In this post, I provided a detailed comparison of Infant Optics DXR-8 vs Pro which was recently released and I have also reviewed the new Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro which was released in late 2020. We featured both of these models in our reviews of the 10 best baby monitors without wifi in 2022.
In the next section, we dive deep into the difference between Infant Optics DXR-8 and Pro version (Infant Optics DXR 8 Pro);
Infant Optics DXR 8 vs Pro(Regular DXR-8 vs DXR-8 Pro)
Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro has improved features and capabilities compared to Infant Optics DXD 8 regular, such as better zoom of up to 6x, longer warranty of 36 months, better connectivity range of up to 1000 ft., larger 5-inch LCD screen display, and a VOX mode feature. Infant Optics DXR’s zoom is only 4x, its warranty is only 12 months, its connectivity range is 700 ft., and has a smaller 3.5-inch VGA display.
For these additional features, Infant Optics DXR 8 Pro sells for up to $35 more than the regular Infant Optics DXR 8 but as you will read in my review, these add-ons are totally worth the $35.
The original Infant Optics DXR-8 which was initially released in 2015 had some issues that needed improvement, and we feel that Infant Optics listened to the issues customers wished they were better and fixed those issues by creating the new version, the DRX 8 Pro. So, if you loved the DRX 8, you are going to love the Pro even more.
Table Showing Difference Between Infant Optics DXR-8 and Pro/DXR 8 Pro
| Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro | Infant Optics DXR-8 | |
| No products found. | No products found. | |
| Amazon Rating | 4.9/5 by 2,242 customers | 4.4/5 by 47, 052 customers |
| Display | Large 5 inch 720p screen | 3.5 inch with low quality 480 VGA format |
| Zoom | Up to 6X zoom with optical and digital zoom used together | Up to 4X zoom with optical zoom and digital zoom used together |
| Speaker | Improved 1000mW speaker | 800mW speaker |
| Pan/tilt | Pan: 270°Tilt 108° | Pan: 270°Tilt 110° |
| Interchangeable Optical Lens with zoom and wide-angle(sold separately) | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 12 months default warranty which can be extended by 24 months when you register the warranty on their website | 12 months |
| Active Noise Reduction Technology (ANR) | Yes | No |
| Expandability | Pairs with up to four cameras with scan mode. Check the price of the add-on camera here. | Pairs with up to four cameras with scan mode. Check the price of the add-on camera here. |
| Transmission Range | Up to 1000 ft | Up to 700 ft |
| Battery Capacity | 6 hours | 8 to 10 hours |
| VOX Mode | Yes | No |
| Transmission Technology | Non-wifi and uses FHSS technology; RF Frequency: 2400 Mhz ~ 2483.5 Mhz | Non-wifi and uses FHSS technology; RF Frequency: 2400 Mhz ~ 2483.5 Mhz |
| Volume Control | Yes | Yes |
| Brightness Control | Yes | Yes |
| Sound activated LED bar | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Check Price | Check Price |
Conclusion: is Infant Optics DXR 8 Pro better than regular/original?
You can’t go wrong with either of these monitors; it’s just a question of if you are willing to spend the extra $35 for a bigger screen, higher picture resolution, and a few extra functions like noise reduction and VOX mode.
Infant Optics DXR 8 Pro Review
The DXR 8 Pro is a traditional non-WIFI video baby monitor that utilizes FHSS transmission technology. It features a 5-inch parent unit with 720p resolution, which is a huge upgrade from the 3.5-inch screen and 360p quality the DXR 8 has, so it has bigger and clearer pictures. It has a similar appearance to the older model, but bigger. The camera is also similar to the one of DXR 8 in most aspects. The new DXR 8Pro parent unit has volume and brightness controls allowing you to have these at your comfort level.
The DXR 8 Pro camera has interchangeable lenses (zoom and wide-angle) to give you a clear view of the baby’s room. The zoom lens is included, but the wide-angle lens is sold separately at $10. You can pan the camera 270 degrees wall to wall, and 108 degrees floor to ceiling, right from the buttons in your handheld device. Pan and Tilt capabilities are very handy when monitoring toddlers and you want to see what they are up to. Additionally, it has up to 6X zoom when you use optical and digital zoom combined. This enables you to get an up-close view of your baby.
One thing that sets the DXR 8 Pro apart from other baby monitors is the active noise reduction technology (ANR). It is the only monitor with this cutting-edge technology that reduces background noises from fans, air purifiers, humidifiers, air conditioners, and other home appliances so you can hear the baby more clearly. However, the manufacturer warns that it may not work for sound machines because it can result in “a distorted warping sound in the background from the monitor unit.” The monitor has an ANR button to turn this function on or off.
Infant Optics has also improved the transmission range by 50%, where the range increased from 700 ft of its predecessor to 1000 ft. This means you should have a reliable signal from anywhere within your home.
