Perfect DVR

About 2 months ago, I described my vision of an “ideal DVR for a car” and even sent it to all leading Russian developers of such devices. He received the answer only from one, the others were silent. In order not to disappear to the good, but at the same time to give a topic for discussion (all of a sudden, it excites someone else besides me ?: o) I decided to publish the text of this document here.
I could not find a suitable topic, so let it hang in “I am promoting”, and there it is at the discretion of the moderators.

Prerequisites

DVRs are popular with car owners for obvious reasons. Disputes on the road, crime, the possibility of self-evidence in court, etc. The demand for these devices is constantly growing and there are currently dozens of models on the market. In the Yandex.Market catalog you can find more than 1,400 models. In this case, none of them can not be called "ideal."
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This is most likely due to the fact that the manufacturer seeks to reduce the price and loses quality, or provides a high-quality recording, but strange ergonomics. Anyway, I could not find a model in the whole list that would be praised by users, which cost according to the functions it contains and would be simple and reliable. Therefore, I decided to describe the “ideal” DVR that I would buy with pleasure myself and which could interest, I hope, a wide audience.

The focus should be on four key parameters:
- ergonomic design (the device must often be removed and put back and this should be done very simply and securely)
 - high-quality shooting (most users want to get “readable numbers” when shooting, including at night)
- convenient control (it is inconvenient to press buttons on the device hanging under the windshield)
- price-appropriate feature set

Why buy it?

The DVR has now become a major help in resolving issues related to accidents and traffic violations. Also, many car owners use it for "event chronicles" - recording incidents on the road. Originally an expensive device, it has now dropped significantly in price and has become popular with the mass consumer. At the same time, there are no devices on the market that combine acceptable recording quality, can connect to the Internet and have a good design and interface.

The proposed development can be the first such device and “blow up the market”, affecting the direction of development of this sector as a whole.

1. Summary of the proposal
This document formulates ideas for the development of the DVR, which differs from most commercially available devices in that it has an external (remote) control - a special radio unit with buttons for mounting on the steering wheel, as well as the ability to control using a smartphone. The remaining details of the proposal are essential only to ensure the proper quality of the instrument, but do not add anything fundamentally new to its design.

2. General characteristics of the device

The DVR is a device that records audio-visual information on the built-in memory or external media, with the ability to remotely control the recording using a smartphone.

Basic functions (basic model)
- 5 MPx front camera
- built-in microphone
- wireless remote control
- built-in speaker
- GPS-marking footage
- imposing of time, date and speed on record
- Motion Sensor
- WiFi / BT connection
- embedded web server
- display of device states (with backlight)
- software for iOS, Android and Windows Phone
- the adapter in the cigarette lighter (with a long cord), the adapter for connecting to the battery, adapter 220 W
- slot for SD cards

Extended functions (premium model)
- all of the above
- Salon Camera 1.3 MPx
- remote microphone for mounting at the driver's door
- additional wireless cameras
- gyro
- LCD display
- IR lighting salon
- GPRS-modem
- housing for an external hard disk with the ability to write to it via WiFi / BT (the disk itself is not included)

3. Software Features and Key Points

The mode of broadcasting to the Network allows you to transfer images from the geo-coordinate from the front camera of the device to the web server with a preset delay (2-5 minutes).

Viewing and managing records is possible using mobile phone software (data transmission via WiFi / BT).

Setting up the DVR is possible through a connection to a PC or via software for mobile phone.

It is possible to program the broadcast of the image from the camera via the Internet (photo / video modes) for organizing remote monitoring.

If the recorder is equipped with a GPRS modem, then it can serve as a wireless intra-access point.

Writing the DVR software using the Android operating system will allow in the future to complement the functionality of the device at the expense of third-party developments (for example, “voice warning of speed cameras” or traffic jams ahead of the route, etc.).

4. Distinctive features of the device

Currently, most recorders have an extremely inconvenient mounting system, which implies a rather flimsy hinge with a suction cup and short wires that do not allow the device to be aesthetically pleasing into the vehicle interior.

As a counterexample, you can bring an extremely simple and reliable fastening of the TomTom navigator, which holds the device very tightly, does not have a single “breakable” part and allows you to remove / put the device in one hand movement.



The presence of convenient fasteners can encourage consumers to choose a DVR. In addition, the shape of the device and the plastic from which the body will be made must be aesthetic, pleasant to the touch and hardy enough not to break from lying in the glove compartment, falling from a small height, etc.

