Electronic gadget maker Binatone licensed the Motorola name for a line of baby monitors that debuted in 2011.

Binatone has been expanding their video offerings in recent months and now have four models (and a fifth coming in 2012). All video monitors include infrared night vision, lullabies, sound/light display, room temperature monitor and a two-way intercom feature. The main difference is the size of the screen.

The basic MBP20 ($130) has a 1.5” color LCD screen, while the MBP33 ($160) has a 2.8” screen. The MBP35 adds a 3.5” screen, plus a sleep mode for power saving, The camera also has a battery for 3.5 hours of wireless monitoring.

The BMP36 ($200; pictured) also has a 3.5 screen, but adds a camera that can pan, tilt and zoom.

For 2012, Binatone will add a new model: the MBP2000 ($400) which works on a wifi network and can be expanded with up to four cameras. You can record up to 30 hours of video on a Micro SD card. The receiver also doubles as a telephone and answering machine. At $400, it looks like Binatone is throwing in everything including the kitchen sink for this model.

Parent feedback on these video monitors has been quite positive, with few reports of static or interference. Much of that credit probably goes to the monitor’s 2.4 GHz FHSS technology—FHSS stands for frequency-hoping spread spectrum—which enables strong, secure reception. Both the MBP33 and MBP36 have FHSS, while the simpler MBP20 works on DECT.

Perhaps the biggest complaint about these cameras is their weak night vision—compared to other brands, the Motorola night vision pictures are not very clear.

Rating: A-

A EXCELLENT-our top pick!
B GOOD-above average quality, prices, and creativity.
C FAIR-could stand some improvement.
D POOR-yuck! Could stand some major improvement.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 at 11:03 am and is filed under Baby Monitors, Reviews, Video baby monitors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Mobi Technologies, Inc. (getmobi.com), a leader in family-oriented portable electronics, has garnered four prestigious national awards for four separate products. The National Parenting Center has awarded two of its Seals of Approval to Mobi, one for the MobiCam Digital DL Wireless Monitor and one for the tempTalk Digital Oral Thermometer. The Mom’s Choice Awards have honored Mobi for its Digital DXR Wireless Monitor and its DualScan Ear/Forehead Digital Thermometer.

The National Parenting Center’s testing division is run by independent testers, including parents, educators and panelists. Mom’s Choice judging panels include education and media experts as well as parents, children, medical professionals, authors and scientists. As such, being acknowledged by both organizations holds great significance within the parenting community.

“We are excited to be receiving these four major awards”, says David Naghi, president. “We strive to maintain a leadership position in family-oriented consumer electronics and these four recognitions from National Parenting Center and Mom’s Choice serve to motivate us even further. Our soon-to-be-unveiled new products will continue our tradition of providing safe, high-quality products with great value ­­– a combination upon which our loyal customers have come to depend.”

With an abundance of new and updated features including live video monitoring, infra-red night vision and pan, tilt, zoom functions, Motorola’s ‘next-gen’ baby monitors have been designed to offer a simple yet effective way of assisting parents with child supervision.

The Motorola MBP33 and the MBP36 help parents keep a watchful ‘real-time’ eye on sleeping baby. The high-quality video and infrared night vision capabilities of these monitors enable parents to check on baby’s sleeping position, watch for smothering or choking hazards, or see if baby is in distress. The monitors also provide high-quality, secure, interference-free audio thanks to their advanced multi-channel digital technology. They come complete with sound-level indicators, so that parents can tell whether baby is just making a little noise, or crying.

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Two Strangulation Deaths Prompt Summer Infant to Recall Video Baby Monitors with Cords; Firm to Provide New On-Product Label & Instructions

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Summer Infant Inc., of Woonsocket, R.I., is announcing the voluntary recall to provide new on product label and instructions for about 1.7 million video baby monitors with electrical cords. The cords can present a strangulation hazard to infants and toddlers if placed too close to a crib. Because of this serious strangulation risk, parents and caregivers should never place these and other corded cameras within three feet of a crib.

Over the past year CPSC and the firm have received reports of two strangulation deaths of infants with the electrical cords of Summer Infant video baby monitors. In March 2010 a 10-month old girl from Washington, D.C. strangled in her crib in the electrical cord of a Summer Infant video monitor. The monitor camera had been placed on top of the crib rail.

In November 2010 CPSC received a report of a six-month old boy from Conway, S.C., who strangled in the electrical cord of a baby monitor placed on the changing table attached to the crib. In January 2011 CPSC learned the product involved was a Summer Infant video baby monitor.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Starting on February 10, 2009, certain children’s toys and child care articles can no longer be sold, offered for sale, manufactured or imported for sale in the United States if they contain more than 0.1% of specified phthalates. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled last week that this prohibition applies regardless of when the covered products were made.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff has previously addressed a number of questions concerning applicability of phthalate limits. CPSC today is issuing more guidance in draft form (pdf) for public comment. The guidance is intended to help manufacturers, importers, retailers and consumers determine what products are covered by the phthalate limits.

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MOBI Cam AV Internet Kit

Burbank, CA – August 21, 2008 – MOBI Technologies, Inc. (MOBI)

(http://www.getmobi.com), whose executive team helped put one of the largest electronics manufacturers – NYKO – on the map, will introduce its new Internet kit for the MobiCam AV September 7th thru 11th at MOBI’s booth (#8515), during the ABC Show in Las Vegas. The software makes it simple for anyone to monitor the camera’s video and audio feeds from anywhere in the world. Injecting new life into a juvenile market depleted of user-friendly, high-tech devices, MOBI will also showcase two new members of its TykeLight series and preview digital AV monitors that will also have Internet capability, an industry first. Read the rest of this entry »