Home Security Cameras vs. Baby Monitors: Should I Use a Home Security Camera for Baby Monitor?

The short answer is No.

When it comes to ensuring your baby's safety and comfort, there's no room for compromise. While home security cameras might excel at protecting your property, they fall short in fulfilling the specialized needs of a video baby monitor. Lacking essential baby monitor features such as temperature sensors and sound-sensitive lights, security cameras are better suited for detecting intruders than watching over your sleeping bundle of joy. In this article, we'll delve into the reasons why the security camera vs. baby monitor debate is so top of mind for parents and why security cameras aren't the ideal choice for monitoring your baby’s well-being.

1. Security Alarms and Startling Sounds

Security cameras often come with remote alarm features designed to deter burglars with blaring sirens. However, the last thing you'd want is to unintentionally startle your sleeping baby with a loud alarm. Baby monitors are meant to provide gentle, soothing features that promote uninterrupted sleep, which security cameras simply can't deliver.

2. Incorrect Angle of View

Security cameras are designed with a wide and expansive field of view to cover a large area, suitable for detecting movements across an entire room or outdoor space. However, this wide-angle perspective may lead to inadequate monitoring of your baby's crib, missing out on crucial close-up details. Baby monitor cameras need a focused view on your child to ensure their safety and comfort. Our innovative Dual Vision smart video baby monitor is the only camera on the market featuring our patented dual camera technology. This award-winning baby monitor comes with 2 cameras on one baby unit, providing both a close-up view of the baby and a wide-angle view of the nursery so parents truly get the full picture.

3. Lack of Temperature Sensors (and other features) to keep baby comfortable

Maintaining an optimal nursery temperature is vital for your baby's well-being. Baby monitors equipped with temperature sensors allow you to monitor the nursery's climate, ensuring it's neither too hot nor too cold. Unfortunately, most security cameras lack this essential feature, making them unsuitable for maintaining a safe sleeping environment. All Hubble baby video monitors come with room temperature display, as well as infrared night vision, pan-tilt-zoom functions to get the best angle and two-way talk to ensure that your baby is safe, secure, comfortable and connected!

4. Absence of a Parent Unit

Most smart baby video monitors come with a separate parent unit that allows parents to view the live feed of their baby without having to pull up their smart phone, meaning you can stay connected for as long as you want. It provides a level of convenience that home security cameras simply do not offer. Hubble takes it one step further with our touch screen parent unit. The large 5” touch screen provides HD images, and comes with preloaded content such as games, videos and stories for kids to enjoy as they grow, and parents to use as an educational entertainment tablet. Win, win! Check out our best-selling Nursery Pal Deluxe monitor with touch screen.

5. Inability to Play Lullabies

Security cameras might offer two-way communication to soothe your baby with your voice, but they lack the ability to play lullabies. Lullabies play a significant role in lulling your baby to sleep, and the absence of this feature can be a major drawback when relying on security cameras as baby monitors. All Hubble smart video cameras feature two-way talk AND is preinstalled with a library of soothing sounds, lullabies and audio books to set the mood and sooth baby to sleep, all available via the free HubbleClub app.

What You Should Buy Instead:

Audio Monitors: Audio monitors are cost-effective solutions and while they lack video capabilities, they offer essential features like clear sound transmission and two-way communication. Audio monitors are simple and reliable for keeping tabs on your baby's sleep. Check out our family of Eclipse Smart Soothers that provide high quality audio monitoring and voice detection, while also creating a soothing sleep environment through the multi-color nightlight, pre-installed soothing sounds, lullabies and audio books, and Sleep Trainer function, which helps establish healthy sleep habits in babies.

Local / Non-Connected Video Monitors: Video monitors combine the benefits of a camera, like those found in security systems, with a dedicated parent unit. They offer additional features such as temperature sensors, sound-sensitive lights, and more. These monitors strike the right balance between security and baby monitoring needs since they don’t use a Wi-Fi connection and the camera just connects to the parent unit locally. Check out our Nursery View family of products for some great options.

Smart Monitors: For those looking to stay connected all the time, smart baby monitors provide ultimate flexibility. They allow you to monitor your baby through a parent unit, mobile app, or both simultaneously. After your baby outgrows the need for constant monitoring, you can repurpose the smart monitor as an indoor security camera. Hubble offers a large range of smart baby video monitors to suit every budget and need. Best of all, all Hubble Connected smart cameras that come with a parent unit, feature our patented Dual Mode technology, which means if parents want the functionality of a smart camera but don’t want to connect to the Wi-Fi when they are at home, they can simply connect the camera to the parent unit via a local connection, and it will still work! When a Wi-Fi connection is required (like when the parents are away and want to stay connected to baby who is at home) connect the FREE HubbleClub app to your home Wi-Fi and you can get the live feed in the palm of your hands. Get the best of both worlds with our range of smart video monitors!

While security cameras excel at safeguarding your home, they lack the specialized features required for effective baby monitoring. To ensure your baby's safety, comfort, and your peace of mind, investing in a dedicated baby monitor is a decision you won't regret. Audio monitors, video monitors, and smart monitors provide the tailored features necessary to create a safe sleeping environment for your precious little one.