The Pro also has a thermometer to check your baby’s room temperature and also has an alarm clock timer which is a nice addition. You can talk with your baby through the monitor, and it lets you see your baby clearly at night with night vision.
In case you want to monitor different rooms or multiple children, the Pro can support up to 4 additional cameras. Each camera is going for $100. It has a scan mode to view the cameras at set intervals of 5 to 60 seconds, or you can just choose which camera to view and switch one after the other
The DXR 8 Pro monitor is slim and compact and weighs just 1.98 pounds, so it is easy to carry in the pocket, and the good thing is that you can continue having 24/7 reception and use your phone at the same time because it doesn’t need an app or wifi.
Features
- A large 5-inch screen that gives bigger pictures
- 720p resolution produces clear pictures even when the camera is placed far from the crib
- Adjustable volume control on the parent unit with up to six levels
- Adjustable brightness control on the parent unit with up to six levels
- The interchangeable lens allows you to switch between zoom lens (with up to 6X capacity including optical zoom) and wide-angle lens enabling you to see closer or further
- The remote pan/tilt/zoom function allows parents to move the camera angle to better view the baby’s room right from the parent unit.
- Optional wide-angle lens
- Two-way talkback function that lets you talk and soothe your baby
- Sound-activated Led bar lets parents know when the baby is crying even if the audio is muted.
- Powerful 1000mW speakers produce high-quality audio with loud volume and clearer sound output.
- Active Noise Reduction (ANR) technology minimizes background noises from home appliances and amplifies the baby’s sound
- Improved range by 50% from the older version, up to 1000 ft for reliable transmission throughout the home.
- Automatic night vision
- Expandable to up to four cameras allowing parents to keep an eye on more than one child in separate areas of the home at the same time.
- A temperature sensor that displays readings on the parent unit
- Alarm timer helps parents keep up with feeding and nap schedules
- VOX mode allows the screen to remain asleep and turns it back on when the monitor detects noise in the baby’s room
- Rechargeable and replaceable 2800mAh battery that lasts for 10 hours in sleep mode and 6 hours in display mode.
Overview
- It comes with its own dedicated parent unit, which means you can check the baby anytime. You don’t need an app or your phone.
- Compared to its predecessor, which has been a bestseller in major retail stores, the Pros has a larger screen and better resolution, allowing you to see everything you need clearly even at a distance.
- Unlike others in its class, DXR8 Pro has interchangeable lenses for different views. It includes an optical zoom lens, and you can add an optional wide angle lens for a panoramic view.
- It has the patented Active Noise Reduction technology that filters out background noises from fans, humidifiers, heaters, and other home appliances so you can hear the baby’s voice clearly.
- The parent device has volume and brightness control that allows you to adjust these to your comfort level. This is so nice when you are trying to catch some sleep. Some monitors do not give users such control.
- It has Voice-activated mode, which was absent in its predecessor. The screen remains in sleep mode with Vox mode (though you can still hear) and turns on if the monitor detects noise in the baby’s room.
- The parent unit has a sound LCD bar that shows you noise levels in your baby’s room. This way, you can mute the audio and still get to know if your baby is fussing or screaming.
- It has the ability to pair with four additional cameras allowing you to monitor multiple kids and rooms.
- The monitor has a two way talkback intercom that lets you talk to your child or soothe them to sleep.
- It has night vision, allowing you to see if your baby is asleep, how they are positioned, and so forth without needing to go to their room to check.
- It has a thermometer that monitors room temperature and displays readings on the parent device. This way, you can tell if temperatures are outside the safe range or not.
- The monitor has an alarm timer which is handy for moms on a feeding schedule, or when planning to nap for a few hours.
- The monitor has a long lasting battery that lasts all day or night up to 10 hours with the screen on standby mode or 6 hours with video playing.
- It has an excellent range compared to its predecessor and others in its class because it can reach up to 1000 ft, giving you good reception anywhere within your home.
- It comes with a micro USB plug to connect to your computer or power bank.
- It includes a wall mounting kit for those who want an up/down view, or you can also mount the camera on the tabletop.
- The monitor is slim and compact, just like your phone, so it fits easily in your pocket when you are moving around in your home doing other stuff.
Pros and Cons Overview
Pros
- Easy and simple set up: It’s literally plug and play! its
- Easy to use controls: The monitor has an intuitive interface where the volume and brightness controls, which you will frequently be using, are located on the top of the monitor for easy access. The other settings are on the D-pad, which controls navigation, and pan/tilt is also easily accessible. On the screen, the top bar is where everything is displayed from temperatures, time, signal strength, battery life, digital zoom, and you can see whether ANR is on or off.
