VTech 5” VM5463 Pan & Tilt & Night Show Projection Video Baby Monitor review

What were your first impressions of the VTech 5” Pan & Tilt & Night Show Projection Video Baby Monitor VM5463?

Visually, the design of the VTech VM5463 is similar to other models on the market – white plastic with clean lines. I like that the video unit looks smart and is compact and unobtrusive when mounted on the wall in my daughter's bedroom. The style is simple and sleek, so should fit in nicely with most bedroom decor.

The camera unit feels secure when attached to the wall mount, so there are no concerns about it falling into the cot. The parent unit is made up of a large 5” video screen and a few buttons. It has a small leg that folds out of the back, so you can stand it up easily. Both units seem well made and sturdy.

How easy is the VTech VM5463 baby monitor to set up and position correctly?

I found this monitor easy to install and position. There is a simple on/off slide button on the camera unit and the on-screen menu on the parent unit is easy to follow – I managed to work out all of the features without having to look too closely at the instructions. I decided to mount the camera unit onto the wall and found it very useful that it came with all the accessories needed to do so, such as the mount and correct-size screws.

Is the camera on the VTech VM5463 baby monitor adjustable?

Yes, the VM5463 camera is fully adjustable and the zoom, pan and tilt functionality means that once you have positioned the unit you can then move the camera from side to side, as well as up and down to better see your baby. I have fixed the unit onto the wall above my baby's cot, but you could easily place it further away and use the zoom function for a clearer view. We have pointed the camera at the middle of our cot, but if baby moves when asleep I can adjust the camera remotely, using the parent unit to check on her. It also helps that the camera moves quietly and smoothly, so any adjusts don’t wake her up.

What is the sound and picture quality like on the VTech VM5463 baby monitor?

The picture quality is one of the best features of this monitor! It is very clear in the daytime, and at night the automatic infrared night vision kicks in to give an excellent-quality image, which another MFM parent tester, Siona, agreed with saying “I no longer need to have a light on to be able to see my daughter on the monitor.” The video screen on the parent unit is quite large, at 5in wide, so provides a lot of detail.

The sound quality is very good and is without delay. At night, I have the volume on the parent unit turned down very low, as it can pick up every moan and cry. During the day, I took the parent unit into the garden and adjusted the volume to the highest setting, where I could still clearly hear my baby’s cries over the sounds of my older daughter playing. I had no issues with interference or background noise.

What kind of features does the VTech VM5463 baby monitor offer?

The camera has a pan, tilt and zoom functionality which is extremely useful; it pans up to 270 degrees side to side, and tilts up to 25 degrees up and down. It also has a 1.33x digital zoom. The parent unit has a 300m range (outdoors, indoors is limited to 50m), which is more than enough for us to take it downstairs or into the garden.

Does the VTech VM5463 baby monitor play any sounds or music?

Yes. Using the parent unit, you can choose to play 4 natural sounds, such as a hushing sound or white noise. There are 5 lullabies too, all of which are played directly through the camera unit. I used these when Florence was a newborn to help her to settle, but less so now that she is older as they tend to rouse her. I liked that you can control everything from the parent unit, including the volume of these sounds.

What are the night light and projection functions on the VTech VM5463 baby monitor like?

The VTech VM5463 camera unit comes equipped with some visual options for your baby, one of which is a projection of stars that glow on the ceiling. I was slightly underwhelmed by the light projection though, as I assumed the lights would move rather than be a simple static projection.

The camera unit also has a night light, which I did not use as I found it was too engaging for baby. If, however, you do want to regularly use these features, the camera unit has a handy auto-on feature that turns the light, projection, or soft sounds on when a noise is detected because your baby has roused.

Does the VTech VM5463 baby monitor display the room temperature?

Yes, the parent unit has a handy room temperature indicator. While this is a useful feature on paper, because we mounted the camera unit quite high up on the wall in our nursery, the temperature always read a couple of degrees higher than the thermometer that I had next to the cot. This was not a huge problem for us, but the parent unit will alert you if the temperature is too low or high and this could cause other parents to panic unnecessarily.

