Review of the Infant Optics DXR-8 vs. DXR-8 Pro (Best overall?)

Find out why this is the second-best baby monitor you could buy right now. The Infant Optics DXR-8 is a best-seller on Amazon, and the reviews are incredible. 

This article will cover:

• Infant Optics DXR-8 vs. DXR-8 Pro
• Flaws of the DXR-8 old version
• DXR-8 Pro features review
• Is the DXR-8 suitable for me?
• Takeaway

When I compared it with others monitors, I founded that the DXR-8 Pro is one of the most reliable and has the best battery life.

This easy-to-use monitor is the ideal balance between image quality, range, and overall value. Parents with kids of all ages are pleased with this monitor. From the reviews and my experience, I feel confident that you can use this monitor daily for years without any issues.

Even the previous version of the DXR-8 was great. No doubt it has been rated 5-star by more than 10 000 customers.

On the other hand, there’s no baby monitor with genuine reviews on Amazon that doesn’t have negative feedback. But, from a couple of complaints, I found through the 24 000 reviews in total, I’m confident the customer services will take care of you if you do have a problem with the monitor.

It may not have an unlimited range like the WIFI video monitor. Still, I’m convinced it has the best value because of its features, reliability, and price. Since you can add more cameras, it’s also the best option for parents with twins or multiple kids’ rooms to monitor.

Infant Optics DXR-8 vs. DXR-8 Pro

The majority of the parents using this brand are happy with the original DXR-8. Infant Optics had made several upgrades on this product in the previous year’s results in overall improvement. 

Over the Amazon online store, one review had a prior complaint about the annoying beeping sound every time the parent unit loses connection, even for only a second. The reviewer said that the manufacturer replaced his unit and solved this problem. On its own, the original DXR-8 can beat other products within its price range—all that goodness for $165.99.

Now, for an additional $35, you can buy DXR-8 Pro that is so much better than the original.

The two products may appear to have no difference, but the similarity ends with the appearance. 

The Pro version outperforms the old, starting with image quality. The DXR-8 Pro displays HD 720p video on the parent unit that is 5 inches wide. Compare that to the old one, which is 360p standard definition displayed on a meager 3.5 inches screen.

There is also a significant range increase in range from 700 feet in the old version to 1000 feet in the Pro version. If you have a larger house, the DXR-8 Pro should be your best pick.

Compared to the original, the Pro baby monitor has a sound filter that discriminates between relevant and irrelevant sounds. With DXR-8 Pro, you can hear your baby better without the annoying white noise of the humming fan droning over your speaker. And speaking of speakers, the new version has louder and clearer sound quality. The tiny engineering upgrade will play a vital role in alerting you when your baby cries at night. There is no chance you can snooze through the loud sound your parent unit can produce.

Night vision, I think, is the feature Pro has that can render the old one obsolete. Parenting doesn’t end after tucking in your kid at night and turning the lights off. The original camera becomes almost useless in the dark unless you have a source of light in the baby’s room. The upgraded version solved this problem.

On the other hand, there are other features from the original DXR-8 that the DXR-8 Pro retains. Both lenses are interchangeable for zooming in or having a wide-angle lens for a panoramic view. Both products can pan and tilt as well. 

Infant Optics uses the same closed-loop FHSS transmission to ensure that the only person who can watch your baby is the person using the parent unit.

Flaws of the DXR-8 old version

Many new models use up-to-date technology such as smartphone apps, noise filtering, Wi-Fi connectivity, etc. It is easy to see the drawbacks of the old DXR-8 from Infant Optics.

There are the Infant Optics signal issues that are a common problem to users. Parents had been complaining that their Infant Optics DXR-8 keeps losing the signal. This is not only about the 700 feet range limit, which should make the units work within an average-size house. It should be able to work through a maximum of 4 walls and two floors. But since it uses an FHSS wireless transmission, the connection between the parent unit and the baby monitor is prone to electromagnetic interference. 

Microwaves, routers, and other electronic appliances can pose serious problems to connectivity. Thus, it will cause the loss of beeping’ signal’ warning even when the baby monitor is in the next room.

