 Better than I expected (I'm a gagdet geek) |
| Review Date: October 11, 2007 |
| Reviewer: K. Lam, San Jose, CA |
| As a gadget geek, I'm not easily impressed by gadgets, but I'm impressed by this one. We have a new baby infant. And at first, I was not entirely convinced that we needed a video monitor (we already have an audio monitor a friend gave us). Having had this video monitor now for 3 weeks, my wife finds it indispensable while I find it surprisingly useful. In our 2000sq-ft single-story wood-frame home, the reception is great everywhere, and the picture is clear. We have a 802.11g wireless network in the house (2.4GHz) and a set of 5.8GHz cordless phones, and there is no interference with this 900MHz video monitor. But be warned: although the product is advertised as "color," the video is virtually black-and-white almost all the time, not color. Even during the day when baby's room is filled with sunlight (which are the best conditions to see color, according to the user manual), the picture is black-and-white with just a shade of color. In other words, don't expect actually seeing much color from this monitor. So why did I give it 5 stars? ...because I don't care much about the color, and the product works so well. It's self-explanatory with no real setup needed (a rarity in the world of electronics). The monitor provides excellent night vision (black and white, of course). The video camera and mount (which needs to be plugged in, of course) is quite flexible in its possible mounting configurations. The video handset, though slightly bulky, can be clipped to your belt to allow you to wander. There is a large soft button on top of the handset that toggles the video on and off to save batteries, or it can be plugged in so that you can leave the video on all the time. It works also as a regular audio monitor, but you can turn the audio off and rely on the green-orange-red LEDs to visually indicate how much noise the baby is making (this feature is brilliant and is more useful than you might think). You can even plug in a headset to the handset to listen to your baby privately if you wish. The only other drawback besides the always-black-and-white picture is that the rechargeable battery pack is a proprietary unit that can't be replaced with standard rechargeable AA batteries. As with all rechargeable batteries, it has a finite life, and when it dies, I'll be forced to buy their expensive replacement. But that's in the future, so I'll forgive it for now. One final recommendation: buy the model with the bigger 2.5" screen rather than the smaller screen (it's only slightly more expensive). It's much easier on the eyes and provides better detail. |
Awesome!!!
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| Review Date: May 4, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Kari Lee Graves, New Braunfels, Texas |
| I got the non-portable video monitor when my baby was born, did not use it much because it was too much hassle to move it from room to room, plus sometimes plugging in and out and messing with the cords wake up the baby. So 10 months later after she was born, I decided to get the handheld one, used it for 1st time last night, could not believe how relaxed i was that i could see her on the monitor from room to room. the picture is not that good, but the picture is not good on any other video monitors anyway! so portable is a huge plus!!! the rechargable batteries last up to 10 hours! |
$190.00 Worth the piece of mind!!!
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| Review Date: November 8, 2004 |
| Reviewer: Rie, Millersville, MD USA |
| I love this product. My daughter had a breathing/choking problem when she was born and this monitor was a huge help. It let me know if she just had a dry cough or if she couldn't breath, which as a new mom is terrifying. Now that she's 8 months old and has outgrown this problem it's still nice to see if she's lost her passifier or just let out a cry in her sleep. That way I'm not running to her bedroom and waking her up. Some people have complained in other reviews about the color and interfearence, but I haven't had one problem with those being an issue. The color does come in great but sometimes if it's in a bad position it won't be as colorful... that's not a big deal. If I have bad reception it has the option to change the channel from A to B, that always works. I recommended this to a friend expecting and definately think the money is worth it. It certainly helps you to not worry and eases your mind to just look at your baby. You use it daily and it could be used for future children. All I can say about this product is LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!! |
Extremely pleased
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| Review Date: February 26, 2005 |
| Reviewer: T. Hancock, Texas |
| We are extremely happy with this monitor. I bought it in expectation for my second baby's arrival, but set it up in my 18 month old's nursery until then. I may have to buy another one for the new baby because I am so happy to have this one for my older child. The portable monitor is so handy--to be able to move it to the kitchen or go outside with it is wonderful. The picture is quite clear, even at night. I still have my graco monitor set up for sound, so I only use this for viewing right now. Having this monitor has cut down on me having to get up in the middle of the night if I hear my child stirring. I can easily look to see if she will calm herself back down and go to sleep or if she is standing up. I highly recommend this product. |
Quick and Easy Setup and Gets the Job Done
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| Review Date: May 25, 2005 |
| Reviewer: TechGeek, Midwest, USA |
I admit it. I'm a geek and got this for the cool factor. However, it does work as advertised, and does a great job at what it's designed for.
