Summer Infant Deluxe Day and Night Handheld Color Video Monitor with 2.5" Screen, Blue
by Summer Infant, Inc.
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List Price: Category: Baby Product See more product details |
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Baby Products Reviews of Summer Infant Deluxe Day and Night Handheld Color Video Monitor with 2.5" Screen, Blue
Customer Review: One of the best out there, but with caveats
Summary: 4 Stars
This model from Summer Infant is one of the best options out there for baby monitors, but there are some caveats and things to watch out for:
1) This set operates at 900Mhz frequency. Therefore, if you have a wireless router or wireless phones at home that operate at 2.4 Ghz, this is one of the few baby monitors that you can buy to avoid all the interference. However, if you have an older phone set that operates at 900 Mhz (or live in a European country where GSM 800 Mhz is used), then this will have interference. The monitor works beautifully in the US for us, but when we take it to our summer house in the mediterranean, the image gets grainy, and you hear a lot of noise when someone's on his cell phone nearby. So it's important for you to survey your house to see what other wireless devices you have before deciding on this or another baby monitor.
2) If there is no interference, the range for this monitor is really good. In our house, I can work at the yard, or even visit our neighbor while still getting quite good reception (I live in a detached individual house situated in almost a 1/2 acre land).
3) The monitor is colored in daylight, but once the room gets dark, it starts using infrared, and therefore the image goes black-and-white. This is obviously by design (or technological limitation), but I'm putting it out there for those that may not be aware of it.
4) The screen is really large, one of the largest I've seen, while keeping the monitor still quite mobile.
5) Finally, the main reason I'm giving it 4 instead of 5 stars: you cannot leave the monitor on charge all the time, even if it is turned off. If it is left on charge all the time and is not allowed to discharge regularly, the battery soon stops holding charge and you are forced to keep it connected to the adapter all the time. Therefore, you have to show a distinct effort to regularly discharge it from time to time. I usually leave it off the adapter one night a week to let it use the battery power through the whole night (it lasts easily).
If you do forget it on the adapter and it stops accepting charge, one trick I've tried that seemed to work to reset the battery: leave the monitor on (disconnected from AC) for about a full day. It won't show anything (it shows weak battery, but still works), but that essentially discharges it to the point where you can re-charge it again and it will start holding the charge.
Customer Review: Great Product and Customer Support from Summer
Summary: 4 Stars
We ordered the Summer Infant Video Monitor because it appeared to meet our needs the best. It provided a color video image with audio on a handheld receiver. This appeared to be much better than the competiting products due to its complete portability (i.e. did not require a bulky telivision monitor).
The product arrived as promised and we set it up as indicated by the directions. Unfortunately, the unit that we recieved had very poor range (less than 3 feet) and the image was only black and white with severe static when the monitor and camera were within three feet of each other. Outside of three feet, nothing was observed on the monitor. Along with the poor range and video quality, there was no audio unless the monitor was changed to the other channel. As a result, we either had a video image or audio. But not both. These were the same issues stated before in previous reviews.
We called Summer Infant Products Customer Support. Talk about the model of customer service. After I dialed the toll-free number, a customer service agent answered after three rings (i.e. no machine, voicemail, or receptionist to deal with). I explained what I was experiencing with their product and asked if it was the way the video monitor was designed. The lady said "no, not at all". She asked for my address and said that we would recieve UPS shipping labels in a couple of days via the U.S. Postal Service and to repack the unit in the box we recieved it in and send it back to them. They would either fix it or replace it. As promised, the labels arrived and we sent the unit. Within a week, we had a new video monitor.
We set the new unit up as directed and the best way to describe it is "perfect"! We can take the monitor to our mailbox and still see our child in full color and sound (at the same time). This unit far exceeded our expectations.
Overall, we did have similar problems as some have reported. But it appears they did not call Summer Infant Products for support. Boy, we sure are glad that we did. I don't think that any other product compares to the capabilities of this one. It would have received in excess of 5 stars from us, but it took an extra 9 days for us to have a working monitor. That was the only drawback.
Bottom line: This is a great product! I recommend it to anyone!
Customer Review: Good , but has issues...
