Radio Engineering Industries Digital BUS-WATCH User manual

Radio Engineering Industries, Inc.
6534 L Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68117
402-339-2200
Digital
BUS-WATCH®
User Manual
Installation Manual
REC
HEATER
FUNCTION CONTROL
STOP
REW
PLAY
FF
MENU CONTROL
R
MENU
SEL
EXIT

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INTRODUCTION 4
SYSTEM OVERVIEW 4
FEATURES 5
System Components 5
Initial Set Up 5
Hard Drive Loading and Unloading 5
System Start-Up 6
Automatic Hard Drive Heater 6
Digital BUS-WATCH Security Cabinet 6
Long Term Storage 6
SYSTEM INSTALLATION 7
System Wiring 7
(Optional) BW Options Harness 8
Speedometer Harness 9
(Optional) BW Options Harness Wiring Instructions 10
On-Screen Information with (Optional) BW Options Harness 10
Physical Mounting Requirements 11
Digital BUS-WATCH® Hanging Mount (See Fig. 6) 12
Mount Conversion 13
Slide Bracket Modification (Figure 7) 13
Digital BUS-WATCH® Cabinet Modification (Figure 8) 13
Digital BUS-WATCH® Floor mount 14
Camera Placement 15
DIGITAL BUS-WATCH® BASIC OPERATION 16
FRONT PANEL 16
MENU SYSTEM 17
Main Menu Screen 18
Calibration Screen 19
Capture Image Screen 20
Set Options Screen 22

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Set Time/Date Screen 25
Set Timers Screen 26
Set Route ID Screen 27
System Info Screen 27
Screen Adjustment Screen 28
DIGITAL BUS-WATCH® CD-ROM 29
SPECIFICATIONS 30

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INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing the Digital BUS-WATCH® surveillance system by Radio
Engineering Industries, Inc. This manual is intended to provide the user with the
information required for proper installation, initial setup and explanation of the
individual programming options. If you have any questions, or need assistance,
please call:
SERVICE HOT LINE
USA & CANADA
1-877-726-4617 Toll Free
1-402-339-2200
SYSTEM OVERVIEW
Digital BUS-WATCH® is a superior surveillance system specifically designed for rugged
school bus applications. The system consists of an industrial grade Digital Video
Recording system encased in a tamperproof, lockable steel security cabinet and a
surveillance camera of sturdy steel housing. As an option, the Digital BUS-WATCH®
can monitor and record vehicle functions such as warning lamp operation, brake,
vehicle speed, and two user defined points. Figure 1 shows each component and a
typical hookup.
Figure 1

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Features
• On screen menu system for programming options.
• Hard drive heater to warm the hard drive to a safe operating temperature in
cold weather.
• Non-volatile ROM and battery backed-up memory.
• Ten 24-hr. programmable timers that are used to start and stop the recording
process without user (driver) intervention.
• Time and date are at the bottom of the picture so detail at the top of the picture
is not hidden.
• Electrically backward compatible with previous BUS-WATCH® models.
• Power used while Digital BUS-WATCH is in operation is 18 Watts.
• Audio and video jacks located on the front of Digital BUS-WATCH for easy
access.
• Cabinet may be mounted in a variety of orientations.
System Components
• Industrial grade digital video recorder.
• Hard Drive Module.
• Slide mount bracket (part of 700814).
• Low light CCD camera - 700552 (live) or 700553 (decoy).
• Camera to Digital BUS-WATCH cable - 510781.
• Digital BUS-WATCH cabinet power cable - 510880.
Initial Set Up
The Digital BUS-WATCH® system will operate without any user setup with the
default settings, however, it may not show the correct time and date. To set the
correct date and time and to program the system operation to your requirements,
please refer to the Menu section of this manual.
When accessing the Menu, it is necessary to connect a video monitor to the
Video jack on the front of unit. REI recommends our battery-powered 2.9-inch
LCD monitor, P/N 690193.
Hard Drive Loading and Unloading
Inserting the Hard Drive: Turn the hard drive key to the unlocked position. Gently
insert the hard drive into the bay. Turn the hard drive key to the locked position.
Removing the Hard Drive: Turn the hard drive key to the unlocked position.
Gently remove the hard drive from the bay.
Note: The Digital BUS-WATCH®will not function if the hard drive key is in the unlocked
position. If there is no hard drive present in the bay but the key is in the locked position,
the Digital BUS-WATCH®will still power up normally, the menus can be accessed, etc.;
however, the unit will not be able to record any video and the screen will read "DISK
ERROR."

