessary:
Vibrating Sensor. The parent unit can be set to silent and vibrate when there’s sound in the baby’s room. My husband sometimes will do yard work while Chloé sleeps inside, and this feature put us at ease that we would still be alerted when she got up. If you’re in a loud atmosphere, at least you’ll still know what’s happening and not miss any baby sounds. I haven’t had this feature on any monitors yet that I’ve owned. (I’ve had 3!)
Temperature sensor. I’m always wondering if Chloé is too hot or too cold, and having a temperature sensor built in the camera that displays the reading on the parent unit is a HUGE help!
Talk-Back intercom. This is one of my favorite features! I thought having a feature like this would keep my daughter awake, but she actually uses it to tell me when she’s up or if she needs something. Sometimes we’ve had a little fun with it and just chatted back and forth too! I think this feature will be handy to calm my soon-to-be-baby boy too. Hopefully by hearing momma’s voice he can lull himself back to sleep.
Split-screen capability and expandable to 4 cameras. This is a must for me since I’ve been searching for a monitor that supports multiple cameras. This monitor supports up to four cameras that can be viewed from ONE parent unit. Awesome!
Digital Transmission. Having a digital transmission assures your transmissions are encrypted for your privacy and security. My older monitor was analog, and I always worried about other home’s with monitors picking up on my signal.
Zoom. Parents can get a closer look at baby from their parent unit by using the zoom feature. Just make sure you have the camera set up in a way where you don’t just zoom in on baby’s arm! You can’t rotate the camera from the parent unit, you’ll have to do that from the baby’s room on the wall mount.
Extra features:
Polyphonic Lullabies. I didn’t really use this feature too much, but I will say the lullabies built in the camera were pleasant. I use an iPod with a dock to lull Chloé to sleep, but I could’ve seen myself using this in a pinch. Five songs come built-in. This is a feature I didn’t have with my other two monitors either.
***
For the price, this monitor sure does have a lot of features that are very competitive with more expensive ones on the market.
I will say that this monitor worked best closer to my daughter’s crib. I tried to mount the camera all the way across the room on a bureau to get a view of the entire room, and the picture quality changed a bit.
It was good enough, but not as great as it was being close to the crib. I read in the manual that the monitor should be at least three feet from the crib.
Check out more features and specifics on VTech’s website. You can also purchase one there too. Right now they’re offering Free Shipping and a $2 donation to Make A Wish Foundation for every qualifying product sold.
· Suggested Retail: $129.95
What’s your must-have feature in a baby monitor?
Disclosure: I was not paid for this review. I was given the VTech Safe&Sound Full Color Video and Audio Monitor to review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Wow! Things have gotten high tech since I had Zac in 2008!!! This looks like a great monitor, thanks for sharing.
Looks like a wonderful monitor! I will certainly be looking into it. Thanks!
Thanks Melissa!
Oh my how things have changed since I had my last baby just 3 years ago! Sounds like a great monitor!
Registering for my second this time around sure was different because of all the new products. Crazy how they keep coming up with better stuff!
Wow, so high tech! When I have kids I will definitely want a monitor with all the bells and whistles. This sounds great!
It’s so hard to find anything without bells and whistles these days too! haha
awesome!!!! I love the talk back feature!!
Me too! Def the best part!
That is a REALLY nice monitor. Our video monitor died about 8 months ago or so, and is super old! So fancy!
That’s what happened to us, my original monitor started losing sound and the buttons weren’t working so it was time to trade up! 🙂
Wow this looks amazing! When we go for number 3 I think i’ll have to get it 🙂
I’ve also tested the Motorola digital camera and it has similar features. I loved that one as well too!
That’s way fancier than the one I had (7 years ago). The one I had was like a little black and white tv from the 70s that needed foil on the rabbit ears.
Oh my goodness, Heather! lol 7 years does seem like an eternity ago. 🙂
I have never had a baby monitor of any kind. Maybe I’ll need to get one like this for #2 though. Plus, I just love VTech!
I def feel better having a monitor and I especially enjoy watching my little munchkin sleep. 🙂
Oh my – this thing is the BOMB. What a great gift for a mom-to-be!
Right?! Any mom would totally love it!
I seriously want this. I am not ashamed to admit that I still have a monitor in Averi & Lily’s room (ages 5 and 3 1/2) b/c I like to hear everything in the entire house when I go to sleep at night. Charlotte has her own in her room, too. But, I’m going on 5 1/2 years with the same monitor in the big girls’ room and it’s dying. I want a cool one like this!!! Thanks for the review!
I feel like I always want a camera in Chloe’s room just to watch her sleep. 🙂 I’m going to be the mom who goes to college with her! hahaha
That looks like a great monitor! They have certainly come a long way since I bought my first video monitor!
It’s amazing isn’t it? My little Summer Infant from 2009 looks like Zach Morris’ cell phone compared to this! (PS Notice my Saved the Bell reference!)