Copyright Gatekeeper Systems 2011 Page 3 of 9
Rev 2.0
The SP100 (overview camera) must be mounted forward of the stop arm aimed towards the
rear. See Figure 1. Note: With some newer busses the front body work is curved inwards.
Before drilling holes test the mounting location to see that it is possible to aim the camera
correctly.
Positioning of the cameras as indicated in Figure 1 typically allows cables to be routed through
interior channels that can be accessed by removing the covers.
The SP-210 utilizes infrared illumination technology. Due to this the image is black and white
and will often appear dark. The reflectivity of the license plate is key for this camera to function
correctly. Aiming the camera at a non reflective surface will often result in a black image. This
is most often seen when the camera is indoors and being tested. This is normal. The only way
to see if the camera is operating correctly is to aim the camera at a reflective license plate.
3M is a major supplier of the reflective material that is used in license plates. 3M guarantees
the plates reflectivity for 5 years. 3M also has stated that a useful life of the reflective plate is
about 7 years. Plates older than 7 year may not have sufficient reflectivity to allow for a clear
image to be captured. In this case the plate will appear gray and the plate characters may not
be readable.
Damaged license plate can also be problematic. If the reflectivity material on a license plate is
damaged or chipped one will see dark spots on the image of the plate.
Note: Other documentation is provided to configure the Gatekeeper Systems N404 DVR and is
not included here.
Mounting and Aiming of Rear Facing SP100 and SP210
Please be aware of the following when positioning the SP210:
oWhen the SP-210 is mounted between the black rub rails on the side of the bus, make
sure there is sufficient room for the protective shroud to be installed on the SP210 frame
after the frame has been screwed to the bus.
oTypically the SP-210 is angled down about 10 to 15 degrees – see Figure 1 for the
relative mounting position. While there is flexibility to angle the SP-210 downward after
the frame is screwed to the bus, it is important to get the aiming as close as possible
before the SP-210 camera frame is mounted to the bus. Be careful to not strip the
supplied TEK screws by over tightening them.
In order to aim the rear facing cameras masking tape should be placed on the road beside the
bus so as to locate the position of a vehicle. Once the position is determined then a vehicle
should be parked in the target position while the camera is being aimed. See Figure 3.
Place masking tape on the ground 22 feet back from the location of the SP-210 and 6 feet out
from the bus. See Figure 2 for geometry. Position a vehicle to be used for aiming at the
masking tape. See Figure 3.
The SP-100 should be aimed so that it captures the bottom of the stop arm when the stop arm
is deployed. See Figure 4.
The SP-100 is provided with a poly base. This is to ensure that the camera is not grounded to
the bus. If the camera is grounded to the bus degraded video may result.