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System Start-Up
To start the recording process, place the system switch in the ON position (this will
be done automatically if the system switch is connected to the ignition switch and
the ignition switch is in the ON position). Upon turning the system switch ON, the
Digital BUS-WATCH® will commence recording.
To stop the recording process, place the system switch in the OFF position. If the
OFF DELAY option is enabled, the Digital BUS-WATCH® will continue to record
for the prescribed number of minutes. When the off-delay expires, the camera and
Digital BUS-WATCH® shut off.
Automatic Hard Drive Heater
In order to prevent the possibility of hard-drive damage during cold periods, the
Digital BUS-WATCH® is equipped with a temperature sensor. The heater is
activated when the temperature at or below 40° F and the Digital BUS-WATCH®
is turned on via system switch or timer. This is indicated by the red LED labeled
HEATER on the front panel. The colder the temperature, the longer the heater
remains on, with a maximum of ten minutes at the coldest temperatures. During
this time all Digital BUS-WATCH® functions are inhibited and the camera remains
unpowered. When the unit has completed its heating cycle, it will power up and
operate normally.
Digital BUS-WATCH Security Cabinet
The Digital BUS-WATCH® security cabinet can be mounted in any orientation
under a seat, in a parcel rack, on the floor, to a wall, etc. It should not present a
trip hazard or head impact hazard, nor should it interfere with the seating, safety
or comfort of the passengers.
Long Term Storage
If the Digital BUS-WATCH® system is installed but not used for an extended
period of time (longer than 2 weeks) it is recommended that the main power toggle
on the front panel be set in the OFF position.

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System Installation
System Wiring
Note: All cables should be hidden from view.
For the basic system (shown in Fig. 2), there are two cables; power (510880) and
camera (510781). For additional vehicle monitoring, the BUS-WATCH® Options
harness (511617) is available.
Connect the camera using cable P/N 510781. There is no specific orientation for this
cable to be installed.
Connect power using cable P/N 510880. The black wire connects to the negative
terminal of the battery. The green wire (labeled 12V MEM) connects directly to the
positive terminal of the battery. The green wire should be fused at 4 A.
• IF THE SYSTEM OPERATES IN THE MANUAL RECORD MODE, connect the
red wire (labeled 12V SW), to the switched side of the ignition switch. The red
wire should be fused at 1 A. The red wire is disabled if the system is in TIMER
record mode.
Figure 2
Note: Green wire fused @ 4 A, Red wire fused @ 1 A
*Connect GREEN wire DIRECTLY
to the positive terminal of the
battery.
*Connect BLACK wire DIRECTLY
to the negative terminal of the
battery.
WARNING
REMOVE VEHICLE BATTERY VOLTAGE BEFORE INSTALLING
SYSTEM WIRING

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(Optional) BW Options Harness
FLASHER
FROM
FLASHER
FROM
FROM
FLASHER
FLASHER
FROM
FROM
FLASHER
PEDAL SWITCH
FROM BRAKE
Figure 3
The BUS-WATCH® Options Harness (shown in Fig. 3) connects to various locations
in the vehicle to provide on-screen information regarding vehicle performance.
The monitored points in the vehicle are:
• Vehicle speed
• Brake activation
• Amber warning lamp operation
• Red warning lamp operation
• Stop arm lamp operation
• Optional points with AUX 1 & AUX 2 (Aux 1 & Aux 2 are user-defined and
may be used to monitor points such as turn signals, rear and front doors, etc.)
When using this option, the Digital BUS-WATCH® “learns” the off state of each
monitored point. To properly set polarity, all monitored points must be in the off
position upon when the Digital BUS-WATCH® is switched on.
(Optional) BW Options Harness Mounting Instructions
Install the BUS-WATCH® Option Harness (see Fig. 4) into the security cabinet.
1. Remove the four mounting screws connecting the tower to the slide bracket.
2. Remove the four screws holding the connector box to the tower.
(Optional)
BW Options Harness

