When I first came across the term ‘Voice-activated (VOX) baby monitor‘, it got me interested in the topic as I had just attended a parenting conference in Calgary where we discussed ways to reduce EMF radiation in a baby nursery. Since then, my preference for low EMF gadgets hasn’t ceased. I have shared more details on baby monitor radiation caused by electrical devices including baby monitors and have shared reviews on low-emission monitors as well.
I did not necessarily obtain a degree in RF radiation or on VOX baby monitors but after almost three years of researching the best and lowest-radiation baby monitors, I am happy to share some critical tips on what you should know about Voice-activated baby monitors.
Let’s get started by answering this very common question:
What is a VOX on Baby Monitor?
VOX on a baby monitor is a feature that enables the baby monitor to go on “Sleep mode” as long as your baby is asleep or quiet in his/her crib. When VOX mode is activated and the sound of the baby is below the ‘activating sound’ threshold, the baby monitor does not pulse (emit pulses of radiations) to facilitate two-way connectivity and communication of the baby and parent units of the baby monitor. When the baby starts crying, the monitor will start transmitting signals and you’ll get an alarm alerting you to attend to the baby. That’s what the Voice Activation (VOX) mode is. In other words, the sound of your baby will activate the monitor which would otherwise be on ‘sleep mode’.
A VOX baby monitor is ONLY activated when the baby makes noise or cries and needs your attention. Once activated, some baby monitors might just relay the voice on the receiver unit while others may start recording and relaying live video streams to your smartphone or to the parent display unit.
Why VOX mode is important
This may surprise you but the next statement is true and it slightly shocked me initially.
As long as wireless digital baby monitors are powered on, they emit a burst of pulsing microwave radiation. This is because the non-voice activated baby monitors are designed to continuously monitor and stream audio and video signals and therefore resulting in an electromagnetic field. This field has to be maintained to enable a constant flow of video and audio signals from the baby unit to the parent unit of your baby monitor.
You may have recently seen promotions of baby monitors that are ‘non-continuous’. If you have and wondered what it means. Here is the answer, an answer tied to the VOX feature in baby monitors. It basically means that the particular baby monitor does not stream video and audio signals continuously even when your baby probably doesn’t need some equipment pulsing dangerous EMF radiation when quietly asleep.
And that’s what VOX monitors are meant to do. The VOX mode feature is supposed to reduce the radiation to a minimum when the baby monitor is not in use and only emits the signal to alert you when the baby makes noise, moves around in the crib, or if the baby cries. The current EMF limit set by FCC for baby monitors is 4 W/Kg and most non-VOX baby monitors emit radiations that may be close or even higher than 4 W/kg. You can learn more about the dangers of radiation by reading our well-researched MotherHoodHQ Guide to baby monitor radiation.
We’ve analyzed 21 top-rated VOX baby monitors that were available on Amazon between January and December 2021 and below is our list of top Voice-activated baby monitors:
A comparison table for the 9 top Sound-activated baby monitors in 2022
| Baby Monitor | Image | VOX Mode Battery Life | Display Size | Range | Rating on Amazon | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1. ANMEATE Baby Monitor | No products found. | 12 hours | 2.4-inch | 960 ft | 4.5/5 stars in 16,000+ reviews | Check here |
| #2. GoodBaby Baby Monitor | No products found. | 12 hours | 3.5-inch | 960 ft | 4.6/5 stars in 6,000+ reviews | Check here |
| #3. VTech VM3252 Baby Monitor | No products found. | 9 hours | 2.8-inch | 1000 ft | 4.7/5 stars in 2,700+ reviews | Check here |
| #4. Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro | No products found. | 8 hours | 5-inch | 1000 ft | 4.8/5 stars in 2,600+ reviews | Check here |
| #5. ANMEATE SM935E | No products found. | 14 hours | 3.5-inch | 960 ft | 4.6/5 stars in 2,400+ reviews | Check here |
| #6. HelloBaby HB65 | No products found. | 12 hours | 3.2-inch | 1000 ft | 4.5/5 stars in 2,000+ reviews | Check here |
| #7. BabySense V65 | No products found. | 5 hours | 5-inch | 960 ft | 4.3/5 stars in 1,800+ reviews | Check here |
| #8. Angelcare AC527 | No products found. | 6 hours | 5-inch | 820 ft | 4.3/5 stars in 900+ reviews | Check here |
| #9. VTech VM919 | No products found. | 6 hours | 7-inch | 1000 ft | 4.6/5 stars in 500+ reviews | Check here |
Review of Best Voice-activated(VOX) Baby Monitor Brands in 2022
1. Anmeate Video Baby Monitor
At the top of our best VOX baby monitor is ANMEATE video baby monitor, a VOX non-wifi baby monitor that made it to this list specifically because of its low price.
