Introduction
Summer Infant innovates and introduces new models with better video quality, apps, etc. Wide View 2.0 is an older model that might not have the bells and whistles of the more advanced models. It is best served as a moderately-priced baby monitor option if you don’t care much about the video quality and want something really lightweight. In this review, we will show you why the Wide View 2.0 is a decent baby monitor for someone who wants to get their hands wet in the baby monitor category.
9 Things You Need to Know
5.0 inch/8.89 cm LCD High-Resolution Flat Screen with Video Display
After looking through many baby monitors, the average screen size is around 3.5 inches. There are many other models that have an even smaller screen size than 3.5 inches, so 5 inches is considered huge and it gives parents a good user experience.
Wide Angle Lens Allows You to Observe Older Babies Who Can Move About
This isn’t so much of an advantage for younger babies who can’t move. However, if you are looking to use a baby monitor throughout the life cycle of your baby (Below 18 months), this product will transit well with you as you get to see 4X more of the room with its wide-angle lens, which is perfect for older babies.
Easy to Setup & Straightforward (With the Ability to Sync Up in Total 4 Cameras)
As per one reviewer mentioned, she just plugs it in and turned it on. Summer Infant created 12-foot cable cords to make it easy to connect to a power source. It is also easy to hook up new cameras to get more views on your baby or multiple children. Do take note that you are not able to watch all the camera views simultaneously; it switches between cameras every 8 seconds.
2-Way Audio Communication
This is another benefit if you want to have a baby monitor that serves it’s purpose even when your baby is older: You can talk to your baby and vice versa. However, similar to other mid-range products out there, it does not have the best audio quality. Parents experienced crackles and slight delays during audio communication with their babies.
2.4GHz FHSS Wireless Signal with 800 ft range (Non-Wifi)
Summer Wide View 2.0 does not have an app and so it doesn’t use parent’s phone and Wifi to connect. Based on parents’ feedback, the actual range lies below 100 ft and might be even lesser if you take into account the walls between rooms. Our recommendation is geared towards homes that are smaller in size such that parents wouldn’t need an especially strong signal quality.
Average Video Quality (Basic Night Vision Enabled)
Don’t expect the video quality to be great as they kept the same resolution while increasing the screen size. Wide View 2.0 does have a digital zoom in function but it gets pixelated. For the night vision function, it is automatically but really basic. There are parents mentioning they could not really see their baby clearly with the night vision so don’t expect much.
Battery Saving Mode Enabled
This is really good to help conserve battery but not too good if you don’t like the video screen to be timed out. Sound is still on though. If you do not want the battery saving mode to be enabled, you can plug in the charger.
Average Battery lifespan (Promised 6 hours)
A number of parents reviewed that the battery doesn’t last long, and it goes down over time. Some parents tried keeping the settings to a minimum to ensure battery last, much like what you would do to your phone is you are running flat 🙂 To cope with this problem, you can get replacement batteries once you feel that your battery isn’t able to last.
Also, the charging cables can get fuzzy aka unable to charge if you can’t find the “right” angle. Do take good care of the cables. If you are really concerned with the batteries’ lifespan, do take note that you can still plug in the charger to cope with it.
How often you check your video screen (2-3 times every hour or 2-3 times every minute) will decide if you are able to deal with this model’s battery lifespan. Alternatively, keep the baby monitor plugged in at all times.
No App, No Thermostat, No Lullaby, No Pan & Tilt Function
Plain simple, if you are looking for those extra bits of personalization and advanced functions, you won’t find it here. The multiple cameras do function as an alternative to the no pan & tilt function. However, Summer Infant Wide View 2.0 s does what it does and gives you a simple baby monitor function.
Connectivity of Summer Wide View 2.0 Baby Monitor
It seems that there are a large number of questions are based on the connectivity of the baby monitor and I shall address it.
– The pairing of old camera models, or any pairing
– How to get it to sync properly
– What to do if there’s no signal?
– What to do if the camera isn’t working?
– Where to get a replacement monitor?
– How to get Summer Wide View to work when there’s no signal?
– What to do when it says out of range?
– The Summer Infant Wide View 2.0 is not dual voltage. It runs on a 110v. (Note on differences in Europe and US)
Common troubleshooting steps to take if XYZ is not working.
Link to user manual here but I shall bring out the common issues as per the manual:
Other Questions?
What happens if my baby touches it?
Is there anything better at this price range?
A full look into what you will get and how fast you can get it to setup?
An overview of the reviews based on:
Quality: /3
Safety: /3
Value: /3
Ease of setup: /3
Peace of mind: /3
Overall: /5
Our Verdict
Perfect for monitoring your baby while they nap. Not too ideal if you are trying to monitor your baby through the night unless you charge it while using it. Summer Wide View 2.0 is a functional, easy to use and safe baby monitor to use if you are looking for a low/medium-range product to use in a small house setting, without the need for a strong signal.
We would not recommend this product if you are looking for an app to come along with this product, wants a wifi-based baby monitor or if you want excellent video quality.