Wireless Baby Monitors Put Families at Risk

Mar 31
06:50

2007

T. Bruxvoort

T. Bruxvoort

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Wireless baby monitors provide convenience for parents and security for the baby, but many models open a door to other problems. Discover how to protect yourself from the possible dangers these handy tools may bring to your family.

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When parents bring a newborn into their home,Wireless Baby Monitors Put Families at Risk Articles there are many products they buy for the safety of their baby and to make their lives as easy as possible during this big change. A wireless baby monitor is often one of those products. But they do so not knowing about the possible dangers of these seemingly harmless devices.

Imagine what would happen if someone nearby could listen in to conversations going on in your house. Think about all the sensitive information you talk about that you wouldn't want others to hear. Think about the ways a potential thief or kidnapper could benefit from knowing this information along your daily routine.

By putting one of the top selling wireless baby monitors in your house, you are essentially "bugging" your own home so anyone with a scanner or even a cordless phone can listen in on your private conversations.

You won't find many wireless baby monitors that use secure digital technology. Some claim to be digital, but the only thing digital is the display on the base unit. They still communicate via unsecured, analog technology.

The security risk is only one weakness of these analog units. They are also highly susceptible to all forms of interference. Imagine trying to sleep if your baby monitor produces snaps and pops all night long. Not only won't you be able to tell which is noise and which is the baby, you'll want to sleep with earplugs to drown out the noise. That defeats the purpose of the baby monitor.

There is a solution to these problems and it's one that provides secure and clear conversations. The solution isn't really a baby monitor at all. It's a high quality wireless intercom system.

One system that makes a great baby monitor is called the Reporter WireFree Intercom System. The Reporter wireless intercom system has a "Monitor" mode that lets you put a unit into voice or sound activated mode. This mode lets you hear the baby. Since the unit provides digital security, you won't have to worry about anyone listening in.

Besides providing secure conversations, another big benefit of the Reporter over most one-way baby monitors is that it provides two-way communication. You can talk back to the baby even while listening to the audio from the unit being monitored. Maybe all your baby needs to get back to sleep is to hear your soothing voice. That lets you get back to sleep yourself.

What's better about the Reporter than most baby monitors is that you can even adjust the sensitivity so you don't have to hear every little noise the baby makes if you choose not to. If the sensitivity of a baby monitor is too high, you may not be able to sleep at all since you'll hear even the tiniest noises. For most situations you don't need a high sensitivity. Most babies have a loud way of letting you know when they need your attention.

The Reporter also provides longer range than typical baby monitor systems. The top selling baby monitors only have a range of 400 feet. The Reporter wireless system can cover larger homes or remote areas of your yard since it has a range of up to 1000 feet.

Most wireless baby monitors are also not fully wireless. They require you to plug in an AC power wall adapter. The Reporter system works without an AC adapter if you want. In normal intercom mode the Reporter will run up to one year on just four AA batteries. In baby monitor mode it will run up to four months of continuous usage. But if you want you could still choose to put the baby's room on an optional AC adapter.

Another benefit of the Reporter system is that if you decide you don't want to carry your monitor from room to room, you can add additional monitors. Each room can have its own baby monitor. Remember that the Reporter is an intercom system too so in this case these extra units serve dual purpose.

So even though the Reporter is a little more expensive than your average wireless baby monitor, you won't have to throw it out when you get to the point you no longer need a baby monitor.

With the Reporter system you'll still be able to use it as an intercom system for your house.  The Reporter Wireless system is so easy to use, you can keep it in your child's room and he or she can use it to communicate with you both day and night. Or you can put it in the "play" room to monitor the children's activities. You'll find lots of uses for communicating with your spouse too.

Before you take the plunge and purchase a wireless baby monitor, seriously consider how you will be using it. Are you concerned about the security issues with cheaper wireless baby monitors? Can you live with the interference problems that analog technology baby monitors have? Would it find it beneficial to you to invest in a system you can use beyond your baby's infancy?

Answering these questions honestly will help you decide what type of baby monitor system is right for you.

If you are interested in learning more about the Reporter WireFree Intercom system, go to www.intercomsonline.com/baby.htm .