It’s hard to figure which features of a baby monitor is useful or not. The voice activation is, in my opinion, one of the most useful. VOX will sense when your baby is awake and alert you at the first sound. Here are the details on how the voice activation work and why it’s essential.
VOX means that your baby monitor is voice activated. When your baby is sleeping, the monitor will go in sleep mode and stop transmitting. The microphone will stay active, and as soon as he catches a sound, the monitor will start to transmit again.
If you’re seeking for the best baby monitor and hoping to find real reviews from real parents. You should check out this list I created of the top baby monitors.
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What is the VOX mode?
First VOX can be translated to voice-activated transmission. A radio device equipped with the VOX feature will start transmitting at the first sound. With the microphone always listing, the device will automatically start when you begin speaking. If there’s no sound, the transmission is in a standby mode.
Just like Siri, Cortana or Alexa, it will react to the sound of your voice.
No need to push a button or to activate the device to start the conversation. On the other side, if you want to use an intercom or standard walkie-talkie, you will need to push a button to enable the transmission.
Why have VOX on a baby monitor?
There are two main benefits of having a baby monitor with VOX.
First, you don’t need to stand by the monitor to check if your baby is awake. The monitor will alert you the second your baby makes a sound.
Second, you will be saving the battery life of your monitor. Your monitor will go on sleep mode after 10 seconds approximately. The transmission will stop, and it will restart only if the monitor detects a sound.
Parents can go to bed and get some rest, knowing they will be alert by the monitor if their baby is not sleeping. Otherwise, you are always on the lookout for any noises or sounds. Especially the first time you sue a baby monitor, you doubt if it was your baby or something else.
To fully appreciate this feature, you will have to adjust the sensitivity of the microphone. Depending on the age of your child or the ambient noise, your monitor will need some adjustment.
A newborn baby sleeping in a quiet room will require a very sensitive microphone. But, a toddler could be more active in his sleep and make noise. In this case, you need a less sensitive monitor that will only react if your kid is crying.
How to adjust the VOX sensitivity on the baby monitor?
You must know that some VOX baby monitors have different levels of sensitivity. You can switch from high to low. Also, some baby monitors have the option to turn on/off the vox feature.
You should always test the sensitivity of your monitor by experimenting with the level trigger. One trick is to play music in the room and see at what level it will catch the sound.
My kids are making a lot of noise when they are actually sleeping. The roll, the replace the blanket, they caught, and they make weird noises with their mouth. Sometimes my daughter even speak while dreaming, this was spooky at first, but we got used to. If we set the monitor at high sensitivity, it was never going into sleep mode.
Trust me you don’t want the sensor to be extra sensitive because it will alert you any time your baby is moving or heavy breathing.
If your baby is a quiet sleeper, you should select the high level of sensitivity.
As you can see, a good baby monitor will have the option to adjust the VOX sensitivity.
VOX for video baby monitors
The VOX feature is even more useful on a video baby monitor. In fact, a video baby monitor without it would stream the video constantly like a security camera.
With the VOX, the monitor will start the transmission only if your baby is awake. The screen of the monitor will be in sleep mode, and it will display the video only if the monitor is activated.
You don’t need to be staring at the monitor, watching the video feed, to see if your baby needs you.
It ‘s also a great battery saver since video monitor takes more power than audio only.
VOX for walkie-talkies with baby monitor mode
Some walkie-talkie models have a baby monitor mode. When activated, the walkie-talkie works like a baby monitor. Which means that you don’t need to push a button to enable the transmission. It’s useful because your baby doesn’t know how to use the monitor.
A walkie-talkie on baby monitor mode will drain the batteries 5x time faster than average.
With the VOX feature, your battery will last longer. The walkie-talkie will be in sleep mode, and only the microphone on one end will be working.
When it catches a sound, the transmission will start, and you will be able to hear what going on on the other end.
Walkie-talkie with the baby monitor mode is great because it can cover the longest range than the average baby monitor.
Look for a VOX baby monitor
If you are looking for the best baby monitor to get, there are no doubts that the VOX feature should be on your checklist.
It will give you the peace of mind and the ability to focus on your task. Without the VOX, you always have to stay alert and keep one hear on to the monitor.
Also, make sure you can adjust the level of sensitivity of the monitor.
P.S. If you’re seeking for the best baby monitor and hoping to find real reviews from real parents. You should check out this list I created of the top baby monitors.
To get the best insights and tips to find the best baby monitor, I read more than 300 reviews online and ask my friends or others parents. From all their insights and my own experience, I’ve built this list of the best baby monitors.