VTech DM221 and DM221-2 - Digital Audio Monitors Manual

Introduction

Congratulations on purchasing your new VTech product. Before using this product, please read Important safety instructions.
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What's in the box

Install the battery

The parent unit runs on rechargeable battery or AC power. To continuously monitor your baby, make sure you use both battery and AC power at the same time. With the battery alone, the parent unit can cordlessly run for a short time only.

NOTES

• Use only the battery supplied with this product.
• The operating time for using the rechargeable battery is short. If you want to monitor your baby for a long time, we recommend you connect the parent unit to AC power.
• If the parent unit will not be used for a long time, disconnect and remove the battery to prevent possible leakage.

Install the battery as shown below.

NOTE

• Make sure the THIS SIDE UP is facing up while inserting the battery.

Replace the battery

To replace the battery, unplug the battery connector from the socket, and then pull the battery out of the battery compartment. Follow the steps above to install the battery.

Connect and charge the battery

NOTES

• Use only the power adapters supplied with this product.
• Make sure the electrical outlets are not controlled by wall switches.
• The power adapters are intended to be correctly oriented in a vertical or floor mount position. The prongs are not designed to hold the plug in place if it is plugged into a ceiling, under-the-table or cabinet outlet.
• Make sure the parent unit, the baby unit and the power adapter cords are out of reach of children.

Connect the baby monitor

Charge the parent unit battery

When you haveconnected the parent unit and installed its battery for the first time, it powers on automatically. The battery icon indicates the battery status (see the following table).

NOTES

• The parent unit battery is fully charged after 11 hours of continuous charging.
• It takes longer to charge the battery when the parent unit is turned on. To shorten the charging time, turn the parent unit off while charging.
• The standby time varies depending on the sensitivity level you set, your actual use and the age of the battery.

Battery indicators	Battery status	Action
The battery icon is off.	No battery is installed but operates using AC power.	Install the parent unit battery. Charge without interruption (at least 30 minutes).
The screen displays LOW BATTERY and . The light flashes.	The battery has very little charge and may be used for only a short time.	Charge without interruption (about 30 minutes).
The battery icon becomes solid .	The battery is fully charged.	To keep the battery charged, connect it to AC power when not in use.

Before use

NOTE

• This baby monitor is intended as an aid. It is not a substitute for proper adult supervision, and should not be used as such.

Test your audio monitor

You may test the baby monitor before initial use, and at regular times thereafter.

• For hearing protection, make sure the parent unit is more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from the baby unit. If you hear any high-pitched noise, move the parent unit further until the noise stops. You can also press VOLUME on the parent unit to lower or mute the noise.

1. Make sure your baby unit and parent unit are on.
2. Speak towards the microphone of the baby unit. You will hear the sound at the parent unit, and see the visual sound indicators light up.

NOTE

When the parent unit displays NOT LINKED and flashes, move the parent unit closer to the baby unit (observe the minimum distance of 1 meter/ 3 feet). You can also check if the baby monitor is connected to a live power socket and switched on.

TIP

• Increase the speaker volume of the parent unit if you cannot hear the sounds transmitted from the baby unit.

Positioning the baby monitor

• Keep the baby unit out of the reach of the baby. Never place or mount the baby unit inside the baby's crib or playpen.
• Do not expose the baby unit to extreme heat or direct sunlight.

1. Place the baby unit more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from your baby.
   
   
2. Place the parent unit more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from the baby unit.
   

• The default volume of your parent unit is level 3. If you experience high-pitched screeching noise from your baby monitor while positioning:
  • Make sure your baby unit and parent unit are more than 1 meter (3 feet) apart, OR
  • Turn down the volume of your parent unit.

Operating range

The operating range of the baby monitor is up to 300 meters (1,000 feet) outdoors or 50 meters (160 feet) indoors. The actual operating range may vary depending on the environmental conditions, and other interferences such as walls, doors, and other obstructions.

