I read a lot of Amazon reviews for other baby monitors before deciding to give this one a try. I am happy that I did.
Sensitivity
This is an "open mic" design, not a "voice activated" design. I prefer open mic, and have always had issues with voice activated products. This unit is impressive, picking up a surprising amount of sounds. It picks up blue jays when they are drinking from our patio bird bath. It picks up the sound of the breast pump. During a storm, it picked up the wind blowing outside the windows. The sensitivity is adjustable - 5 settings.
Range
I haven't thoroughly tested this (haven't gone outdoors with the receiver). We live in a 3 level townhome, and have had no range issues at all.
Notifications
Beep and vibration notifications that are tuned perfectly. A light sound will not trigger them, and constant crying will not cause them to go off like crazy. Instead, when baby makes enough noise for a few seconds, the audio and vibrate will sound off once, then will wait for a bit to sound off again. Appropriate use of the technology, and nicely implemented.
Two-way communications
We use this feature all the time. My wife will be upstairs with the baby, trying to get the baby to sleep, and she will need something. She says what she needs out loud in a normal talking voice, which I hear clearly on one of the handsets. I use the push-to-talk on the handset to talk back to her, confirming that I'll bring her whatever she needs. In a 3 story townhouse, this has made our lives much easier; no shouting up/down the stairs, and no need to change floors to communicate clearly. I have a feeling we will continue to use this system even after baby has grown, due to the convenience. We keep one receiver on the first floor, another on the second, and the send unit on the third floor.
It's easy to forget the listener is on, so be warned! We have had entire conversations with company over, thinking we were having a private conversation, when it was actually being broadcast throughout the house.
Secure communications
Uses digital communications with frequency hopping. This is great, because someone with a radio cannot listen in on our conversations.
Sound quality and interference
Zero interference, and the sound quality is crisp and clear without any noise. Friends with kids comment on how clean and clear the sound is.
Overall, we are extremely happy with this product. Thankfully, we haven't had any issues with it (knock on wood), though I have seen in these reviews that others have. We would highly recommend, and we would buy another one. At this time, we have had this unit for 2 and 1/2 months.
*****
6-month Update: We have had this for 6 months now with zero significant issues. I read about the "unlinked" beep prior to purchase. I have experienced this with this product. It is easy to fix - reboot the receiver. Unplug it from the wall socket and remove the battery, count to 10, then reconnect it all. It's a digital device, which means it's a tiny little computer. Every now and then, it needs a power cycle.
This is the best monitor out there, in my opinion. Simple, and it works perfectly. The only gremlin (reboot) is easy to live with.
I am extremely happy with this product. Highly recommended.
| Brand Name | VTech Communications |
|---|---|
| Model Info | DM221 |
| Item Weight | 12.8 ounces |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | DM221 |
| Batteries | 1 Product Specific batteries required. (included) |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Part Number | DM221 |
| Special Features | video |
| Color | White/Silver |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Included Components | product, manual |
| Batteries Included? | Yes |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Battery Cell Type | NiMH |