For ease of mounting, you can use a hinge like the one shown in the diagram below. The user will need to insert the lens of the device into the hole so that the fastening hooks fit into the slots and slightly rotate it counterclockwise to fix the device. The spring in the front of the retainer will not allow him to arbitrarily jump out of the mount. For convenience, you can provide a variant of supplying power directly to the contact bus at the base so that no additional wires are required to be inserted into the device.

The mount itself is held on the windshield using a standard ball joint with a suction cup. The remote control is mounted on the steering wheel using a velcro strap:



Wireless remote control will significantly simplify the interaction of the driver with the device, because, being located at hand on the steering wheel, will allow you not to be distracted from driving, performing some actions with the DVR. Optionally issue voice messages about actions, for example, “recording is on”, “recording is stopped”, “file loading”, “photo saved”, etc.

Using the remote control it is possible:
- save a fragment of the record of the preset length in an indelible memory area
- take a photo from the front or salon camera in non-erasable memory
- two programmable buttons, for example, can cause the following actions:
Sending the last saved video to a web server to a predefined address
Send a photo to the pre-specified email address (s)
 sending SMS \ MMS-messages “I need help!” To a predefined subscriber with the inclusion of broadcasting images and sound to the Internet (with password access)
 enable / disable online broadcasting to the Network

The unpleasant property of the overwhelming number of devices on the market is the presence of a weak front camera. Most users complain in the reviews that the picture turns out to be muddy, license plates are not looking through, the poor quality of shooting at night, etc. That is, the new device should pay attention to the record, i.e. optics and matrix. This will certainly lead to a higher cost of construction, but can be a decisive factor for selection.

Having the ability to control the device through a smartphone application will allow you to get away from the primitive “built-in” interfaces and buttons on the device to understandable interfaces on the phone screen, which is much more convenient. And this is the third reason in favor of choosing the proposed DVR.

5. Online service for users

To connect the DVR with the control program in the smartphone, it is enough to enter a unique device code in the interface of the telephone program. At the same time, the user will be able to control his device in the range of the antennas embedded in it (up to 10-15 meters).

If the user wants to upload the captured videos to the web portal and control the device remotely (via the Internet), then you need to register on the portal and link your account with the identifier of your DVR.
Users registered on the online service are given a quota for downloading videos, photos and various privacy settings for downloaded content (“visibility” for other users, an indication of the location on the map).
The loaded content has a rubrication by tags, comments, etc.

For professional users (courier services, taxis, carriers) there are special paid accounts, under which dispatchers can:
See the location of vehicles with established registrars owned by the company on the map
See a picture from the front or salon camera
Get information about the speed of the vehicle
Receive various alerts from the driver using the programmable buttons on the device.

6. Use cases using the recorder

Blogger
Inclined to exhibitionism nature, an amateur "to post a photo on the Internet." The device will help to upload interesting frames and videos online immediately. For example, if a user has witnessed an accident or some other episode on the road, he will be able to cut the necessary fragment from the record using the “save episode” button, and add it using the built-in modem and the “download episode” button to the server without looking up from driving.

Paranoid
Fears for the car, wants to monitor something, etc. Remote monitoring of the environment will allow you to keep your finger on the pulse while being away from the vehicle with an installed recorder. Additionally, this solution can be useful to summer residents and in general to those who want to monitor some object remotely (if there is enough cellular network coverage at the monitoring site to transfer data).

Taxi or delivery service
Currently, there is a request from the owners of taxi companies in connection with the spread of attacks on drivers. To protect against this, many want to install DVRs both inside and outside the car's interior in order to have some kind of evidence in case of an emergency. The possibility of maintaining a database of customer photographs is also being discussed, so that the driver knows what a taxi driver looks like and would not confuse him. Additionally, the "panic button" and remote tracking of vehicles will help in case of danger.

7. Potential portal features

Since some registrars will constantly transmit the image to the Internet portal, you will be able to see the traffic situation not through the eyes of rare security cameras, but directly, directly “from the driver’s cab”.
Interesting fragments of records can give a picture of the day “on the roads” (all these “blood-guts-meat”) that the audience of the “Emergency” program likes.
Together, users will be able to identify violators of traffic rules by publishing fragments with such violations using a simple scheme:
- I saw a traffic violation
- clicked on the remote control “save fragment to permanent memory” (a predefined number of seconds of recording will be added to the fragment before pressing the “save” button)
- clicked “publish to the section“ traffic violation offenders ”with the help of an additional button on the remote control (or the main one is your choice)
With the assistance of the traffic police, you can identify fans to drive in oncoming traffic, roadsides, dividing lanes, turn out of the outer rows, etc. and impose fines on them / shame.