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3. Insert the BW Options Harness by snapping it into place.
4. Route the excess harness through the provided hole
5. Assemble the connector box back onto the tower. Observe proper alignment
of connector when inserting into box.
Figure 4
Speedometer Harness
The BUS-WATCH® speedometer input wires are designed to be spliced directly onto
the transmission speedometer transducer wires. In some installations, this may not be
possible (i.e. mechanical speedometer, transmission manufacturer warnings, etc.). The
BUS-WATCH® Vehicle Speed Sensor Kit (P/N 750086) may be required.
Refer to the vehicle service manual for speedometer type, exact wire
location, and transmission manufacturer warnin
g
s.

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(Optional) BW Options Harness Wiring Instructions
WIRE COLOR WIRE DESCRIPTION
(2) YELLOW RIGHT & LEFT YELLOW WARNING LAMP BANK
(2) RED RIGHT & LEFT RED WARNING LAMP BANK
BLUE STOP ARM LAMP
BROWN BRAKE PEDAL LAMP
WHITE AUX SIGNAL 1
VIOLET AUX SIGNAL 2
Yellow Warning Lamps
Connect the YELLOW wires to each of the Warning Lamp Flashers’ Yellow lamp
outputs.
Red Warning Lamps
Connect the RED wires to each of the Warning Lamp Flashers’ Red lamp outputs.
Stop Arm Lamps
Connect the BLUE wire to the switched side of the top stop arm lamp.
Brake Lamp
Connect the BROWN wire to the switched side of one brake lamp.
On-Screen Information with (Optional) BW Options Harness
The Digital BUS-WATCH® Surveillance system, when equipped with the BW Option
Harness, will display information on-screen when the vehicle’s monitored switches are
activated and signals are applied to the monitored sensors.
ACTIVE SWITCH OR SIGNAL ON-SCREEN DISPLAY
BRAKE APPLIED B
STOP ARM DEPLOYED S
LEFT YELLOW WARNING LAMPS ON
(SEE NOTE 1)
* Y
RIGHT YELLOW WARNING LAMPS ON
(SEE NOTE 1)
Y *
LEFT RED WARNING LAMPS ON
(SEE NOTE 1)
* R
RIGHT RED WARNING LAMPS ON
(SEE NOTE 1)
R *
SPEEDOMETER
(SEE NOTE 2)
XX
MPH
NOTES:
1. The “*” symbols will alternately appear on each side of the “Y” or “R” in concert with the active lamp
bank.
2. The XXs represent the vehicle speed (i.e. 35).

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Physical Mounting Requirements
There are two common ways to mount the
Digital BUS-WATCH®. First is the under-seat,
or hanging, method. This method mounts the
slide bracket to the underside of a seat.
Second is the floor-mount method. This method
mounts the Digital BUS-WATCH® to the floor
of the bus. Figure 5 shows the minimum area
for the system installation.
Figure 5

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Digital BUS-WATCH® Hanging Mount (See Fig. 6)
1. Find a suitable location under the first seat behind the driver or under
the drivers seat.
2. An area 15-1/2 inches should be unobstructed in front of the slide
bracket to allow sliding the security cabinet onto the slide bracket.
3. If necessary modify the positions of the tower, connector box, and
slide rails according to the instructions above.
4. Position the slide bracket on the frame of the seat in the desired
location. Drill 5/16th inch holes through the frame using the bracket as
a guide.
5. Attach slide bracket to seat frame using nuts and bolts.
Figure 6

