Ever wonder what your newborn is up to? The guys at Dadlabs certainly do! This week they'll cover all the options you have in choosing a baby monitor. From audio monitors to new video technology the guys breakdown all your safety options so that you can keep an eye... and an ear on your infant! DadLabs Ep. 432.

DADDY BRAD: Say you’re breast feeding, how are you making sure your three-year-old is playing safely in his room? Baby monitor.

DADDY CLAY You can breast feed? I thought that was just Daddy Owen.

DADDY BRAD: I’m Daddy Brad.

DADDY CLAY: And I’m Daddy Clay, and this is the DadLab.

DADDY BRAD: The first question that comes to my mind when it comes to monitors -- do you need one?

DADDY CLAY: True, monitors with infants are mostly about peace of mind for the parent, but if you have a preemie or twins, or a larger house, you need to invest in one of these puppies.

DADDY BRAD: It’s interesting when you point out that they’re really useful when you have multiple kids or the kids get older. Maybe they should be toddler monitors. And why stop there? Teen monitors? Or grandpa monitors.

DADDY CLAY: The technology of baby monitors has Come along way since we stretched the string and tin can into our oldest’s bedroom -- how do you choose which one is for you.

DADDY BRAD: So many. This scares me a little.

DADDY CLAY: The first choice is audio or video. Obviously, it’s nice to be able to keep an eye on the baby, to make sure she’s sleeping safely on her back. If you’re talking on the phone, you can tell at a glance if the baby needs attention.

DADDY BRAD: But obviously there is a big jump up in price.

DADDY CLAY: Video is generally more expensive. For a good video monitor you may drop a couple hunge, a good audio monitor can be had or as little as thirty bucks.

DADDY BRAD: I’m good just hearing, but range is important to me because I want to be able to go to the mall.

DADDY CLAY: Obviously you are not going to do that, but you may have a bigger house, or want to go outside. Here you just have to think about your house and how you’ll use it -- extending range is something you’ll pay extra for. Typically these guys will go anywhere from 600-2000 feet.

DADDY BRAD: And I heard that you can use your baby monitor to listen in to your
neighbors’ phone conversations. Sweet feature.

DADDY CLAY: Privacy, security and interference are a big issue when it comes to monitors. Basically, baby monitors, cordless phones, wi-fi, RC toys, all use similar frequencies -- Daddy Troy will get into it in more detail on the Gear show later this week, but there is a lot of potential for interference.

DADDY BRAD: But it is true that what I send out on my baby monitor could be picked up by somebody on a cordless phone or a similar monitor.

DADDY CLAY: Some models, yes, so you have to be careful. Some models address this by pairing base and receiver at the factory. The other big issue is interference. Pretty much every modern house has a unique fingerprint of radio signals. Electronics, wireless routers, microwave ovens...

DADDY BRAD: The xylophone.

DADDY CLAY: How would that...

DADDY BRAD: If somebody’s playing the xylophone when you’re trying to listen to the monitor...

DADDY CLAY: That’s all for us this week.