Any recommendations on brand? My barn is about 200 feet from the house. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a while, but I have a senior horse coming next week with a history of choke. Although I will be doing checks, I’d also like to be able to hear what’s going on out there.
I have a Sony Babycall I like. Got it from Amazon, and I think it was about $70. Don’t remember for sure, but it may have been a bit more expensive tha other brands, but I got it on the basis of reading the Amazon reviews. But once I got everything situated, it is very clear and no static at all. This is important because it is always on while I am working at my desk, and I can turn it up to hear it anywhere in the house. Very good volume adjustment. My barn is about 500 feet from the house. Be sure to experiment with locations. My receiver works best on a window sill with a direct line to the transmitter.
I bought a cheap set, like 15 dollars at the grocery store 6 years ago. They still work great. Barn is about 200 feet from the house.
I have used a baby monitor before also, I don’t recall what brand but I got it at WalMart and it transmits up to 300 feet.
I put it in my tackroom after we had a break-in (but nothing was taken) so I could keep an ear out. It was very sensitive and I could hear every time a horse in the barn went pee in the middle of the night 
I have had a baby monitor in the barn for years. In fact, I have gone thru a few.
What I have found is that they don’t travel through other buildings. I have two barns, and the front barn, no problem, but I can’t pick up anything but static on the second barn.
I had a horse who just choked, and imo, I would not have ‘heard’ her choke. I have put in cameras and can watch her on tv or the computer, but haven’t figured that one out yet.
Its nice to know, if the baby monitor picks something up that alarms me, I just switch on the tv, and there they are…on tv.
I just bought two cameras for 135…so I thought that was decent money for peace of mind. Plus, the things you learn about your horse’s behavior…very different than what I thought.
Oh, the camera doesn’t transmit sound very well. So, I keep sound off the cameras and the baby monitor is my sound.
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Mine is a Playschool and is awesome.
so you are not looking for a lizzard?
[QUOTE=clanter;5259526]
so you are not looking for a lizzard?[/QUOTE]
:lol:
I used Summer Infant Best View, for me its the best baby monitor so far.
You should try it, I got mine from Amazon.
I have a cheap wireless video setup I got at Radio Shack 11 years ago. It is supposed to have a range of about 150 feet but I get nice pictures up at the house, which is 600 feet from the barn! It’s great. I turn the sound off, though and just watch. Too many odd slurping, snuffling noises, grunts and cats and chickens and wind and rustling! :lol: Yes, the sound of peaceful munching is lovely, but that isn’t what my barn sounds like! 
I’m still paying off a huge vet bill from last summer, so the video camera will have to wait. Maybe in a month or two. On my way to buy a baby monitor. I will be watching him while he eats his well-soaked grain, that’s when I do blanket changes, pick feet, etc.
It was less than $100, but I totally hear you. No doubt the baby monitors are WAAAY less. You can even sometimes find them on Freecycle or Cheapcycle.
what? what is this you speak of? I must now google…
They’re local mailing lists through yahoo groups where you can give stuff away you no longer need (freecycle) or sell for small amounts (cheapcycle). The intent is to keep stuff out of landfills that would just otherwise be thrown out. The reality is that it is kind of creepy and pathetic sometimes with people trolling or begging for treasures, but usually the moderators squash the sob stories pretty harshly. Still, if you are looking for something sort of odd, you never know who might have one and free/cheapcycle can sometimes help you find one. 
I bought these cameras and receiver for when my mares were foaling this spring. They work up to 300 ft from wherever you have the receiver plugged in (laptop, computer or tv). Worked great, easy to install and good picture quality. Good luck.
Does anyone have or know what kind of camera to buy that can be set up, and used like a web cam?
So, I could remotely see what is going on via the internet or smart phone, etc?
Best Buy has a system called the Logitech Alert but it is costly, and wondering how ‘well’ it works.
I have a few inexpensive cameras that allow me to ‘watch’ the horses in their stalls, but I’d really like something I could watch them when I am out of town.
thanks
You need to have WiFi in your barn to get streaming video on the internet directly from a camera, or else stream it via wireless to your home PC, and then to the internet.
Check out www.marestare.com, they specialize in barn/foaling cams with internet streaming, and have all kinds of “how to” stuff.
Thank you…with all the health issues, and my need to travel, I really would like to observe the horses when I am away.
Soooo, going now to check out those links.
thanks again.
I have my horses out all night as much as possible - 3 PM to 10 AM if my schedule and the weather permit, so no need for a monitor, although I do have smoke alarms. I’ve had a little experience with choke but from what I’ve seen, it’s usually quiet.