- Clear picture day and night: The Pro has upgraded from the basic VGA to 720 p resolutions giving clear pictures, as you can see from these snap shorts. The monitor may not have high definition resolution, but the clarity is sufficiently good for its purpose.
- Loud volume and clear sound quality: The monitor uses noise reduction technology to muffle background noises from your household appliances to let you hear the baby clearly. Some parents even said that they are able to hear the baby even when watching TV because the sound quality is loud and clear, unlike other monitors.
- Monitors multiple cameras: You can pair the parent unit with up to four cameras to monitor multiple kids, an elderly, or pet, and you can set it to cycle through the views or click on the specific camera you want to view at the top of the screen of the parent unit.
- Impressive zoom capabilities The monitor has a 2x optical zoom lens, which is great if you are monitoring across a big room. Plus, the digital zoom goes up to 3x, and with this, you can achieve up to 6x magnification.
- Wide field of view: This monitor has a 270 degrees pan and up to 108 degrees tilt that is sufficient for baby monitoring even without buying an extra wide-angle lens.
- Longer transmission range: This monitor provides 50% more coverage up to 1000 ft from 700 ft which its predecessor covered. It allows you to receive a stable signal anywhere within your house, backyard, garage, and driveway.
Cons
- Interference from other electronics: The monitor uses a 2.4GHz frequency, which gets interference from other appliances like phones, microwaves, TV, and the likes running on the same frequency depending on where they are positioned.
- Incompatibility with DXR 8 camera: You cannot use DXR-8 camera and DXR-8 Pro monitor, and a lot of parents who had the older model wish this was possible to avoid spending $ 100 for the Pro camera.
- No split screen view: Unfortunately, even though you can pair up to four cameras, the DRX 8 Pro does not support split-screen viewing like some in its class. But, you can set it to scan cameras every 10 to 60 seconds, or you can choose whichever camera you want to view.
- Requires charging daily: The monitor uses a 2800mAh lithium-ion battery, which takes up to seven hours to charge. It lasts about 10 hours on standby mode and six hours with continuous video monitoring, so you will need to charge it daily. But, at least you can still use it as it charges.
Safety and high security of Infant Optics DXR 8 Pro
Infant Optics DXR 8 Pro uses FHSS technology (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum), which works by spreading/hopping audio and video signals over rapidly changing frequencies (75 sub frequencies at 400 milliseconds) within the 2.4 GHz band. Additionally, it also uses multiple access methods in frequency hopping code. So as the signal moves from the transmitting baby unit to the receiving parent unit of the Infant Optics DXR 8 Pro, it moves so fast, making it hard for a hacker to get hold of a particular signal and the decryption code that they would use to intercept your baby’s signal to see or listen in.
FHSS technology is highly secure and was originally developed in 1940 for secret military communication and to prevent radio signal jamming and has continued being used over the decades in various industries, including baby monitors.
This makes DXR 8 Pro the best baby monitor for parents who are concerned about security and hackers getting hold of their baby’s signal.
Infant Optics DXR 8 Add on camera
DXR 8 Pro has the ability to pair up to four cameras with the monitor. This enables parents to monitor multiple children or rooms.
The only caution here is that you may not be able to connect the DXR 8 camera as the plugs are different.
If you wish to add a camera to the DXR 8 Pro, you would need to buy it separately, and one is going for $100 on Amazon.
Installation Manual
You can check and download the manufacturer’s manual for more details on how the DXR 8 Pro works here.
Infant Optics Pro vs. Vava Baby Monitor
Vava baby monitor is also one of the highest-rated baby monitors in the market. It is in the same class of non-wifi monitors as the Infant Optics DXR 8 Pro. With this monitor, you can listen and talk to your baby in their room, but you will be even more impressed by the picture quality.
Vava relays videos in superior 720p HD resolution making it the perfect choice for parents who want to capture high-quality pictures that are colorful and vivid. It boasts a one-press digital zoom option, allowing you to quickly change the view when you want. Additionally, it also has an autopilot mode which scans the whole of your baby’s room back and forth so you can see all that is going on, which is cool.
Vava also shines above others because it supports split-screen viewing when monitoring multiple cameras (two cameras at a time), a reliable long transmission range of up to 900 ft, and an unbeatable large battery capacity that lasts 10 hours on display.