Setup is quick and easy:
1. Plug in camera
2. Charge receiver
3. Set channels (A or B) on both
The camera does not really come with any mounting gear, so that is up to you. Velcro is my friend...
The camera is corded, and requires you to plug it in. Just make sure you secure the wire away from baby. It does come with some small "wire-track" gizmos to use if you want.
Video quality is very good, but is probably best left on the small-screen monitor. I don't think you would want to put this on the TV, or even use it to record from.
Reception is very good, and I had no problems getting the signal anywhere in my 2 story house, or even in the front or back yard for that matter. Does fuzz out near the street, but overall range is good.
Low light video really suprised me - it's actually very good. It does switch to black and white mode, but the picture remains usably clear.
The built-in mic picks up sounds just fine, and reception of audio on the little receiver was great.
Bottom line: A little pricey, but does work as advertised. |
Paying for Peace of Mind...
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| Review Date: May 17, 2005 |
| Reviewer: J. Williams, Los Angeles, CA |
| My baby, at 2 months, had no problem transitioning from our room to his room...it was ME who had the problem. With this video monitor, my mind was completely at ease. Not only is the audio reception much better than the audio monitors we have, being able to see what he was doing in his crib was SO helpful. At night I would watch him for a while on the video, and make sure he was sound asleep...then I would press the button on top which shuts off the video part, and I would leave the audio monitor on. If I heard a noise in the middle of the night, I could just hit the top of the monitor (like an alarm clock snooze button) and see what was up. It's great. Highly recommended. |
Stress Reliever / Freedom / Closely monitor your baby
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| Review Date: June 12, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Robert L. Bozza, |
I bought this item approximately a month ago and can't say enough good things about it. The range has been excellent and I experience little to no static. I have several wireless devices (phone, routers) and they don't interfere. While the color is not like on a tv, it is very acceptable (note that in their manual they clearly state this is not like a picture on tv).
The freedom you experience as a result of having the video is incredible. You can take anywhere in the house,in the garage or laundry room and keep a close eye on your baby.
Note - we use this mostly during the day as we keep our baby in the room with us at night (she is only 4 weeks old). We don't use at night given we don't like the background sound that any of monitors make / like that of listening to a short wave radio.
Overall,I highly recommend this item! |
Worth every Penny!
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| Review Date: July 21, 2005 |
| Reviewer: S. Quinn, |
| This is the first review I have ever made time to write. I am writing this because this product is the best thing we have spent our money on. We are in the process of moving our 11 week old son from the bassinet in his Pack & Play (which is in our room) into his crib in his nursery at the other end of the house. I am a first time mom and a compulsive worrier and my son has reflux and colic so I am worried how the transition will go. This monitor has given me piece of mind that is priceless. Right now we put it on the changing table of his Pack & Play and can see every movement he makes. Next week when we move him to the nursery we can mount the camera on the wall or set it on his dresser. Both the camera unit and the viewer have A/C adapters so they can plug into the wall. This unit also comes with a cable that allows you to broadcast on your TV. The first night we had the unit my husband hooked it up to the TV in the living room and we watched our son go to sleep instead of the ball game. This is a great feature because the viewing screen on the unit is very small. The night vision is perfect and the only interference we have had was when the microwave is on. If you need piece of mind this product is a must!! |
Makes a hard task easier
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| Review Date: March 8, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Cruzshopper, Texas |
I purchased this video monitor based on the reviews to help me care for my elderly mother who is under hospice care. It has been wonderful to be able to check on her without staying constantly at her bedside or running back and forth from one end of the house to the other. The picture quality is great and the sound is amazing - I can detect changes in her breathing from the other end of the house!