Is there a talk-back function on the VTech VM5463 baby monitor?

Yes, there is a talk-back function on the parent unit of the VTech VM5463. To use, you simply hold a button and speak into a small microphone, which is then relayed to the camera unit. I only used this feature when my baby had woken to tell her I was on my way, because I personally found that talking to her when she was trying to sleep made her more alert. Other parents may find this a useful feature, however.

How secure is the Wi-Fi connection?

The VTech VM5463 is fully encrypted and secure, and while I was generally very concerned about hacking, this meant I didn’t have that issue with this monitor.

Does the VTech VM5463 baby monitor operate on mains or battery – or a combination?

The camera unit operates on the mains, so had to be placed near a plug socket. The parent unit has the option to be battery or mains operated. The manufacturer claims the VM5463’s battery lasts for 12 hours, however, I found it only lasted for about 8 hours which means I have to plug it into the mains overnight. This opinion was shared by other reviewers too, with two parents on Smyths Toys’ reviews stating they needed to have their monitor plugged at all times.

What were your favourite features of the VTech VM5463 baby monitor?

What I love most about this baby monitor is the fact that I can sit downstairs and easily and safely check on my daughter with just the click of a button, as well as see the room temperature. If she is fussing, rather than crying, I can watch her without having to go into her room and disturb her. I also love that I can turn on the songs, night light, or light projection using the parent unit – and put them on a timer – which is often enough to settle her back off to sleep without having to go to her room.

In addition, the pan and tilt option on the VTech VM5463 is useful when you are mounting the camera unit on the wall. Friends and family who use video monitors have had to buy a tripod or similar to get the camera unit to stand at the right height and keep it secure and away from the cot. I did not have this problem, as I could mount the camera unit onto the wall and then pan and tilt the camera to point it in the right direction.

Is the VTech VM5463 baby monitor good value for money?

I think this product has been priced very competitively considering the wide range of automatic and manual features, as well as the size and quality of the LCD screen. It can be used from birth to 4 years, so represents excellent value if you plan to use it for several years. The VTech VM5463 also comes with a 1-year guarantee.

While you wouldn't take the wall mount off the wall as it would involve unscrewing it, the camera and parent units are portable, so could easily be moved to a different room or taken on holiday with you.

What could be improved about the VTech VM5463 baby monitor?

My main bugbear was the short battery life. The parent unit comes with a rechargeable battery that you can't easily replace. When it first arrived, I fully charged the batteries, but after only 8 hours we awoke to it beeping to tell us that it had a low battery – not quite the full 12-hour battery life it promises! Thankfully, you can also plug the parent unit into the mains, which is what we now do overnight. This means you are slightly more limited as to where you keep it, as it has to be near a plug socket.

Some parents might like to be able to connect the camera to their smartphone via an app, so they can use it as a parent unit instead, or to have data analysis of their child's sleep. The VTech VM5463 does not offer these features.

What would you have liked to have known about the VTech VM5463 baby monitor before buying?

That it would be handy to have an easily accessible mains plug near your bedside table if you plan to use this monitor overnight. While some parents might find it daunting to mount the baby unit on the wall, this was quite straightforward and we loved that it came with the correct screws. I would thoroughly recommend this monitor! In fact, I like it so much, I have packed our old audio monitor away and will be using this one for the foreseeable future.

What's in the box?

• 1 x parent unit and mains adaptor
• 1 x NiMH battery for parent unit
• 1 x camera unit and mains adaptor
• Wall mountable bracket for camera unit
• Screws

How does it compare to other baby monitors on the market?

Where can you buy the VTech 5” Pan & Tilt & Night show Projection Video Baby Monitor VM5463?

Available from Argos, Uber Kids and Smyths Toys.

MadeForMums verdict:

This is a safe and secure video baby monitor that is easy to install, gives a clear picture of your sleeping child both day and night, and has plenty of clever, high-end features to help your baby settle. All at a great price!