Comparison Philips Avent SCD506 vs Philips Avent SCD510

— Sensitivity setting. The ability to adjust the sensitivity of the microphone in the baby unit of the baby monitor. On the one hand, the parent needs to hear well what is happening with the child, on the other hand, a microphone set to the maximum can capture a huge amount of extra sounds, from the rustle of sheets to conversations outside the window. Adjustable microphone sensitivity allows you to achieve the optimal balance between these extremes.

— Night lamp. Possibility to use the children's baby monitor unit as a night lamp ("night lamp"). Often children (especially those who have grown up) are afraid to fall asleep in complete darkness, and the light of a night lamp is able to drive away the fear of the dark and at the same time is not so bright as to prevent falling asleep. In baby monitors, turning on, off and adjusting the brightness of the night light can be done remotely from the parent unit, and in models with video, the lamp can be useful as a backlight if the camera does not have a night mode (see "Night mode").

— Night camera mode. The ability to operate the camera on the baby unit of the baby monitor in night mode. This mode allows you to see what is happening in the room without much interference (though without colour), even in the dark, in which it is impossible to distinguish anything with the naked eye. Thus, you will be ab...le to see your baby on the screen of the baby monitor at any time, including and at night when he sleeps and any light in the room is undesirable.

— Search for the parent block. The Parent Unit is a portable device and, like all such devices, is prone to getting lost. The search function makes it easier to detect the loss: when you press a button on the baby unit (which is usually permanently fixed in one place and does not go anywhere), a command is sent to the parent unit, and an audible alarm is triggered, which marks the location of the device.

— Temperature sensor. Thanks to this function, you will be able to monitor not only the baby himself, but also the conditions in his room. The temperature sensor monitors the air temperature in the nursery and transmits data to the parent unit. Some models may provide an alarm for a critical increase / decrease in temperature.

— Humidity sensor. Another sensor that allows you to monitor the conditions in the room — in this case, humidity, which for young children (and especially for newborns) is no less important than temperature. See "Temperature sensor" for details.

— Compatibility with iOS. Ability to use iPhone as a parent unit. Actually, some models with this function may not even have a parent unit — its role is played by a smartphone with the appropriate application installed. The connection can be made in different ways. Note that often we are talking about all Apple products.

— Compatible with Android. The ability to work with a children's block with smartphones and other gadgets (for example, tablets) running Android. With this application, the gadget with a special application installed on it plays the role of a parent unit. Moreover, some models with this function may not be equipped with a separate parent unit at all and connect exclusively to a portable device.

— Recording video from the camera. Ability to record video broadcast by the baby monitor camera to the parent unit. In this case, it is understood that the device itself is equipped with everything necessary and does not require the use of additional equipment (TVs, recorders, etc.). Recording is usually carried out on memory cards, often provides for the possibility of direct transfer, for example, to a computer hard drive. Recordings from the baby monitor camera can be used, for example, as materials for an amateur film about your baby, to clarify the circumstances and take action in the event of an unpleasant incident in which the child was injured, etc.

— Photoshoot. The ability to use the parent unit's camera to take photos — for example, if you want to remember a funny moment that fell into the camera lens, or vice versa, fix the circumstances of an unpleasant incident for clarification and action. The shooting command is given from the parent unit.

— Connection of additional cameras. Ability to connect additional cameras to the video baby monitor. This allows you to increase the capabilities of the device. For example, the main camera can be installed above the crib, and the secondary camera can be installed under the ceiling to provide an overview of the entire room — and you do not have to worry about the child if he gets out of the crib and is out of view of the main camera. Another option is to buy a camera with a night mode (see above), if the main camera does not have one, etc. In baby monitors, this feature allows you to connect several baby units, as a result of which you can watch (hear) events in different rooms from one parent unit.

— Wall mount. Possibility of fastening the baby unit of the baby monitor with a camera on the wall. This feature provides additional options for installing a baby unit — for example, it may come in handy if the crib-mounted option for some reason does not suit you.

Player with external speaker built into the baby unit; lullabies, sounds of nature and other sounds pleasant for the baby can be played through it. The music box in baby monitors can be turned on remotely — this will allow you to lull or distract the baby without entering the room.

— Two-way talk. This function provides two-way communication: you can not only hear the baby, but you can also talk to him/her. For example, if the baby woke up late, the parent's voice may lull him/her back to sleep. In addition, two-way communication can come in handy when the baby grows up — a baby monitor with such an opportunity actually turns into a portable walkie-talkie that can be used in games or hiking.

— Camera control. The ability to control the baby monitor camera (refer to "Product type") from the parent unit. This greatly expands the possibilities for monitoring the child's room: for example, if the child got up from the crib and is not in the camera's field of view, you can turn the lens and control what exactly the child is doing.

— VOX mode. A system that reduces the power consumption of the parent unit, and consequently its runtime without recharging the batteries. It can be realized in different ways. For example, the parent unit can be constantly in a kind of “sleep mode” (LEDs are not lit, the display does not show anything, etc.), until the child unit detects any significant sound or the touch mat is triggered (see below); in some models, this mode can be switched on and off manually. Another option is the special ECO mode, which reduces transmitter power and therefore power consumption; it can be activated when the distan...ce between units is short and significant power is not required.

