Roku launches its $99 home security system

By Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, a smart home reviewer who's been testing connected gadgets since 2013. Previously a writer for Wirecutter, Wired, and BBC Science Focus.

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Roku is expanding its smart home lineup and adding a smart security system, a solar panel to power its outdoor camera, and a multicolored LED strip light to its offerings. The move comes after initially jumping into the smart home game last October with the launch of a slew of gadgets, including security cameras, a video doorbell, smart plugs, and smart bulbs.

The new expandable $99 Roku Home Monitoring System SE includes a keypad, a hub with a siren, a motion sensor, and two door / window sensors. You can install and monitor the security system yourself using the Roku Smart Home app, or you can sign up for 24/7 professional monitoring through Noonlight ($9.99 a month or $99.99 a year). Roku is offering 50 percent off for the first year if you sign up for the annual plan — getting you a monitored security system for $150.

That's an even better deal than Wyze's Home Monitoring kit, which is $99 with three months of monitoring for free; a total of $170 for the first year. Roku developed the system in partnership with Wyze and — as with all of Roku's smart home products — the Home Monitoring System SE is a slightly rebranded Wyze system. However, despite the shared DNA, Wyze products do not work with Roku devices.

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If you were trying to decide between the two, Roku has one big advantage: that giant screen in your living room. Roku has integrated its security system with a Roku player or Roku TV, so it can send alerts to the TV when a sensor is triggered and display an alarm countdown when you arm it.

The company is also beefing up its camera integration, adding event history to its smart TV Roku Cameras app. Now, in addition to viewing livestreams from any connected cameras and doorbells, you can also see recorded events.

The app will automatically download recordings to the TV for you to view in the "Events" tab. You need to sign up for Roku's Smart Home Subscription ($3.99 a month per camera or $9.99 for multiple) for this function. Wyze offers a similar livestream-only option for its cameras on Google Chromecast TVs and Amazon Fire TVs but not on Roku.

A new Roku Solar Panel for keeping the battery-powered Roku Outdoor Camera SE charged is coming in June for $24.99.

Roku Voice control integration via the Roku remote or Smart Home app now lets you control Roku lights and smart plugs, as well as the existing ability to call up a live camera feed on your Roku-powered TV screen. The new integrations are rolling out over the next few weeks.

The voice integration also allows for color control — which will come in handy if you pick up Roku's new Roku Smart Light Strip Plus SE. The light strip can display up to 16 different colors at once along its individual foot-long sections and a single color along the entire strip. It's available in two lengths: 16.4 feet and 32.8 feet for $34.99 and $49.99.

Correction, Wednesday, May 10, 5PM: A previous version of this article stated that the voice control integration via the Roku remote and app worked with Alexa and Google Assistant. It does not, it works through Roku Voice. Roku smart home devices can also be controlled by Alexa and Google Assistant through compatible speakers. We regret the error.

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