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Mount Conversion
Slide Bracket Modification (Figure 7)
1. Remove tower from slide bracket using four cap screws.
2. Slide tower to other side of bracket.
3. Reattach tower to slide bracket using four cap screws.
4. Remove connector box from tower using four screws.
5. Rotate connector box such that the rubber grommet is on the outside
edge of the tower.
6. Reattach connector box to tower using four screws.
2
11
2
Figure 7
Digital BUS-WATCH® Cabinet Modification (Figure 8)
Reverse the placement of the slide rails with screws and washers from top to
bottom of the Digital BUS-WATCH®.
Figure 8

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Digital BUS-WATCH® Floor mount
Find a suitable location to mount the slide bracket on the floor. The Digital BUS-
WATCH should not present a trip hazard or head impact hazard and should not
interfere with the seating, safety, or comfort of the passengers.
1. An area 15 and 1/2 inches should be unobstructed in front of the slide bracket
to allow sliding the Digital BUS-WATCH® onto the bracket.
2. Position the slide bracket on the floor and drill four 3/16th inch holes into the
floor using the mounting holes as a guide.
3. Set aside the slide bracket. Position four rubber shock mounts over the pilot
holes.
4. Place the slide bracket over the rubber shock mounts. Align the mounting
holes to the center of the shock mounts.
5. Secure slide bracket to the floor using four lag bolts.
6. Carefully slide the cabinet onto the slide bracket being sure to check alignment
of the connector. Lock to secure.
Figure 9

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Camera Placement
The Digital BUS-WATCH® camera is mounted to the center of the front header panel,
unless this does not give a stable mount or it vibrates excessively.
Fig. 10

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Digital BUS-WATCH® Basic Operation
The Digital BUS-WATCH® functions somewhat like a VCR, except that the recorded
video is stored on the hard drive, rather than on a video tape. To view the recorded
video or to access the MENU functions, connect a monitor to the Digital BUS-WATCH®
using the front jacks labeled AUDIO and VIDEO. The end user supplies the monitor and
the cable to connect the monitor. The Digital BUS-WATCH has several modes of
operation.
SLEEP mode: In a mobile, battery-powered application, it is critical to minimize power
consumption to prevent draining the vehicle battery, therefore, whenever the unit is not
recording, it automatically enters SLEEP mode. In SLEEP mode, the unit's power
consumption is minimal. The red LED on the Power Switch on the front panel is off
when the unit is in SLEEP mode.
RECORD mode: While the unit is actively recording video, it is in RECORD mode. The
red LED on the Power Switch is on, and the green LED near the REC button is on. The
unit can be placed in RECORD mode in one of three ways: system switch,
programmable timer, and pressing the REC button.
PLAYBACK mode: While the unit is playing back recorded video, it is in PLAYBACK
mode. The red LED on the Power Switch is on. When the unit is PLAYBACK, the on-
screen display will read PLAY and either "(-" or "-)". This indicates the direction the
video is playing, forward or backward. The direction can be switched by the FF or REW
buttons.
MENU mode: The MENU mode can be activated any time the Power Switch is turned
on by pressing the MENU button. In the MENU mode, the unit's settings and options
can be accessed. The MENU mode operations are described below. If the unit is
RECORDING, it records all MENU operations.
MONITOR mode: When the Digital BUS-WATCH is active, but not in RECORD,
MENU, or PLAYBACK mode, it is in MONITOR mode. The live video from the VIDEO
input is displayed on the monitor.
Front Panel
The user controls the functions of the Digital BUS-WATCH with the buttons on the front
panel. (See Figure 11)

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Figure 11
Controls:
• MENU - Brings up the System Control menu.
• EXIT - Exits the current menu or function.
• SEL - Selects the current menu setting. Functions much like an
ENTER key. If the unit is in SLEEP mode, pressing this button causes
it to wake up and enter RECORD mode. If the SYSTEM SWITCH is
off, pressing this button again puts the unit back into SLEEP mode.
• Directional Arrows - These buttons are used to navigate the menus.
• PLAY - Plays back recorded video. Begins playback at the last recorded
image.
• REC - Starts recording. Recording is indicated a green LED near this button.
• STOP - If the unit is recording, this button stops the recording. If the unit is
playing, this button acts as a PAUSE. Pressing this button while PAUSED
stops all playback and puts the unit in Monitor Mode.
• FF - If the unit is playing, this button FAST FORWARD SCANS through the
recorded video. Pressing this button several times increases the scanning
speed.
• REW - If the unit is playing, this button REWIND SCANS through the
recorded video. Pressing this button several times increases the scanning
speed.
Menu System
The menu system allows the user to set and save the system operating parameters.