Vava also has other nice-to-have functions that make parents’ lives easier, like temperature sensors, alarm timers, and sound indicator lights. Below is a quick side by side comparison with Infant Optics DXR 8 Pro
| Infant Optics DXR 8 Pro | Vava Baby Monitor | |
| Release date | August 2020 | April 2019 |
| Amazon Rating | 4.9/ 5 by 2242 customers | Currently not available |
| Display | Large 5 inch 720p screen | 720 p Large 5 inch HD display |
| PTZ | Pan: 270°/ Tilt: 108° / up to 6x with optical and digital zoom used together, optional wide-angle lens available | Pan: 270°/ Tilt: 110° / 2X,4X zoom, Optional wide-angle lens is available |
| Expandable | Up to 4 cameras each costing $100 | Up to four cameras, each costing$ 96 |
| VOX mode | Yes | No |
| Battery capacity | 2,800mAh battery(replaceable) that last 10 hours in audio mode and 6 hours in video mode | 4500mAh battery that lasts 24 hours in audio mode and 10 hours in continuous video |
| Transmission technology | Non-wifi and uses FHSS technology | Non-wifi and uses FHSS technology |
| Transmission range | 480ft-900 ft | 480ft – 1000 ft |
| Price | Check Price | $159.99 but no longer available on Amazon |
Conclusion
Both of these monitors are high quality and will likely last you many years, but we feel like Vava offers a better deal here with crisp colorful pictures and a super long-lasting battery. All its other functions are almost at par with what DXR8 Pro offers so for $40 less, Vava is hands down the winner.
Infant Optics Pro vs. Eufy Baby Monitor
Eufy Spaceview baby monitor is also one of the best non-wifi monitors in the market. It is easy to use, has a decent range, a good battery life, and has an exceptionally highly adjustable camera capability.
Below is a side by side comparison with Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro
| Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro | Eufy Spaceview | |
| Amazon Rating | 4.9/5 by 2,242 customers | 4.4/5 by 3,822 customers |
| Display | Large 5 inch 720p | Large 5 inch 720p HD |
| Pan/ Tilt | Pan: 270° Tilt: 108°Wide angle lens sold separately | Pan: 330° Tilt: 110°and includes wide-angle lens 110° |
| Zoom | Up to 6x with optical and digital zoom used together | 1.5 x, 2x digital zoom |
| Expandability | Supports up to 4 cameras with scan mode every 10 to 60 seconds | Supports up to four cameras with scan mode at intervals of 5,10, 30 seconds |
| Transmission range | 480-1000ft | 460-1000 ft |
| Battery life | 10 hours on sleep mode and 6 hours on display mode | 5200mAh – up to 30 hours |
| Lullaby | No | Yes |
| VOX mode | Yes | Yes |
| Sound indicator lights | Yes | No |
| Price | Check Price | $159.99 |
Conclusion
Eufy is a good choice if you are looking for higher video resolution, but Infant Optics DXR 8 Pro has better experience with a longer transmission range, sound indicator lights, noise reduction technology, and superior zooming capabilities which justify the higher price.
About Infant Optics
Infant Optics is a globally recognized manufacturer of high-quality, award-winning baby monitors. They are a subsidiary of Genexus LLC, based in San Francisco.
Their first baby monitor model was the DXR 5, which hit the market in 2010, followed by the DXR 6. followed by DXR 8 in 2013. The Infant Optics DXR 8 has been the most successful version, with the highest ratings on all major retailers in the US. On Amazon, it maintained the title of the best video baby monitor from 2017 to 2020. The DXR 8 also boasts awards by expert reviewers like the Bump, Wire Cutter, What to Expect, and more.
In August 2020, they launched the DXR 8 Pro, a new version of the DXR 8. This model has also been well-received, and has made it to the top 5 best baby monitors on Amazon.
| List of Top Baby Monitors | Editors' Choice |
|---|---|
| Overall Best Non-Wifi Baby Monitor | Infant Optics DXR 8 Pro |
| Best Dual-Camera Split Screen baby Monitor | Babysense HD S2 |
| Best Baby With the Longest Range | Panasonic Long-Range Video Baby Monitor |
| Best Monitor Powered by Batteries | VTech VM819 Video Baby Monitor (19 hours on a single charge) |
| The Best Voice-activated(VOX) Baby Monitor | Anmeate Baby Monitor |
| The Best Breathing Baby Monitor | Owlet Smart Sock 3 |
| Best Large-Screen Video Baby Monitor | VTech VM919HD Video Monitor |
| The Best Audio/Sound-only Baby Monitor | Philips AVENT SCD720/86 |
| The Best 5 GHz Wifi Baby Monitor | iBaby M8 Video Baby Monitor |
| The Best Baby Car Camera/Monitor | Yada Portable Baby Monitor |
- About the Author
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Hi there! I am Ashley Davis, a mom of three kids and the editor here at Motherhoodhq.com. I have been a parent since 2011 and have been doing full-time consulting as a baby sleep expert since 2019. When I am not researching or testing the next baby gear hitting the market, you’ll find me teaching my toddlers a trick or two – especially over the last few months with the lockdown. I hope you’ll find my guides and reviews helpful as you make your next purchase decision. If you have any questions, you can reach me at ashley.d@motherhoodhq.com.
Last update on 2023-09-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API