The ANMEATE video baby monitor has a VOX mode, known as ECO mode, that allows you to control the sound level from your little one’s room. The audio and video broadcast is activated automatically when sound is detected. This, however, stops and goes to standby mode in case the baby unit fails to register any sound within 30 seconds. In addition, you can keep the screen on manually if you want to. With VOX mode, you expect a battery life of up to 12 hours which is approx. 4 hours longer compared to when the screen is always on.
The ECO mode voice activation alerts you with sound-activated indicators Like VTech and BabySense, the ANMEATE baby monitor lets you pan 360° and tilt 60° remotely with a range of up to 960-ft. Most buyers say although it picks up noises and voice when using the 2-way talk feature well, the microphone sensitivity could be better.
$45.99 in stock
- VOX feature: Yes (Audio is continuous)
- Frequency: 2.4 GHz
- Activated by: Sound
- Range: 960 ft.
- Transmission: Non-wifi
Anmeate video baby monitor has a VOX mode or eco mode feature. When no sound is detected, Anmeate’s display unit will turn off and will only get activated when the baby makes sounds. From the parent unit, you can control the sensitivity of the VOX feature to different sound levels which you prefer.
- High quality color screen: This unique baby monitor features a High Resolution Display with 2x zoom magnification for comprehensive coverage. The 2.4” screen can deliver streaming live view whenever you check in.
- High definition night vision & temperature monitoring: This baby monitor with camera has 8 infrared LED Lights and could constantly monitor babies’ activities. Other built-in features include automatic night vision and temperature monitoring.
- Two way talking & long transmission range: The video monitor covers a transmission range of up to 960 feet.You could play 4 soothing lullaby songs or use the two-way talk back intercom function to comfort your babies.
- Easy installation & high capacity battery: Simply plug in camera and monitor to use this magic baby monitor! The Li-ion battery is 950mAh and lasts 8 hours in eco mode.
- Wide variety of extra handy features: Our baby monitor with camera and audio also comes with: Eco Mode Voice Activation, Sound Activated LED Indicators, Alarm/Timer Setting, 2x Digital Zoom with Digital Image Pan/Tilt option, Multi-Camera Expandability (up to four cameras), Lullabies, Manual Pan (360 degrees) & Tilt (60 degrees), Auto Scan View, Tabletop or Wall Mounting Options.
2. GoodBaby Baby Monitor: Overall Best
GoodBaby Baby Monitor has featured in most of our reviews for its excellent and popularity among many parents in different baby monitor categories. This SM35PTZ video baby monitor features a VOX mode that you turn on or off by holding down the power button and also activates automatically depending on the noise level.
- 3.5 Inch Large Display & 2.4GHz Wireless Digital Transmission: Provides high definition and stable streaming, secure interference-free connection and crystal clear digital vision & sound. Our baby monitor provides you with clear real-time video and audio of your unattended baby.
- Long Distance Transmission & Infrared Night Vision: Long distance max to 960ft in empty area. It enables you to take the screen to upstairs/downstairs, bedroom, kitchen, garden or yard. Built-in 4 IR LED lights for night vision with infrared light. You can see your baby’s face and details clearly even in darkness. Day and night, never miss a moment to get along with your baby.
- Two Way Talk Communication & Temperature Monitoring: This video baby monitor has advanced microphone and speaker for clear two-way audio conversations. Allows you to talk back promptly or play lullabies to soothe baby when she is crying. And it can monitor the room temperature of your baby all day long. Remote in-room temperature display lets you know your baby is comfortable.
- Whole-Room Coverage &Timing Feed Reminding: Pan the camera 355 Degree to see corner-to corner and tilt 90 Degree to see floor to ceiling. You can access the set up menu,select “feeding” option to choose OFF, 2H, 4H or 6H. This function remind you to feed your lovely baby.
