In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician

Motorola HALO Review

Disappointing sound and a higher price make it hard to justify this lower ranking option
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Motorola HALO Review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $300 List
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Manufacturer:   Motorola
By Wendy Schmitz ⋅ Senior Research Analyst  ⋅  Mar 25, 2022
78
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Range - 20% 10.0
  • Sound Clarity - 20% 6.0
  • Video Quality - 30% 6.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 10.0
  • Battery life - 10% 10.0
  • Features - 5% 6.0

Our Verdict

Motorola hasn't done much to improve its usual monitoring fare with a dated-looking parent unit and interesting but sort of useless bells and whistles we think most parents will stop using in the first few weeks. While this new offering is WiFi and allows for viewing on the included parent unit or your personal device, it doesn't have the same performance as top-ranking video baby monitors with WiFi and offers the worst sound in the top-ranked sound monitor review and video not up to snuff with the WiFi camera competition. This monitor is definitely trying harder, but for the price and given the disappointing performance, we think there are better monitors to be had in our best baby monitor review.
REASONS TO BUY
Ok video
Easier to use
Included parent device
REASONS TO AVOID
WiFi required
Poor sound quality
Expensive
Editor's Note: This review now includes new information on our favorite video monitors and which we'd recommend to friends. This update happened on March 25, 2022.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Motorola and Hubble Connect come together for this monitor combining a Motorola product with a Hubble app and plan. Motorola creates a lot of different electronic products that include smartphones, home phones, monitors, and more. The brand is widely recognized, giving them an advantage over other lesser-known manufacturers.

WiFi Monitoring Tips
  • Buy from somewhere with an easy return policy, in case your internet can't meet the demands of the monitor.
  • Be sure to test your new monitor immediately when you receive it so you don't is a return window should your bandwidth not be up to snuff. Video monitors require more bandwidth than typical movie streaming.
  • We suggest using an alternate parent device outside your smartphone for monitoring to avoid potential loss of monitoring when answering or staying on a call.
  • Change the password first thing. Immediately! If you don't, you leave yourself open to potential hackers.

Performance Comparison



motorola halo - the motorola halo is a relatively unique video monitor that is wifi...
The Motorola Halo is a relatively unique video monitor that is WiFi capable and includes a parent device for dedicated operation.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Range


This monitor has two different types of range. Wi-Fi between the camera and your personal device should work wherever you have WiFi internet connectivity. The other is the range between the included parent device and the camera, which in our tests was 65 ft through 4 walls in an ordinary home. While you might experience a slightly different range depending on your home's construction and interference, it is a good apples-to-apples comparison to the competition products that give you a general idea if a product can work in your sized home.

motorola halo - the daytime video on the halo is pretty good though the colors are...
The daytime video on the Halo is pretty good though the colors are not as accurate as they could be.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Audio / Visual


Sound clarity for the Halo is one of the worst in the group, with a score far below the average and generally disappointing. The maximum volume is 82 dB, but the maximum volume for clarity is only 69dB. There is no sound activation feature as it makes noise continuously, and we think this is a drawback as deep sleep is often easier to find with a silent monitor that only lets crying noise come through. There is no adjustability for sensitivity or noise filtering. The sound is generally clear at lower volumes but gets sticky and harder to discern as the volume gets louder.

The video images on the Halo have good clarity.
The video images on the Halo have good clarity.
The zoom clarity for the Halo is better when using a tablet than...
The zoom clarity for the Halo is better when using a tablet than when using the included viewing device.

The video quality for day images has washed out color, but the clarity is pretty good even using the digital zoom, which, as expected, shows some lack of clarity. The images are better using a tablet or smartphone than the included parent device.

Should your little one scoot or roll into a corner, the dark edges...
Should your little one scoot or roll into a corner, the dark edges using the Halo could make them difficult to see.
The night vision on the Halo creates some clarity issues that result...
The night vision on the Halo creates some clarity issues that result in a slightly scary looking baby.

Night video has some dark edges, but the image of the baby is still pretty clear. Once again, you can see that the images from the included parent device (above left) aren't as good as those on a tablet (above right). And the clarity using zoom at night is worse than daytime, with some disturbing images coming through.

motorola halo - setting up the camera on the halo and routing the cords is the...
Setting up the camera on the Halo and routing the cords is the user-friendly portion of the setup process.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Ease of Use


This monitor isn't as easy as a true plug and play option, though you could choose to use it as a dedicated monitor ignoring the WiFi capability, but why would you, given the price?

Setup of the Halo is a little more involved both for the camera and for the app on your personal device. While you can use the included parent device, we assume if you purchase this monitor, you want to view the baby away from home and take advantage of the other features available through the app. You'll need to download, register, and connect your monitor to the app, which isn't hard but definitely time-consuming compared to plug-and-play monitors. Also, you need to connect the monitor to your WiFi system to get connectivity between the camera, its sensors, and the app.

