babyfilter: Help me find a high quality baby monitor
February 11, 2006 7:17 AM Subscribe
babyfilter: Help me find a high quality baby monitor. I live in a Manhattan apartment building which has proven to be a very challenging environment for wireless reception. We have plaster-over-lath wall construction which blocks many signals. The apartment is long (over 150' from the master bedroom to the baby's bedroom). There is plenty of RF interference from nearby apartments and the city environment.
With baby #1 we tried various 47mhz baby monitors (totally useless) and eventually settled on a 900mhz baby monitor from Radio Shack, which works OK but is prone to squawking loudly every hour or so when it receives interference. It kept my wife awake which is not good. I have managed to get an 802.11 pre-n wireless network working in this environment, and also a 5.8ghz cordless phone. 2.4ghz cordless phones have interference and range problems in my apartment. Now that we have baby #2, I need a recommendation for a good baby monitor or intercom system that can be used as a baby monitor. I need something that is resistant to RF interference and will not squalk all night. Wireless is preferable but I would consider a wired solution as a last resort (professional installation would cost a lot) Thanks!
With baby #1 we tried various 47mhz baby monitors (totally useless) and eventually settled on a 900mhz baby monitor from Radio Shack, which works OK but is prone to squawking loudly every hour or so when it receives interference. It kept my wife awake which is not good. I have managed to get an 802.11 pre-n wireless network working in this environment, and also a 5.8ghz cordless phone. 2.4ghz cordless phones have interference and range problems in my apartment. Now that we have baby #2, I need a recommendation for a good baby monitor or intercom system that can be used as a baby monitor. I need something that is resistant to RF interference and will not squalk all night. Wireless is preferable but I would consider a wired solution as a last resort (professional installation would cost a lot) Thanks!
Well, here is a froogle search for "5.8ghz baby monitor". Looks like there are some cordless phones in that range with with babymonitor functions.
posted by delmoi at 9:08 AM on February 11, 2006
posted by delmoi at 9:08 AM on February 11, 2006
Just a general observation regarding 900 mhz vs. 5.8Ghz spread spectrum phones:
The 900Mhz carried all the way to my bank down the street, the "extended range" 5.8Ghz didn't even make it out into my hallway.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:26 AM on February 11, 2006
The 900Mhz carried all the way to my bank down the street, the "extended range" 5.8Ghz didn't even make it out into my hallway.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:26 AM on February 11, 2006
Do they still sell wired (that is, not wireless) baby monitors (or intercoms)? That would certainly solve the problem. You could probably find one on eBay or something -- or just rig up something with some cheap sound equipment (microphone, etc.)
posted by winston at 11:45 AM on February 11, 2006
posted by winston at 11:45 AM on February 11, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by lobstah at 7:58 AM on February 11, 2006