Summary: 3 Stars
I needed this product for a reason other than to watch my child....I got it to watch my computer. I work from home and wanted the freedom of going out in the yard and still be able to detect an incoming email, IM, or phone call. I wanted a product that I could clip to my hip, plug in a headset, and go work out in the yard...and have the monitor do the following these for me:
1. Pick up the sound of a phone call.
2. Pick up the sound of an email.
3. Pick up the sound of an Instant Message (IM)
4. Optional Bonus: Make it possible to see my computer screen.
It is advertized that it has a 350ft range. That may be true over flat land, with no walls, or interference. In reality (in a home), it averages about 90-150ft (depending on walls)...Once it reaches 150ft it goes in and out of range of the base unit. So I'm not able to use it, since my hope was to be able to do yard work at a 250 ft range.
The hand unit speaker has a constant hum when it is on, even when using a headset, which makes the use of a headset intolerable. My other baby monitor (Sony - BabyCall) does not have that hum, but it doesn't have a headset either, which is why I bought the 'Summer Infant' unit to begin with...that and it's advertized range.
Also the camara was not high enough resolution to distinguish text on a computer screen, no matter how close you put it. This was not that important to me, but would have been convenient. No biggy.
I now use it as a baby monitor, and the Summer Infant Monitor is very nice, especially the night vision camara, where you can see your baby even in a dark room. Very cool.
I also liked the fact that it has two channels, which is nice if you are chaining monitors for more range.
I deducted one star for its weak (in a home) range (90-150ft), and another for the intolerable constant hum when it's on. The hum isn't that bad when you're not using a headset, but if you intend on using the headset...it's pretty annoying.
Customer Review: When it works, it's great
Summary: 3 Stars
We got this monitor before my son was born. Since the box had previously been opened, we took it out and tested it. I worked great. Putting the camera on the wall allowed us to have a view of the whole crib. The picture is color during the day and black and white when it's dark at night. It's a clear picture, but not as clear as they advertise on the package. The reception can get interference when someone walks by or blocks the path to the monitor, but it clears up once the obstacle has gone or the monitor gets moved. Our house has two levels and the monitor also gets great reception on a different floor from the camera.
It was when I tried to take the monitor with me downstairs that I found out the battery wouldn't hold a charge. My monitor would only work when plugged into the wall. I sent an email to Summer Infant and they sent me a label to ship the camera and monitor back to them. It went UPS Ground across the country and took a week to get there. They had it for a week and then sent me a new one. I did not like being without it for almost three weeks, but I was glad to have a new one. Unfortunately, this new one is far worse. I can only get a picture on one of the two channels and only when the monitor is in the same room as the camera. If I leave the nursery with the monitor, the picture twists at an angle and scrolls vertically so that the image is imperceptible. Also, there is a button at the top of the monitor to turn off the video and just the sound is available if that's what you want. My monitor will spontaneously turn off the video and I have to press the button to turn it back on.
I contacted Summer Infant again, and they are sending me a new one and a label to return the one I currently have. I hope this new one works, because when it does, I am really happy with it.
UPDATE: I got the new monitor a year ago and it works great. My son now sleeps downstairs and I am upstairs most of the time. With this monitor, I can always keep my eye on him.
Customer Review: Good product, EXCELLENT customer service
Summary: 3 Stars
July 04
I entered into the purchase of this product with some reservations. My house has a wireless network and several cordless phones (both 900Mhz and 2.4Ghz). Overall I am very HAPPY with this product. Obviously, the reception does not approach DVD quality but it does what I need. I can hear and see my daughter from anywhere in my house. The best part is the mobility of the receiver. I can clip it on my belt and travel anywhere in my house and into my yard about 150 feet.
The picture is similar to a TV that only uses the old rabbit ear antenna so it will not be good for recording. I have traveled with my daughter and set up this camera in a relatives house also got a good picture.
Pros - acceptable picture
excellent sound
PORTABILITY
Cons - acceptable picture
price
Update (Jan 07),
Our monitor is now two years old and has worked flawlessly. It has survived several drops and falls. We still get good reception even in our "electronically cluttered" home. We have two wireless networks and six cordless phones operating.
Recently we needed a second camera to put in our newest son's room. I ordered one online and it did not work. I called Summer Infant Inc. customer service and they immediately shipped me a replacement camera. That camera also didn't work. After some investigation with the extremely helpful customer service rep, we discovered I has an older model system (2100) and it was on a slightly different frequency than the new ones (2100a). I resigned myself to buying a new system, but Summer Infant Inc offered to upgrade my old camera and monitor so it would work with the new camera that I already had purchased. They accomplished this free of charge, even though they were under no obligation to do so.
In my opinion Summer Infant Inc has excellent customer service. If I could, I would upgrade their rating to 5 stars.