- Four Cameras Expand ability& High Capacity Battery: Up to four cameras can be added to this baby monitor. You can use additional cameras in different rooms, saving your money and giving you ability to simultaneously monitor the second child, the aged, the pet or other you care about. The high capacity battery can last 12 hours in ECO mo
The voice-activated lights are a fine touch if you want to leave the screen display turned off and still get notified when your kiddo needs you. Depending on how much noise you need to monitor, you can set the sound settings as low, medium, high, or very high which is excellent compared to DXR-8 Pro. It has a decent range of 960-ft plus infrared night vision with 4 in-built IR LED lights for a clear view on a 3.5-inch display.
Like many parents, you will love the ECO mode that preserves battery life by turning off the screen at night and only activating after detecting noise in your kiddo’s room. Its battery capacity on VOX mode is approx. 12 hours. The SM65PTZ baby monitor features a sensitive microphone that picks your child’s voice pretty well. This also allows for a clear two-way talk communication with your kiddo protected by a 2.4GHz wireless digital transmission.
3. VTech Baby Monitors with Vox Mode
VTech is one of the leading brands promoting low-emission gadgets and it is no coincidence that VTech baby monitors with VOX feature emerged top on ou list. VTech VM5251, VM5271and VM3252, VM819, VM919 are among our best VTech Vox Baby monitors of 2021, and below are some more details I’ve prepared for you about each of them:
a). VTech VM5271 with VOX Feature
VTech VM5271-2 is our overall best vox baby monitor in our 2021 list of voice-activated monitors (10BabyGear Feature List). This VTech model also made it to our top baby monitors for twins as it comes with two cameras for a relatively lower price. You are better off buying this VTech twin monitor (has an option for two cameras) baby monitor compared to if you were to buy an additional camera for Infant Optics DXR 8 or for Eufy Spaceview. This top VTech Vox baby monitor is only comparable to another VTech brand, the VTech VM5251 as they both have large 5-inch LCD screen color displays.
Below are some of the features of VTech VM5271-2
- VOX feature: It only gets activated by sound and this reduces the EMF radiation it emits.
- 6x Optical Zoom: Great zoom for those interested to take pictures of your twins in separate rooms
- Frequency: Uses FHSS technology in the 2.4 GHz frequency band.
- Cameras: VTech VM5271-2 is not only great as a regular baby monitor, it is also a great dual camera baby monitor ideal for monitoring twins.
- Lullabies: It comes pre-loaded with lullabies
- Split Screen: You can monitor up to 4 children in separate rooms using this excellent VOX mode baby monitors.
- Screen Size: 5 inches
VTech VM5271 is our best sound-activated baby monitor in 2021.
Below is a video our best Vox Baby monitor:
b). VTech VM3252 With VOX Feature
VTech VM3252 is another excellent VOX baby monitor designed and retailed by VTech. VTech is known for audio baby monitors that utilize the voice-activation feature and VM3252 has a camera and microphone speakers that are activated by the baby’s sounds.
The parent unit screen is also turned off entirely until the camera and the inbuilt speaker and microphone in the camera unit are activated. This ensures that the parent unit saves power. If you are looking to increase the battery life of your VTech VM3252, you can set the VOX sensitivity level to medium so you only get to hear or view the signals from your baby’s camera when your baby is actually crying. You can also choose from VTech VM3252 with two cameras
Below are the features of the VTech VM3252 VOX baby monitor:
- VOX feature: Yes
- Frequency: 2.4 GHz
- Activated by: Sound
- Cameras: 1
- Lullabies: Yes
- Check Price on Amazon
Below is a video review:
VTech VOX Baby Monitor Sensitivity:
VTech VM5271, VTech VM351, and VTech VM3252 are sound-activated baby monitors manufactured by VTech. You can choose to hear sounds from the baby at all times or if the sounds exceed a certain level. You can adjust the sensitivity of the microphone using the parent unit buttons.
When the VOX Mode is at the Highest Sensitivity, the parent unit speaker is
constantly on, and you will hear all sounds (including background noises) from
your baby’s room.