Overview

Baby unit overview

1	Night light On when night light is turned on manually or triggered by sound. Off when night light is turned off manually or after 15 minutes of silence.
2	POWER light On when the baby unit is turned on.
3	Press to turn the night light on or off.
4	Press to adjust the speaker volume.
5	Press and hold to power on or off.
6	Press to start or stop paging parent unit.
7	Microphone
8	Speaker
9	Power jack

Parent unit overview

1	Visual sound indicator The visual sound indicator has two functions. One is to show the sound level detected by the baby unit. The other one is to show the volume level during speaker volume setting. Sound level detected by the baby unit One to three green lights indicate a moderate sound level detected by the baby unit. Additional red lights indicate a higher sound level detected by the baby unit (e.g. baby crying loudly). Speaker volume level One to three green lights indicate Level 1 to Level 3 of the speaker volume setting. Additional red lights indicate Level 4 to Level 5 of the speaker volume setting.
2	LCD panel
3	Microphone
4	Press and hold to power on or off. While in a menu, press to return to idle screen.
5	Press to adjust the speaker volume. While in a menu, press to scroll down or up.
6	SELECT While in a menu, press to choose an item, or save a setting.
7	Battery level indicator Light on when the battery is being charged. Light flashes when the battery is low and needs charging. Light off when no battery is installed.
8	MENU/BACK Press to enter the menu. While in a menu, press to return to the previous menu.
9	Speaker
10	TALK Press and hold to talk to the baby unit.
11	Power jack
12	Belt clip
13	Battery compartment cover

Parent unit display icons

	Connection status displays when strong signal strength is detected between the baby unit and the parent unit. displays when moderate signal strength is detected between the baby unit and the parent unit. displays when the weak signal strength is detected between the baby unit and the parent unit. flashes when the link between the baby unit and the parent unit is lost.
	Night light auto-on On when the night light auto-on feature is turned on.
	Sound alert Displays when the sound alert of the parent unit is turned on. Flashes when there are loud sounds detected from the baby unit and the parent unit is in mute.
	Vibration alert Displays when the vibration alert of the parent unit is turned on. Flashes when there are loud sounds detected from the baby unit.
	Mute Displays when the volume is turned off.
	Battery status animates when the battery is charging. displays solid when the battery is fully charged. flashes when the battery the charging fails. flashes when the battery is in low level and needs charging. No battery icon displays when there is no battery installed.

Parent unit display screen messages

	The battery charging performance is abnormal, the light is off and the icon flashes on the screen.
	The link between the parent unit and the baby unit is established.
	The parent unit uses only the rechargeable battery pack and it needs to be recharged.
	The link between the parent unit and the baby unit is lost continuously for over 10 seconds.
	All idle parent units are being paged by the baby unit.
	Your selection has been saved.
	The parent unit is out of range of the baby unit, or the baby unit is out of power.
	The parent unit is talking to the baby unit.
	The other parent unit is talking to the baby unit.

Using the baby monitor

Power on or off the baby unit

• Press and hold to power on the baby unit. The powerlight turns on.
• Press and hold again to power off the baby unit. The powerlight turns off.
  

Power on or off the parent unit

• Press and hold to power on the parent unit. The screen turns on.
• Press and hold again to power off the parent unit. The screen turns off.
  

NOTE

• The parent unit powers on automatically once it is connected to AC power or battery installed. The baby unit also powers on automatically once connected to AC power.

Adjust the speaker volume for baby unit

• Press VOLUME or VOLUME on the baby unit at any time.

Adjust the speaker volume for parent unit

You can adjust the speaker volume from VOLUME 1 to VOLUME 5, or turn it off. The speaker volume is preset to VOLUME 3.

• Press VOLUME or VOLUME when the parent unit is not in use.

When the speaker volume is set to off, the screen displays .

Adjust the sound sensitivity of the baby unit

You can choose to hear sounds from the baby unit all the time, or to hear sounds that exceed a certain level. You can use the parent unit to adjust the microphone sensitivity of your baby unit. The higher the sensitivity level, the more sensitive the baby unit is in detecting sounds for transmitting to the parent unit. The sound sensitivity is preset to LEVEL 5.

