Who's that sleeping? Testing the video baby monitor by Philips
21.8.2019
Translation: Eva Francis
Some parents are enthusiastic about baby monitors with video function, others frown upon them. For once, I’m turning into a control freak, as I’ve set out to put our top-selling baby monitor by Philips to the test. What are advantages and disadvantages of the Philips AVENT?
Although there are a lot of media reports about our mobile phones, PC cameras, Alexa speakers, etc. can be hacked and intercepted, I know parents who are great fans of baby monitors with video function.
Personally, I went for an audio-only baby monitor three years ago, because video monitoring seemed over the top. In everyday life, the model by Neonate that I use has proven to be a good choice.
But when I look at our ten best-selling baby monitors, half of them have a video function. Are these monitors so popular because of this one function? That would surprise me. To find out, I've decided to test our best-selling model and see which of its features I like best.
In order to have a neutral place for my test, I decide to take the baby monitor along on a holiday. Relaxing at the pool while my little one is sleeping in the hotel room – sound good to me!
Baby unit: camera in the crib
The camera starts as soon as you connect the device to the power, but the image will not be transferred until both the baby unit and the parent unit devices are switched on. According to the manufacturer, the camera uses a private, secure connection with adaptive FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum) technology* for minimal interference.
Sounds secure enough – unlike the cable that's needed to operate the camera. Take good care to place the monitor out of reach for the child, as you don't want the little one to pull on, play with or even bite into the cable. Wireless models offer a lot more flexibility and allow you to use the monitor anywhere, even on the go. The Philips AVENT model, however, requires a power point.
The baby monitor lets you switch on a night light or press a button to start playing a lullaby. There are five songs to choose from and each song plays for 15 minutes. Song choice and volume are chosen and adjusted in the parent unit.
Mount the camera on the wall or place it on a shelf. It's worth doing a few test runs to find the best and safest place. The angle of the camera can be adjusted horizontally and vertically to ensure you'll get the best possible picture.
Parent unit: screen for the parents
After switching both devices on, the parent unit connects to the baby unit and I can see my baby on the 3.5-inch colour screen. I maximise the sensitivity mode, which lets me hear every little bit of movement my baby makes. As soon as I turn the lights off, the night vision function of the camera switches on automatically.
Four modes are available to monitor my little one: video, audio, VOX and ECO. VOX and ECO show the image in combination with the sound if the child moves or cries. In the energy-saving ECO mode, power consumption is reduced during quiet periods: the audio and video transmission switch off automatically and the units only connect when the baby makes a sound.
In use, I don't see any difference between VOX and ECO. I did notice, however, that these modes reacted with a delay. Also, when there's a lot of background noise, the volume of the audio transmission is too low compared to my Neonate device.
While the display light is adjusted manually on the device, this baby monitor is also equipped with 2x zoom, temperature display, vibration alarm and an intercom system. The first three are set in the menu, the intercom works by pressing the corresponding button on the parent unit. You can also restart the lullaby if the 15 minutes aren't enough.
The parent unit has an integrated rechargeable battery. Three hours charging time result in ten hours running time. According to the manufacturer, the device has a range of up to 50 metres indoors and up to 300 metres outdoors. An interruption in the connection is indicated by a red screen and an acoustic signal. Extending the integrated antenna improves the connection. I'm not too impressed; my Neonate baby monitor has hardly any connection problems.
My verdict
The Philips AVENT video baby monitor is the right choice if you want to watch your child sleep. All it takes is a quick glance to make sure your little one is fine. Adjusting the display lighting improves image quality while four modes offer different monitoring options, giving you extra flexibility. Functions such as temperature display, vibration alarm, intercom and lullaby songs are handy, but are also built into devices without video function.
If you're looking for a baby monitor that can be used in places where there's no power outlet (a playground, for instance), this model isn't for you. The cable provided with the baby unit requires an electrical outlet. It's important to place the device in a safe spot to avoid your baby getting at it and play with the cable.
Having used both devices, I have to say that my Neonate device picks up crying faster and provides better audio quality than the Philips AVENT. What about the video function? In my opinion, it’s handy but not necessary. If I want to see my child, I’d rather take a quick walk into her bedroom to check on her.
Who’s that writing? If you’d to read more about babies and toddlers, follow my author profile. Tips and tricks are only one click away.
* FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum) systems for wireless data transmission automatically share a predefined frequency spectrum, the information to be transmitted is distributed successively over several channels. Transmitter and receiver jump continuously to a different frequency at a very short distance. In this way, double frequency allocations and signal conflicts are prevented by the influence of external sources of interference and the baby monitor is particularly bug-proof.
I’m the cook, cleaner, police officer, nurse, entertainer, motivator, author, storyteller, coach, organiser, chauffeur, lawyer and judge. To put it simply, I’m a mum to a daughter and not just a (Content) Manager at the office but also at home.
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