Home › Vehicle Cameras › Xignal M728(G4F)-IP
Xignal · Hybrid Mobile NVR
Xignal M728(G4F)-IP Hybrid Mobile NVR
A hybrid recorder that takes eight analogue cameras and one to four IP cameras on the same box, nine to twelve channels in total. It is the model to reach for when a fleet is part way through moving to IP, and it adds a heated drive bay and an eight to ten second power-loss hold for vehicles that work in hard conditions.
Supplied, fitted and commissioned
Overview
What the M728(G4F)-IP does
The recorder for a fleet that is part way between analogue and IP. Eight analogue inputs take the cameras already fitted, in AHD, CVI, TVI or CVBS, while one to four IP channels carry newer network cameras on the same box, for nine to twelve channels in total. Nothing has to be replaced in one go, and a vehicle can be moved across a camera at a time.
Two things separate it from the analogue recorders beyond the IP channels, and both are about surviving a hard life. The drive bay is heated, so the recorder starts and writes in cold or damp conditions rather than waiting for the disk. And the power-loss hold runs eight to ten seconds against seven on the analogue models, on a pre-allocated file system designed to close the file cleanly and keep the card from fragmenting. The trade is storage: this model caps at a 2TB drive where the analogue M728(G4F) takes 4TB.
Where it fits best
- Fleets migrating from analogue to IP cameras a vehicle at a time
- Buses and coaches already cabled for analogue that need a few IP views added
- Vehicles working in cold stores, wash bays or dusty sites, where the heated drive earns its place
- Operators who need a PTZ camera on the vehicle, driven over the RS485 line
- Installations wanting on-screen vehicle ID burned into the recording
Not sure this is the right recorder? See how many channels your vehicle needs.
Full specifications
Every published figure
The complete M728(G4F)-IP specification, as published by the manufacturer.
- Analogue channels
- 8 channels, AHD, CVI, TVI or CVBS
- IP channels
- 1 to 4 IP cameras at 1080p
- Total channels
- 9 to 12
- Recording combinations
- 8 × 1080P at 15 fps plus 1 to 4 IP at 1080p · 8 × 720P at 30 fps plus 1 to 4 IP at 1080p · 2 × 1080P with 6 × 720P at 30 fps plus 1 to 4 IP
- Also records
- D1, HD1, CIF
- Video compression
- H.264
- Image quality
- 1 to 4 levels, 1 is the highest
- Video standard
- PAL 100 f/s, CCIR625, 50 field · NTSC 120 f/s, CCIR525, 60 field
- Bit rates
- CIF 256 Kbps to 1.5 Mbps · HD1 600 Kbps to 2.5 Mbps · D1 800 Kbps to 3 Mbps, 8 quality levels
- Recording modes
- Automatic on power up by default, plus timed, alarm triggered and manual
- Video input
- Aviation connector, 1.0Vp-p, 75Ω
- Video output
- 1 CVBS aviation, 1.0Vp-p, 75Ω. One channel full screen or an eight channel view
- Preview
- 1 and 4 channel preview, with manual or alarm triggered full screen
- On-screen overlay
- Date, time and vehicle ID
- Audio input
- 8 channels, aviation plug
- Audio output
- 2 channels. Headphone on the front panel, 4 pin on the back
- Audio compression
- G.726 at 8 KB/s
- Broadcast
- Broadcast, intercom and text messaging to the vehicle
- Main recording
- 2.5 inch HDD, up to 2 TB
- Mirror recording
- SD card, up to 128 GB
- Heated drive bay
- HDD heating, so the recorder starts in harsh conditions
- Power-loss hold
- UPS keeps recording for 8 to 10 seconds after a power failure
- File system
- Pre-allocated FAT32, which prevents SD card fragmentation
- File format
- H.264
- Backup
- Front panel USB, to a U disk or a hard disk
- Firmware update
- USB, SD card, or over the air
- Cellular
- Built-in 3G: WCDMA, CDMA2000, GPRS, EDGE. 4G optional: TDD-LTE, FDD-LTE
- Live view
- Real time monitoring over 3G or 4G
- Mobile app
- iOS and Android remote monitoring
- Positioning
- Built-in GPS and BeiDou module
- G-sensor
- Available on the GPS, BeiDou and G-sensor extension module
- Wi-Fi
- Named in the manufacturer's model title but not itemised in its specification table
- ONVIF and IP switch
- Not published
- Alarm input
- 6 channels, plus 1 AD input and an impulse speed input, with alarm linkage
- Alarm output
- 2 channels. Drives a light or sound alarm, or an oil or power cut off
- Serial
- 2 × RS232 for a POS, fuel sensor or LED panel. 1 × RS485 for a PTZ camera
- External devices
- Oil sensor, temperature sensor, POS, bus station broadcaster, car OBD
- Playback
- Up to 4 channels at once, with stop, fast and slow
- Playback speeds
