Since 2011, the San Francisco-based company Infant Optics has been recognized as a leader in the video baby monitor category. The brand’s DXR-8 is especially popular among parents thanks to its many features, including a decent display during day and night and interchangeable lenses with the ability to pan, tilt, and zoom. To see what all the hype was about, my husband and I (and our 1-year-old) put the monitor to the test. Over the course of many nights and many naps, we examined the setup process, design, and how well the camera and monitor performed.
Setup Process: Straightforward instructions make it easy
We tested the full kit, which includes the camera and monitor units, a zoom lens, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a power adapter for the camera, a USB output adapter, and two USB power cables (one 10-foot and the other 3-foot). However, you can also purchase any of these items and even more accessories, including a $12 170-degree wide-angle lens, separately. The kit comes with a user manual and quick-start guide. We found the instructions easy to read; there’s even a troubleshooting section that addresses any issues that could arise. Start by charging the monitor fully for the best battery life (more on that later). We planned to use the included optical zoom lens, so we twisted that onto the camera, and we were good to go. If you’re using the built-in stand to place the camera on a ledge or shelf, you’ll be done quickly, but you can also mount it on the wall with the slots on the back and the included screw and anchor.
Design: An easy-to-operate, solid monitor
The DXR-8 boasts a user-friendly design. The antenna-adorned monitor is 4.88 x 3.13 x .88 inches, with a horizontal, 3.5-inch screen (an upgrade from the 2.4-inch vertical screen in the earlier iteration, the DXR-6). We found the buttons (Menu, On, Shortcut, and Talk, plus four directional arrow buttons) straightforward and easy to navigate. The Menu button is used to access and adjust brightness, volume, zoom, alarm, sleep mode delay, and adding and deleting additional cameras; simply click Menu and navigate left to right to the respective icon, then use the up and down arrows to adjust. Set and deploy preferred brightness and volume levels via the Shortcut button. Talk lets you, you guessed it, talk to your baby through the camera’s speaker. The camera itself measures about 4 x 2.5 inches and is a bit heavier than others we tested, but it is super sturdy. It can also pan and tilt (using the up, down, left, and right arrows) and zoom, which we felt was very important. It was great to be able to adjust the camera via the monitor when the baby moved to a different area of his crib. When the camera is on, there’s a very soft green light—nothing that woke my child. The included optical zoom lens is a great addition if you need to place the camera farther away (note that it shouldn’t be less than 3 feet away; make sure it’s out of baby’s reach). If you need a much wider view, such as when your child is a mobile toddler, you can purchase the aforementioned wide-angle lens separately, but thankfully, it’s pretty inexpensive.
Features: Sound sensor, night vision, and more
A sound-activated LED indicator (the bar to the left of the screen) allowed us to see when our son was crying, but there is no motion sensor. Additional features include a thermometer that monitors the temperature of the baby’s room in either celsius or Fahrenheit (although we wish it would alert us if the room is too hot or too cold) and automatic invisible infrared night vision (but no night light). There’s also sleep mode, activated by the Power On/Off switch at the top, which cuts the video feed but still transmits audio. If desired, you can set an automatic sleep mode of three minutes or five minutes. One thing we wish that the monitor displayed was the time. From our experience with sleep training a baby or waking up in the middle of the night, it’s much easier to see the time on the monitor versus checking your phone or looking for a nearby clock. However, it does have an alarm, which you can set to go off in two, four, or six hours.
Video and Audio Quality: Solid
We thought this monitor offered solid video quality. We were able to see the feed clearly throughout the day and night thanks to the aforementioned night vision. As for audio, we could also hear clearly, even with the volume turned to low.
Range: Not the best, but not the worst
In our experience, the monitor’s range is another area that could use improvement. It tops out at 700 feet, and sure enough, we encountered a couple of spotty connections between the camera and the monitor when we took it halfway across a 1,000-square-foot apartment. When out of range, the video will cut out, a warning sign will appear, and the unit will beep every 30 seconds until it reconnects.
Safety: Hacker-proof
This baby monitor uses 2.4 GHz FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum, meaning it switches signals to prevent anyone from listening in) wireless transmission, not Wi-Fi. To some parents, this might be more of a pro than a con. Yes, it means you can’t check in via an app while you’re away, and you won’t get notifications on your phone. But it also means the camera is safe from hacker interference—and it’s not dependent on a connection to work.
Battery Life: Impressive
When charged properly before the first use, we were very impressed with how long the monitor kept a charge. An LED bar to the right of the buttons indicates the charge level; it was almost 12 hours before it needed to be plugged in again, but a full charge does take seven hours.
Price: Pricier than many, but worth it
At around $165, the Infant Optics DXR-8 Monitor with Interchangeable Optical Lens is one of the pricier monitors out there, but the performance and features make this a solid investment for your nursery.
Infant Optics DXR-8 vs. Babysense Video Baby Monitor
The Babysense Video Baby Monitor is a cost-effective monitor at only $76.99 full price, but in this case, you get what you pay for. I tested this one with my family as well and found it has a very small screen in comparison to the Infant Optics DXR-8. Though it boasts a supposedly longer range than the Infant Optics, we lost connection to the camera several times during each use. It does have an alarm if the temperature becomes too high or low in the room, which the Infant Optics lacks, but overall, this monitor doesn’t compare to the quality of the more full-featured DXR-8. The Infant Optics DXR-8 is a win in our book. Though more expensive than other baby monitors, it performs well and is designed with key features that parents need, making it worth the spend.
