Mobile DVRs

	MDVR 400K from Comart System is an MPEG-4 4ch mobile DVR that features 160GB HDD and 4G shock protection.

Durability, reliability and anti-vibration features remain the core strengths of South Korea-made models.

As standalone DVR markets become saturated and price competition heats up, South Korea mobile DVR makers are introducing new features and providing special add-on services to stay competitive.

South Korea-made mobile DVRs are well known for their durability, reliability and anti-vibration features. Makers are complementing these core strengths with user education, novel features and more durable packaging or housing to differentiate their offerings. While flash memory is being touted as a more stable alternative to HDD, makers still consider the latter the most cost-efficient storage medium to date. Greater durability is the top product development priority of interviewed makers, given the rough environments in which mobile DVRs operate. They also regard wireless functions as the most important product trend this year.

Still in its infancy, the region’s mobile DVR industry is attracting many new entrants, prompting forecasts of lower prices in 2008.

	Model CDR-1000, Camos’ first mobile DVR, boasts a resolution of up to 720x480pixels.

South Korea is home to some 10 mobile DVR makers led by Comart System Co. Ltd and Daesung Info Co. Ltd. These suppliers count operators of large-sized vehicles, such as trucks and buses, as their biggest users. School buses and police cars are also considered emerging markets. Meanwhile, some makers are eyeing taxis and private cars as potential users.

According to Comart System, Korea-made mobile DVRs account for about 25 to 30 percent of the global mobile DVR market. Other interviewees, however, claimed that it is difficult to determine market shares with accuracy, given the newness of the mobile DVR industry. Moreover, major markets such as Europe are still primarily served by domestic suppliers since vehicles in these regions are different from those made in South Korea. Makers admit that developing mobile DVRs tailor-made for European vehicles will entail huge investments on their part.

Apart from stiff price competition with Taiwan and mainland China suppliers, South Korea makers face the daunting challenge of making sure their units work and endure in the harshest environments. To address this concern, some suppliers have started educating buyers on the proper installation and use of mobile DVRs. Comart System is one company that offers installation instruction to its distributors.

Durability, reliability and anti-vibration features are the core strengths of South Korea-made mobile DVRs. Comart System’s mobile DVRs boast 4G shock protection, as compared to the 1G or 2G shock protection offered by other Asian makers.

Midrange models offer 2G shock protection, while high-end units offer 4G. SecuInfo Co. Ltd offers a special packaging or housing designed to protect data stored in the unit’s HDD. Camos Co. Ltd ensures greater compatibility and stability by bundling DVRs, CCTV cameras and monitors in one kit.

Mobile DVRs monitor and record events in fast moving locations, thus all featured companies consider durability their top product development priority this year. Most suppliers in Korea provide warranties and after-sales service.

Mobile DVRs from South Korea still largely support MPEG-4 video compression. Some companies such as SecuInfo provide M-JPEG products particularly for the US market, where courts of law accept only images as evidence. As PC-based and standalone DVRs have only recently supported H.264, makers agree that the format will not be a priority for mobile DVR makers in the coming months.

On the other hand, a few companies are releasing H.264 or flash memory mobile DVRs. Argus Inc. has launched a mobile DVR supporting H.264. The model can transmit realtime video from DVRs to the control center using 802.11g WLAN. Starnex Co. Ltd is offering a flash memory-based 4ch mobile DVR, SGV-100, to the domestic market. Still, interviewees insist that MPEG-4 will remain the mainstream compression format this year.

Mainstream models boast standard resolutions of 720x480, 640x480 and 360x240pixels. The most common storage device used is 160GB HDD, although some new models feature 320GB HDD. Most models support both NTSC and PAL, and have 120fps recording speed.

Flash memory is being heralded as a more stable and compact alternative to HDD. Nonetheless, most makers still favor HDD, given that it stores data at faster rates than flash memory. Another reason is flash memory’s higher price per capacity. In selected models, flash memory merely plays a supporting role, storing still pictures in case the HDD breaks down or malfunctions.

Instead of tapping other storage devices, companies are developing new technologies that will make HDDs more shock-resistant or tolerant. Comart System, for instance, is redesigning the housing of its existing mobile DVRs to protect and ensure proper use of their HDDs.

Interviewed manufacturers said they will continue producing HDD-based models, unless clients request for customized flash-based units.

	Designed for buses, trucks and taxis SecuInfo’s MDVR-2000 supports M-JPEG compression format and up to 300GB HDD.

South Korea manufacturers are developing special features to stay afloat in the highly competitive DVR market. Comart System’s new model, MDVR-400K, has a special search function that detects particular actions and behavior of drivers, such as quick starting, sudden stopping, over-speeding and touching fare boxes. The 4ch model has a 120fps recording speed and a removable 2.5in HDD. It also offers 4G shock protection.

Model CDR-1000 is Camos’ first mobile DVR. Powered by embedded Linux, the unit boasts a resolution of up to 720x480pixels. LAN with Ethernet enables connection with PCs. In addition, it is bundled with an in-vehicle CCTV camera with a 6-pin connector, ensuring greater compatibility.

Designed for buses, trucks and taxis, SecuInfo’s MDVR-2000 supports M-JPEG compression and up to 300GB HDD. The model also has a removable rack-type HDD. The company offers software that supports quad display on a CCTV monitor.

Interviewed manufacturers agree that the most important development in the line is the addition of wireless functions, which will connect DVRs in vehicles to the control center. Comart System plans to release in mid-2008 a model offering bus information management (BIM) service using GPS. The company hopes to sell the unit locally and export it to Germany and Spain.

Su Keun Oh, director of planning and marketing of SecuInfo, looks farther and points to convergence with in-vehicle black box and GPS as the most important mobile DVR trend in 2009. The company plans to introduce a convergence model for buses and taxis late this year.

South Korea-made mobile DVRs cost from $350 to $700. The relatively young industry continues to attract new entrants. As the supplier base grows, experts predict that prices will go down in the coming months. Similarly, prices of key components, particularly HDDs, are expected to drop due to large-volume purchases by manufacturers.

However, since they are keener on serving the high-end market, suppliers will release new models with new functions, which will in turn cause prices of existing models to go down.

Established in 1995, Comart can provide PC-based DVR boards with SDK, mobile DVRs with viewer software, standalone DVRs with embedded application protocols, and CCTV and IP cameras with network protocols.

South Korea makers list the US and Europe as their top export destinations. Comart System exports 30 percent of its total mobile DVR output to Japan, the US and Brazil. Its products are installed in Japan-made vehicles, in police cars in the US, and in buses in Brazil. To date, Japan is the company’s biggest market, but it plans to tap European markets, particularly the UK. Comart System’s 25-member R&D team is now working on its new model, a DVR-LCD monitor combo set for release in April. Its factory in Siheung has a monthly production capacity of 400 units. All production processes are done in-house.

SecuInfo was established in 1997 as a developer and supplier of quality digital surveillance systems. SecuInfo counts local buses as the main users of its mobile DVRs. It is also targeting taxis in Europe as a potential market. Product development, design and QC/QA are done in-house, while production processes are outsourced. Its R&D engineers are working on introducing GPS and other value-added functions to its newest model.

Set up in 1994, Camos began as a supplier of automotive display items. The company currently devotes its R&D efforts to products that prevent vehicular accidents and automobile theft. Camos’ factory in Bupyeong handles all production processes, including R&D. While its first mobile DVR model carries its own brand, the company can also serve OEM/ODM orders.