Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO Baby Monitor Review

About the Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO Baby Monitor

• Dimensions (Monitor): ‎4 x 6 x 3 inches
• Weight: 1.98 pounds (camera and monitor)
• Connectivity: 2nd Gen FHAA 2.4GHz wireless technology
  
• Power source: For camera, an AC plug (DC5V/1000mA) on a 6-foot cable. Parent unit (monitor) includes both AC plug (DC5V/1000mA), optional USB-A plug, and integrated 2,800mAh lithium battery.
• Monitor: Wireless 5-inch TFT LCD Screen, 1,280 x 720 p resolution.
  
• Pan/Tilt: Yes. Pan/Tilt
• Zoom: 3x Digital Zoom (Plus support for 6x zoom lens attachment, sold separately)
• Night Vision: Black & white, 8 infrared LEDs, 1 low-light sensor
• Audio: Two-way Talk (Speaker/Microphone)
• Operating Range: 1,000 feet (about 300 meters)
• Temperature and Humidity Alert: Temperature Only (with Alerts)
• Warranty: Two-year limited warranty

What we like

It offers clear video, and good zoom

Along with good range and strong security, clear video is one of the most important features you want in a baby monitor.

After all, you’re investing in this technology to keep an eye (and ear) on your precious bundle of joy, when you can’t be in the same room as them.

As the name suggests, this Infant Optics-branded camera captures up to 720p HD resolution, which looks especially sharp in lighter environments. It’s one of the higher-quality baby cameras we’ve tested, picking up plenty of detail, colors, and fairly smooth video (with little delay).

With the press of a button you can pan, tilt, and zoom (up to 3x) but included in the box is a screw-on optical zoom lens for up to 6x zoom. An optional wide-angle lens is sold separately.

The large 5-inch screen makes it easy to see the camera footage, but it’s not touch-enabled and so you might find yourself tapping the non-touch screen instead of the buttons to the right of the display.

Low-light infrared images are also quite clear and not pixelated compared to other baby cameras with “night vision.”

The audio is clear and free of fuzz

A first in the baby monitor space, the Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO allows you to enable a patent-pending Active Noise Reduction (ANR), which is essentially a software filter that can mute background noise—such as air conditioners, ceiling fans, humidifiers, and low-hum air purifiers—that is commonly heard on baby monitors.

In fact, the microphone is often sensitive enough on baby monitors that every little sound is heard, which could be distracting, but this model gives you the option to block unnecessary ambient noise so that nothing comes between you and your baby.

Speaking of sounds, a vertical LED light bar is to the left of the 5-inch screen, which can show a parent or babysitter if there is noise in the nursery—even if the sound is lowered or off altogether.

It has good range and features

As advertised, the Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO has a range that reached 1,000 square feet, if not a little farther, and the video and audio quality didn’t diminish the farther away the camera was from the monitor.

While not a touch screen, the parent monitor has buttons for quick access to important features, such as a Volume up/down and Brightness up/down on top of the unit, as well as a Sleep/Wake/Power button (press and hold to power on or off). Along the right side of the display is a 4-way rocker to pan and tilt the camera, a Zoom button, Talk button (for two-way communication) and option to toggle between up to four cameras (which are sold separately).

There’s also a Menu button to access settings like a sleep mode timer, alarm timer, alert warning options (low on battery or out of range but not temperature fluctuations), adding or removing extra cameras, and more.

The monitor battery lasts about 6 hours (up to 10 hours on standby mode) but can take a long time to fully charge up (as much as 7 hours). An optional Infant Optics External Battery Pack is a matching white power bank that can extend to parent unit an additional 18 hours.

What we don’t like

There’s no options for remote viewing

The biggest issue with the Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO? You can’t see your baby or toddler on your phone.

That is, if you’re not at home, you cannot see or hear what’s happening in the nursery or bedroom. As a parent of three kids, I understand you may want a break when out on a date night (or for me, when traveling for work), but you should be able to check on your baby whenever and wherever life takes you—especially in a $200 model.

It’s like buying a landline you can only use to talk with people when you’re in your home instead of a mobile phone you can take anywhere.

And because there’s no app support, you can’t share captured photos or video clips of your little ones with family and friends, as you can do with many other Wi-Fi-enabled baby cameras on the market.

It’s missing other features

Mobile support isn’t the only thing missing here.

Unlike some other cameras, including the recently reviewed Motorola VM75, there’s no ability to play relaxing lullaby songs for your infant. This is an important one, as many parents will tell you.

While there’s a temperature sensor, it won’t alert you if the room gets too hot or cold, nor is there a humidity sensor (as many other baby monitors have).

The camera may capture high quality images—even in dimly-lit room—but there isn’t a built-in battery in the camera, as other models have (like the Motorola VM36XL), and so you may be limited as to where you place the camera in the nursery (though it’s on a 6-foot cord). That, and the base of the camera is a flat circle and so you will need to place it on a table, dresser or other flat surface and not wrap it around a crib’s bars or prop it up nearby, like you can with other cameras (like the Lollipop Smart Baby Camera).

Should You Buy the Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO?

Yes, as long as you don’t require app support.

We really like the Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO. While it’s not cheap at $200, it offers some of the best video and audio (with ANR) we’ve tested for baby monitors. Night vision images are usually ugly and pixelated, but this camera shined even in low-light rooms.

The addition of a 6x zoom lens that screws onto the baby camera is a great idea—something many parents will opt for and leave on—but it’s too bad the other (wide angle) lens is not included. And at under $12, you might scratch your head as to why Infant Optics wouldn’t just include it given the relatively expensive price tag for this product.

Not being able to see your child when outside of the home is the real shortcoming with this product, and many might regret not being able to do that after purchasing this—especially if you have a have friend who has a baby camera can easily pull this off (like the Lollipop, which costs less, too).

The DXR-8 PRO is missing some other features, too, but it truly excels in video and audio quality, for those who don’t need the extra frills.