VTech VM819 Review

Likes

The VM819 has a really long battery life, lasting over 19 hours in our tests. While we suspect no one will need it to last this long, you can rest assured it will get the job done when you need it to. The setup is simple and straightforward with auto-pairing and a plug-and-play design, even Grandpa can manage. It also offers a relatively good range with connectivity between units lasting up to 7 walls and 174 ft.

The sound activation works well on the VTech with screen activation included. The crying is instantaneous, and the screen kicks in a few seconds later. It won't activate again until the screen turns off, and if it didn't always go back to sleep on its own, we had to turn it off manually.

Dislikes

This monitor is one of the quietest in the group, with a max volume of 69 dB. While it might be enough for light sleepers, heavy sleepers might not be woken up by this. The crying is grainy and distorted, so while you can hear the sounds you need to hear, they don't accurately represent what is happening in the nursery. It offers little to no noise cancellation, so you'll be hearing pretty much everything in the baby's room through the parent unit.

Probably the most egregious aspect of the VM819 is its video quality. It is one of the worst in the group, with a 480p camera that produces images straight out of 1990. Which would be pretty coolieo if it were 1990, but it isn't. The monitoring screen is small (maybe hoping you don't notice how bad the quality is?)

The VTech seems almost to compress what it sees into a smaller space, with our standard-sized crib looking like a mini-crib in the video.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

Night images with the VM819 were among the worst, with the test bear losing its face almost entirely and the images on our pattern card turning into homogeneous blobs. Even the eye chart is hard to read past the third line.   Credit: Matt Lighthart

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The images are grainy and fuzzy, and the shapes are all ill-defined. We couldn't see much of the lettering on the eye chart, and some of the shapes and patterns are just blobs. Daytime colors have a greenish hue, like an old tube television, while night vision is all shades of washed-out gray that run into one another with no delineation. While you can see it is a crib and that something is in it, whether that something is your baby or a monster is unclear.

The camera is also stationary, with only digital zoom and pan controls within a single frame. Most competitors now offer remote-controlled cameras that can rotate 360 degrees without disturbing your baby, so this stationary stick camera feels like a relic from a bygone era. It's all rather disappointing for a monitor that launched in 2021, not 1995.

Should You Buy the VTech VM819?

While we understand having a tight budget and the desire for simplicity, the VTech still doesn't pass muster. With video that is some of the worst in the group, subpar audio, and features, it is hard to find the appeal of the VTech VM819. As a dedicated monitor, it failed to impress in areas where it should at least be adequate. Between the stationary camera and dated design, we wouldn't recommend this to a friend.

What Other Video Monitor Should You Consider?

If your budget is tight and your needs are basic, we prefer the GoodBaby SM663. While it is also a relatively dated monitor with so-so video, it is cheaper, has better audio, and is easier to use. While not our favorite, it could be a good option for basic monitoring or for caregiver use.

Manufacturer Video