Monitoring multiple kids

[oswin]

Does anyone have a good solution for continuous sound monitoring of two different kids' rooms? Bonus points if it can do video as well. As of right now, we have a VTech sound-only monitor and an Infant Optics video monitor both set up in DD's room. We only use the video monitor for occasional checking on her, since it frequently drops signal (resulting in a loud beeping noise that wakes us up). We only sort of need a monitor for DD at this point, but our room is all the way across the house from her room (and DS's nursery) so we can only really hear her if she's yelling. Mainly I want monitoring for DD for when she's asleep and we're not, since sometimes we're outside while she naps or after she goes to bed. But when DS is here, we'll want to have decent monitoring set up on him since it'll be quite a while before he STTN, etc.

So, does anyone have a good monitor that supports two baby units, with or without video? I've also looked into getting a Tenvis or Foscam IP camera that broadcasts over wifi (and you can check with your smartphone), but they seem better suited for occasionally checking in on a kid than continuous monitoring of one or more kids. DH and I are tech people, so we could probably hack together some software to show both feeds continuously, but it wouldn't be portable because it would probably be a dedicated computer set up in our bedroom.

[anna7602]

I stopped using our monitor a while back, but when we were going on vacation, a friend suggested rigging something up with an iPad and iPhone. I didn't end up doing it because I just stayed in the room while DS napped, but there IS a way to do this. Not sure how to get two kids in there, but there's an iSolution to everything, isn't there?

[minzy]

We have a Summer Infant video monitor set, and just bought a second camera with the second kid. It scans between them in about five second passes, all night long. I've been pretty happy with it.

[Brie]

We have a Motorola from C that we added a second camera to. We only use it on C intermittently and keep it on P most of the night. Very happy with it.

[nomad]

We have Motorola with two cameras. I'd look seriously at a drop cam with two cameras as well.

[oswin]

May 22, 2015 14:16:59 GMT -5 minzy said:

We have a Summer Infant video monitor set, and just bought a second camera with the second kid. It scans between them in about five second passes, all night long. I've been pretty happy with it.

That's a cool feature! That might work well for us. I'm checking different models online though and I'm wondering how good the signal strength really is. Both of our existing monitors have had trouble dropping signal across the house, and the advertised range on the Summer Infant monitors seems to be 400 or 600 ft depending on the model, whereas the VTech we have will supposedly go 1000ft (but in reality does much less than that).

[minzy]

I've never really gone that far with it, our place isn't huge horizontally. It works well in the basement though.

[brady2012]

May 22, 2015 14:16:59 GMT -5 minzy said:

We have a Summer Infant video monitor set, and just bought a second camera with the second kid. It scans between them in about five second passes, all night long. I've been pretty happy with it.

We have this one as well and so does my SIL.  It works well, we had a battery issue at one point but Summer replaced it for free.  We have been using ours for both rooms for 2 years.

[whitepicketfence]

We have a Motorola video monitor with multiple cameras. It scans back and forth between each camera and we've never had any issues with the signal dropping.

[oswin]

Thanks everyone, it looks like there are some good options out there. I think I've kind of hit a wall lately shopping for things for DS's arrival - I've spent hours agonizing over which double stroller to get, only to realize at 4am this morning that we might not even need one, so we're going to wait. My eyes just sort of glaze over when I compare products these days, so I really appreciate the recommendations.

[Deleted]

I have the setup you're looking for. We have two separate Graco Secure Coverage audio only monitors, one in DS's room and one in our room where DD sleeps. I've labeled the parent units so I know whose is whose. Each room also has a Foscam audio monitor that goes over our wifi. When I hear something on the audio monitor, I grab my phone and pull up the Foscam video feed to see what's going on. Easy peasy.

ETA: this is the Graco we have. 1,000 ft coverage which is pretty accurate, I take it out into the garden frequently which is about 900 ft away.

Graco Secure Coverage Digital Baby Monitor with 1 Parent Unit

www.amazon.com/dp/B004AHKUHM/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_sH5xvb0FNEPJ0

[oswin]

May 22, 2015 16:00:21 GMT -5 @supergreen said:

I have the setup you're looking for. We have two separate Graco Secure Coverage audio only monitors, one in DS's room and one in our room where DD sleeps. I've labeled the parent units so I know whose is whose. Each room also has a Foscam audio monitor that goes over our wifi. When I hear something on the audio monitor, I grab my phone and pull up the Foscam video feed to see what's going on. Easy peasy.

ETA: this is the Graco we have. 1,000 ft coverage which is pretty accurate, I take it out into the garden frequently which is about 900 ft away.

Graco Secure Coverage Digital Baby Monitor with 1 Parent Unit

www.amazon.com/dp/B004AHKUHM/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_sH5xvb0FNEPJ0

Which Foscam do you have?

[Deleted]

May 22, 2015 16:18:18 GMT -5 oswin said:

May 22, 2015 16:00:21 GMT -5 @supergreen said:

I have the setup you're looking for. We have two separate Graco Secure Coverage audio only monitors, one in DS's room and one in our room where DD sleeps. I've labeled the parent units so I know whose is whose. Each room also has a Foscam audio monitor that goes over our wifi. When I hear something on the audio monitor, I grab my phone and pull up the Foscam video feed to see what's going on. Easy peasy.

ETA: this is the Graco we have. 1,000 ft coverage which is pretty accurate, I take it out into the garden frequently which is about 900 ft away.

Graco Secure Coverage Digital Baby Monitor with 1 Parent Unit

www.amazon.com/dp/B004AHKUHM/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_sH5xvb0FNEPJ0

Which Foscam do you have?

Foscam FI8910W Pan & Tilt IP/Network Camera with Two-Way Audio and Night Vision (Black)

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006ZP8UOW/

[curbsideprophet]

We use the Cloud Baby Monitor app over wifi with iPhones and iPads. You do need to leave a device in each room that you want to monitor.

[daisy24342]

May 22, 2015 15:10:43 GMT -5 whitepicketfence said:

We have a Motorola video monitor with multiple cameras. It scans back and forth between each camera and we've never had any issues with the signal dropping.

This