Anyone who has experience with Microsoft Operating Systems and PC software on their desktop or laptop is likely familiar with the business model of “Planned Obsolescence”.
It is extremely frustrating to experience problems, report those problems to the supplier of your systems, and have the systems provider then blame all problems on any item you did not source from them or the attempt to use older versions of their products with new components.
For an example of the more than 500,000 school buses in operation in the USA, there are likely about 100,000+ School Bus Video Camera equipped buses that already have CCTV cameras installed in the buses.
When those systems reach their end of service life, typically, they contact the supplier who sold them and request new DVRs to replace them, as the cameras typically last longer than the buses.
This is when you truly determine if your supplier is interested in providing the best value for your district or the fattest profit margin from your business.
Do not get me wrong, I admire Capitalism as the self-evident and time-proven economic system that has lifted more people out of poverty than any other economic system in the history of mankind.
I’m not a fan of what we have today in the USA, as much of this is Corny Capitalism, where senators are bribed to write business-restrictive legislation, then exempt those who bribe them for the exemption; this is corruption. Both parties should be held accountable, but I digress.
When a school bus camera system in your bus fails, it is more than likely that the DVR has reached the end of its service life, as cameras seem to last forever. It does not matter what application below is involved:
- School Bus Stop Arm Camera System
- Charter Contractor Student Transportation Camera system
- Special Needs Wheelchair Bus Camera system
- School Bus Seat Vandalism Camera
- Before & After Care School Child Day Care Pickup In-vehicle Shuttle Safety Cameras
- Head Start Pre-K Pre-School Nursery School Child Safety Bus Camera Recorder systems
- Alternative School & Juvenile Detention Bus Security Camera
- Transportation Ministry Youth Activities Church Bus Camera System
All of the above have the same components, and all will, over time, experience the failure of the DVRs as the electronic component with the shortest service life.
Other applications such as;
Yard Mule 5th Wheel King-Pin Spotter Camera systems
Industrial ForkLift Truck Telehandlers Camera systems
Agricultural equipment camera systems
Off-Road Heavy Equipment camera systems
Waste Management Collection Truck Cameras
Street Sweeper Camera systems
Crane Operator Camera systems
Boat Deck Safety Camera systems
Armored Vehicle VIP Transport Video Camera Systems
Cannabis Transport Vehicle Camera Recorder
These applications are more environmentally exposed where weather, dust, salt spray, and chemicals may harm the system components share some of the same service life generalities. In these more adverse applications, the cameras may be the component most exposed to the abuses of weather and the elements. Exterior cameras are weatherized to IP65 for high protection from moisture and dust. That does not protect them from the use of High-Pressure cleaning systems such as handheld spray wands where the pressure can be as high as 3,000 PSI which is capable of blowing water past the silicone or rubber “O” rings and inside the camera where the water and or cleaning chemicals will destroy the electronics.
The DVRs are the heart of the systems, and where most of the electronics are housed so in most cases, the DVR will be the components that are most likely to fail or wear out.
This explains why so many companies force their existing customers to purchase entire new systems when the DVR fails, so they can then profit from the additional sale of cameras that replace the fully functional cameras they already have installed in the school bus camera system in the first place. Many companies who deceive their customers with lies like “We make these products” have no problem likewise deceiving them to the fact they must replace all older cameras with the new cameras to work with the new DVR.
Some providers of cameras for school bus systems go further and add propriety connectors to all new technology DVRs to ensure when they sell them, they will not work with their previously sold cameras systems forcing their existing customers to buy new cameras each time they upgrade DVRs which are the most common component to fail.
Some providers of school bus surveillance camera systems use NNR DVR technology to ensure CCTV cameras sold for Analog or AHD systems cannot be used in their systems.
This is wasteful and contributes on a massive level to pollution for the primary reason that some salesmen can get a bigger commission check from the sale to an already existing customer.
The way to know if the company you are working with actually cares about offering your district the best value in school bus camera systems is to ask if they incorporate “AHD” (Analog High Definition) DVRs in their system.
The incorporation of AHD DVRs creates a sustainable solution that will permit the customer to use older existing cameras that are Analog or High Definition CCTV, so the customer can save as much as 1/2 the cost of the total system by not having to replace the functional cameras from the older system, which is the most time-consuming part of the installation, and just replace the DVR. Each new technology DVR will be able to use the same AHD cameras, saving funding now and well into the future.
Plus, it will save time and effort as the cameras do not need to be reinstalled, greatly reducing the carbon footprint of the system.
In addition, you will reduce air, land, and water pollution.
These solutions can provide considerable savings over the complete replacement of a system, including the removal of cameras that are still 100% functional.
Lastly, consider investing in higher quality and more durable products by moving from the conventional school bus camera video observation systems to an Industrial Grade Vehicle Camera System.
Industrial Grade Vehicle Video Camera Systems are designed and manufactured for extremely hostile environments, such as:
Forklift Industrial Truck Telehandlers Camera Recording Systems
5th Wheel Yard Mule King Pin Camera Recording Systems
Off-Road Mining Equipment Safety Video Camera Recorder Systems
Waste Recycling Management Collection Truck Cameras
Agricultural equipment camera systems
The advantage of having an Industrial Grade Vehicle Video Camera Recording system is they are waterproof, supports up to 2TB of 100% Solid State memory, and are much more durable than commercial-grade Cameras for School Buses.
Should you have any questions or concerns or require more information about Testudo Lifetime System Warranty Bus Camera Systems, various applications, or the Industrial Grade Charter Student Transportation Service Bus Cameras, we encourage you to let us know, and we will be happy to offer our 35+ years of market experience in sales and service of digital recording devices to respond to your concerns or questions.