The lack of night operating capability can easily dissuade prospective buyers of the product, with almost all of the newer brands and models offering night vision.

Finally, the low video resolution is the most obvious weakness of Infant Optics DXR-8 compared to new models. At 360p displayed on a 3.5 inches parent unit is simply not enough to capture the nuances of your baby’s expressions and breathing patterns.

DXR-8 Pro features review

Making up for the original model’s shortcomings is the DXR-8 Pro.

From the 360p standard definition, the video resolution has been upgraded to a hi-definition 720p display. The LCD screen on the parent unit has also been expanded from 3.5 inches to 5 inches allowing you to see clearer and more details. It also has better brightness. The images are sharper and more colorful, which makes viewing your kid more pleasing to the eyes.

Night vision allows watching over your baby at night. Baby’s sleep better when there are no visible distractions, so keeping the room dark is good.

The active noise reduction feature filters the sound and removes irrelevant noises. The only thing you will hear are your baby’s cries, laughs, and coos. Pair that with the upgraded speaker and talk-back features making your remote interaction with your baby more satisfying and feel like you’re both in the same room.

For the full breakdown of DXR-8 Pros features, check below.

Highlights

• Use the 2.4 GHz band with FHSS technology
• Range coverage of 650 to 700 feet
• 3.5-inch LCD screen, full-color
• A lightweight display of 5.38-ounce
• Video resolution of 640 x 840
• Night vision
• Sound activation
• Long battery life
• Power-saving mode
• Talk-back / walkie-talkie features
• Temperature monitoring
• Remote pan and tilt
• Add multiple cameras
• Easy to use

Battery life: How long does the Infant Optics battery last?

Although Infant Optics says that the Lithium-ion battery lasts 6 to 10 hours, people who tested it have better news. According to some, it took them almost 12 hours of use before the unit needed charging. This entirely depends on whether you leave the display on the whole time or put the screen to ‘sleep’ and rely mostly on audio.

Another factor that can help prolong the Infant Optics battery is to fully charge it right after purchasing it. Its charging time usually takes 7 hours, and the LED light power indicator will tell you whether it’s been fully charged or not.

Does the Infant Optics DXR-8 have battery issues?

The most common problem users have the Infant Optics DXR-8 battery not holding charge. This happens to the battery the longer you are using it. I have researched parents’ online reviews about Infant Optics DXR-8 and come to know that its batter needs to be replaced after a year or so of use. The package includes 1 replacement battery, though, so you won’t have to worry about buying a new battery at least within the first 2 years.

I’ve also found some users trying to ‘troubleshoot’ the Infant Optics battery. Still, I’m not sure it is recommended by the manufacturer.

They fully charge the battery and then remove it from the unit, let the battery rest for 30 minutes before putting it back. However, this is not a guaranteed solution.

The last time I checked, the Infant Optics battery is at $8.99.

Camera: Is the Infant Optics DXR-8 camera good?

The DXR-8 camera captures 360p standard definition images making it an acceptable quality for a basic baby monitor. You can attach a zoom lens and augment it with digital zoom (up to 4 times) if you prefer a closer look at your baby. Or you can attach a wide-angle lens instead to gain a wider view of the room.

You can also control the camera to pan and tilt from the parent unit to look at the different corners of the room if you need to see what your toddler is up to.

A feature most users are looking for the split-screen viewing. That is, if you have more than one camera, you should be able to view them simultaneously as both displays take an equal portion of the screen. In my opinion, it is fortunate that DXR-8 doesn’t have it. Its 3.5 inches screen is too small to watch multiple screens at the same time. Instead, you can easily switch from one camera to another with a press of a button.

This also applies to the audio. You cannot hear the sound coming in from all the cameras. The parent unit can only let you access the audio of the camera you’re viewing from.

Can you add on camera to the Infant Optics DXR-8?

The Infant Optics DXR-8 supports up to four cameras. You can have all four of them connected to your parent unit and that parent unit only. Meaning, though you can have more than one camera watching over your kids, you cannot have more than one parent unit to view the videos from. You’re going to have to share the parent unit with your spouse or take turns every other night as most parents do.

