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Original poster

Do we need a video baby monitor?

60 replies

Elland · 27/09/2016 15:24

What's your opinions on normal baby monitors vs video baby monitors?

If you've got a video one are they worth it or do you think you would have been fine with a normal one?

Does anyone have recommendations for both normal and video?

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Hello!

We've noticed this thread is quite old and some of the product recommendations are a little out of date. We've spent weeks speaking to parents and testing out baby monitors. Read our baby monitor reviews for a list of the best products on the market.

Hope that helps! Flowers

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Artandco · 27/09/2016 18:58

Dh works in programming, he says those connected via wifi would be super easy for anybody to hack into

GinIsIn · 27/09/2016 19:01

Another one whose DH works with tech and said no as the video ones are so easy to hack. We've gone with the Angel Care one that has the breathing/motion sensor instead.

Dixiechick17 · 27/09/2016 19:41

I have a Motorola video one and find it reassuring to be able to see her

Batteriesallgone · 27/09/2016 20:24

But unless you're living in a horror movie who would want to hack into one? Have I missed something?

Surely all you see on them is a child moving about in a cot/bed, or asleep. There is plenty of similar stuff freely available on the internet - pretty much any fb parenting group for a start!

Artandco · 27/09/2016 20:34

Battersea - anyone with a good enough knowledge can hack into them and watch your baby sleep. They could be in cot naked as happily at home. Or can watch the room if it's not fixed on child. Does that not worry you?

Batteriesallgone · 27/09/2016 21:01

But who would? Unless you have a stalker? I don't get what there is to be worried about tbh.

I mean I did actually have a stalker when I was pregnant (guy at work, not fun) but I still figured well, if he trails me home, finds my address and makes the effort to hack into my baby's video monitor in a few months from now he'll probably also be doing far weirder and scarier things that I'll be more worried about.

I just can't see how grainy grey footage of a child in a cot is going to be of much interest to anyone. If people are thinking peodophiles there is sadly far more sexualised content available online than some poor quality sleep footage.

sentia · 27/09/2016 21:11

It's more of a problem when people hack the monitor in order to do stuff like this.

Batteriesallgone · 27/09/2016 21:20

Everyone weighs risk differently I guess. Can't say it's significant for me on the things I worry about.

MyBreadIsEggy · 27/09/2016 21:33

Surely only the newer, high-tech monitors that work through your wifi can be hacked by someone remotely?? A lot of the newer ones have the camera in baby's room, connected to the wifi and then the parent watches via an app on their phone.
How can a video monitor that isn't in any way connected to the internet be hacked? Or am I missing something obvious?

Penguin13 · 27/09/2016 21:47

Like others I have found our video monitor useful but if you plan to buy one I would personally avoid the Philips Avent SCD603 one like the plague. It was fine at first but the charger stopped charging the parent unit unless it was balanced in exactly the right way which was a massive pain. We ended up buying a replacement charger which only lasted a few months before getting the same fault. The horrible loud beeping in the middle of the night as it has stopped charging and run out of battery drives. Me. Nuts! Maybe we have just been unlucky but that is my experience. Also really prone to interference of the signal if we are using the WiFi at home though that could just be our crap signal. I am due baby 2 in March and planning to buy a different model this time.

SpinALittleFaster · 27/09/2016 22:51

We have a video monitor and wouldn't be without it. I don't think it makes me more paranoid, it just means that I don't have to risk disturbing DD if she's just shouting out in her sleep. I can't see if she's breathing but the microphone is good enough to hear it.
I don't see how a camera which is only connected to the parent unit can be hacked unless it's by someone in very close proximity. Most video monitors don't touch your home network.

I agree that there's no point in buying one in the first 6 months as you shouldn't leave the baby alone.

bookworm14 · 28/09/2016 13:28

We have one and I love it. I can check whether DD (13m) is properly crying (sitting up, distressed) or just whimpering in her sleep. it's also good for checking she hasn't got into a funny position.

crayfish · 28/09/2016 13:52

I love ours. DS is 14 months and we still use it, it useful to be able to see if he is actually awake when he stirs and has stopped us rushing in unless we need to. In my house you could hear him if he cried without a monitor, but if he wakes up he doesn't really cry anyway and I would still want to see if he is awake/asleep.

It's also quite fund to watch his antics now he's a bit bigger and more... determined!

crayfish · 28/09/2016 13:55

It has never bothered me that somebody could hack into it (ours does work over wifi), if they want to do that and look at my son asleep in his pyjamas and growbag then I can't get that worked up about it to be honest.

polkadotdelight · 28/09/2016 13:57

Our monitor doesn't use the wifi so I can't see how it could be hacked.

Penguin13 · 28/09/2016 17:43

Could I be cheeky and ask those who are happy with their monitors what make/model you have? Was thinking of getting a Motorola one but have read some dire reviews with similar charging issues to our current monitor and poor battery life to boot. Hope you don't mind the hijack Op! Blush

ConvincingLiar · 28/09/2016 18:37

We have a Motorola and it's fine. Not the sharpest picture but good enough.

Batteriesallgone · 28/09/2016 19:16

Summer Infant Baby Touch. Not the sharpest picture but still good, not loads of snazzy features but fine for the basics of watching a baby - and two very well designed charge cradles that haven't broken and we've had it years and still going strong. Has outlived most of friends / families chargers!

Original poster
Elland · 28/09/2016 20:21

Hijack away Penguin, I would be interested to know too!

OP posts:
polkadotdelight · 28/09/2016 20:21

We have a bt one. Good picture and you can zoom too.

Dixiechick17 · 28/09/2016 22:34

Penguin I got the Motorola MBP18, it was part of a set with a breathing mat too at the time, not that I ever used that part in the end.

It's got a really long cable on the plug, so I just tend to plug it in whatever room I am in, battery dies after around 2-3 hours I think. I prefer it plugged in as the screen stays on. It's ok as far as monitor goes, but I would rather have had a zoom function, some of my friends have the bt ones which zoom in and play white noise.

MistressMolecules · 29/09/2016 00:37

I, like Yawn, didn't go for a video one, we just a have normal one (motorola) and have got to recognize her sounds. She is 20 months now and we still use it (restless sleeper and still wakes) I think I would probably be more inclined to get a normal monitor and a breathing monitor (not the angelcare ones - they can apparently cause frights to parents if baby rolls off mat), you can get ones that clip to the nappy so is always in contact with baby.

Leapling, I am so sorry for your loss Sad Flowers

JeVoudrais · 29/09/2016 07:32

Mustcam is HD and less than £40.

welshweasel · 29/09/2016 09:02

We have the Motorola mbp36s and have been really pleased with it. The sound quality is excellent, I can hear DS breathing even over the TV (he's a noisy bugger though) and the video picture is good enough for me to see his chest moving too. We have to keep all the doors closed due to noise from older kids so I wouldn't hear him without a monitor. He moves around and squawks a lot in his sleep so being able to see that he's not actually awake saves a lot of trips up and down the stairs. We only use it in the evening, when we go to bed we just open the doors. It's got a pretty long range, we used it in a holiday home that was massive and has thick stone walls and was fine. Not had any issues with charging or battery life.

Nan0second · 29/09/2016 09:09

We don't even have a non video one. Modern build houses mean we can always hear her if she wakes, even when we are downstairs. Obviously, we had her in with us for the first 6 months actually 9

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