I would highly recommend one to anyone in a caregiver situation or for parents to watch over their children. It will definitely be put to use when grandchildren come along! |
great picture and portability
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| Review Date: March 9, 2005 |
| Reviewer: h, buffalo, ny |
| when we were looking at monitors, this one was definitly the one we wanted. the others didn't compare with all of the features this one offered. we were so excited to use it when we recieved it for our shower, we used it on our dog while he was in his cage in the basement to try to figure out why the cage was always sopping wet while we were out. i don't know why the other reviews are giving it a not so great rating because when we were checking out our dog, it worked in our driveway while we pulled out! now that our son was born, we use it on him and really like it. the picture is very clear, my husband even saw him spit up! i love the portability and the sound lights (for when i want him to cry a little but not listen to break my heart). the picture works all over our house and even in the dark. we would recommend this, definitly, to those who could afford it and for those who want the best! |
worth every penny
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| Review Date: March 20, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Smiling Mom, Denver |
Ok, sure, it's a little expensive. But can you really put a price on peace of mind?
I do get some interference, but I've got it about a foot away from my computer monitor, so that's not surprising. I can still see enough detail to actually watch my little guy breathe. Even when he's in complete darkness, thanks to the infrared capability. Now THAT is peace of mind!
Phenomenal product. |
LOVE THIS SYSTEM!!
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| Review Date: May 4, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Mom in MN, Minneapolis |
| This system works perfectly in our home with NO interference at all. If you have a wireless network or wireless phones please don't waste your time on the 2.4 GHz model which will give you severe interference. If you still use 900 MHz phones you may want to check with the Manufacturer though as I'm not sure if those will cause a disturbance with this model. We LOVE this system!! |
Great Monitor!
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| Review Date: August 21, 2005 |
| Reviewer: Alyssa A. Becker, Chicago, IL |
| My husband and I have used video monitors for our two children for three years now. We recently purchased this one for its portabilty and convenience. It is great. The reception is clear and works from quite a distance even outside. I can carry the monitor with me throughout the house and even outside. Something I could not do with my other tv monitors. The audio is crystal clear and you can use it with or without the video. This is my first review of a product, but as I Mom I wanted to pass along the experience. |
Took 3 tries, but I still love it.
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| Review Date: July 30, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Jennifer M., |
I wish I bought this sooner. My sister had this monitor and I immediately wanted one when I saw the quality. My kid was already over one year old, but it has still been worth every penny. However, the one I bought was defective and did not work.
The instructions say do not take it back to the store, but call the manufacturer. Summer customer service was fantastic. They sent me a new one within days along with a shipping label for them to cover the cost to return the defective original.
Unfortunately, the second one did not work either. I would have given up at that point, but I knew the quality of my sisters monitor. Customer service was very understanding and gave me a third one along with another shipping label.
The third monitor works perfect. I highly recommend this video monitor.
If my baby wakes during the night, I can look at the monitor and see if she is trying to go back to sleep, or if she is at the point of needing help (without trying to judge just by the cry).
Also, the grandparents love watching every move she makes while she sleeps. |
READ THIS BEFORE YOU PURCHASE THIS PRODUCT...SCARY INFO!!!
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| Review Date: July 29, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Cory, N/A |
| We bought this product 4 months ago and just now started using it. It works great! Until one night my husband put our daughter to bed and we went back to our room and turned on the monitor and our baby wasn't in her crib. We ran back to her room to find her fast asleep. Then we realized that wasn't her crib on the monitor. We were picking up a clear picture and not to mention sound from 7 houses down. This is very scary, you don't know who could be watching your child sleep and hear what you say. If you have purchased this product call summer infant, they replaced my monitor with one that is digital....which means it's private. |
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