Dropcam vs Infant Optics DXR-8

The camera has a 130-degree viewing angle lens that can cover a large area and shoots good 1080p video due to its 1/3" sensor. It has built-in high-sensitivity microphone and a reasonable speaker that allows communicating to anyone near the camera. The audio communication is loud and clear.

The camera comes with a single-page quick-start guide. PC/Mac setup is done by connecting the camera via USB and following the on-screen prompts. Companion app setup is done by pairing the devices via Bluetooth LE and following on-screen prompts. Prompts guide through creating a dropcam.com account, logging in and giving Wi-Fi login credentials.

Dropcam Pro has dual-band 802.11n that allows connecting over 2.4GHz or 5GHz. By default it chooses 5GHz if available.

An optional cloud backup service, called CVR, is available for $10/mo for 7 days or $30/mo for 30 days. Videos stored in CVR can be downloaded.

Android and iOS smartphones have polished companion apps that allow accessing camera's live feed from anywhere. It's possible to pan and zoom via the apps.

Dropcam has great night vision capabilities due to its 1/3" sensor.

Movement and sound-based activity alerts can be sent via email or smartphone's push notifications. It's possible to set which zones should trigger alerts and which zones should be ignored as well as schedule times when alerts should and should not be sent.

A live feed can be accessed via web as well as Android and iOS apps. It can even be used for two-way communication thanks to Dropcam's built-in microphone and speaker.

LED lights will alert you when there is noise coming from your baby's room. This is best for when the audio can easily be drowned by sounds in the room you're in.

You can easily switch the lenses to suit your needs. You can use a close-up lens for intimate vision of your baby and swap for panoramic lens when your child becomes more mobile to provide a full view of your child's room.