Attaching the Halo camera to the crib is simple and straightforward...
Attaching the Halo camera to the crib is simple and straightforward and feels secure after installation.
The Halo ring is a builtin nightlight with 7 color options and the...
The Halo ring is a builtin nightlight with 7 color options and the back of the frame projects images on to the ceiling to help soothe upset infants.

The over-the-crib “halo” mount provides a nice vantage point, but it also requires more setup. The included crib mount is easy to use and feels stable and secure. It has a tube for cord routing that you MUST use to ensure safety and avoid injury or death from little ones coming into contact with wires and cords.

This monitor also has potential subscription plans to sign up for through Hubble Connections. Plans start at $3 up to $15 depending on the features you are interested in. You need at least the $10 a month plan to get sleep diary capabilities and automatic recording of video history (5 days). The free plan includes watch and record live videos; motion snapshots; motion, sound, and temperature notifications; download and share snapshots and video; baby growth and development tracker; and sleep tips and videos.

motorola halo - the menu file system of the halo parent device includes toggling...
The Menu file system of the Halo parent device includes toggling through a complicated menu folder system that most parents won't want to bother with in the middle of the night.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

This unit is only average for ease of use for daily use with the included parent device. The parent device is the same one Motorola has been parading around for at least 5 years, so to say it feels dated is an understatement. It is bulkier and heavier than it needs to be, with a poor user interface of minimal buttons and menu toggling to find the features you need. It feels like they missed a great opportunity here to make some real improvements on a poor design, and we are sad they just repurposed their old parent device with minimal, if any, improvements.

motorola halo - the menu user interface on the halo app run by hubble connect is...
The menu user interface on the Halo app run by Hubble Connect is straightforward and easy to navigate.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The app is more intuitive and easier to manage, making us wonder if anyone will bother with the included device, which might even be too overwhelming for a grandma to mess with.

motorola halo - the camera on the halo does not have a battery.
The camera on the Halo does not have a battery.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Battery Life


The battery life of the included parent device is 9 hours in our tests. We couldn't find a battery life claim from the manufacturer, but depending on your chosen personal device, battery life could be longer if you connect the camera to WiFi and use the app.

motorola halo - the subscription service plans for the halo through the hubble connect
The subscription service plans for the Halo through the Hubble Connect

Features


This unique video monitor has some standard and not so standard features, including an above crib mounting system that gives you a good view of the entire crib and baby's face. The app can track your baby's sleep activity, and you can even get notifications for movement and temperature. This monitor has loads of bells and whistles. Still, we aren't convinced parents will use them past the first month or so before it largely turns into an ordinary sound and video monitor of crying baby alerts parents to look at the video and respond.

  • Unique overhead view
  • 4.3-inch color screen on the parent device
  • Nightlight with 7 color options
  • Use connected personal devices for viewing
  • Sleep quality monitoring
  • Sound, motion, and temperature notifications
  • Remote HD viewing
  • 2-way talk to baby
  • Detachable camera
  • Light show projector, with remote on/off
  • Downloadable lullabies and stories
  • Out of range and low battery alerts
  • LED Sound level indicator

Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Levels


We test the EMF emission levels in our baby gear lab for each monitor. We compare the EMF levels of each monitor to the competition to get an idea of how one compares to another. Our results are unlikely to be repeatable in every scenario, but what it shows in the levels compared to the competition is that you can see which options offer the least or the most amount of EMF. The Halo EMF was an average of 2.5 at 6 ft from the baby, which is more distance than you'll get using the Halo mounting system. This EMF is far higher than most of the competition and is one of the highest in the group. If EMF is a concern to you, our lineup has better-performing competitors with far less EMF in our tests.

Security/Privacy Concerns


Finding information about this WiFi monitor's security and privacy information is more challenging than some of the competition. About the security of the monitor, the company states

Yes, AES-256 ETE encrypted and FHSS technology

There are some tips and guidelines you can take to prevent problems with hackers:
  • Check for firmware updates when you first log in
  • Change the default password immediately on first use
  • Select a complex password that is at least 8-10 characters with both lower and upper case letters, numerals, and special characters if allowed
  • Change your password frequently
  • Avoid using the same password as another site
  • Limit the viewable area of the camera
  • Keep the camera unplugged when not in use as some cameras can be turned on remotely.

Should You Buy the HALO?


We don't think this is the best option, no matter your monitoring goals. We were hopeful and excited about a more modern Motorola. While it performed fairly well in our lineup, it couldn't compete with similar options with lower price tags and better performance. While there is nothing to really hate about the Motorola, the price is a huge turn-off for a product that struggled to keep up with the other WiFi competition with better video and sound.

What Other Video Monitor Should You Consider?


The better WiFi monitor in this review is the Nanit Pro. This same price unit has movement monitoring capabilities and more baby-centric features than the Motorola. This monitor has better video capabilities and significantly lower EMF. If you want the absolute best video quality, the Nest Cam Indoor WiFi is the one to consider. The Nest is cheaper and has better long-term potential for monitoring little ones, babysitters, or just your house. A cheaper and far more baby-centric model is the iBaby Care M7 WiFi with impressive video and more features than you'll likely ever use.

Wendy Schmitz