Philips InSight wireless HD baby monitor

After using an audio monitor and loving it, but needing a way to see our baby without performing the acrobatic, highly-skilled creaky floor dance, we settled on the Philips In.Sight wireless HD baby monitor so we could sit tight and see her without making a sound.
We were excited about the prospect of getting to use our phones as monitors instead of keeping track of an additional device. I’ll just be honest and say that I once picked up a calculator to make a phone call—I think we’ve reached our tech gadget quota over here. The In.Sight app, which is currently only available for iPhones, was easy to download and register. We already had a wireless network up and running at our house so we were ready to install the monitor. Other parents may need to consider if any additional set up would be required in their homes since this monitor only works with a wireless connection.
Installation was simpler than we expected. The camera comes with a wall mount, which we did not need so we just set it on a flat surface in her room and angled the camera toward the crib. We followed the prompts on the iPhone, waited for the camera to read a QR code from the iPhone screen and were done in just a few minutes.
The camera provides a clear picture and good audio. There is an audio lag but it was not significant. There is also buffering while the camera is engaging. Users with slower internet speeds may experience slower performance. In addition to video and sound the display shows the date, time, temperature, humidity, and audio and motion sensitivity levels. You also have the option to set alerts if there is motion in a particular area of the monitor’s view, if the sound reaches a certain level or if the temperature falls outside your preferred range.
Cons: The instructions and website did not offer much in the way of troubleshooting. The night vision setting was not as clear as depicted in the In Sight materials. Also, in order to use the monitor on more than one device, you must upgrade to a Pro-account which costs $25 per year. We were under the impression that we would both be able to use our phones with the monitor, so we were disappointed that it would cost more.
Bottom line: The video quality is good and the alert settings give parents greater monitoring options. If you purchase the Pro-account app, you’ll have access to even more features. This would be a good buy for tech-savvy parents who want a full-featured video monitor with plenty of bells and whistles.
Price: $170
To buy: store.apple.com