Digital Baby Monitors

Newer DECT baby monitors get the least interference

The biggest problems with baby monitors have always been static and interference. Interference is a particularly bad problem. Because the vast majority of baby monitors are analog monitors, they can easily pick up nearby signals on the same bandwidth. Parents report hearing their neighbor's baby through their own monitor -- or worse, hearing neighbors' conversations. Some people report that they can often hear cell-phone, CB radio or cordless phone conversations through their baby monitor. And of course, if you can hear your neighbors, there's a good chance they can hear you, as well.

Many baby monitors are hit-and-miss because of the analog technology. Depending on the monitor's frequency and the other electronics in your home, you could experience interference or static with some analog monitors, but not others. Reviews say there's really no way to tell unless you actually try a baby monitor in your house, so save your receipt. Depending on the electronic devices in your own home and the homes around you, there could be a great deal of variance in the success of any particular baby monitor you purchase.

Nearly all baby monitors operate on a 49 MHz, 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz frequency. The trouble is that many other electronics are also using these bandwidths. Digital monitors scramble the signal, but they still operate on the same frequencies and are subject to interference. In 2007, the FCC approved a new bandwidth for voice-only communications, and the new 1.9 GHz frequency -- also called DECT (digitally enhanced cordless telecommunications) -- is now available in cordless phones and a few baby monitors.

Although a few sources have raised concerns about DECT monitors as a source of harmful electromagnetic energy, the general consensus among experts seems to be that any electronic radiation emitted by these baby monitors is minuscule -- well below the established safe household levels. DECT monitors emit the same sort form of pulsed electromagnetic energy as cell phones. As with most electronics, however, experts also say it makes sense not to place them directly into your child's bed or immediately next to your child's head. Philips, who manufactures three DECT baby monitor, recommends that it be placed at least three feet away from your baby.

At the time of this update, only a handful of widely available baby monitors in the U.S. use this frequency. Three of these are Philips products: the basic Philips Avent SCD510 DECT digital baby monitor (*Est. $110), and the similar Philips SCD520 (*Est. $125) and SCD530 (*Est. $165), both with a temperature readout and recorded lullabies. These Philips baby monitors reap some great professional reviews, and owners are more positive about these baby monitors than any others. The obvious drawback is the comparatively high price. We did read a few scattered, but consistent, complaints at Amazon.com that the cradles didn't always work to recharge the batteries, the temperature readout is often inaccurate, and the volume on the parent unit is too low. Considering the high price, the Philips baby monitor might be a good last-resort choice for those who have already tried less costly monitors and are still having trouble with interference.

A less-expensive option among DECT baby monitors is the Safety 1st High-Def Digital Monitor 08024 (*Est. $50). While it lacks many of the features of the Philips digital baby monitors, parent reviews are largely positive. Most say that the clarity of the Safety 1^st High-Def Digital Monitor is excellent and the range suitable for larger homes, making this baby monitor highly functional for the price. Some parents at Amazon.com note some drawbacks to the design of the Safety 1^st High-Def Digital Monitor, however. Many -- even those who are overall quite satisfied with the monitor's performance -- lament the lack of battery back-up in the nursery unit, and note that power failures or surges necessitate a trip into the child's room to turn the power back on at the receiver. Some also mention a potential problem with very small plastic pieces in the battery compartment that, while fixable, can interfere with function and prevent the batteries in the parent unit from functioning until the broken pieces are found and removed.

900 MHz and 2.4 GHz digital baby monitors

Digital monitors of any frequency (whether DECT or not) are an improvement when it comes to interference and eavesdropping. If you have had trouble in the past with picking up neighbors' conversations, you want a digital baby monitor. However, not all digital baby monitors get great reviews.

The Summer Infant Secure Sounds (*Est. $55), a 2.4 GHz digital monitor, has quite a bit of parent feedback available, but it doesn't fare well in its overall ratings. Happy owners of this baby monitor are few and far between. Complaints at Amazon.com include poor range, terrible signal, no volume control for the out-of-range beeper and interference whenever the weather is not clear. We found similar ratings for the two-receiver version of this baby monitor, the Summer Infant Secure Sounds 2.4 GHz Digital Monitor with Two Receivers (*Est. $60).

Fisher-Price has also introduced a new digital monitor -- the Fisher-Price Mom Response Digital Audio Monitor with one receiver (*Est. $60) or with dual receivers (*Est. $85). This digital baby monitor operates on 900 MHz and comes with a lullaby player that can be activated from the parent unit. Unfortunately, this monitor is too new to have received much feedback from reviewers at this time; even parent reviews are sparse. A handful of owners at Target.com say the sound quality is very good, although one owner had to try three units before she got one that worked perfectly.

We found mixed reviews for the Graco iMonitor Vibe 2791VIB1 digital baby monitor (*Est. $50 for one receiver, $75 for two receivers). Along with the usual lights and audio, this monitor also vibrates when it picks up a sound from your baby. Although some parents report no interference, others report static or poor reception. The advertised range of the Graco iMonitor Vibe 2791VIB1 is 2,000 feet, but several reviewers suggest that claim is pretty optimistic. A number of parents complain of short range. The only other consistent negative we found is that the Graco imonitor's rechargeable receiver battery drains too fast. The Graco iMonitor Vibe 2791VIB1 also comes in a multi-child, multi-room version (*Est. $125), with two parent units and two child units. This version also receives mixed reviews.

The most favorable reviews go to DECT baby monitors that operate on the little-used 1.9 GHz frequency. Although these are expensive, they mainly eliminate interference issues from other electronics, which can still be a problem in digital monitors operating on 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz frequencies. For this reason, we've included the Safety 1^st High-Def Digital Monitor as a good budget digital monitor. It doesn't get perfect reviews, but its ratings top the Graco iMonitor Vibe 2791VIB1 and it costs about the same.