— Volume control. The ability to adjust the volume of the sound of the parent unit. For example, in a noisy kitchen, the volume can be set to maximum to ensure that you can hear the sound from the speaker, and in a quiet atmosphere, the volume can be lowered to keep relatively soft sounds out of the way.

— Activity light indication. Baby monitors with this function are equipped with a special indicator that gives a light signal if the microphone of the child unit picks up noise in the room. Many models have a gradation of signals: for example, if the child just turned in his/her sleep, one LED is activated, and if he/she started crying, the entire set lights up. Such an alarm usually plays a supporting role, complementing the main speaker of the parent unit; in addition, in such devices, the speaker can often be turned off altogether and the baby monitor can be used in silent mode, with only a light indication.

— Vibration mode. Indication of activity in the child's room (increase in noise level) by vibration of the parent unit, similar to a vibration signal in mobile phones. Similar to light, such an alarm serves as an addition to the main speaker and can be used both in parallel with it, and separately as a silent mode; at the same time, it is more convenient than the light one (see above) — the parent does not have to constantly look at the device, because even without seeing it, he/she will immediately know about the operation. On the other hand, the price of models with vibration is higher.

— Out of range indicator. A special alarm on the parent unit, warning of the loss of communication with the child's unit. Without communication, the baby monitor becomes useless, and even dangerous, because the silence of the parent unit creates a false confidence that all is well. The presence of an out of range indicator will help to avoid such situations. Such an indicator can be visual (light indicator, signal strength indicator) or sound.

— Card reader. A card reader allows the device to work with removable memory cards — usually SD or microSD; the specific format and subtype of compatible cards needs to be specified separately. However, this function provides various additional features anyway. Memory cards are intended for storing recorded videos and photos (refer to "Baby unit"), downloading melodies for a music box, software updates, etc.

— Headphone output. A connector (usually a standard mini-jack 3.5 mm) that connects headphones to the parent unit and can be used to hear all sounds through the headphones. This feature can be useful, for example, if it is necessary to maintain maximum silence and any excessive sounds in the location of the parent unit are not desirable at all, or in a noisy place where there is a risk of missing a signal.

— Low battery indicator. The indicator that shows when the batteries in the parent unit are low. Usually, it warns in advance of the need to change or charge batteries, which reduces the likelihood of an unexpected failure of the baby monitor at the most inopportune moment.

— Timer. A kind of analogue of an alarm clock: after a specified time, the parent unit gives a signal, and parent will not miss the right moment (for example, when it is time for the baby to get up).

— TV connection. This provides the ability to watch the baby unit's broadcast on a TV, because the own screen of the baby monitor, even in the largest models, is very small (refer to “Screen size” for details) and not even comparable to the most compact TVs. In addition, the connection to a TV makes it possible to record video even if the baby monitor itself does not have such function (see below for more information on recording).

Parent unit mounting type — with some exceptions, they are designed to be carried with you all the time.

— On the neck (strap). A strap that allows you to carry the parent unit around your neck. Such a fastening is convenient because it does not depend on clothes (unlike a belt) and does not involve hands (unlike a bracelet).

— On the arm (bracelet). Fastening on a hand, like a wrist watch. Its advantage over others is that the parent block stays in the visibility zone for the greatest amount of time, in other words, it most often appears in front of the eyes. This is especially important if you are using indicator lights. On the other hand, the dimensions of even compact parent units are much larger than a wristwatch, which can create some inconvenience.

— On the belt (clip). Fastening on a belt is convenient in that it frees your hands. On the other hand, it puts forward certain requirements for clothing: it must have a place for attaching a clip and not be too light, otherwise the weighty parent unit will pull it off.

— On the wall. This feature is useful if you have to sit in one place for a long time — for example, work at a computer: you can fix the parent unit in the most visible place. In baby monitors, mounting exclusively on the wall is practically never found; this option is i...n addition to one of the three above, most often to a belt clip (in the form of a hole for a nail).

It should be noted that in fact, the convenience of fastening depends not only on the above features, but also on your personal preferences.

The maximum range of the baby monitor. Usually, the characteristics are indicated for perfect conditions, i.e. open area with no third-party interference; in fact, the range can be significantly less due to walls, other obstacles, as well as the impact of surrounding electrical appliances. A large range is not always optimal: for example, a city apartment is unlikely to need a range of more than 80-100 m. But a more “long-range” model is quite useful in a suburban area, or if you plan to use the baby monitor as a portable radio in the future.

Approximate amount of time the baby monitor parent unit can operate without recharging or changing batteries. The value is rather conditional, because in fact, it depends on many parameters: the selected volume, sensitivity, the number of alarms, etc. As a result, the actual operating time may differ — usually downward relative to what is recorded in the characteristics.

Charging time for the parent unit's own battery from zero to 100% charge. The shorter the charging time, the shorter the breaks in work will be and, accordingly, the more convenient the baby monitor is to use.