Whether you’re a first-time parent or just welcomed a new little bundle into your growing family, a reliable video monitor is key for keeping a watchful eye on your little ones. Video monitors have gotten much more sophisticated over the years, and the VTech RM5764 Smart Wi-Fi 1080p Pan & Tilt Monitor is at the front of the pack. But as this monitor proved to our team of parent testers, sophisticated and easy-to-use can go hand-in-hand. Our families loved the RM5764’s super-simple set up and use, and were impressed with its long list of features, most notably its remote access via smartphone app, movable camera, high-quality night-vision, and various movement and sound alerts.
I think the app is my favorite feature. I’m excited at the possibility of checking in on my baby when I can’t be with her. But all the bells and whistles are awesome! I brag about it to anyone who will listen. —Kate Rayment, mother of a newborn
SET-UP
We wouldn’t blame you for being intimidated by the tech-lingo on the back of the box, but rest assured, all of our testers were up and running in less than ten minutes— and most didn’t even use the instructions! Once the parent and camera units are plugged in, automatic detection pairs the two together and you’re ready to go in no time.
Wi-Fi connectivity is really what opens up another world of functionality with this monitor, giving you remote smartphone and tablet app access. Setting this up is easy, too, and is the same as connecting any other Wi-Fi device to your home network. (Just be sure your Wi-Fi network is secure and password protected— safety first!)
The last step is installing the MyVTech Baby 1080p app on your smartphone (compatible with both Android or iOS devices). Most of our testers said this was a breeze aside from some confusion about which VTech app was the correct one. Once installed, you simply use your phone to scan a QR code on the parent unit’s screen, which automatically pairs the app with the baby unit’s camera.
I usually struggle to pair anything to my Wi-Fi, but this was actually really easy and connected right away. The monitor feels good in quality and the whole setup went really smoothly. —Simone Olivero, mother of a three-year-old
Parent Unit
The parent unit is the main control centre of the RM5764, although with their phones always close by, many of our testers preferred to use the app even in their homes. The parent unit’s 5-inch HD display is big and clear, with all the essential information (such as battery power, temperature and your active alert icons) visible on screen. And while it’s not a touchscreen like many similar monitors on the market, top marks were given for its easy-to-navigate menu and controls. One parent commented that “everything is right where you’d expect it to be.”
Whether in daylight or in the dark, all of our parent testers rated the RM5764’s picture quality to be either excellent or good. (Some noted that the infrared night vision was sometimes a little pixelated, but still agreed that the overall video quality was clear.)
While staring at your slumbering baby 24/7 is certainly alluring, you can’t be glued to the screen all the time. But don’t worry, this monitor has your back. The VTech RM5764 offers sound and motion monitoring that can be easily configured to your comfort level. Mic and camera sensitivity can be set to react to everything from the quietest breaths and slightest movements, to only letting you know if your child is flat-out wailing. Our testers also really liked the temperature monitor, which alerts you if the room is too warm or cold. Want to binge a few episodes of Riverdale? Just silence the unit’s alerts and use the 3-level visual LED sound meter that peaks red when baby gets loud.
The motion and sound alerts were very helpful when the device is sleeping. To have it wake up automatically when my baby wakes is great. —Adam Shiffman, father of a 7-week-old
Camera (Baby unit)
The camera was a big hit with our team of parents, who were blown away by their ability to scan around for the best possible view of their baby, or even older kids playing in their rooms. With the press of a button on the parent unit, or a swipe on the app’s screen, the camera can pan horizontally almost a full 360-degrees, and move up and down for a full view of the room. The zoom feature is impressive, too, with 4x zoom through the parent unit and a bigger (but pixelated) 10x pinch-and-zoom on the app.
Not to be overlooked, however, is the unit’s talkback feature, which lets parents whisper soothing sounds into the parent unit or smartphone’s microphone to lull baby back to sleep. If that doesn’t work, the RM5764 has a whole library of sweet lullabies and white noise built-in. The sound from the small camera speaker is surprisingly good.
I was so impressed by the tilt action of the camera. To be able to scan the room is amazing. And the fact that I can do it from the app is even cooler! —Kate Rayment
My VTech Baby App
By far the most unique element of this video monitor is it’s accompanying app. Whether you’re on a business trip and want to peek in on your munchkin, have a babysitter for the night, or you just forgot the parent unit all the way upstairs, the MyVTech Baby 1080p app gives you access and control of the monitor no matter where you are. It’s convenience is undeniable.
Configurable with up to four cameras, the app lets you access and control all the same functions as the parent unit— although some testers reported delay while using the talkback feature. Bonus: The app allows you to take pictures and video if something cute happens (which, of course, will)!
With sound and movement alerts activated, you’ll get notifications even when the app’s not open, so you won’t miss a thing.
I always have my phone with me, so it’s great not to have to carry the monitor around all the time. I also like to check in on my baby when I’m out and she is napping while being looked after by someone else. —Alice Buckley, mother to a nine-month-old
Range
What you do when your little one falls asleep is your business (let’s face it, you’re sleeping or cleaning something up). But if you’re lucky and get to hang with a neighbour in the yard or watch a non-animated movie in the basement, this monitor has the range to keep you connected. Overall, our parent testers found the range of the RM5764 to be excellent when connected in local mode (without Wi-Fi), but found it even better when connected to the internet.
We like to have a drink on the porch after we put our daughter to bed and we needed to keep it right on the window sill in order to maintain the connection. The range worked better when we connected to Wi-Fi.” —Simone Oliviero, mother of a three-year-old
Portability
Rugged, lightweight and compact, the VTech RM5764’s two-piece setup can be easily packed in a suitcase or baby bag. And not to worry, the system will work just fine sans Wi-Fi at your parent’s place, hotel or cottage— just keep in mind that you won’t be able to access video with the app if you’re not connected to the internet. However, off-grid activities like camping, where electricity isn’t accessible, aren’t ideal as the camera must be plugged into a power source.
Battery
Our parent testers were divided on the RM5764’s battery life, with some saying that the parent unit was sufficient for a whole day of use, while others preferred to keep it plugged in all the time, reporting that it required frequent charging. On the plus side, the parent unit recharges relatively quickly (it takes less than four hours).
FINAL WORD
The wide range of features and level of flexibility makes the The VTech RM5764HD Smart Wi-Fi 1080p Pan & Tilt Monitor well worth the $200 price tag. Our parent testers all agreed— with a quarter of them admitting that they’d expect to pay even more! The Today’s Parent Approved team was most impressed with the baby monitor’s Wi-Fi connectivity, camera control and the live remote access through the smartphone app, which puts the RM5764 a cut above other video monitors we’ve seen. The reviews are in: This is an easy choice for parents.