The Environment
"Waste not" is a principle tried and proven for conservation of all things worth having, so the sheer volume of discarded and useless cameras I often find at customer locations is not only an example of the wasted value and loss of capital for the customer but an unnecessary example of waste brought on by overspecialization of the cameras. This type of product waste is environmentally damaging and in most cases, the reason they are discarding the cameras is they have such specific applications parameters they are simply trashed when that specific application is no longer required because they are not suitable for general use or utility.
Some examples might help to illustrate my point: One of the largest distributors of CCTV surveillance systems has no less than 56 different cameras to cover many different specific applications, including bullet cameras, pinhole cameras, wedge cameras, box, dome, turret, mini, some with built-in audio, some with IR LEDs, some variable lens, some fixed, almost half of them with remote Pan Tilt Zoom features, and some are even explosion-proof!
Conservation Through Foresight
From a pragmatic and environmental viewpoint, it makes more sense to offer a small number of camera choices that are well suited to a large number of applications. In this way, the customer is not financing the manufacturer's attempt to overcome their low self-esteem about their much higher product pricing.
We have over 30 years of experience in selling and servicing the mobile digital recording industry. In the last 10 years, all vehicle camera surveillance customers were satisfied with one of 3 different camera models. Our customers do not suffer the same application-specific camera problems when they try to move them from one vehicle to another as they are well suited for general vehicle camera surveillance and the primary difference between them is related to the mounting requirements.
The only noticeable change we have made in the last decade to our cameras was changing the 6 or 8mm camera for front of school bus camera applications to a much wider angle 3.6 mm lens for greatly enhanced Field of View, as now, more than 1 camera is being installed with 2-3 cameras the norm for a school bus-sized vehicle.
Past customers have moved their general-purpose camera from bus to bus as they retire older buses, moved them into service trucks, some moved as shop video surveillance, and several customers now monitor their fuel island pumps with 15-year-old cameras sold to them more than a decade ago after they retired the bus they were originally purchased for. In the last year due to requests from taxi companies for smaller lower-cost cameras, we added a very small "Mini Camera" (MC) as an option for very small vehicles.
Analog CCTV (Standard D1 resolution) Camera Choices
PD Camera
Named as such due to widespread application in police cars for the recording of interior car activities. Very hi-resolution 700 TVL from the 1/3" Sony Super HAD CCD, with a very wide-angle 2.5 mm lens that provides an exceptional wide Field of view. The built-in audio is very clear and the light sensor automatically switches the camera from color in normal ambient light to Night Vision via IR LEDS in low light environments. The heavy-duty metal shell provides a much longer service life than the cheap plastic camera cases polluting the market.
BTC or Black Turret Camera
This camera is generically a dome camera with widespread application in school buses for recording interior bus activities while protecting the camera with a metal vandal-resistant shell. Vandal-resistant qualities include built-in microphone, metal shell or casing, metal shoulder, and metal base for a very durable camera. Steel adjustment set screws provided making it rock solid when locked down and much less likely to be bumped out of adjustment during hostile assaults by children or in some cases prisoners as we have offered this camera to several prisoner transport services with zero complaints or damage to date. Very hi-resolution 600 TVL from the 1/3" Sony Super HAD CCD, with a choice of 2 lenses for different applications in a vehicle: very wide angle 2.5 mm for the rear of a school bus or stairwell/driver camera offering an exceptional Field of View and 3.6mm for all other applications in a large vehicle like school bus front camera, school bus middle camera, transit bus or train. Built-in audio recording, with customer adjustable gain on the audio amplifier, light sensor automatically switches the camera from color in normal ambient light to Night Vision via IR LEDS in low light environments.
ExCAM Exterior Side & Rear Camera
ExCAM is a weatherproof IP67 rated vandal resistant‚ auto activating, an infrared camera that can easily adjust to point in almost any direction‚ without the need to disassemble the camera housing or worry about back reflection from the IR illuminators. It is the size and shape of a very small dome camera‚ but its versatile “turret” style system allows for faster installs and easier adjustments.
ExtCAM permits quick adaptation for Side vehicle cameras with horizon leveling for proper image view or conventional horizontal image for proper video playback from Side View camera applications.
High Definition 720P-AHD CCTV Camera Choices
PD-A Camera
Named as such due to widespread application in police cars for the recording of interior car activities. High Definition 1280x720 TVL 1MP with a very wide-angle 2.5 mm lens that provides an exceptional wide Field of view. The built-in audio is very clear and the light sensor automatically switches the camera from color in normal ambient light to Night Vision via IR LEDS in low light environments. The heavy-duty metal shell provides a much longer service life than the cheap plastic camera cases polluting the market. 10-Year Warranty Standard on all HD cameras.