When the VOX Mode is the Lowest Sensitivity level, the parent unit only turns on when there is a loud noise from the baby’s room. VTech baby monitor has five sensitivity levels; the highest level, high level, medium level, low level, and lowest level.
| VOX Sensitivity Level | Description |
| Highest Sensitivity | When you set the VOX level sensitivity to highest, it means that the parent unit speaker is constantly on and you will hear all sounds (including background noise) from your baby’s room. |
| High Sensitivity | When the VOX setting is set to high, this VOX sensitivity level means that the parent unit the speaker turns on to soft noises but remains quiet when the baby is asleep |
| Medium Sensitivity | When the VOX Sensitivity level is set to medium, it means that the parent unit speaker turns on for loud babbling sounds and remains quiet when your baby makes soft noises. |
| Low Sensitivity | When the VOX level is set to low, the parent unit the speaker will only turn on when your baby is crying loudly and remains quiet when your baby makes soft noises |
| Lowest Sensitivity | When the VOX level is set to the lowest, the parent unit the speaker will only turn on when your baby is making the loudest crying sound (perhaps screeching) and remains quiet when your baby makes soft sounds |
Below is a snapshot with descriptions of the VOX level settings on VTech’s user guide/manual
4. Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro
The DXR-8 Pro is a celebrated upgrade of the DXR-8 baby monitors that most light sleeper parents like me love for its Active Noise Reduction (ANR) feature among other things. I love the timer in this baby monitor’s screen that turns the screen off and uses VOX tech to light up when there is noise in your little one’s room.
Unlike GoodBaby above with 4 volume levels, however, DXR-8 Pro has 9 volume levels. The sound processing chipset in this baby monitor senses noise in your child’s room and sends notifications via an LED light on the side even when the screen is off. The sleep mode follows the set timer that turns the screen off but is still monitoring from the background until the noise is sensed.
I admire the microphone that picks up noise and sound easily powered by 1000mW speakers so you can know when your little one needs you. The quality of sound is incredible even when you are using the two-way talk audio feature to connect with your child.
The close-loop FHSS system secures your communication from hacks, and you will love the clarity of pictures on the 5-inch display. DXR-8 Pro boasts a decent battery life of up to 10 hours while on audio-only or VOX mode.
- Patent-Pending Active Noise Reduction Feature -filters out background noises so you can hear your baby more clearly. Removes unwanted sound from fans, air purifiers, humidifiers, air conditioners, static and more.
- Ultra Clear Video Quality: High definition 720P video resolution playback.Type of Modulation:GFSK
- Large 5 Screen: see more in better detail up close. Improved LCD screen offers more brightness, better viewing angles, and sharper colors
- Full Viewing Control: pan/tilt/zoom, interchangeable lenses. Zoom lens included, wide angle lens sold separately. Zoom up to 6x with optical and digital zoom used together
- Double the Audio Power: 1000mW speaker for louder volume and crisper sound playb
5. HelloBaby VOX Baby Monitor (3.2-inch): Edictor’s Choice
HelloBaby is among the best VOX mode baby monitor brands we have on this list. Hellobaby’s voice-activated feature allows you to control when and how Hellobaby records videos of your baby. With Hellobaby video baby monitor, you have three options; you can turn off the VOX mode, choose Low sensitivity, or choose high sensitivity. When you turn on the VOX mode feature, it significantly improves the battery life of HelloBaby.
- VOX feature: Yes
- Frequency: 2.4 GHz
- Activated by: Sound and Movement
- VOX Sensitivity Adjustment: Yes
HelloBaby VOX Mode
The VOX mode of Hellobaby relies on the sound of the surrounding. If there is no sound within 30 seconds, Hellobaby will stop transmitting the video feed. The 3.2-inch video display will turn dark and it will be off until the baby makes the sound that reaches the minimum threshold you’ve set on your HelloBaby.
HelloBaby VOX High and Low
HelloBaby allows you to change the VOX sensitivity level to either high or low. To change to a high level, you need to press the Menu key and menu options will pop up. Press the front arrow key until you find the Vox icon, VOX. You then select up to increase the sensitivity level or down to decrease the sensitivity level. Once you reach the desired level, press Ok to confirm and exit the menu options. Note that VOX-Lo is a low sensitivity level and VOX-Hi is a high sensitivity level.
HelloBaby High Pitch Noise and Bright Light
If you own a HelloBaby, you’ve probably wondered about the high pitch noise. When turning off the VOX mode or when turning it on, the monitor makes an annoyingly high-pitched voice that has been a major complaint by many parents. It disturbs the baby who may be asleep or trying to sleep.
