Analog Baby Monitors

Analog baby monitors can have problems with interference

Most baby monitors on the market are still analog, operating on 49 MHz, 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequencies. The trouble is that none of these actually scramble the signal from monitor to receiver, so all of these analog monitors are subject to interception or interference from devices on the same frequency, as well as unintentional eavesdropping. The upside to analog baby monitors is that they are usually less expensive than digital baby monitors. If you don't live in a heavily populated area, you might not have to worry too much about interference from neighbors' baby monitors, so an analog monitor might be fine. Or, as noted previously, if your household has several other electronics operating on 900 MHz (some cordless phones) or 2.4 GHz (a Wi-Fi network) that compete with the baby monitor, a system operating on 49 MHz may actually be a better choice. The best rule of thumb is to check the frequencies of your major wireless household electronics before purchasing a baby monitor and select a model that operates on a different band. Most experts also recommend keeping the receipt of your system as it may take several different tries to find the system that works with your collection of wireless household appliances.

One of the best-reviewed analog monitors we found is the Sony BabyCall Nursery Monitor NTM-910YLW (*Est. $40), a 900 MHz monitor. More than 800 reviewers on Amazon.com give an average rating of 4 stars, and most say clarity is very good. Editors at the parenting site Babble.com review the Sony BabyCall and say that while "Sony may not be known for their baby products, they are known for sound quality, which is a highlight of the Sony BabyCall monitor." The product was selected as the Best Analog baby monitor in their most recent 2010 Babble Best round-up. User reviews concur, noting that the Sony BabyCall Nursery Monitor NTM-910's 27 channels make it possible to avoid much of the static, buzzing and clicking that results from interference with other electronics.

Additional features include built-in rechargeable batteries in the receiver, a low-battery warning, out-of-range indicator and five sound-activated lights that alert you to your baby's noises when the volume is low. Babble.com testers also rave about the BabyCall monitor's voice-activation feature, which sets the monitor to only transmit sound when baby actually babbles something rather than just shifts around during sleep. This feature cuts out the constant white noise many analog monitors transmit. About.com's Heather Corley ranks the Sony BabyCall as one of her top five baby monitors for its price, voice-activation feature and 27 channels. She also notes that the water-resistant housing on the receiver "is nice for the times when you can sneak away for a steamy shower." The Sony BabyCall Nursery Monitor NTM-910YLW is also available with dual receivers as the Sony BabyCall Nursery Monitor NTM-910DUAL (*Est. $60). We did find consistent complaints that the parent unit beeps, however -- even when parents aren't out of range.

The Graco Ultra Clear II (*Est. $25) works on a 49 MHz frequency and comes with two battery-operated receivers. There is a light display on the receivers, two channels and a volume/channel control. However, some users complain that it does not have a lights-only feature. We also read some complaints that the volume is too low and most reviewers note major issues with static. For a similar price, Fisher-Price Sound 'n Lights (*Est. $30) earns much higher remarks from parents. Graco offers two alternate analog baby monitors: the very basic Simple Sounds and the Ultra Clear Vibe Monitor. The Simple Sounds monitor (*Est. $15) is one of the most basic baby monitors on the market. Walmart.com features the most reviews on this product. Most users note the baby monitor's poor quality, inability to hold a battery charge and plentiful static. The pricier Ultra Clear Vibe (*Est. $60) fairs slightly better, but user reviews of this Graco baby monitor are limited. The Ultra Clear Vibe features Graco's vibration-notification technology. Still, reviewers often cite a problem with interference.

The Fisher-Price Private Connection 900 MHz baby monitor (*Est. $45 with one receiver, $70 with two receivers) receives mostly positive feedback, and better reviews than most analog baby monitors. We found the largest number of parent-written reviews for this monitor at Amazon.com, where dozens of parents weigh in. Most are very happy with this baby monitor, saying that they're surprised with how clearly sound transmits for the price they paid. A handful of parents complain of static and short battery life. Plus, on other retail sites, several parents complain that the baby monitor was satisfactory while it lasted, but died within a year to 18 months. It should also be noted that while this baby monitor is still available on some retail sites, it's been discontinued by the manufacturer.

More up-to-date baby monitors from the brand include the Fisher-Price Surround Lights 'n Sounds (*Est. $30) and the more elaborate Fisher-Price Time for Sleep (*Est. $40 with a single receiver, $60 for dual). Both monitors feature light and sound indicators, two channels and an out-of-range notification. The Time for Sleep baby monitor also includes a nap timer and clock. Again, in user reviews both models suffer from many issues like interference and poor construction. Parents also note that the range is very limited.

The Safety 1st Crystal Clear (*Est. $20) continues to get decent reviews and is very inexpensive. Babble.com gives this monitor its Best Value award, noting the monitor's range of up to 600 feet is not exaggerated. Downsides include that it only offers two channels and operates on a 49 MHz frequency -- so it's almost a guarantee that it will be subject to some degree of interference. Safety 1st's other two baby monitors, the Glow & Go (*Est.$25) and the Sound View Monitor (*Est. $20), are slightly more elaborate, adding sound/light displays and a temperature display. Again, reviews are decent, particularly in light of the low price point. Still, the Sony BabyCall Nursery Monitor NTM-910 monitor overwhelmingly gets the best reviews among analog models.