For new parents having a way to keep an eye on your newborn while they are sleeping is essential and the Owlet cam does just that.
The Owlet Cam is a Wi-Fi video monitor that allows parents to get notifications due to sound & motion, background audio and even comes with a room temperature sensor. The Owlet Cam is available for £149 from Amazon.
Who is Owlet?
Owlet was created back in 2013 when 4 fathers- Kurt Workman, Zack Bomsta, Jack Colvin & Jordan Monroe all got together to solve an issue. How to protect your children at home and they did this by creating an at-home pulse oximeter to monitor the kids even from a distance. Since then they created the Owlet Sock in 2015 and a few years later created the Owlet Cam
Design
The Owlet cam is made of hardened plastic and can be mounted to a wall say above a cot to keep an eye on your baby during the day or even during the night with the added night vision it offers.
It also comes with a cable cover to make sure your young child does not grab the cable as this camera can be used until your child is 5 years old.
The key features of the Owlet Cam are:
- Night Vision
- Two Way Audio
- Full HD 1080P footage quality
- Sound & Motion Sensor
- 130-degree wide-angle view
- 4x Zoom
- Temperature Sensor
Set up
The Owlet Camera is very easy to set up can be done in 4 simple steps:
- Download the Owlet App and switch on the camera.
- Pair your Owlet camera to both your phone and Wi-Fi
- Show the QR code from your phone to the owlet camera to finish the pairing mode.
- Install the camera to a flat surface or mount it to the wall. Use the child safety cord protector to keep the cable out of sight.
I found set-up was really easy to do but the app is not packed with features you will never use and that adds to the ease of using this camera.
An issue I did find was keeping a strong Wi-Fi connection but after a few days, these issues seemed to go away. It did raise a concern that if this issue did happen I would not have the opportunity to view the baby when they are sleeping which prevents the “Peace of Mind” if they woke up or started crying and your signal cut out this camera would feel pointless.
The camera also does not have a battery its run on a wired connection which did not cause an issue as when viewing the footage you will do this via your smartphone so just make sure your phone is fully charged before putting your little one down for a nap.
Performance
The Owlet Cam does not have the best sound clarity on the market but you will still hear your child cry so this was not a massive concern.
I was pleased with the HD 1080P video quality and with the use of night vision, you were even able to view your child regardless of the time of day. The quality of the footage offered true to life images without any distortion.
You can view the footage anywhere you have mobile signal or Wi-Fi for that matter which is really useful but the fact you may encounter the Owlet Cam having issues with the Wi-Fi might cause you a few issues.
Also in terms of footage, the owlet cam provides a 130-degree wide-angle lens and 4x digital zoom which gives you complete visibility in your child’s room.
Other Features
The Owlet Cam also comes with additional features such as the two-way camera which would allow you to communicate with your child to reassure them. The owlet cam also comes with a room temperature sensor which allows you to monitor the room on a hot night.
You can also buy the owlet smart sock that allows you to get a detailed insight into the likes of heart rate and oxygen level all viewed via the app. This is very useful if your child has not been very well and you want to keep a closer eye on them. However, it does come at a price for that extra peace of mind a whooping £279.
Wi-Fi Connection
The Owlet Cam mentions it comes with AES 128 bit encryption and needs to be connected to a Wi-Fi speed of 2.4GHz required I would have liked some more information about how they work to prevent hacking when the camera is in use.
Verdict
The Owlet camis a Wi-Fi video monitor that allows you to view your little one even when on a date night and you have the babysitter round. We did have a few issues with the Wi-Fi connectivity but after about a week these issues seemed to go away.
I found the footage provided to be adequate and the fact it offered HD 1080p footage is not the best on the market but you won’t have any complaints even in night mode. The sound it produces is a little subpar which is a little disappointing which makes the two-way audio a little tricky.
I found the 130-degree angle view and 4x zoom useful for getting a view of the full room just in case when your little ones become toddlers you can make sure they don’t try to escape the cot.
At £149 it’s quite reasonable for the budget and will offer that peace of mind for when your little ones are sleeping and the fact it can be used till they are 5 years old you will get value for money considering the timescale you will use it for.
Product Rating:
- Design: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
- Features: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars
- Video Quality: 3.0 out of 5.0 stars
- Value for Money : 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0 stars 3.5 Stars
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