I highly recommend turning the VOX mode sensitivity to very low. This will ensure that Hellobaby will only turn on or off at very few instances.
Hellobaby’s screen is also very bright at night when turned on and parents have complained that it could be dimmed a little.
6. ANMEATE SM935E Video Baby Monitor
Yet another video baby monitor from ANMEATE, the SM935E features a 3.5-inch screen unlike the other reviewed here with a 2.4-inch display. We included it in our list because it has an ECO and voice mode that preserves battery life up to 8 hours.
The sleep mode also automatically turns the screen on after picking sound or movement in your little one’s room. If you want to keep the screen on, you can change the timer or darken it manually on settings. There are 3 sound sensitivity levels, including low, medium, and high with the VOX function.
This video baby monitor features a high-quality in-built microphone and powerful speaker to give you crystal clear two-way communication with your baby. In addition, this helps pick sound easily while displaying super quality live images. Like most baby monitors in our review, the SM935E uses 2.4GHz digital wireless transmission to keep your connection secure.
7. BabySense Video Baby Monitor 5-inch
The BabySense video baby monitor is among the best non-Wi-Fi baby monitors that you will find in the market today. Like DXR-8 Pro and GoodBaby, it comes with a VOX feature that many parents love but has two cameras, unlike the previously mentioned monitors.
This sound-activated baby monitor turns on automatically after detecting your baby’s voice or sound/noise in his room. The VOX feature and power-saving mode with auto-activation allow you to sleep soundly while extending the monitor’s battery life (up to 12 hours). In addition, there are 3 sound sensitivity levels including low, medium, and high. You will enjoy the double zoom ability and remote control convenience that allows you to pan your camera 350° and tilt it 90° from a 960-ft range.
I fancy the light-up sound indicator feature in this baby monitor that lets you see if the microphone is picking up the sound even when the volume level is in the lowest setting. Parents say that the mic is super sensitive in detecting sounds which makes talking with your baby easy and fun. Like the DXR-8 Pro, the V65 video monitor comes with a 5-inch display.
BabySense boasts using advanced 2.4GHz FHSS wireless transmission tech to secure your live stream and audio connections.
8. Angelcare AC527 Vox Baby Monitor
Wondering what VOX mode means on your Angelcare baby monitor? Here is the answer. Angelcare’s baby monitors have VOX options to turn it on and off while others have VOX features by default with no option to turn it off. Out of Angelcare’s 10 plus baby monitors, 7 of them have the VOX feature.
Angelcare AC527 is one of the latest brands of VOX breathing video baby monitors by Angelcare. Below are some of its features:
- VOX feature: Yes
- Frequency: 2.4 GHz
- Activated by: Sound and Movement
- It uses Low energy emission technology.
- Has a 5-ich display
- Long-range of up to 820 ft.
- Has infrared night vision
- Has 2-way talk
9. VTech VM919
Yet another baby monitor from the VTech brand in our review today, the VTech VM919 has a VOX feature that monitors your young one in the background even with the screen turned off. This monitor picks up sounds from your baby’s room over your VOX settings. It turns on automatically to alert you. The higher the VOX sensitivity level, the better your camera is to pick baby sound. You will love the 3-level color indicator that displays visual notifications on the parent unit when your attention is required. The 3 levels of motion detection alerts include lowest, medium, and highest, which work within a range of up to 1000-ft. You will love how the camera lets you pan 270° and tilt 100° remotely for a panoramic view of your baby’s room.
Unlike DXR-8 Pro and BabySense baby monitors that come with a 5-inch display or 3.5-inch for GoodBaby, the VM919 has a super large 7-inch display with excellent clarity day and night. You will also like the highly sensitive mic that picks up sounds easily, which is a great feature for two-way talk communication. The audio and video signals are encrypted to keep your broadcast secure. Unfortunately, most buyers complain about low battery life which is approx. 3 hrs. even on ECO mode.
Other VOX Baby Monitors
1. Samsung VOX Baby Monitors
a) Samsung SEW-3037
Samsung SEW-3037 is a VOX baby monitor by Samsung.