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Connect a monitor to the Digital BUS-WATCH® using the front jacks labeled AUDIO
and VIDEO. To activate the menu system, press the MENU button. The first screen that
appears is the Main Menu.
Main Menu Screen
The Main Menu Screen has several different options used to configure the system's
operating parameters. Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the desired line and
press SEL to execute the desired command.
Figure 12
CALIBRATION
Allows the user to calibrate the speedometer and voltmeter functions.
CAPTURE IMAGE
Used when downloading digital images to a PC via the serial port.
SET OPTIONS
Where the user configures many of the system's operating parameters, such as
recording options, on-screen display options, off-delay, and others.
SET TIME/DATE
Used to set the system's time and date.
SET TIMERS
Used to set up the ten different recording timers.
SET ROUTE ID
Used to program this specific unit's Route ID # or description.
SYSTEM INFO
This screen displays the several parameters than can be used in troubleshooting.
SCREEN ADJUSTMENT
Allows the user to adjust the appearance and position of the on-screen display.

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Calibration Screen
This submenu screen has two different options, Speedometer Calibration, and Voltage
Calibration.
Note: To use these functions, you must have the DISPLAY OPTIONS set to display the
Speedometer and/or the Voltage.
SPEEDOMETER CALIBRATION
Because speedometers can vary greatly among bus manufacturers, the Digital
BUS-WATCH® has the ability to calibrate its own speedometer to that of the bus.
Follow this procedure to calibrate the speedometer:
• Drive the bus at a known and constant speed, such as 30 mph.
• Bring up the Speedometer Calibration Screen. The screen will display what the
Digital BUS-WATCH® system perceives as the vehicle's speed.
• Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to adjust the displayed speed to match that
the vehicle's speedometer. This might require many keypresses.
• When the speeds match, press EXIT to save the calibration and return to the
previous menu. The displayed speed will now match that of the vehicle.
Figure 13
VOLTAGE CALIBRATION
It is sometimes useful, mainly for troubleshooting purposes, for the Digital BUS-
WATCH® to record the voltage on the power system of a bus. The unit has a
voltage sensor that can record the current voltage supplied to the unit by the bus.
However, the wiring systems of buses often vary greatly among manufacturers, so
the Digital BUS-WATCH® has the ability to calibrate its own voltmeter. Follow this
procedure to calibrate the voltmeter:
• Use a handheld voltage meter to sense the voltage supplied to the power inputs
of the Digital BUS-WATCH®.
• Bring up the Voltage Calibration Screen. The screen will display what the Digital
BUS-WATCH system perceives as the voltage supplied.

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• Use the UP and DOWN arrow keys to adjust the displayed speed to match that
the hand-held voltmeter. This might require many keypresses.
• When the voltages match, press EXIT to save the calibration and return to the
previous menu.
Capture Image Screen
This submenu screen is used when you wish to download a still image to a PC via the
serial port.
Note: As with all MENU functions, you must have a video monitor connected to the
VIDEO OUT jack on the Digital BUS-WATCH. Live video images cannot be transferred
directly to PC through the serial cable.
Figure 14
The procedure to download an image from the Digital BUS-WATCH® is as follows.
• Connect the serial cable from the PC to the jack on the front of the Digital BUS-
WATCH®.
• On the PC, open and run the REI Viewer software. (The software must be
installed in advance.) The PC is now waiting to download an image.
• Press MENU to bring up the Main Menu.
• Select CAPTURE IMAGE.
• Select DOWNLOAD IMAGE NOW. The video switches from the MENU to the
current PLAYBACK image. Control of the PLAYBACK is now shared between the
unit's front panel and your PC.
• On the PC, right-click in the REI Viewer window. This brings up a function menu.
See Figure 15.