A couple of months ago we were sent the Samsung SEW-3036W video monitor to try out and review. Before the monitor arrived, I have to admit - we were not exactly high tech in the baby monitor field!I had always intended to buy a really good baby monitor, but because when Tyne was born we were living with my parents and were almost always in the same room as Tyne when he slept - we didn't have a need for one.Only since moving house and putting him up to bed on his own have we really needed a monitor, and so we borrowed a very basic one from my sister to see us through until we decided on which monitor to purchase. Luckily Samsung saved us the job! 
We have been using the SEW-3036W for about 8 weeks now, and I am amazed by how much easier it makes our lives. There is no way I will be going back to a "simple, basic baby monitor". The monitor comes with two parts - a camera which is placed to enable you to see the baby within his cot, and a portable screen which enables you to keep an eye on the baby from another room as well as listen out for any noises he makes. It comes with a belt clip and an internal rechargeable battery, so you can be fully mobile and still have the peace of mind of being able to keep that watchful eye over baby while you get on with whatever it is you're doing. This has been a godsend in this house as its quite large, so the bathroom is downstairs and right in the back - I wouldn't be able to hear Tyne cry on a normal stationery monitor if I was in there, but being able to carry this around with me has meant I never have to worry. The camera also has a Talk feature - meaning you can use it as a kind of walkie-talkie, enabling you to speak to the baby through the camera. This isn't really a feature we've used as Tyne is still too young to be pacified by just our voices, but I can see it being very handy indeed as he gets older (And I realize it's not the point, but it has also been handy for us to talk to each other while one is settling Tyne down and the other is downstairs!!!!) Another clever feature of the device is that you can purchase up to four cameras and have them tuned in to the one screen - meaning that if you have more than one child, you can keep an eye on all of them and just flick through the camera views on your handheld portable screen!As expected from a global leader in wireless security, parents are assured of secure and interference free audio/video of their baby. Unlike some other devices, Samsung’s pure digital signal means the SEW-3037W and SEW-3036W baby monitors will function uninterrupted by wireless routers, microwaves, or cordless phones. The cameras have a range of 900ft* (SEW-3037W) and 800ft* (SEW-3036W) (* - the type of building may affect the range). Both models also feature a ‘Quiet Mode’ which cuts out the background noise and static normally associated with baby monitors, so even the faintest sounds can be heard clearly. I also loved the sleep mode, meaning that the screen can be turned off to save battery power but will come to life when the baby makes a sound. The only slight problem I have had with the monitor is that I have found it a bit difficult to find a place to put the camera to enable me to get a good view of Tyne's cot, as we don't have any shelves or units at a suitable height to be able to view him - so we have had to balance it on the top of his cot, which obviously isn't ideal. However, this problem could be avoided with the SEW-3037W model, as this version has a camera with a pan and zoom feature so you would be able to place it at a higher level than the cot and pan down to view the baby. The Samsung SEW-3036 is available from Amazon with an RRP of £145.00 - for more information or to purchase, please click HERE