Below are some of the features of this Voice-Activate baby monitor brand by Samsung
- VOX feature: Yes
- Frequency: 2.4 GHz
- Activated by: Sound
- VGA display on 3.5-inch screen
As of this update, Angelcare SEW-3037 is not available on Amazon. You can, however, use the link alongside to check its availability today.
b) Samsung Wisenet SEW-3043WN
Samsung SEW-3043 is another Voice-Activated baby monitor brand that uses FHSS transmission
Below are some of its features:
- VOX feature: Yes
- Frequency: 2.4 GHz
- Activated by: Sound
- Range: 800 ft.
- Camera: Remote 300° pan/110° tilt
2. Summer Infant Baby
Summer Infant baby monitor is a touchscreen video baby monitor that is voice-activated.
Video and Audio
- VOX feature: Yes
- Frequency: 2.4 GHz
- Activated by: Sound
- Range: 1000 ft.
3. MoonyBaby Video Baby Monitor
Moonybaby video baby monitor is a VOX baby monitor with split-screen viewing.
Features:
- VOX feature: Yes (Audio is continuous)
- Frequency: 2.4 GHz
- Activated by: Sound
- Range: 1000 ft.
- Transmission: Non-wifi.
4. VTech VM351 with VOX Feature/Mode
- VOX feature: Yes
- Frequency: 2.4 GHz
- Activated by: Sound
- Sound Levels: 9
- Cameras: 1
- Lullabies: Yes
- Check Price on Amazon
5. Angelcare Baby Monitors
a) AC420 VOX Baby Monitor
Angelcare AC420 is another VOX baby monitor by Angelcare and is one of the oldest brands by Angelcare.
- VOX feature: Yes
- Frequency: 2.4 GHz
- Activated by: Sound and Movement
As of this update, Angelcare AC420 is not available on Amazon but you can use the link alongside to check its availability today.
Angelcare AC 420 Pros
- Great reception, no static
- Long battery life
- Activated by: Sound and Movement
- 8 channels for better clarity
- Limited interference and low EMF emissions.
Angelcare AC 420 Cons
- Temperature only displays in Fahrenheit (not Celcius). Also, not very accurate
- Sometimes, sound fails to activate the monitor
- Very bright night light
- Poor signal connection
b) Angelcare AC 701
As of this update, Angelcare AC 701 is not available on Amazon but you can check on the link below to check today’s availability.
- VOX feature: Yes
- Frequency: 1880 to 1920 MHz
- Activated by: Sound and Movement
How to Choose the Perfect VOX Video Monitor
VOX Mode Vs. Eco Mode in Baby Monitors
With VOX mode, the baby monitor will only function when the baby makes a sound. If the baby is asleep and quiet, the baby monitor will not transmit any sound or video feed from the baby.
With Eco-mode, the baby monitor will also stop transmitting signals when the baby is not making any sounds or movements. The Eco mode feature is usually used to describe the power saving features of a baby monitor but they are quite similar to VOX mode as both are activated by sound. With Eco-mode however, other elements may activate it such as movement, temperature, sound, etc. Vox mode is only activated by sound.
Some baby monitors have emphasized the two features separately. For example, Babysense, a video baby monitor highlights the eco mode feature on their marketing material. On their Amazon page, they indicate that the eco-mode feature is sound activate and that its LED indicators are also sound activated.
Why VOX mode is important:
Wireless digital baby monitors emit a burst of radiation when they are sending you that video, and audio too. Several recent baby monitors have been promoting non-continuous operating baby monitor next to the baby. Basically, they are sad that we know they’ve been selling radiations to parents across the country. Well, the VOX mode feature is supposed to reduce the radiation to a minimum when the baby monitor is not in use.
Vox And Non-Vox Baby Monitor Radiations
The two benefits highlighted above make VOX baby monitors very attractive to parents. See the below comparisons of radiation levels emitted by baby monitors that use VOX and those that don’t. From the comparison, it appears that Non-VOX baby monitors emit 5 times more electromagnetic radiation than VOX baby monitors. In our list of top baby monitors, we’ve highlighted baby monitors with excessive radiation.
| Continuous Transmission | Reading at 6 ft. away | |
| VTech DM111 (Non-VOX Baby Monitor | Yes | 2.63 v/m |
| Angelcare AC403 (VOX baby monitor) | No | 0.4 v/m |
Do VOX Baby Monitors Emit Less EMF Radiation
A comparison of a set of baby monitors does not seem to agree with the idea that VOX mode reduces EMF radiation. If you compare baby monitors with and those without VOX mode, the variation is not significant enough to conclude that those baby monitors with VOX mode emit less EMF radiation.
