WNTD School Bus Video System Photo Album

School Bus Camera WNTD50

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

Obviously the technician, who did these installs, was also a moonlighting MD, clearly evident by his or her (must be PC) extensive use of surgical tape. I just have to wonder if they were wearing gloves and masks to keep the installation sterile. Looks like medical malpractice on the patient, as these wires easily shorted in spite of the useless effort to protect them. Dr. Wiring must have missed the warning on the surgical tape case that this tape is not an insulator

School Bus Camera WNTD49

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

School Bus Camera WNTD48

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

And the Good Housekeeping Award Goes To...". Well we have cleaned up some wiring messes in the past and it is often quite amazing to see who these French/ Canadian companies might contract to do their installs, but this one takes the cake. Just because the radio has a 20 foot harness and the old video system had a 20 foot harness and the new video system has a 20 foot harness this does not mean you cannot neatly roll up the extra cable and tuck them inside the VCR lock box, this is hands down the words case of wiring we have ever seen and we have seen some bad wiring. Whether it involves school bus cameras, digital bus video cameras, vehicle camera, mobile video surveillance systems, digital in-car video camera, in-car camera, bus camera surveillance it is always best to invest in 100% Solid State digital like the SD4m or SD4 series.

School Bus Camera WNTD47

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

School Bus Camera WNTD46

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

First glimpse of the now unclassified Mail-Box-Cam. Yes, this is the only school bus video system that incorporates a box that is approved by the U.S. Postmaster General. Amazing as it seems this system was likely advertised as the high-tech system of the past. The only system that I believe has made more of an impression on me than this Mail-box system was the rare "Barney-Lunch-box-Cam." To date I have seen only one and missed the opportunity to get a photo of it. It was a child lunch box with a hole cut out for the lens and suction cups on the back to hold it to the bulkhead of the bus.

School Bus Camera WNTD45

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

Mr. Dorsey with another obsolete bus video camera.

School Bus Camera WNTD44

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

Mr. Anthony Dorsey with a good photo of a tool-box bus video system. Dependable, hard working and often unappreciated performance from a proven source.........................................no I don't mean the camcorder I am referring to Mr. Dorsey.

For most applications of school bus cameras, digital bus video cameras, vehicle camera, mobile video surveillance systems, digital in-car video camera, in-car camera, bus camera surveillance the best value is 100% Solid State digital like the SD4m or SD4 series.

School Bus Camera WNTD43

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

School Bus Camera WNTD42

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

Mounting a very heavy school bus video or vehicle camera system DVR directly over the drivers hands on the steering wheel is a potential accident waiting to happen. At the very least increase the usual 4 screws used to mount the lock box to at least 16 mounting screws to insure they do not shake free, also where is the top half of the clamshell lock box on this school bus video or vehicle camera system? In this current configuration all that is holding the VCR in place is a small velcro strap. Whether it involves school bus cameras, digital bus video cameras, vehicle camera, mobile video surveillance systems, digital in-car video camera, in-car camera, bus camera surveillance it is always best to invest in 100% Solid State digital like the SD4m or SD4 series, small DVR mountable under dash where it will not present a hazard to driver or children..

School Bus Camera WNTD40

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

VCR Fried by installer use of a 20 Amp fuse in the 3 Amp holder.

School Bus Camera WNTD39

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

"Whoops they did it again". Another screw happy 3rd party contractor mess I was called in to clean up. As most 3rd party contractors are radio shops who really know so little about buses it is borderline dangerous, it is no shock to see them screw the lock box into any flat metal surface, such as the heater core under the dash. After being asked to check out their installs due to so many problems with it, we found multiple buses with this damage. In one case they apparently washed out the leakage so it would not be noticed. Of course it was noticed when the bus started pouring out coolant into the passenger compartment while transporting children.

This is the type of mess no bus mechanic would ever make as they know the bus and must maintain any thing they add to it, so they tend to think ahead.

School Bus Camera WNTD38

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

Some third party installers are not familiar with the location of components in a school bus like the Radiator. This makes it very easy to accidentally screw into a radiator core when mounting the DVR. Bus shop mechanics are the best choice for competent safety oriented installation of school bus video or vehicle camera systems.

School Bus Camera WNTD37

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

"Jack-In-The-Box"

The following are photos of camera in a box systems. These systems were "state of the art" and considered leading edge technology about 30 years ago.

When compared to the professional 2-piece systems with industrial & security technology the consumer grade camcorders seem to fall short is several areas:

* short warranty period

* short hardware life

* short recording time

* short on features

* short of parts when service is needed

Sure some of the outdated camcorder "jack-in-the-box" systems are about useless, but that is no reason to discard them and fill up valuable space in a county trash dump. With a little imagination, these goofy U.S. Postmaster approved camcorder boxes can be made useful once more. These would make wonderful birdhouses or small pet containers once the sharp edges are removed.

School Bus Camera WNTD36

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

Still another 3 Amp fuse with a 25 Amp fuse so they would not keep blowing the fuses. The 25 Amp fuse was enough to start an electrical fire.

School Bus Camera WNTD35

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

Another local contractors got frustrated by return calls for blown fuses to a recent installation, so they just replaced the 3 Amp fuse with a 25 Amp fuse so they would not keep blowing the fuses. The 25 Amp fuse was enough to start an electrical fire.

School Bus Camera WNTD34

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

School Bus Camera WNTD33

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

The mounting location of this camera blocks access to the fire extinguisher in the overhead compartment.

Whether it involves school bus cameras, digital bus video cameras, vehicle camera, mobile video surveillance systems, digital in-car video camera, in-car camera, bus camera surveillance it is always best to employ rounded cameras. In case a child's head impacts the camera it would be better than have a small bump on the head than a life threatening laceration from the 90 degree square edges of this system.

School Bus Camera WNTD32

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

With the power cable wires exposed anyone can cut them to completely disable the digital bus video cameras, vehicle camera, mobile video surveillance systems, digital in-car video camera, in-car camera, bus camera surveillance system.

Power cables and camera cables should be hidden when possible to prevent tampering and vandalism.

School Bus Camera WNTD31

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

In the above picture the 3-Amp fuse has been replaced with a 20-Amp fuse with dramatic results. The result was a complete destruction of the VCR at a replacement cost of $600. If the 3-Amp fuses do blow, you may try replacing the fuse with a 5-Amp fuse per the manufacturer's suggestion. Should that fuse blow, the VCR or cable has a short and needs to be sent in for service.

This damage happened to the VCR as soon as it powered up the first time. Did they replace it? Nope. They claimed that was not their job to the Transportation director of this fleet. Now they do not install in his fleet any longer.

School Bus Camera WNTD30

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:36:00 -0400

One of the local contractors got frustrated by return calls for blown fuses to a recent installation, so they just replaced the 3 Amp fuse with a 25 Amp fuse so they would not keep blowing the fuses. They were correct. The 25 Amp fuse was enough to start an electrical fire. Most digital bus video cameras, vehicle camera, mobile video surveillance systems, digital in-car video camera, in-car camera, bus camera surveillance systems require very low amperage fuses, it is dangerous to increase the fuse rating.