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Featured Review
The American phrase "bigger is better" still holds true and is evidenced by the highly successful Intelligent 5600 video baby monitor system. A long time complaint of video monitors is the small screen size, some as small as 1.5".
The Intelligent 5600 bucks the small screen trend with a large 5.6" LCD. Until now the largest screens available have been 2.5", so this is a sizeable step up. Two reasons behind small screen sizes include cost and power consumption. Smaller screens are less expensive and use much less power, which increases battery life.
For a monitor to be portable, batteries are the only option. And battery life on monitors with screen sizes of 2.5" or larger can be disappointing to say the least.
The Intelligent 5600 shows that many customers are willing to sacrifice some portability for a larger screen, as the 5600 can only be plugged in. Not to mention you would have a difficult time fitting that large screen in your pocket.
But the system is still surprisingly portable. The screen is mounted on a compact adjustable stand similar to a computer monitor. We found it easy to move the monitor from place to place, just remember your AC adapter. But if you only use the monitor in one place, you can wall mount the screen for that extra "cool factor".
An output plug, which is standard on almost all video baby monitors, lets you plug the audio/video feed to a television or VCR.
Standard adjustments are made on screen with via the OSD (On Screen Display). We were able to adjust the basics brightness, contrast and color via the OSD. There are dedicated buttons for power and to switch between channels, three of which are available.
Channels allow you to add more cameras which can be used simultaneously. There also are some advanced features like scan mode, letting you automatically switch between channels. We were even able to set the time duration between cameras which was nice.
There is also a motion sensing function on the camera. When using multiple cameras the monitor can be set to alarm and switch to the camera with motion detected. This is an interesting feature which may really appeal to some people but not so much to others. It is important to stress that while the motion detection feature works well, it doesn't catch every movement 100% of the time and should not be relied upon to do so.
The picture was crisp and bright, and what you would expect from a screen of this size. We did have some initial static when we first set the system up. This was quickly solved by powering off a wireless router nearby. The 5600 uses 2.4 GHz, which is interfered with by wireless networks and the many 2.4 GHz cordless phones so many people have these days.
We also had a 2.4 GHz cordless phone in the area but found it only created static for us when it was being used which is something we could live with. If you do need a new cordless phone, be sure to pick up a new 5.8 GHz model instead of 2.4 GHz. This will make your life easier if you ever consider a video baby monitor.
The camera worked great, it also needs to be plugged in so be sure there is an outlet nearby where you wish to monitor. The automatic night vision kicks in as soon as the light levels get low, and the picture turns from color to a greenish monochrome in low light.
We found the camera needed to be placed close to our subject to provide us with a bright night vision picture, within about 6 feet is good. Beyond that the night vision lights from the camera are too weak to provide useful illumination, and you get a black picture. In daytime with full light the camera can be further away giving an increased field of view.
With all the bells and whistled on the Intelligent 5600 it's easy to get carried away and forget it's a tool and not a toy. It's an impressive video baby monitor with a price to match, but the added piece of mind given to some parents by this monitor far outweigh the cost.
Currently NexStepBabyMonitors reports they have the 5600 in stock, but in limited numbers. Understandably, they are having a hard time keeping this one on the shelves.
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Review By: Arunas
Used Product For: 1 Week
Primary Use: We are monitoring an infant and a 2 yr old in their separate bedrooms.
Pros: Clarity and color as well as various the adjustments and good IR coverage at night. The camera is sturdy - the table top feature is stable over our dresser. The camera lens is very maneuverable. The IR sensing is very good.
Cons: We would like to see a battery operated camera. Hopefully, one will be developed with a long-lasting battery power.
Where Purchased: NextStepBabyMonitors
Shopping Experience: We enjoyed the immediate response from the service rep at the online site. The customer service for this product and the monitoring unit was professional, courteous, and prompt.
Comments: Compared to the previous black and white monitor I used, I like this unit because of the clarity, lack of noise, and sharp color presentation on the monitor. I purchased a previous unit (Intelligent 2000) but the small screen size made it difficult to view our kids from a distance of 20 ft. The 5" screen on this unit makes it easy to view.
Additionally, unlike other flimsy cameras from our past units, this unit is very strong and stable. We also like that it's waterproof, giving us security in positioning the unit around a moist environment.
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Intelligent 5600 System