- 2x, 4x, 8x and 16x, forwards and backwards
- Search
- By recording time or recording type
- User accounts
- Two levels, user and administrator, with separate passwords
- Voice call
- Supported
- TTS broadcast
- Text to speech voice announcements
- Serial expansion
- LED advertisement panel, oil sensor, POS, bus station broadcaster, car OBD
- Driver AI
- Not published
- Power input
- Wide voltage, DC +10 V to +36 V
- Power output
- +12 V at 1.5 A, +5 V at 1.5 A
- Power consumption
- Under 5 W in normal operation
- Power management
- Timed and delayed shutdown
- Operating temperature
- −20 °C to +70 °C
- Humidity
- 20% to 80%
- Dimensions (D × W × H)
- 218 × 161 × 65 mm
- Weight
- 2.2 kg
- Operating system
- Linux
- Menu languages
- English, Chinese, or customised
- IP rating
- Not published
- Certifications
- Not published
Figures published by the manufacturer. Three things worth reading closely on this model. Its image quality scale runs 1 to 4 with 1 as the best, where the analogue-only recorders in the range run 0 to 7 with 0 as the best, so a setting does not carry across. Its sister model the M720(G4F)-IP publishes a built-in network switch and ONVIF support, and this model publishes neither, so treat switching and camera compatibility as a question for us rather than an assumption. And Wi-Fi appears in the manufacturer's own model title but has no row in its specification table. Where a figure reads Not published, the manufacturer does not state it, which is not the same as the feature being absent.
Supply
What ships, and what the install needs
A mobile NVR is quoted as a fitted system rather than a boxed product, and the manufacturer does not publish a packing list for this model. Confirm exactly what the recorder ships with on your own quotation. These are the parts that go on the order around it.
Ordered with the recorder
- Analogue cameras on the aviation inputs, up to eight
- IP cameras for the network channels, up to four
- A 2.5 inch hard drive, up to 2 TB
- An SD card for the mirror recording
Fitted on the vehicle
- 4G and GPS antennas
- A switched power feed, 10 to 36 V
- A monitor on the AV output for commissioning
- Network cabling for the IP cameras
Specified at order
- The 4G module, if the fleet needs live view
- The GPS, BeiDou and G-sensor extension module
- A PTZ camera driven over the RS485 line
- Oil, temperature or POS sensors, or an OBD adapter
Accessories
What goes on the order with it
A recorder is one line on a vehicle quotation. These are the parts that make up the rest of it.
Analogue cameras and cabling
- Front road, cabin, rear and blind spot cameras
- AHD, CVI, TVI or CVBS on the eight aviation inputs
- Aviation cable looms cut to the vehicle
- A monitor on the AV output for commissioning
IP cameras and PTZ
- One to four IP cameras at 1080p
- Network cabling run to the recorder
- A PTZ camera driven over the RS485 line
- Ask us to confirm ONVIF before specifying a third party camera
Storage, power and links
- 2.5 inch hard drives up to 2 TB
- SD cards up to 128 GB for the mirror recording
- 4G and GPS antennas
- The GPS, BeiDou and G-sensor extension module
Compare
How it sits against the alternatives
Three recorders often considered alongside the M728(G4F)-IP. The full comparison, including the dash cameras and the PTZ units, lives on the range page.
| Xignal M728(G4F)-IP | Xignal M728(G4F) | Xignal M720(G4F)-IP | Xignal M710(G4F) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analogue channels | 8 | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| IP channels | 1 to 4 | None | 1 to 4 | None |
| Total channels | 9 to 12 | 8 | 5 to 8 | 4 |
| Camera types | AHD, CVI, TVI or CVBS | AHD, CVI, TVI or CVBS | AHD, TVI or CVI | AHD or CVBS |
| Max resolution | 1080p at 15 fps | 1080p | 1080p | 720p |
| Hard drive | To 2 TB | To 4 TB | To 4 TB | To 4 TB |
| Power-loss hold | 8 to 10 s | About 7 s | About 7 s | Not published |
| Heated drive bay | Yes | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| ONVIF and switch | Not published | Not published | Built-in switch, ONVIF | Not published |
| Driver AI | Not published | ADAS and DSM at order | ADAS and DSM at order | ADAS and DSM at order |
| You are here | View the M728(G4F) | Find it in the range | View the M710(G4F) |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Questions
Before you specify the M728(G4F)-IP
Questions we are asked about this model.
Does this model solve an all-IP school bus requirement?
