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Direct-to-DVD-Video is the Ultimate Digital Solution
WatchGuard Video has developed a state-of-the-art "Direct-to-DVD-Video" in-car video system that records directly onto re-writable DVD-Video discs that play in regular DVD players. This solution type (Direct) is equally well suited for both large and small agencies, and since there is no infrastructure or backend investment, it can be slowly phased in over time along side of existing VHS systems.
The Best and Only Practical Solution for Large Agencies and State Patrols
The Direct approach works great for all types of agencies, but it is particularly attractive for large agencies and State Patrols since these agencies cover large areas, with multiple locations and most officers are issued take-home vehicles. For large and distributed agencies it is extremely expensive and ultimately impractical to implement a Server-Based in-car video system. Recording directly to a DVD-Video disc that will play in standard DVD players is the fastest, safest, most efficient and cost effective process for creating, managing, sharing and presenting digital video evidence.
The Most Significant New Product
The WatchGuard DV-1 required nearly 60 man-years of high-level engineering to fully develop. The scope of the DV-1 product development program well exceeded the development effort of any other product in the police in-car video industry. No company in this industry has committed more to research and development than WatchGuard Video. With 7 patents pending, the WatchGuard DV-1 represents the most advanced technology in the industry.
This Direct-to-DVD-Video system is revolutionary because it overcomes the weakness of VHS systems without introducing the complexity and problems associated with server-based video systems. The DV-1 records directly to the media that can be presented in court which eliminates all of the transfer and conversion steps required in all server based systems.
Recording to DVD-Video is also much superior to the DVD-RAM approach because the DVD-Video disc plays on regular DVD players; whereas a DVD-RAM disc will require a PC for playback plus a special (and expensive) drive that reads the special DVD-RAM cartridge media.
The DV-1 includes an integrated wide temperature hard drive and a DVD burner. This redundant drive architecture provides the most robust design and reliable recording process. The system continuously records to the hard drive whenever the system is on, and only triggered events are burned to the DVD. The events (traffic stops) are automatically divided into selectable chapters with thumbnail images and time/date stamps that are organized on a DVD Startup Menu similar to a Hollywood movie.
The DV-1 is unique because it is not based around a large, cumbersome personal computer running a commercial operating system. It is a ground-up application specific design created exclusively for recording DVD-Video in a police car, without the inherent compromises of a PC based product. This compact system is small enough to be housed in a single, overhead mounted enclosure that fits completely above the rearview mirror.
Sweeping the Nation's State Patrols
Since beginning full production in late 2005, WatchGuard has secured orders and/or contracts from Texas DPS, North Carolina Highway Patrol, Colorado Highway Patrol, Oklahoma DPS, Louisiana, Virginia State Patrol, Rhode Island State Police, West Virginia, and most recently, the Illinois State Police. There are currently another dozen additional state police agencies evaluating the WatchGuard DV-1, most of which are expecting to award contracts to WatchGuard in the next few quarters. Very few state police agencies have awarded state contracts for digital in-car video to any company other than WatchGuard Video.
The Fastest Growing Company
The WatchGuard DV-1 has become the number one selling digital in-car video system due to the outstanding combination of product technology, quality, price and service. This has made WatchGuard Video the fastest growing in-car video company in the industry and the Company has hired about 50 additional people in the last year alone. Manufacturing is done at the company's two modern facilities in Plano, TX totaling 52,000 square feet.
The Direct Approach is Usually Best
There are really only two types of modern digital video solutions available; Server-Based and Direct-to-DVD-Video. Don't be fooled by companies that offer products that use temporary media (flash or removable hard drives), but claim no server is required or just under play the requirements of a full back-end server infrastructure. The other common deception is claiming that server products can "export to DVD" without explaining that the DVD will not play on DVD players without going through a slow and processor intensive DVD-Video authoring program that will completely change the data, making it non-original.
When selecting a new digital in-car video system, agencies will need to closely compare the offerings, while paying particular attention to the realities of long term data storage along with the efforts required to duplicate, share and present digital video evidence. After every aspect is compared, most agencies are concluding that WatchGuard's Direct-to-DVD-Video approach is best.
WatchGuard DV-1 Key Features and Technology
Recording Format
- Records directly to re-writable DVD+RW media authored real-time in the DVD-Video format
Playback Profile
- DVDs play on regular DVD players
- Each event is automatically divided as a chapter with a thumbnail image and time/date stamp
- Chapters are automatically displayed on the DVD startup menu
- Metadata (time, date, officer, lights, triggers, etc.) displayed as closed captioning
- Metadata can be turned on or off during playback (no video is permanently obscured)
- Recording modes for 2, 4, 6, & 8 hours of video per disc
Product Configuration
- Single overhead enclosure, fits on the ceiling above the rearview mirror
- Modular (2-Piece) version available for vehicles that cannot accommodate overhead equipment
Industry Leading Features
- Easy to use graphical user interface
- Up to 10 minutes of Pre-Event and Post-Event recording
- In-car hard drive video review with simultaneous record and playback
- Extensive Supervisor Controls
- Records beyond the DVD disc capacity by automatically buffering overflow video to hard drive
- Automatic backup on the hard drive for the last 6 DVDs
- Manage and auto-populate names and settings by CD using the WatchGuard configuration program
- Separate volume controls for cabin and wireless microphones during playback
- Complete system upgrades by software CD are provided for Free for the life of the product
Dual Camera System
- Front zoom camera is Sony EX-View chipset with 22X optical and 12X digital zoom (264X total)
- Best night performance and anti-blooming technology available
- Programmable auto zoom setting
- Built-in high-resolution backseat color camera
- Built-in infrared backseat illumination
Digital Wireless Microphone System
- 2.4 GHz Digital Spread Spectrum
- 40 Dynamically selected digital channels avoids interference
- Unique activation codes eliminate cross activation
- Extremely small Beltpack unit is 1/3 of the size of previous systems
- In-car charging / synchronization base
High End Hardware
- Welded aluminum military spec enclosure
- High performance 5 inch LCD display
- Elastomer rubber tactile feedback control panel
- All controls and indicators have adjustable backlighting
- Built-in automotive spec hard drive
- Sophisticated DVD drive suspension system (developed from an F-15 fighter optical drive system)
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