| No. | Baby Monitor | Emission | Voice Activated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Levana Jena | 3.74 v/M | No |
| 2 | Summer Infant Baby Pixel | 2.66 v/M | Yes |
| 3 | Motorola MBP36S | 1.96 v/M | No |
| 4 | Project Nursery 4.3 | 1.93 v/M | Yes |
| 5 | Philips Avent SCD630 | 1.91 v/M | Yes |
| 6 | Infant Optics DRX 8 | 1.89 v/M | No |
| 7 | iBaby Care M7 Wi-Fi | 1.42 v/M | Yes |
| 8 | Nest Cam IQ Indoor Wi-Fi | 0.9 v/M | Yes |
In summary, when transmitting and not in sleep/standby mode, VOX baby monitors emit a relatively similar burst of EMF radiation as other non-VOX monitors. However, when on standby, they transmit minimal signal from the baby unit to the parent unit and therefore emit less radiation.
VOX Settings in Baby Monitors
Depending on the baby monitor, the VOX feature settings can allow you to do switch between different options; turning it on and off, increasing the sensitivity, adjusting the relevant volume settings, etc.
VOX Mode in Baby Monitors
VOX mode in baby monitors can be turned on or off. When the VOX mode is turned on, a baby monitor will transmit the sound or video feed when sound is activated. When the VOX mode is turned off, the baby monitor will transmit the sound or video feed continuously.
Adjusting Sensitivity of a VOX Baby Monitor
Some baby monitors allow you to adjust the sensitivity of the microphone. This essentially means that you have the ability to make the microphone very sensitive to any noise which activates the recording and transmission. Before you set or adjust the sensitivity of your VOX baby monitor, make sure you test the default settings. You can play music on the baby’s room and try to see how different volume levels will activate the baby monitor. If volume the first volume level activates the baby monitor, then the microphone is very sensitive and may activate the baby monitor several times, probably more than it needs to.
Different babies also make different noises, depending on their age. If your baby is less than 6 months, you need to determine the sound level you consider to be worth activating the baby monitor. For example, you probably don’t want the baby monitor to be activated when the baby rolls over. You need to test various levels to determine a level you’re comfortable being notified.
Some baby monitors allow parents the option to turn the VOX feature on or off. When the VOX feature is turned off, the baby monitor records continuously. Some other baby monitors that record continuously, such as the DECT baby monitors have been criticized for high emission levels and significantly higher power consumption. In 2008, Dr. Madga Havas submitted a petition to the Canadian government requesting a ban of DECT devices and substituting them with VOX baby monitors or other alternative safe baby monitors.
To conclude, it is best to compare baby monitors emission by reading the SAR report submitted to FCC so you can find out about the emission level and whether they meet the recommended radiation exposure limit.
Below is a Pinterest pin you can share:
| List of Top Baby Monitors | Editors' Choice |
|---|---|
| Overall Best Non-Wifi Baby Monitor | Infant Optics DXR 8 Pro |
| Best Dual-Camera Split Screen baby Monitor | Babysense HD S2 |
| Best Baby With the Longest Range | Panasonic Long-Range Video Baby Monitor |
| Best Monitor Powered by Batteries | VTech VM819 Video Baby Monitor (19 hours on a single charge) |
| The Best Voice-activated(VOX) Baby Monitor | Anmeate Baby Monitor |
| The Best Breathing Baby Monitor | Owlet Smart Sock 3 |
| Best Large-Screen Video Baby Monitor | VTech VM919HD Video Monitor |
| The Best Audio/Sound-only Baby Monitor | Philips AVENT SCD720/86 |
| The Best 5 GHz Wifi Baby Monitor | iBaby M8 Video Baby Monitor |
| The Best Baby Car Camera/Monitor | Yada Portable Baby Monitor |
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
- More info
Hi there! I am Ashley Davis, a mom of three kids and the editor here at Motherhoodhq.com. I have been a parent since 2011 and have been doing full-time consulting as a baby sleep expert since 2019. When I am not researching or testing the next baby gear hitting the market, you’ll find me teaching my toddlers a trick or two – especially over the last few months with the lockdown. I hope you’ll find my guides and reviews helpful as you make your next purchase decision. If you have any questions, you can reach me at ashley.d@motherhoodhq.com.
Last update on 2023-09-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API