CC-AF Ceiling Camera 170-degree Fisheye
Child Safety Ceiling Camera
Child Safety Ceiling Fisheye camera for use on the ceiling of a vehicle with polymer case with rounded edges and low profile stature that makes it less intrusive into the passenger compartment of a vehicle.
High Definition 1280x720 TVL 1MP with a very wide-angle 1.7 mm Fisheye lens that provides an exceptional wide 170-degree Field of View. The built-in audio is very clear and the light sensor automatically switches the camera from color in normal ambient light to Night Vision via IR LEDS in low light environments. Those who require vandal-resistant metal cases should choose the BTC-A cameras listed below. 10-Year Warranty Standard on all HD cameras.
BTC-A or Black Turret Camera
This camera is generically a dome camera with widespread application in school buses for recording interior bus activities while protecting the camera with a metal vandal-resistant shell. Vandal-resistant qualities include built-in microphone, metal shell or casing, metal shoulder, and metal base for a very durable camera. Steel adjustment set screws provided making it rock solid when locked down and much less likely to be bumped out of adjustment during hostile assaults by children or in some cases prisoners as we have offered this camera to several prisoner transport services with zero complaints or damage to date. High Definition 1280x720 TVL 1MP with a choice of 2 lenses for different applications in a vehicle: super-wide-angle 2.1 mm for the rear of a school bus or stairwell/driver camera offering an exceptional Field of View and 2.6mm for all other applications in a large vehicle like school bus front camera, school bus middle camera, transit bus or train. Built-in audio recording, with customer adjustable gain on the audio amplifier, light sensor automatically switches the camera from color in normal ambient light to Night Vision via IR LEDS in low light environments. 10-Year Warranty Standard on all HD cameras.
ExCAM-A Exterior Side & Rear Turret Camera
ExCAM-A is a weatherproof IP67 rated vandal resistant‚ auto activating, an infrared camera that can easily adjust to point in almost any direction‚ without the need to disassemble the camera housing or worry about back reflection from the IR illuminators. It is the size and shape of a very small dome camera‚ but its versatile “turret” style system allows for faster installs and easier adjustments.
ExCAM-A permits quick adaptation for Side vehicle cameras with horizon leveling for proper image view or conventional horizontal image for proper video playback from Side View camera applications. High Definition 1280x720 TVL 1MP camera has 2 lens options available, 2.8mm Super Wide and 12mm for license plate capture applications such as Stop Arm Camera. 10-Year Warranty Standard on all HD cameras.
Full HD1080p High Definition Camera Choices
BTC-AF Camera aka Black Turret Camera
This camera is generically a dome camera with widespread application in school buses for recording interior bus activities while protecting the camera with a metal vandal-resistant shell. Vandal-resistant qualities include a built-in microphone, metal shell or casing, metal shoulder and metal base for a very durable camera. Steel adjustment set screws provided making it rock solid when locked down and much less likely to be bumped out of adjustment during hostile assaults by children or in some cases prisoners as we have offered this camera to several prisoner transport services with zero complaints or damage to date. Full HD 1080p High Definition 1920x1080 2 Megapixel image quality with very wide-angle 2.8 mm lens for the front, rear of the school bus, stairwell, driver camera offering an exceptional Field of View for interior applications in a large vehicle like school bus front camera, school bus middle camera, transit bus or train. Built-in audio recording, with customer adjustable gain on the audio amplifier, light sensor automatically switches the camera from color in normal ambient light to Night Vision via IR LEDS in low light environments. 10-Year Warranty Standard on all HD cameras.
SAC-AF Camera aka Stop Arm Camera
This camera is for exterior applications where the customer is looking to capture images of vehicle license plates passing stopped buses in violation of Stop Arm laws regarding traffic behind or in front of school buses loading and unloading children with Stop Arm Stop Sign extended to stop traffic to help protect children entering and exiting the school bus.
Full HD 1080p High Definition 1920x1080 2 Megapixel image quality with very tight angle 12 mm lens offering an exceptional depth of field view for vehicles passing from the front or the rear. Best if used with dual camera solutions for one SAC-AF facing forward and one SAC-AF facing rear to capture the driver's face and rear vehicle license plate at the same time. The light sensor automatically switches the camera from color in normal ambient light to Night Vision via IR LEDS in low-light environments. 10-Year Warranty Standard on all HD cameras.
Free School Bus Stop Arm Violation Camera Upgrade for High Definition 1080p vehicle license plate citations.
Note: All 720P cameras can be used with the 1080P DVRs for specialty applications.
