ICop input

rwo978

Member
May 21, 2010
5,196
ND, USA
I've gleened that this isn't a great system by a couple threads here and general net searching, but looking for firsthand info from those using it. Pro's. Con's.


My dept is looking at these to replace Visionhawks. I think it's a horrible decision, as everything is integrated thru the computer. We have enough computer issues as it is and I think utilizing these would only compound the problems. Not to mention, it's not like we have Touchbooks we can just switch out in the case of a non-functioing computer, we have DataLux's that are perm mounted. Basically, at the point the computer isn't working, the car is deadlined, as it's relied on to basically replace dispatch... but that's a whole other argument/issue.


Anywho... input?
 

wema628

Member
May 30, 2010
203
USA / Tennessee
icop does not record to your computer it has a harddrive you take out and download or have a wifi download. the system its self is easy to install and easy to use. its not the best and not the worst. iv installed just about all out there. they all have there prombles. just like anything else one has to get use to it.
 

John Hearne

Member
May 27, 2010
346
Pontotoc County, MS
We've used ICOPs at work since they were initially introduced. We've been mentioned in their sales literature as an agency that "sings their praises." At the time of our initial purchase ICOP was the best system we could find.


Now, several years have passed. We are no longer buying ICOPs and are phasing them out. We had problems with their original microphones. We've had intermittent problems with cameras not focusing. While not a camera issue, their performance as an FM radio is horrible and very frustrating if you spend a lot of time in the car.


The video is not compressed. ICOP says this is great for evidentiary purposes. It is a pain in the ass to support. I'm running 5 TB of drives and will be bumping that to 6 TB soon for five users.


We have been buying Digital Ally's for several years and continue to buy them to replace the ICOP. This unit simply replaces the rear view mirror and seems to work well. The only major issue we've had is with the recording medium. They require Sandisk cards but when we purchased new 16gb Sandisk cards, they would not work as the specs had changed slightly.
 

rwo978

Member
May 21, 2010
5,196
ND, USA
Thanks for the input. Also, to those that PM'd info as well. I'm going to edit, compile, and get this to admin with my $.02 after driving the 1 vehicle we have with this unit.


We demo'd a Digital Ally a while back. People liked the unit, but I don't think we went with it because there wasn't the capability to wirelessly upload the info. However, if we get enough discs/cards (2-3 per unit), I think there's a process that could be created to ensure the data gets back into the station.
 

cybercop

Member
May 31, 2010
302
USA, TX/South
My agency currently uses the Digital Alley for about 2 years now and have had minimal problems.


Each patrol car is assigned a CF card, 4 GB and the card is downloaded into the computer as needed. A very simple process.


Recently some officers have bought bigger Sandisk cards, 8 GB and 16 GB, but we found out they are not compatable due to a re-write somewhere in the code.
 

rwo978

Member
May 21, 2010
5,196
ND, USA
Otto said:
Rumor around the campfire is that ICOP shut their doors yesterday.

Interesting... anyone else hear this little tidbit?
 
May 16, 2010
2,340
Torrington, WY
Our SO uses the ICop via toughbooks. Before the Toughbooks we have the Dataluxs just like you. We too were always having problems with them. We use to use the ICop dash mount before the toughbooks. The new Tahoes are outfitted with the ICops built into the toughbooks and the removable hard drives are under the rear seat.
 
Nov 21, 2010
440
Pelican Rapids, MN
Ryan,


I have installed many of the Digital Ally DVM-750's and have had very positive feedback. The mounting system to attach the DVM-750 to the windshield is far superior to the DVM-500 and the 750 is capable of wireless download. I have no first hand experience with an ICop, but thought I'd comment on the Digital Ally.


http://www.digitalallyinc.com/camera-mirror-options.html#wireless
 

rwo978

Member
May 21, 2010
5,196
ND, USA
Apparently, we're waiting to see what a neighboring dept does for tech support reasons, as they're in the same boat as us having to repalce the visionhawks. It's far easier to get support for 30-40+ cars vs our 8-10.


I mentioned the DA that'd we'd demo'd. It wasn't immediately shot down.
 

zacmtz7

Member
May 21, 2010
682
Atlanta, GA
we run icop 20/20w. we don't do the wireless uploads because if there is an error in the system then that video can and usually is lost forever so we just swap out harddrives. That way our IT guy manually deleates the harddrives and the risk of lost data is minimal. When we go to our new RMS which is Spillman, we will swap over to have the Icop go through the computer, that is if they haven't shut down, haha. We had so many problems with the Icop not working3 with the charger and vice versa, the onboard charger computer we pulled them from the dash and the Icops are stand alones in the chargers.
 

zacmtz7

Member
May 21, 2010
682
Atlanta, GA
Icop Digital suspends operations


By SCOTT CANON


The Kansas City Star


More News


Holiday 2010: The year shoppers came back GE Capital sells $2B Mexican mortgage portfolio Holiday weekend gas prices edge closer to $3 Buffett purchases Michigan auto part producer S&P removes H&R Block from its CreditWatch Negative Icop Digital suspends operations Housing permits still on the rise Lenexa-based Icop Digital suspends operations Gas pump prices rise above $3 BikeSource to add another Overland Park store Feds release $3 million to help Kansas aviation workers GM recalls almost 100,000 vehicles IRS delays next year's filing season for taxpayers who itemize Standard & Poor's removes H&R Block from watch list KC housing starts running 10 percent ahead of 2009 Stocks flat ahead of economic reports Holiday sales dramatically better than last year BATS Global Markets looks to expand in Europe Walgreen profits soar as store remodeling pays off The Consumer Memo | Government upgrades inquiry into Ford minivan Lenexa’s Icop Digital Inc., a company headed by former Kansas lieutenant governor Dave Owen, has suspended operations while it seeks investment, according to a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission this week.


