Most homeowners don’t need any high-tech, super open outdoor security cameras with facial recognition, especially the ones you need to plug in the socket. Roku is a brand known for its cheap streaming devices, which plans to release a 1080p outdoor camera that claims to cost up to two years. Still, like all Roku devices, the hidden price is how much privacy you are willing to give up in the name of cheap technology.
The $40 Roku battery camera and the $60 Roku battery camera are combined with a new addition to the Cheapo streaming brand’s smart camera lineup, which was first launched in 2022. While the Roku outdoor wired camera also offers 1080p streaming, the new battery camera should last six months, while the plus sign doesn’t need to pay for what is coming close to two years. The short stature, large battery, and low price make Roku’s outdoor camera very attractive. It includes WiFi 6 connectivity, but its range will depend on the quality of your WiFi signal. There is no release date yet, and Roku says this is considering the summer version.
Of course, full battery life depends on how often the camera activated by the motion sensor is triggered. Either way, charging it just requires you to unscrew it from the base and plug it into a USB-C cable. Otherwise, it’s a very basic device, which is good for it. It includes basic motion sensing to detect people or animals traversing in its field of view, but lacks facial recognition capabilities found on devices such as ring doorbells and other high-end outdoor security cameras.
Battery camera and battery camera plus the TV’s Roku camera app and the Roku Smart Home app on your phone. This will enable you to remotely monitor camera feeds, or find any updates printed on the lawn by any incoming mailers or rogue deer on the device. Even if you can back up your videos to a microSD card, the app defaults to cloud storage. The company’s privacy policy clearly states: “Roku collects and can review (for example, for content audit purposes), including any files you choose to upload or make the Roku service accessible, including photos, videos or audio files.” This is a potential issue considering the lingering privacy issues surrounding outdoor smart cameras.
Despite the lack of facial recognition, it is still possible that police officers seek to access the video through Roku. In an emergency, police can request cloud videotapes. We contacted Roku for any policy regarding the provision of data to the police upon request, but we did not hear it immediately. We will update this article as we learn more.
Roku Reps also told Gizmodo that outdoor cameras are currently incompatible, but when the substance fully supports smart security cameras, it may connect to other applications.
Roku announced some other new products on Wednesday, including that it is working with an external OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) that enables Roku’s projectors. This may mean you no longer need to attach the streamer to the projector or operate two separate remotes. There is no news about when these projectors will arrive, but at least there are brand new super-surplus stream bars available.
The new Roku Streaming Sticks include a $30 entry-level streaming for HD poles, as well as $40 streaming sticks and 4K content. The box comes with a dongle, plus a Roku Voice remote, although it lacks HDR support for the $50 Roku Streaming Stick 4K or the $100 Roku Ultra. The streaming plus basically replaces the Roku Express 4K, the company’s previous smaller suit top box.
The company claims these new streamers should be power efficient enough that the vast majority of TVs should provide enough juice through the USB-A port. Again, it all seems relatively firm, but – to watch all the shows you will have to entertain Roku’s data collection practices and possibly more compelling ads.
