3 Things You Need to Know Before Buying a Roku Camera for Your Home

A smart home aims to make everyday life easier with a variety of connected devices that can communicate and be controlled remotely. This concept is also known as IoT (Internet of Things), which turns household items into networked devices that can collect and distribute data. According to Statista.com, the number of smart homes is expected to exceed 400 million in 2024. One of the ways people are taking advantage of smart home technology is through security systems, which are easier to install, configure, and manage than ever before. . A recent survey by Nationwide found that 34% of homeowners have smart video doorbells and 32% have smart security cameras.

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Roku, which released its first streaming device back in 2008, has seen growth be rapid to the point that they currently have tens of millions of accounts in use worldwide. The entertainment giant has also expanded beyond just streaming products into TVs, home audio and smart home devices. In fact, Roku is one of the best home automation systems of 2024. Your choice of security cameras and video doorbells now includes Roku products, but there are a few key things to know before purchasing their relatively new security devices.

When you purchase smart security cameras from Roku, you get several basic features without a monthly or annual subscription fee. You have access to real-time video streaming from the devices, you will receive motion and sound alerts, and they will detect the presence of smoke or carbon monoxide. However, from a cloud storage perspective, the non-subscription plan is limited to still images only, which obviously won’t be as useful as a full-length video clip. One of the most significant disadvantages of skipping a subscription is the 5 minute delay before you can update the event image. This can be problematic if the original image is unclear and you will have to wait for confirmation.

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The subscription plan can be renewed monthly ($3.99 per camera for 1 or 2 devices) or annually ($39.99 per camera) or cover all cameras for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year . The big benefit of the subscription plan is the addition of Roku Smart Detection technology, more reliable cloud storage that includes video clips saved for up to 14 days and zero latency between events. Essentially, Smart Detection can differentiate between events captured on camera between people, pets, cars, and even package deliveries. This allows you to set up only certain events to trigger a notification and let the smart camera do most of the surveillance work without constantly cluttering your phone with unimportant messages.

Wyze Labs, based in Seattle, makes a variety of smart home products, including security cameras. However, the company has recently made headlines for all the wrong reasons: a massive security breach affecting thousands of customers. In early 2024, reports began to emerge that Wyze security camera owners were receiving images and video from other homes than their home system, creating a privacy nightmare. This unfortunate situation involved indoor cameras and is estimated to have allowed 13,000 strangers to look into other people’s homes. The problems began back in 2019, and some concluded that Wyze had damaged its security reputation. The vulnerabilities and Wyze’s lack of quicker action to fix the issues have led some major news outlets, such as the New York Times, to suspend recommendations for Wyze devices. But what does this have to do with Rock?

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Roku says its cameras, video doorbells and other smart home products were created in collaboration with Wyze Labs. However, Roku products are not compatible with or sold by Wyze Labs and will only work within the Roku infrastructure. Likewise, any Wyze camera product will not work with the Roku Cameras Channel or any of the Roku home monitoring systems that work with your Smart TV. Still, some potential customers may be wary of any association with the beleaguered Wyze brand, even if Roku insists its products are exclusive to its own ecosystem.

Roku’s line of smart home products includes cameras for both indoor and outdoor use. Inside, you can equip either a moving but static camera or a 360-degree motion tracking camera that can track both full horizontal motion and 93 degrees of vertical motion. Both products feature a USB-C port for power, which requires either a USB wall port or using the included power adapter that plugs into an electrical outlet.

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When you get outside the house, Roku offers a wired outdoor camera and a battery-powered outdoor camera. The corded option comes with a long 12 1/2 foot cord suitable for all-weather use and a power adapter designed to use an external GFCI outlet. Running and securing the power cord along the outside walls of your home will require additional installation time, but a wired camera is $25 cheaper than a wireless one.

Roku’s battery-powered outdoor camera uses two 7.4-volt rechargeable batteries. However, while the camera itself uses battery power, you also need to purchase a base station, which is installed inside your home and requires a powered USB port or electrical outlet.

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Finally, Roku offers a floodlight camera that detects motion and illuminates the area with 2,600 lumens. This combination provides improved visibility with the camera and also deters potential burglars with the spotlights. However, this product uses external wiring to supply power, which limits your options in terms of placement.