Sound sensitivity table for reference

1. Press MENU when the parent unit is not in use.
2. Press SELECT.
3. Press or to choose the sensitivity level.
4. Press SELECT to confirm your selection. The screen displays SAVED and you hear a confirmation tone.

NOTE

• To enter the sensitivity menu of the parent unit, the baby unit must be turned on.

Sound alert

Sound alert feature works only when the parent unit is in mute.
If you turn on the sound alert, the parent unit beeps when the baby unit detects sounds which light up four sound level indicators on the parent unit.
When the sound alert of the parent unit is turned on, displays. The sound alert is preset to OFF.

1. Press MENU when the parent unit is not in use.
2. Press or to choose SOUND ALERT, then press SELECT.
3. Press or to choose ON or OFF.
4. Press SELECT to confirm your selection. The screen displays SAVED and you hear a confirmation tone.

NOTE

• The sound alert setting on each parent unit is independent.

Vibration alert

You can turn on the vibration alert so that the parent unit vibrates when the baby unit detects sounds which light up four sound level indicators on the parent unit.
When the vibration alert of the parent unit is turned on, displays. The vibration alert is preset to OFF.

1. Press MENU when the parent unit is not in use.
2. Press or to choose VIBE ALERT, then press SELECT.
3. Press or to choose ON or OFF.
4. Press SELECT to confirm your selection. The screen displays SAVED and you hear a confirmation tone.

NOTES

• Each time you set the vibration alert to ON, the parent unit vibrates briefly after you press SELECT.
• The vibration alert setting on each parent unit is independent.

Night light auto-on

You can turn on or off the night light by pressing manually on the baby unit. You can also use the parent unit to set the night light on the baby unit to automatically turn on when the baby unit detects a sound.
When the night light auto-on setting is set to YES, displays. The default setting is preset to NO.

1. Press MENU when the parent unit is not in use.
2. Press or to choose NIGHTLIGHT, then press SELECT.
3. Press SELECT to choose AUTO ON.
4. Press or to choose YES or NO.
5. Press SELECT to confirm your selection. The screen displays SAVED and you hear a confirmation tone.

NOTES

• To enter the night light menu of the parent unit, the baby unit must be turned on.
• When the night light is on, if you set its auto-on to NO, the night light will turn off.
• If night light auto-on is set to YES, and you turn off the night light manually, the night light will not be triggered by sound within 5 minutes.
• Night light will automatically turn off after 15 minutes of silence.

Language

You can select a language (English, French or Spanish) to be used in all screen displays. The language is preset to English.

1. Press MENU when the parent unit is not in use.
2. Press or to choose LANGUAGE, then press SELECT.
3. Press or to choose ENGLISH, FRANCAIS or ESPANOL.
4. Press SELECT to confirm your selection. The screen displays SAVED and you hear a confirmation tone.

NOTE

• The language setting on each parent unit is independent.

Set default

Use this feature to restore to the default settings. Restoring the default settings on one parent unit will also reset the shared settings for sensitivity and night light auto-on feature of the other parent unit.

1. Press MENU when the parent unit is not in use.
2. Press or to choose SET DEFAULT, then press SELECT.
3. Press or to choose YES or NO.
4. When you choose YES, press SELECT to confirm your selection. The screen displays SAVED and you hear a confirmation tone.
   -OR-
   When you choose NO, press SELECT to confirm your selection. The screen displays the previous menu.

Talk to the baby unit

You can broadcast messages from a parent unit to the baby unit and the other parent unit. If you have two parent units, you can use both of them at the same time to talk to the baby unit.

• Press and hold TALK on the side of the parent unit. The screen displays TALK when the voice connection to the baby unit is made. Speak towards the MIC on the parent unit. Your voice is broadcast to the baby unit and the other parent unit.
  
