Could be a 5-star app, but it only works inconsistently

I initially downloaded the free version to monitor my 5-month old in her room down the hall.

[The free version is IMPOSSIBLE to use due to the excessive and obnoxiously loud pop-up ads. They scare the life out of you when youre wide awake and monitoring, not to speak of the heart attack youre in for in the middle of the night when youre sleeping! I also had trouble staying connected to the "baby" unit--which I thought I could attribute to the constant interruptions of the ads.]

I decided to spring for the PRO version for $3.99 so that I could adequately test the app performance. It was ultimately worth exactly $3.99.

I still get a pop-up from time to time to "register" for the Baby Club, and this locks up the monitor. Maybe if I registered, this problem would stop, but I have no interest in signing up for any more features since the current ones are unsatisfactory.

Because:
-My baby is never "awake." The app has only ever shown "Baby is sleeping" with no changes to that status or notifications to the contrary. I have tried adjusting the sound alert threshold, but it makes no difference.

-The monitor stops for no apparent reason in the middle of the night (like it is timing out or something), and the only way to get it working again is to walk into the babys room (absolutely defeats the purpose) and restart the app. I dont run any other apps on either device while I am monitoring, and it still locks up or shuts off from time to time.

-The app will sometimes say "Baby is sleeping" when I select the unit, but when I click "See," it will just attempt to load (spinning icon) for a moment and then kick me back to the "List of baby bases" screen. Restarting the app on both devices is the only solution.

When it works, the paid version is probably worth the $3.99 since:
-video quality is moderate
-sound quality is pretty clear with minimal background noise (this is really all I want!)
-ability to enable your camera for the "baby" unit to see you is a neat feature that I have used with my older nephews (3 and 6 years old), but seems unnecessary with an infant
-the "talk to baby" feature would also be awesome if it actually worked. I have adjusted the volume on both units, but I can never get it to "talk" any louder than a whisper, so the "baby" cant even hear me.

If you want a monitoring app that works $3.99-worth, this is the app for you! If you want to be able to consistently and reliably monitor a loved one, skip this app.

*****If this app consistently and reliably provided the advertised features, Id pay way more than $3.99 for it. Happily.*****

verazmente about Universal Baby Monitor Pro