Digital Video Monitors?

[ArmyWife916]

I could use some help in purchasing a digital video monitor. I never thought I would need a video monitor until recently when it has become impossible to check on my 8 month old daughter at night without waking her. She seems to be a very light sleeper simply opening her door as quietly as possible wakes her up. My husband and I would like the piece of mind of checking on her at night without waking her, so we are considering a video monitor. However, I saw a special on our local news about the security risks associated with video monitors that are not digital - the news investigator walked around a neighborhood with a receiver and was able to pick up on many babies sleeping in their cribs. Is it true that digital video monitors are secure and unable to be picked up on my neighbors, etc? If so what models are recommended?

I found the Levana Babyview20 on amazon if anybody has experience with this model please let me know how you like it.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FB567U/ref=s9_simh_gw_p23_t2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0Z9RN249WVRPGNA3F646&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

I have heard alot of recommendations for the Summer Infant Day and Night Handheld Video Monitor, but that doesn't seem to be digital and I swear from what I could tell on the news special that was the exact receiver the news investigator used to tap into various houses. I also found reviews on Amazon and BRU indicating interference with this monitor and being able to see neighbors babies, etc, so I am leary of purchasing this model.

[JaciD]

We have the Levana Babyview20 and love it. We tried the Summer monitor first, but I got freaked out when I saw the neighbor's baby in my monitor. The Summer monitor also had a lot of static. I would recommend the Levana to you!

[indigo99]

We have the day/night summer monitor. Our neighbors (who recently moved)used the A channel, and we used B. It was kind of weird to switch the channel and be able to see and hear into their house, but we were friends so it wasn't a big deal. Then someone else nearby got the same monitor and started causing interference/static with our signal. Now that our neighbors moved, the other baby has moved to the A channel so it isn't a problem any more.

Apparently the signals can travel a bit of a distance because we know our neighbors and don't recognize the baby that we're picking up now (the signal isn't strong enough to get sound but we do see the picture sometimes).

I don't know how much of a "security" issue it is. You'd have to sit nearby and listen a long time to ever hear anything from my son's room, and what you'd hear is likely not very interesting. What did the news say?

If you live in a big neighborhood with kids then there may already be families using both channels. In that case, you will probably get static trying to use the same one.

ETA: We do not leave the monitor on all the time. I only turn it on when we put him to bed, and I turn it off when I go in to get him.

[ArmyWife916]

Thank you so much for your detailed responses. I think I am leaning towards the Levana since it's digital and the price on Amazon is alot less than most video monitors. Since I live in a city neighborhood with alot of houses nearby I don't think the Summer monitor will be a good choice because I don't know many of my neighbors and I sure wouldn't want them being able to see in on my baby. Thank you so much for giving me more information to make this purchase.

I just went through my email because I know I had sent the news clip about video monitors to friends and I found it. I think it might be the Summer monitor they are showing (the brand is blurred out). Here it is since you were asking Indigo99:
http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-video-baby-monitors,0,33518.story