Owen, contacted briefly at company headquarters Thursday, declined to comment.


In its SEC filing, Icop said that “we do not have adequate cash to meet our Dec. 31, 2010, payroll.” A photo on the company’s website shows a staff of about 40 people.


“We must lay off our entire staff,” the company told the SEC.


The filing said Icop’s executives and key employees will continue to work without pay while the company searches for investment “or until we determine that such financing is not available.”


Company officials can’t be confident that Icop will find that money, and the loss of employees and sales could doom the business, it acknowledged in the SEC filing.


Icop, launched in 2002, specialized in digital surveillance equipment to law enforcement domestically and overseas. But in its SEC statement, Icop said that “we have a history of negative cash flow and losses from operations” that forced it to rely on investors and debt financing to make ends meet.


“However,” Icop told federal regulators, “we do not project that we can operate at a break-even level without a substantial increase in sales revenues.”


In November, the company said it had retained Merriman Capital to help raise money and explore other business opportunities.


The 72-year-old Owen has run the company with its president, Laura Owen. She is the former Laura Nicholl, who was the first woman to serve as the commerce secretary of Kansas.


The two wed shortly before Dave Owen served about six months in federal prison in 1994. He was sentenced to a year and a day for failing to report $100,000 in consulting firm income on a 1986 federal tax return. Even after conviction, he insisted he was innocent. President Bill Clinton pardoned him of the conviction just before leaving office in early 2001.


Owen was a fundraiser for the 1988 presidential campaign of Sen. Bob Dole but stepped aside amid an investigation of the campaign and the business dealings of Dole’s wife, former transportation secretary and later U.S. senator Elizabeth Dole.


During that probe, Owen said the Doles didn’t know that a blind trust belonging to Elizabeth Dole planned to sell an Overland Park building to a former Dole aide. But in 1996, Owen recanted, saying Bob Dole was aware of the deal. Dole denied it.


To reach Scott Canon, call 816-234-4754 or send e-mail to scanon@kcstar.com.


Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/12/23/2540123/icop-digital-suspends-operations.html#ixzz19BbwZaVk
 

rwo978

Member
May 21, 2010
5,196
ND, USA
I drove the F-250 w/ the Icop the other night. First off, I don't like how small the radio controls are, very hard to use while driving. The volume setting isn't fine enough, it's either super loud or so quiet, you can't hardly hear it. I found myself instinctively reaching for the volume knob on the dash to turn the volume down while going to a call or to hear radio traffic, only to remember it's not there. Trying to fumble with the volume toggle on the computer was pointless, too fine/small of a button to try and hit while driving, so I'd usually just crank the VHF to hear it.


Didn't mess with the video too much, used it on a couple traffic stops. Liked that it muted the radio, not that I already don't automatically turn it down on a stop, or just pull the mic out of the hangup box to mute the stereo (which I'd miss, quick way to shut the stereo off).


Had one issue with the unit. Went inside somewhere for a call early on in the shift, when I had the defroster cranked to heat all the ice/snow off (truck had been sitting for days). Came back out and the computer was frozen up. The in-dash unit was HOT, from teh defroster I take it. I couldn't get the stereo screen to show up again to turn the volume back up again, as I'd turned it down while driving around a lot looking for a car in relation to the call. I'd minimize the RMS/CAD and the desktop would show except for where the stereo and video controls were, where that section of screen would still show CAD. Had to power off the whole mess, and power it back on again. Note, when I powered off the computer, the radio was still playing, IE Icop wasn't responding. At this point of powering it back on, nothing but static on any AM/FM freq. Had to power off/on again to get everything to work. Total, took close to 30 mins, during which I was driving somewhere else, so trying to manipulate the tiny controls doesn't really make for safe driving.


Overall, nice video, video functions seem easy to use, but all the other BS really turns me off from this unit, as I thought it would. The whole computer integration is a real turn off. As mentioned, I don't like this as we have enough computer problems. I even had one here while doing nothing on it. Not to mention, the questionable status of the company... It was mentioned that there's a standalone unit. That might be better, but is the stereo still controlled thru the computer? If so, I'd come to the same conclussion. If not, and it maybe only is integrated into the stereo to 'mute' it during recording, that wouldn't be too bad. However, I still don't like having it integrated into the computer with our computer problems.


I'm going to drive the truck more this week to play with it some more, but I doubt my opinion wll be changed.
 

EVT

Member
May 24, 2010
622
Midwest
Ryan when I was with the county we used Icraps that were only 2-3 years old that we got from Morton County SO. They hated them so bad they canned them all and went to something else (Good for us we got them $100 bucks a piece).


The only thing I liked about the them was the large record LED so I could easily tell if it was recording or not. Everything else pretty much sucked. The FM radio feature did not work in my car and I resorted to reinstalling the factory radio and moving the unit to the console.


It was also the worst thing to install. I've installed Mobile Visions and Watchguards before and I would do 2 of those before doing 1 Icrap system.


I know I didn't give you much to put in your report but if at all possible I would stay away from them.
 

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