mini-series from Marvel Comics and for co-writing 
with 
Baby Monitors
This is, obviously, a baby-related post, so if breeder business makes your stomach turn, best to move along. More comics related posts later.
Okay. So:
The video monitor we had on our registry is the Amazon Deal of the Day — the sale price isn’t mind-blowing or anything, but it’s something and savings are good. I spoke to my friend Courtney, who had the same model and she’s a lukewarm about it. She says, “…we’ve killed two monitors – blew out the video, so now it’s sound only.” Hm. So that’s not good. She says the people she knows with the MobiCam haaaate it, though, so at least hers worked well when it worked.
At the end of the e-mail, she threw this out, though: “Beyond those two choices, there’s this, which I know nothing about other than holycowitlookscool and ohdearit’sreallypricey.”
…all of which I post in order to say that I’d like to try and find an independent review of the Intelligent 5600, but I’m not having any luck. The only review I can find is this one, and it doesn’t appear unbiased. Anyone know anything about it? Or, anyone have better Google mojo than my own? We’d spend the extra money for something dependable, but I’d like someone’s opinion other the site selling them. (I also wonder if the monitor would get a signal at my desk, which is downstairs while the nursery is upstairs. Also, it’s not terrifically portable — it has to be plugged in. Hm. So, I guess I have to ask myself what I plan to use the monitor for. I mean, if I’m at my desk, the baby might just be sleeping next to me in the Pack ‘n Play anyway. So then the monitor would only be for nighttime — which would make the fancy one fine — perfect in fact, if it does what it says.)
Oh my. I’m officially rambling. Thoughts? Links?
Can’t you just get a baby with Bluetooth, and then have it send you text messages when it needs something?
I wish. Those models won’t be available until after the iPhone.
I did not know baby monitors with video existed! That is insane… (can you tell I don’t have kids?)
I’m going to sound like a cranky old lady saying this (along the lines of “I walked 20 miles barefoot in the snow to school and i liked it”) but, you know, the simple cheapo monitor that had sound only worked totally fine for us.
No, that’s fair. I mean, honestly — our room is ATTACHED to our nursery. There’s a fair argument to be made that we don’t really need a monitor at all.
And just think, no monitors at all worked fine for our moms.
I’m thinking cheapo webcams connected to your computer mights be the answer if they can carry a signal far enough. I also think there is a very creepy Asian horror film just waiting to be made about things seen in baby video monitors.
Wasn’t there a news story yesterday or the day before about a woman picking up a signal from NASA on her baby monitor?
Like others have said, the video isn’t necessary and generally will be useless with the lights low. None of the channels are secure either so it’s not a stretch for someone else to pick up the signal. The same is true for audio, but at least they can’t see you. Definitely opt for a monitor that takes batteries, it’ll be especially useful if you’re on the road and want to put kidlet to sleep while you’re off in the other room.
I swear I saw a CCTV system (DIY) for sale at Costco. It was not necessarily made for baby watching, but I don’t know why it wouldn’t work just as well.
Might be worth while to check out.
And come to think of it, we didn’t get a monitor with video until long after The Bug was born. We only got video because, by the time we were trying to get him to sleep in his own room in a crib, he could already pull up to stand (which must mean he was about 9 months old, I guess), and we were worried he’d try to climb out and get himself stuck.
So really, there was only a very short window where it was a big deal whether we had video or not. Your mileage may vary.
I’d second the “sound is fine” option. You won’t believe how loud those things can get, or how much “noise” detail it actually picks up. You can pretty much tell everything that’s going on in the room without having to actually see it.
I think Courtney’s take on it is probably right — for now, at least, the only thing you need the monitor to tell you is if the baby is asleep or awake, and whether you need to go in there or not.
This is the baby wireless TV monitor from Costco…not sure if you have seen it yet or not.
Here’s the product description:
Q-See
Baby Monitoring System
2.4GHz Wireless Camera with Night Vision & 2.5″ Color Monitor
$149.00
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11134192&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&N=4013918&in_dim_search=1&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&No=2&Mo=3&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&lang=en-US&Sp=C&search=monitor&topnav=
Seems like a good price? I believe it is made in the UK…or it’s a UK company.
That’s a great price, Terry — thanks.
This is the most convincing review I’ve seen so far (for a non-video option):
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/02/06/philips_interference.html
RE: The video monitor; I did a little googling and found it cheaper actually. NO idea of quality but it appears that Q-See is a well known brand of wireless and CCTV surveillance camera systems.
//but the product’s biggest selling point is that it works. And in my experience with baby monitors, that’s saying a lot.// Man, that’s a pretty good reccommendation. Hard to beat for sure.
The only real compelling reason for getting a video monitor for the baby room is what might be termed as “The Ham Factor”. Just a thought.
(kidding…)
I think you should go audio only and save your money for the At-At stroller.