Rugged PC
At the heart of each in-vehicle video system is a rugged PC that must be capable of withstanding the high degree of shock and vibration transmitted through the chassis of the vehicle. The Temperature can vary depending upon season and location, dropping below 0°C and climbing over 60°C during the hotter weather. Solid state storage such as Solid State Drives or Industrial CompactFlash is often used to achieve a wider operating temperature range. The vehicle power system is unregulated and often has electrical noise, so you need to take additional precautions.

PoE Switch
A power over Ethernet switch distributes data between cameras and the central PC and removes the need to supply power to each of the cameras. Power over Ethernet reduces the cost and complexity of camera installation. Amplicon have recently released a unique Ethernet switch designed for PoE applications in the security market - the AES-208P.

Wireless LAN
A wireless LAN card added via an expansion slot in the rugged PC provides an automatic connection to the wired network when the vehicle returns to base. Using a WLAN card with an external connector allows the appropriate length of co-axial cable and antenna to be added. WPA encrypts the transferred data providing end to end security.

Software
The generic hardware platform described above requires software to transform it into a customised CCTV solution. System integrators may choose to develop their own software or off-the-shelf packages such as 'Milestone' can be installed, removing software development overhead and facilitating a shorter time to market of the complete in-vehicle video recording system. Being able to choose the right software for each application gives far more flexible than using a single type of portable / mobile DVR.

Amplicon can advise on all aspects of an in-vehicle surveillance solution. If you would like more information please call sales on 01273 570 220 or email security@amplicon.com