This Philips Avent SCD510 review will help you determine whether it is wise to pay over $100 for a baby monitor that has been attacked by some reviewers for not providing enough volume to justify the price tag. While there are some potential faults you may find with this monitor, it is important to realize that this is not the top-of-the-line model from Philips. The brand has some higher priced models that you can consider, but first read this review to see if the Philips Avent SCD510 is your best option.
Philips Avent SCD510 Features
Digital | Volume Control |
1080 ft. Range | Rechargeable Batteries |
1.9 GHZ DECT 6.0 Frequency | Battery Backup |
120 Channels | Low Battery Warning |
Night Light | Out of Range Warning |
Two Way Talk-Back | Sound Light Alert |
Voice Activation | Parent Unit Finder |
Range and Clarity
The biggest complaints parents lodge against baby monitors in general involve range, interference and clarity. Range refers to the size of the area within the home that a baby monitor will function properly. Interference refers to static and other noises that are picked up from other electronic devices, often coming from neighboring homes. Clarity refers to how clear noises from the baby’s room are heard through the baby monitory. These are all important points since low quality in any of these areas can result in parents not hearing important sounds from their baby’s rooms.
The SCD510 from Philips happens to score well in all of these critical areas according to recent testing. The monitor’s sound remained crystal clear even when signals were passed through seven walls inside of a home. The range exceeded 110 feet indoors and 1,500 feet outdoors which should give you assurance that it will cover a small or medium sized home efficiently. The sound remained clear even when the range was stretched to the max. The only other baby monitor that could beat this range was the AngelCare Deluxe, and its range did not win by much.
The Interference Test
One recent test for the Philips Avent SCD510 review took the following steps to see how much interference the monitor would pick up:
1. All monitors in the home were turned on simultaneously.
2. Multiple cell and wireless phones were turned on within close proximity to the monitors.
3. Wireless routers were in use within close proximity to the monitors.
That would be more than enough to put most baby monitors into the squeals and static that would drown out all legitimate noise from a baby’s room, but none of these steps phased the SCD-510 from Philips. Even when two sets of baby monitors were used within a single home, cross talk between the monitors was not detected. This means you could have separate monitors in different bedrooms without worrying that noise would transfer from one to the other.
Why does this baby monitor perform with such superior results to many others on the market today? it may come down to advanced technology that allows the Philips Avent SCD510 to hop between frequencies automatically in order to find clear signals.
Ease of Use and Functional Features
You don’t want to spend all day trying to learn how to work a new monitor, and with the Philips Avent SCD510 you won’t have to do that. The user interface on this monitor is simplistic, so you can figure out how the different features work in very little time. You even receive alerts that aren’t seen on some other baby monitors, such as the out-of-range alert. There is also an alert to inform you that the battery is low.
One functional feature of this baby monitor worth mentioning is the talk button. You no longer have to rush to your baby’s room when you hear a cry because you can push this button and talk to your baby through the monitor. Imagine singing your little one back to sleep without taking your head off the pillow or getting out from under your warm blanket. It is possible with this baby monitor.
Built-In Sound Control
The sound activation built into the Philips Avent SCD510 baby monitor is convenient, but what makes it praiseworthy is the adjustability built into the system. The monitor turns on automatically whenever sound is detected in the room being monitored. You can find this feature on many lower-priced baby monitors as well, but this monitor allows you to adjust the sensitivity level of the microphone. This means you can set a higher sensitivity level if you don’t want to be alerted from slight background noises occurring in your home environment.
It is a good idea to experiment with the sensitivity settings during the day. You will find a setting that allows you to sleep soundly while still ensuring you will hear cries and other noises that your baby makes throughout the night or during naptime.
One thing worth noting is that the sensitivity adjustments function from the same buttons used to control volume. This makes it a bit harder to adjust for sensitivity than it is on more advanced Philips monitors. This is not a big issue for most parents since they figure out how to adjust the settings and then leave it on one setting most of the time.
The Philips Avent SCD510 Weaknesses
This Philips SCD510 review would not be complete without mentioning two potential weaknesses that may affect your buying decision:
1. You can no longer find the version of this model that came with two parent receivers. The single parent receiver model is widely available, but the others have disappeared from the market. This is a bad thing if you don’t want to move one receiver from room to room while your little one is sleeping.
2. There are some parent reviews complaining about limited sound volume with their units and other manufacturing defects. In all fairness, some reviewers disclosed that they received replacement units from the manufacturer that did not have the same problems. The testing on volume and sound quality was completed on three different units and the sound volume was proven to be adequate and consistent. Calling customer service to replace defective units is a quick way to remedy the situation if you find your monitor is too quiet to easily hear your baby.
The Bottom Line on the Philips Avent SCD510
The strengths of this monitor clearly outweigh the potential weaknesses. The Philips SCD510 is a sound baby monitor option if you do not want to invest in one of the higher end models offered by Philips.
UPDATE: The Philips Avent SCD510 Monitor has been discontinued by the manufacture but a few are still available for purchase.
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