geoDVR Gen3

The Ethernet ports can be used for our geoDVR RAC (Remote Access Control) software in case someone wants to control the geoDVR via a laptop instead of touchscreen monitor. It can also be used to quickly remove video and other data from the geoDVR with a laptop (Instead of using the removable hard drive or USB ports.) The geoDVR also now supports some Ethernet-based cameras.

The geoDVR records .AVI files (H.264 codec) with permanently embedded GPS data and .MP4 files (H.264 codec). With the optional geoDVR Module for Target Location & MISB FMV and a compatible gimbal, the geoDVR can also record MISB compliant Full Motion Video as .TS files.

The geoDVR SSDs have a special faceplate and actually have to be specially formated by Remote GeoSystems for the geoDVR. If you need extra drives let us know and we can include in your quote.

The USB ports are used for things like the Remote Start-Stop & Waypoint Trigger, USB connection to a touch screen monitor, connecting a keyboard and mouse for when setting up and configuring the geoDVR. Some customers also use the USB to move the still photos from a gimbal camera and put them on the geoDVR SSD.

The nice thing about the geoDVR is it does the video multiplexing at the geoDVR firmware/software level so you can use almost any monitors and the operator can arrange their video feeds and map panels however they like.

We have seen clients have good luck with industrial options in the $500 – $2500 range. Given the value, many clients will go that way, unless it is a law enforcement or military aircraft.

Some of the advantages to going MIL-STD spec is extra durability and serviceability and extra features like night vision and programmable buttons and Dzus mounting. Most commercial/consumer monitors when they break, they are done, but again the value can often justify that.

We offer some 13.3 inch industrial monitors for around $500 USD and are also offering the mil-spec Viewpoint Systems displays (and others based on client request) and we are happy to help you select anything in between.

The voltage input for the geoDVR Gen3 is variable and can be between 9V-32V DC. The average power consumption should be between 25 – 35 Watts depending on what additional optional modules are enabled on the unit. The max/peak power consumption is approximately 65 Watts.

The geoDVR Gen3 is usually shipped setup to start on ignition (basically, when the IGN input gets voltage (between 9-32V) for more than a couple of seconds, the geoDVR powers on). The common way most customers wire this is to put a on/off switch between the positive terminal and IGN terminal. This way, once the switch is turned on, the geoDVR will start.

IMPORTANT: If using the wall power adapter for testing do not use 220V (European, other standard for AC) directly – it will fry the unit. You will need a 110V converter. Once converted down to 110V AC, the power supplies we provided will then convert the voltages to do 12V DC which is the voltage the geoDVR requires.

You will need a 24 volt to 12 volt step down converter. These can be found on Amazon and at many electronics parts suppliers.

The geoDVR Gen2/3 hardware has proven to be one of the most reliable commercial geospatial video recorders available and when properly configured and powered should provide you with dependable recording for years to come. However, the geoDVR does offer several ways to insure it is successfully recording video during flight (or not):

With a Monitor Connected

If using a monitor connected to the geoDVR there is a status indicator bar at the bottom of the primary geoDVR interface. In the status indicator bar is a section called “Is Recording.” These square icons indicate the recording status of each of the video channels going to the geoDVR:

With this capability the geoDVR is constantly checking to make sure fields are being written to the geoDVR in real time.

Also there is the System Output Status Panel. This panel displays a variety of system status such as the live status of the GPS connection, user actions and system errors (if encountered).

You can see an example of the geoDVR successfully recording 3 channels of geospatial video in flight in this video:

With Audio Connected

Using the communications systems adapter for aircraft audio, or even just a simple speaker or ear bud for the observer, the geoDVR will provide audio warnings when it detects video is not being recorded.

The geoDVR typically runs independently of the leak detection system. There are NO proprietary technology integrations or specialized post-processing services required! After the data collection step, the LDS operator and/or analysts simply import the data into our LineVision post-inspection reporting software for analysis and deliverable creation.

We can modify LineVision to support data directly from most LDS manufacturers. We have worked with data from the Boreal Laser and Pergam LDS systems can usually add support for most other systems as well. Please let us know if you have some other specific direct integration requirements, it’s likely our professional service team could help devise a solution.

The amount of video you can record depends on the bitrate of the video. This can vary depending on many factors:

• Scenery (A complex scene of a city with many different colors can be compressed less than a pure blue sky for example)
• Encoding quality (default is ‘High’ on the geoDVR)
• Resolution, Framerate, and Color Depth
• Number of channels you are recording
• Codec (geoDVR uses H.264)
• Camera Sensor/quality

For a single HD 1080P30 channel on ‘High’ quality setting (the default in geoDVR) using the bullet cams we include in our geoDVR kits, we estimate the bitrate to be around 15mbps – or 37 hours of footage for a 250GB drive. Keep in mind this figure can vary significantly depending on the specific footage you are recording. To get a more accurate figure, we recommend recording your own sample footage to calculate the average bitrate with and extrapolating from there.

This will really depend on what GPS device you choose to use with the geoDVR. The geoDVR Mini ships with a Garmin 18x receiver and the geoDVR Gen3 features an internal GPS receiver and with that you can probably expect around 3 meter accuracy. The geoDVR Mini can connect to most NMEA-compliant GPS devices so if you have a high-end survey grade GPS unit with differential correction you can use that. In airborne applications, when connected to a compatible gimbal camera with the correct metadata parameters, the geoDVR Mini also can geotag where the camera is looking at the ground with great accuracy to display the “camera target footprint” on the map, or CTF as we call it.