A baby monitor is an important tool for any parent. Picking the right one can be quite a chore. There are a plethora of options to choose from.
My favorite, and a favorite of many moms, is the Infant Optics DXR-8. This baby monitor features, video, audio, and can function as a 2 camera baby monitor. Read my review below before making a decision for yourself.
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Why you should choose the Infant Optics DXR 8 baby monitor
I’ve not used the Infant Optics DXR-8 for almost two years. It can be used as a two camera monitor which is a feature I have not yet tested.
I’ve been using this monitor for almost 3 years now and it’s still going strong! I have not had to replace the unit or any of the parts and it still works great!
Let’s get down to business and talk about all the great features of this baby monitor.
Infant optics dxr-8 features
- Good audio
- Good picture
- Battery Life & Reception
- Walkie Talkie feature
- Temperature Display
- Ability to pan the camera
- NO WIFI
AUDIO ON THE INFANT OPTICS BABY MONITOR
The audio on this baby monitor is pretty good. The volume can be turned up, down or silenced. We often silence ours while we’re awake watching television and then turn the volume up before bed. It’s great to have that flexibility. The monitor picks up sound very well. I can hear everything that is going on in my daughter’s bedroom.
VIDEO QUALITY OF THE INFANT OPTICS DXR-8
The picture quality is good. The image is not perfectly clear but I can easily tell what’s going on. It’s good enough that if I look closely I can see that my daughter is breathing, an obsession of any new parent.
You can choose to have the video display in black & white or color. Black & White will help preserve the battery life.
BATTERY LIFE & RECEPTION
The battery life is 5-6 hours on black and white mode. We are able to use it for nap time and again in the evening before we go to bed and plug it in. We turn it off in between but do not have to plug it in. It does need to be plugged in overnight.
The reception is pretty good. It’s the only feature I wish was slightly better. There are nights where the reception will drop out repeatedly for no rhyme or reason. It does come back fairly quickly.
Some nights we have no issues at all while other nights the signal will drop out repeatedly. We live in an older 2 story apartment complex and it works throughout our home as well as outside. According to the manufacturer, it has a range of 700 feet when unobstructed.
WALKIE TALKIE FEATURE
This is perhaps my favorite feature of this baby monitor! The video display has a button on it that says talk. If you hold in that button you can talk to your child through the baby monitor.
This allows you to soothe them when upset. It’s also great for telling them to lay down and go to sleep when they become rough and tumble toddlers!
TEMPERATURE DISPLAY
The camera part of the monitor has a temperature gauge that displays on the video monitor. This can help you to be alerted when the room gets too hot or too cold.
Just keep in mind that this is the temperature where the camera is, not in your babies crib. It’s a helpful feature, especially if you don’t have central air and heat so that your child’s room may be warmer or cooler than where you are.
ABILITY TO PAN THE CAMERA
You can easily pan the camera to get a wide view of your child and their room. It moves silently so as not to disturb your sleeping baby. The camera actually has an interchangeable lens so you can purchase a zoom or wide angle lens if these better suit your needs.
NO WIFI
A major selling point for me for the Infant Optics DXR-8 is the fact that it is WIFI free! That means there is no set up involved, and little chance of someone hacking into your baby monitor.
I’ve heard terrible stories of people hacking into baby monitors that are hooked to WIFI. Some are just bored, but others have ill intentions. I would suggest only getting a WIFI system if it’s truly necessary to see what’s happening on your monitor when you’re away from home.
If you do opt for a monitor with WIFI use these tips from Lifewire to help keep it safe from hackers.
DURABILITY
I’m adding this section to this review now that my oldest daughter is almost 3. This baby monitor has seen some things!
She’s messed with the monitor countless times. She’s also pulled the camera off the wall at least twice! We’ve recently moved the camera to her sister’s room instead so it should be safe for a while. (You can purchase a second camera for this monitor but our house is small and our toddler is loud so we have not purchased a second camera).
The point is, the monitor and camera can both take a bit of a beating. This is important as kids are curious but they can be rough on electronics. If your Infant Optics DXR-8 falls into the hands of your kids it stands a good chance of surviving the encounter!
Frequently Asked Questions about the Infant Optics DXR-8
No.
No, this monitor does not record.
5-6 hours in my experience.
If the temperatures reads LL or HH, it’s telling you that the temperature is too high or too low. Mine occasionally says this but it’s generally an error that rights itself shortly.
The monitor will beep both when it loses signal as well as when the battery is low. The signal loss will be accompanied by a message on the monitor screen. When the battery is low the battery bar will change from blue to red.
Check out more reviews of these other great baby monitors! I’m sure you’ll find the perfect monitor for your family.
Prefer video? Check out my video review.