Not on its own, and this is the most important thing to get right on this page. Where an authority requires IP cameras for school transport, the requirement is typically seven cameras, four exterior and three interior. This recorder carries only one to four IP channels. It cannot run an all-IP seven camera bus. What it does solve is the mixed case: a bus already cabled for analogue that needs a few IP views added, or a fleet moving to IP gradually. If you have a regulated school transport contract, tell us on the enquiry and we will specify against that rule rather than around it.
What does hybrid actually mean here?
Two different camera technologies on one recorder at the same time. Eight inputs are analogue and accept AHD, CVI, TVI or CVBS over the existing coaxial and aviation cabling. Separately, one to four channels are IP cameras on a network connection. They record together into the same files and the same search, so an operator sees one system. The practical value is that you are not forced to replace every camera on a vehicle to start using IP on it.
Why does this model take a smaller hard drive than the M728(G4F)?
It caps at 2TB where the analogue M728(G4F) takes 4TB. The manufacturer publishes both figures and does not explain the difference. In practice it means fewer days on the vehicle for the same channel count and resolution, which matters because this model can be carrying up to twelve channels. Size the retention on the server accordingly, and if days on the vehicle are the binding constraint, the analogue M728(G4F) with a 4TB drive is worth comparing.
What is the heated drive bay for?
A mechanical hard disk is unreliable below its rated starting temperature, and a recorder that cannot spin up its disk is not recording. The heating function warms the bay so the drive starts and writes in cold or damp conditions. In a hot climate the case for it is less about ambient cold than about refrigerated vehicles, cold stores, early starts in winter in the mountains, and vehicles that sit in wash bays. It is paired with an 8 to 10 second power-loss hold and a pre-allocated file system, which together are aimed at the same thing: the recording surviving conditions that would corrupt it.
Does it support ONVIF, and does it have a built-in network switch?
The manufacturer does not publish either for this model, so we do not claim them. Its sister model the M720(G4F)-IP does publish a built-in switch and ONVIF support, which makes it likely that this one behaves similarly, but likely is not the same as published and a tender answer needs the difference. If your specification names ONVIF or requires the recorder to switch the camera network itself, ask us and we will confirm it with the manufacturer in writing before you order.
Are ADAS and driver monitoring available on this model?
Not according to the manufacturer. The analogue recorders in the range list ADAS and DSM among their optional functions, and this model does not, so we publish nothing for it. What it does list is a voice call function, text to speech announcements, and serial expansion for an LED advertisement panel, oil sensor, POS, bus station broadcaster or car OBD, which is a bus and coach feature set rather than a driver monitoring one. If driver AI is a requirement, the M728(G4F) is the model to look at.
The range
Other models worth comparing
Three other recorders in the range, and what each one changes against the M728(G4F)-IP.
Xignal · HDD Mobile DVR
M728(G4F)
+4TB drive+ADAS and DSM−no IP channels
The analogue version of the same recorder. A larger drive and driver AI, but no IP channels.
Xignal · Hybrid Mobile NVR
M720(G4F)-IP
+ONVIF and switch+4TB drive−4 analogue channels
The smaller hybrid, and the one that does publish a built-in switch and ONVIF support.
Xignal · HDD Mobile DVR
M710(G4F)
−720p−no IP channels
The entry point of the range, for a patrol car, an ambulance or a van.
fleet and school transport rules
The M728(G4F)-IP Against Common Requirements
This model gets asked about wherever an authority requires IP cameras for school transport, so the honest answer belongs at the top rather than buried. One to four IP channels does not cover a seven camera all-IP bus. What follows is what each rule actually asks, and where this recorder does and does not answer it.
- Seven cameras on a school bus: four exterior and three interior. The twelve channels here cover that easily in a mixed installation, but not as seven IP cameras.
- Where IP cameras are mandated: this recorder carries one to four IP channels, so it suits a mixed fleet rather than an all-IP bus. Ask us before specifying it for one.
- At least 60 days of retention: the 2TB cap makes this sharper than on the analogue models. The vehicle holds a rolling buffer and retention is sized on the server.
- GPS from an approved provider: the built-in GPS and BeiDou module reports position, and the link to the approved provider is configured at commissioning.
- Telematics on heavy vehicles: many authorities require driving hours, harsh braking, acceleration and speeding to be reported on heavier vehicles, and licensing can depend on it.
- Encrypted storage and an authorised user register: where footage documents a violation, the evidence rules that apply govern the server it lands on. The recorder itself offers two password levels, user and administrator.
- Written approval before footage is shared: the same regulation, and it is a process obligation on the operating entity, not a feature of any recorder.
Get a quotation for the M728(G4F)-IP
Tell us the vehicle type, how many analogue and how many IP cameras each vehicle needs, whether live 4G view is required, and how long footage has to be retained. If the contract is regulated school transport, say so, because that changes the specification.