8. Sample stages of development and implementation

In fact, the elementary scheme of the device is implemented in one form or another in any modern smartphone. The difference is only in the firmware, a different package and the improved optics of the built-in camera. Unfortunately, a smartphone can replace the proposed device only partially, because it is impossible to ensure acceptable registration of events by the smartphone, because during the trip it is often necessary to call, check mail, etc. That is, rigidly fix the tube under the windshield and the drivers will not agree not to touch it before stopping the car. This chain of thought leads to the fact that the device needs to be made independent and specific. Currently, the development and implementation plan is seen as follows:

Hardware
Find, most likely, in China, a manufacturer who is ready to provide acceptable quality for reasonable money and that can increase capacity at the stage of mass production and produce a prototype. The stage includes steps “industrial design”, “design and engineering development”, “selection of materials”, etc.)

Device software
Find in Russia one or two or three programmers who can write software to manage such devices and develop it based on the Android operating system. The stage includes the steps of "programming", "interface design", etc.

Smartphone Software
Same as above, but with porting to the most popular smartphones.

Portal
Development of a portal for downloading videos from devices or integration into one of the existing ones.

Marketing
From the point of view of marketing, co-branding with one of the Big Three operators, Megafon as the most preferable, would be the most acceptable. It is possible to develop special tariff plans for devices, selling them under the brand of the operator, subsidized sales (by installments), etc.

9. Stepwise development with increased functionality.

To reduce the time for the production of a prototype and costs, you can use the tactics that were used by Apple. At the first stage, to release the simplest model, which, with excellent video capture quality, can send the captured video to the Internet. To do this, you need to modify only the optics on any "draft" DVR, and add to it the GPRS module. In fact, it is possible to make such a development on an elementary basis of any unnamed cell phone - it is equipped with everything necessary from a structural point of view. On the control panel there are only two buttons, the basic model is inexpensive and differs from the competitors in its thoughtful design, case materials and functionality (Internet connection).

The next step, if there is demand for the first model, can be the development of a variant with a four-button remote control and the functions described above (or part of them). And so on, incremental and with backward compatibility.

10. Investments

As a percentage of the current investment is seen in the following ratio:



The total cost of works before the stage of launching into mass production is estimated at $ 500,000. The assessment can be changed in one direction or another after conducting a detailed study of the cost of each of the blocks.

11. Estimated Market Volume

In 2011, according to analytical agencies, about 300,000 DVRs were sold in Russia. In 2012, this market will grow by two or even more than three times: its volume will be from 700 thousand to a million devices.
The proposed product is aimed primarily at the network audience, which is ready to spend about 10,000 rubles ($ 330) on a high-quality fashion gadget.
Evaluating total sales in 2013 of 1 million units, it can be assumed that, with proper quality and promotion efforts, it will be possible to sell about 1-3% of the total, i.e. about 10,000 devices, providing revenue of about $ 3 million.
The proposed device is unique in its quality on the market and therefore can be sold not only in Russia, but throughout the world.
The lack of analogues, the presence of the Internet community (see supplement with links) users will only increase sales.

“Professional users” (taxis, courier services, etc.) will also generate a certain income by paying access to the site. Estimating the cost of a monthly payment of 60 rubles for each car connected to the system, and the volume of legal taxis in Moscow is 10,000 cars, it can be assumed that coverage of only 10% of their services with the future service will help sell 1000 devices and bring $ 24,000 per year.

12. Prospective project team

For the development of the device will require:
- a group of designers who can develop electronic components
- industrial designer for body and shape design
- a group of software developers for devices
- development team for the site
- testers (it is possible to provide testing on the basis of voluntary participation)
- production group (device development control)
- sales and promotion group
- management

In total, the proposed team should work 10-15 people, who in 6-9 months will produce the first production sample for the end user.

Related Links

ru_chp.livejournal.com - the community of “eyewitnesses”, more than 9,500 participants
taxiescort.ru/articles/308 - taxi market overview (2010)
www.rg.ru/2012/05/14/video-site.html - overview video recorders market
www.sofal.ru/feed.php - custom production of electronics (one of hundreds of options)
goo.gl/NdNz5 - user reviews on commercially available models

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I am actually very interested in the opinion of the highly respected ALL on this topic. Well, at the same time it will be nice for me in a year or two to poke into this article and say, "Well, see, I told you that this should be done": o)