Add-on cameras are sold separately.

Does Infant Optics DXR-8 record?

The Infant Optics DXR-8 baby monitor is a very basic one and only transmits live video from the camera(s) to the parent unit. It cannot record videos since it doesn’t have any means of storing data. There is no app or save functionality that can record videos. It is not Wi-Fi enabled, so keeping videos to cloud storage is also not an option.

Security: Can Infant Optics DXR 8 be hacked?

The DXR-8 uses FHSS wireless transmission that is hack-proof. Although Wi-Fi-enabled baby monitors can be set up for maximum security, this type of transmission is built to be impenetrable – almost.

Unlike a static Wi-Fi connection, FHSS hops from one frequency to another, making it difficult to hack. Even an intermediate-level hacker will find this connection impossible to hack. It will take a world-class hacker to peek before getting kicked out by the randomly shifting frequency.

If you’re worried about some creep or hackers practicing their skills on your baby monitor, don’t worry. They don’t have what it takes to breach your secured wireless connection.

EMF level

EMF: With an average level of 1.89 V/m at 6 feet from the monitor, this baby monitor produces a low amount of EMF.

Does Infant Optics use Wi-Fi?

Infant Optics, particularly DXR-8, does not use Wi-Fi. It uses FHSS wireless transmission instead, which is a more secured type of wireless connection.

You might ask, what’s the difference between a Wi-Fi-enabled baby monitor and one that is not? Other than security concerns, connection range is the most important implication.

Wi-Fi-enabled baby monitors can be viewed from anywhere worldwide as long as you have a stable internet connection. Non-wi-fi cameras such as the DXR-8 have a very limited range. You can only watch videos from the baby camera within your immediate vicinity.

Other features

Image quality: For a dedicated monitor, it has a good image quality. It will be enough to see your baby’s face details from 6 feet away.

Power: Been able to charge the monitor via USB is convenient.

No interference: You should have a secure and interference-free transmission because this monitor transmits on the 2.4 GHz frequency and use the FHSS technology.

View: The camera can pan at 270 degrees horizontally and tilt to cover 120 degrees vertically, which is enough to inspect the whole bedroom.

Lens: A generous benefit from the Infant optics DXR-8 is the interchangeable lenses. Depending on your kid’s room organization, you can adjust the camera view to precisely see what you want in the room. Even if the advanced zoom and wide-angle view would be satisfying, the ability to change the lenses is such an advantage.

Control: Even if it’s not a touchscreen, the control buttons are very responsive, and the menu is easy to use.

Room temperature: Another benefit is the room temperature displays on the screen. In my opinion, this is helpful to know if the room temperature is why my baby is not sleeping.

Suitable for parents who

When buying any kind of device or appliance, it is important to consider your situation and the problems you want to address. 

Deciding to choose a baby monitor should not be based on what’s popular or the most hi-tech. Especially if you’re a parent on a budget, you don’t want to risk spending on a device with attractive features only to realize you don’t really need all of those.

Understand your needs and start looking at the most basic products out there and then work your way up to slightly more sophisticated (and expensive).

Infant Optics DXR-8 is one of the basic yet trusted baby monitors in the US, and I suggest you consider it. 

Here are a few hints to help you decide whether this product is the one for you and your kids.

• Live in a house or city apartment.
• Have multiple children to monitor or planning to need an extra camera.
• Want a monitor that is flexible and accommodates kids of different ages.
• Want the most popular features for a baby monitor.
• They are concerned about getting the best value for their money.

Takeaway

Infant Optics DXR-8 has been at the forefront of baby monitoring in the US for years now. Its features remain essential. You will get everything you need to keep an eye and ear on your baby for a very affordable price.

Suppose you feel that the original DXR-8 monitor is lacking. In that case, you won’t have to spend an additional hundred dollars to get a decent upgrade. DXR-8 Pro is an excellent alternative to the previous Infant Optic products.

Watching over your kid need not be expensive or require devices with features you’re not even sure you need. It’s okay to stick with the basics; sometimes, the tried and tested products are the ones that get the job done.