Baby monitors these days not only provide for the sound and video recording but have advanced to the extent of providing live feed besides other features such as room temperature readings, humidity sensors, sensor-pads among others. They have become an essential part of every new parent’s buying list since they help in ensuring the safety and comfort of the baby at all times.
It is easy to get confused while buying one for your new-born. There are a number of baby monitors available in the market, which come with a host of features. While buying a baby monitor, it is important to take into account the bare essentials which should be ideally present in one:
- 900 Mhz or higher frequency, for reducing background interference and ensuring sharper, more distinct voice.
- Low-battery indicator, to alert the user before the unit runs out of charge.
- Wireless, to complete household chores without much hassle; also to eliminate chances of infant-entanglement or strangulation arising from normal or even heavy use.
- Sound indicator, which gets activated and flashes on when it detects noise.
- Video-monitor: While baby-monitors with baby cams do not come cheap, they are certainly worth it, even more so when they have an option night-vision.
Other handy features also include temperature control, which checks the temperature of the room to ensure if the baby is comfortable; movement alarms, which are fixed below the mattress to alert the parent if the baby has not moved in more than 25 seconds. However, it must be remembered that these alarms do not work with memory-foam bases. Built-in lullabies can comfort the baby, without the parent having to be physically present.
One of the best devices in its price range is the VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor, which provides the best features in its class.
The VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor has been described as a “super budget-friendly”, no-frills baby monitor, which makes it a good choice for parents who only desire straight and simple monitoring without having to deal with the hassles of a complex user-interface or multiple features.
Features of VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor
- DECT 6.0 Digital Technology: Unlike analog monitors, this monitor uses DECT 6.0 Digital Technology, which acts a sound filter, removing background noice and killing static and feedback from other wireless appliances. Thus ensuring sharp and distinct transmission. Also, signals transmitted from the device are secure and encrypted, thereby eliminating all privacy and security concerns.
- 5–Level Sound Indicator: The unit has a set of five LED lights attached to the parent unit, which indicate the sound levels in the baby’s room, thereby ensuring easy “visual monitoring”, even with the unit muted.
- Belt Clip: The belt clip attached to the parent-unit allows for hands-free usage, leaving the parent free to move in and around the house, also ensuring that the parent can keep it close to himself/ herself at all times.
- Out-of-range Indicator: It indicates when the user is moving out of the range. However, that should not be an issue, considering the fact that the distance range offered by the device is the best-in-class, even beating the more-expensive models.
- Volume Control: It helps to increase or decrease the volume of the baby unit.
Pros:
- Best-in-class features: The VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor managed to beat most of the other baby monitors in its price range, even some of the more expensive models, riding on its ease-of-use, range distance and simplistic design.
- Sharp and Clear Sound: The DM111 uses DECT 6.0 Digital Technology which eliminates most of the background noise and static, thereby ensuring that the only sound that the parent gets to hear is that of the child. This was better than most of the other monitors in the range such as Angelcare AC403 and AC420 and Baby Wave Deluxe.
- Ease-of-Use: The no-frills design ensures that the device is user-friendly and convenient for all people of all ages, including grandparents. The user interface consists only of a power button and a volume adjust, thereby leaving almost no chance for mistakes, even in a sleep-induced haze. The device is easy to setup, one only has to plug it and switch it on, unlike other models, that require the parent as well as the child unit to be paired, before it can actually start working. It comes with all the essentials expected: low battery alarm, out of range indicator, muted sleep mode, belt clip and a 5-level sound level indicator.
- Distance Range: The distance range offered by the DM111 happens to be the best among all the other alternatives available in the market. Independent testers have claimed that the unit was able to maintain a connection up to 1350 ft. in a “line-of-sight” test. For indoors, the range was close to 100 ft. and 7 walls, and attempted to keep a connection even after crossing the 9th This makes it handy for parents who need to work in and around the house on a constant basis.
Cons:
- Battery Life: Parents will find out the DM111 will have to be kept plugged for most of the time as the lifespan of the battery is an abysmally low 13 hours. This makes it hard to compete with all the baby monitors in the market, with battery lives as high as 35-48 hours. Also, the device makes use of AAA batteries instead of rechargeable batteries, meaning that the batteries will have to be substituted frequently. However, a distinctive feature of this device is that the baby unit comes with backup batteries, allowing both the parts of the monitor to run without charge.
- Sound activation: The model, while managing to pack the essentials missed out on Sound Activation. This feature helps make unless the baby actively making noise sure then the parent unit remains silent. This can potentially disturb the parent’s sleep, since the monitor gets activated at the slightest sound.
- 2-way communication: What is also missing is the 2-way communication feature which allows the parent to talk to the baby, making this device a turn-down for those who deem this feature important. However, this feature is not frequently used by parents as well.
- Baby cams: The DM111 lacks a video monitor, which is present in some of the more advanced models. This feature uses video cameras to show live feed on the receiver.
The VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor does a good job in managing to pack all the essential bells and whistles at a surprisingly affordable price. The device scores high on the ease of use factor, making it an excellent choice for people of all ages. It does not promise a lot, but does a good job on what it does: the sound is crystal clear for most of the part owing to a highly sensitive microphone, and the transmission is the best-in-class. The extended range also helps in carrying the receiver around the house and the belt clip provides for hands-free usage and increased portability.
In all, the DM111 comes across as a highly reliable device and range of over 1000 ft. At $24.95, it gives its buyers value for their money, thereby guaranteeing peace of mind to the parent. Buy Vtech DM11 Audio Baby Monitor from the official website.