  NOTES
• If the speaker volume of the parent unit is set to VOLUME OFF, it will be reset to the default volume when you press and hold TALK.
• When a parent unit is talking to the baby unit, it is also broadcast to the other parent unit. However, sounds from the baby unit cannot be transmitted to the parent units at the moment.

Find/page the parent unit

Use this feature to find misplaced parent units.

1. Press PAGE on the baby unit. All idle parent units ring and display PAGING.
2. To end paging, press any key on the parent unit, or press PAGE on the baby unit.

NOTES

• Paging rings all parent units even if the speaker volume of parent unit is set to VOLUME OFF.
• The baby unit cannot page any parent unit that is turned off, out of range or talking to the baby unit.

General product care

To keep this product working well and looking good, follow these guidelines:

• Avoid putting it near heating appliances and devices that generate electrical noise (for example, motors or fluorescent lamps).
• DO NOT expose it to direct sunlight or moisture.
• Avoid dropping the product or treating it roughly.
• Clean with a soft cloth.
• DO NOT immerse the parent unit and the baby unit in water and do not clean them under the tap.
• DO NOT use cleaning spray or liquid cleaners.
• Make sure the baby unit and parent unit are dry before you connect them to the mains again.

Storage

When you are not going to use the baby monitor for some time, remove the rechargeable battery from the parent unit. Store the parent unit, the baby unit and the adapters in a cool and dry place.

Frequently asked questions

Below are the questions most frequently asked about the baby monitor. If you cannot find the answer to your question, visit our website at www.vtechphones.com or call 1 (800) 595-9511 for customer service.

Why does the baby monitor not respond normally?	Try the following (in the order listed) for common cure: Disconnect the power to the baby unit and the parent units. Remove the batteries in the parent units. Then, install the batteries again. Wait a few minutes before connecting power back to the baby units and the parent unit. Turn on the baby unit and the parent units. Wait for the parent units to synchronize with the baby unit. Allow up to one minute for this to take place.
Why doesn't the screen of the parent unit go on when I switch on the unit?	Perhaps the rechargeable battery of the parent unit is empty and the parent unit is not connected to the power. Insert the appliance plug into the parent unit and put the adapter in a wall socket.
Why doesn't the POWER light of the baby unit go on when I switch on the unit?	Perhaps the baby unit is not connected to the power. Connect the baby unit to the power.
Why does the baby monitor produce a high-pitched noise?	The units may be too close to each other. Make sure the parent unit and the baby unit are more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from each other.
Why does the parent unit react too quickly to other sounds?	The baby unit also detects other sounds than those of your baby. Adjust the sensitivity level to a lower level or adjust the speaker volume on the parent unit.
Why don't I hear a sound/ Why can't I hear my baby cry?	The volume of the parent unit may have set too low. Press to increase the volume level.
	You may have set a low sound sensitivity level. See Adjust the sound sensitivity of the baby unit to change the setting.
Why does the parent unit beep?	If the parent unit is in mute and the sound alert feature is on, there is sound detected from the baby unit.
	The baby units may be out of range. Move the parent unit closer to the baby units (but not less than 3 feet).
	If the parent unit is powered by the provided battery, it may not have enough charge for the parent unit to perform normally. Charge the battery in the parent unit for up to 11 hours.
Why can't I establish a connection? Why is the connection lost every now and then? Why are there sound interruptions?	The baby units may be out of range. Move the parent unit closer to the baby units (but not less than 3 feet).
	Other electronic products may cause interference with your baby monitor. Try installing your baby monitor as far away from these electronic devices as possible.

Technical specifications

Videos

Vtech Digital Audio Baby Monitor DM221-2 Unboxing, Setup, Review Video

VTech DM221 Safe & Sound Digital Audio Baby Monitor Review Video

Documents / Resources

References

• VTech Cordless Phones Official Site | Best Home Office & Business Phones

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Download VTech DM221 and DM221-2 - Digital Audio Monitors Manual