Rogo's Managed Video Offering Examined

•Published Jun 15, 2010 00:00 AM

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This update examines a managed video offering from a US company, Rogo [link no longer available]. Their technical and market approach is different from many of the options we examined in our VSaaS competitive comparison.

Rogo loads software on a PC on-site. This software connects to local cameras (primarily USB cameras) and stores video at the house/business. The software then 'phones home' to Rogo's cloud service, allowing for users to remotely connect to their cameras/video without any networking setup (port forwarding, DDNS, etc.)

However, this does require an on-site PC be setup and powered on whenever one wants recording (and presumably if this is for security, that means 24/7/365).

Rogo sells through partners who can white label the service, direct from their main website and through a site dedicated to pet monitoring [link no longer available].

Rogo is emphasizing partnerships with MSOs and cites its first MSO partner as Hargray's MySight offering.

Pricing

Re-sellers may set their own pricing and feature segmentation. Rogo reports a range of pricing from $10 - $30 per month for as many cameras as one has.

Rogo's direct service charges $19.95 per month per site for as many cameras as one has.

Competitive Analysis

For a small number of cameras, USB cams can be an attractive option. Even HD USB cameras are very cheap (720p HD webcam is about $55 online). With active extension cables, moderate distances (theoretically up to 80 feet) can be achived (16 feet active extension cables are about $22 each).

The two main barriers we see are:

Total number of cameras supported will be limited based on using an existing PC, constraining larger applications (which seems out of focus for the company anyway).
Monthly price: given that the system requires a PC on-site, we think $20 per month will be hard to justify especially as competitive offerings expand. While the system provides easier remote access, installing webcam software and enabling port forwarding/DDNS would provide similar benefits. For the yearly total cost of $240, it might be easier to simply pay a tech to enable remote access. $20 per year, rather than per-month, strikes us as a price level more likely to generate broad uptake.