Using your smart home devices

[oldballs]

Am I required to subscribe just to use a **bleep** camera?

[RokuMary-F · Accepted solution]

Hi @oldballs,

Thanks for the inquiry.

You can find more information about Roku Smart Home subscription costs on our Support page here: Roku Smart Home Subscription

In addition, you can also see the pricing when accessing your Roku account through Manage your subscriptions.

For Roku cameras and video doorbells, you don't need a Roku Smart Home Subscription to use the basic functions of your devices, but if you’d like to unlock advanced features, you will need a subscription. Many customers find the Cloud recording to be a huge benefit of the subscription. That way, if you can’t get to a motion or sound notification right away, you can still see exactly what happened for up to 14 days. You can also filter events by type, which allows you to see only the events you care about—like package deliveries—and not ones you don’t—like a car turning around in your driveway.

The Roku Smart Home Subscription gives you access to premium features such as:

• Every move — recorded: your Roku camera or doorbell starts recording the moment it detects motion or sound and stores it in the cloud for up to 14 days
• Smart detection: customize alerts for people, packages, pets, or cars — so you only get the notifications you want
• Package identification: get a notification when your camera detects a package and see the image right on your smartphone’s lock screen

Purchase a Roku Smart Home Subscription at any time during the free trial period to continue getting premium service benefits without disruption. You can also subscribe any time after the free trial ends. If you don't subscribe, you can use your cameras or doorbells with the free features:

• Live streaming, no cloud recording
• Basic motion and sound detection, no filtering for people, package deliveries, and more
• Push notifications
• 5-minute cool-down period between event alerts

I hope you'll find this helpful. Let us know in case you've still got any questions.


Best regards,
Mary

[K8R]

what is a 5 min cool down period between events? what if I dont want that? Do I still get motion detection without the subscription? Does the app look the same?

[renojim]

The cool down is how much time must pass before you get another notification, so if there's constant motion you won't get a slew of notifications for what's really just one event.  It can be set in one minute increments from 1 to 5 minutes.

The app doesn't change without a subscription and I think you still get notifications, but no video is recorded, just a still image.  The Roku documentation could be clearer on what you lose without a subscription and I need to play with my cameras more.  I'm just trying to give a little help until someone more knowledgeable or with more experience comes along.

[Happyeggfarm]

Is the 5 minute cool down period between event a forced option if no subscription is purchased? Or can that be turned off?

[renojim]

@Happyeggfarm, the cooldown period can be set to 1, 3, or 5 minutes.  I don't think it matters if you have a subscription or not.

[eugene57]

Yes!  lol  What Roku calls advanced features is "Viewing" the videos your camera recorded.

So, you bought the $100 video camera so you could record and watch the security videos, only  to find you wasted your money because you can't watch your videos without paying Roku an extra  monthly fee.

Roku should be honest about this up front,  but then, who would buy their cameras if they knew they could not watch the cameras recorded videos without paying ransome.

[eugene57]

Yes!  lol  What Roku calls advanced features is "Viewing" the videos your camera recorded.  So, you bought the $100 video camera so you could record and watch the security videos, only  to find you wasted your money because you can't watch your videos without paying Roku an extra  monthly fee.  Roku should be honest about this up front,  but then, who would buy their cameras if they knew they could not watch the cameras recorded videos without paying ransome.

[renojim]

@eugene57, it's worse than that.  Without a subscription you get no videos, only still images.  And that's whether you have a memory card installed or not.

[johnmcfarlandaz]

Not seeing still images for motion and sound events when I click on "Events" on my home screen. Aren't they supposed to be included without a subscription?