True IP LPR Cameras

I'm aware of models from both Avigilon and Messoa.

Does anyone know of anyone else that offers an actual IP LPR camera? I know there are lots of workarounds and comparable alternatives, but I'm solely interested in true IP LPR cameras.

The specs don't matter, I just want to know what else is out there.

Well HikVision is claiming that their newest line of Smart Cameras meet the standards of a true LPR, I just got in all the newest lines of their smart IP cameras, 2MP 3MP 5MP also the Ultra LowLight Box camera with a 8MP Lens, I will be hooking a few up either this week or next week to test them out and will let you know how it goes.

http://www.geovision.com.tw/english/Prod_GVLPR.asp

Geovision makes LPR camera and software.

http://www.geovision.com.tw/english/Prod_GVIPLPRCAM5R.asp

Never used it though ...

First, nobody I know of makes an LPR camera other than Axis with iPConfigure software that actually does LPR in camera. LPR is License Plate Recognition where OCR software is used to translate a plate number to text. Most so called "LPR" cameras are nothing more than an ordinary camera with a very wide range varifocal lens and low light sensitivity. I've seen images from the Geovision LPR camera and I have been doing LPR for a while now, I can tell you that camera is not capable of true LPR. It's more of an LPC (License Plate Capture) camera, meaning you will be able to see a plate in the video, but not have enough clarity for an OCR software to actually read that plate number, none that I know of.

So how do these LPC cameras differ from ordinary cameras. The Geovision has a max shutter speed of 1/500 of a second and has a few IR LEDs. It depends on the reflectivity of the plate to shine and be seen despite headlights or taillights. The images I've seen were very dark and the plate barely visible but readable. It has a wide range varifocal lens so you can set it up with a close-up of the plate number for better readability.

I've used Hikvision 3MP cameras with a telephoto lens and gotten better results. We use an Axis q1604 with a 5-50mm lens and we read plates using LPR software fairly reliably and way better clarity than the Geovision LPR camera.

If your goal is just LPC, then most cameras setup properly with the right lens can do that.

By me, the toll roads folks implemented LPR recently to collect tolls. They do not use IR, they use flash photography which makes the most sense. There are some state with red numbers on license plates, like Illinois, Massachusetts, Oklahoma that will not work with IR.

My biggest concern is obviously the rate of speed at which the vehicle is moving. I've had a lot of luck just using standard IP cameras to capture plates that are only moving as fast as 20MPH, but I'm worried about what happens when they're moving as fast as 60-70MPH and I don't have a long enough runway to test that out in a parking lot somewhere. Anybody have any experience with this?

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

Just set the max shutter speed to about 1/200 of a second and start from there. Depending on your camera, you may have to tweak those values. Also aim the camera about 30 degrees to path of travel. Too steep an angle and you won't be able to read the plate, to small an angle and the lead car will block a following car and miss that plate.

Or,

Stick with the tried and true Method. Analog camera and an encoder.

http://us.boschsecurity.com/us_product/02_products_3/st_bu_f_277305_tams_catalog_prod_us/st_section_f_277382_tams_catalog_prod_us/st_chapter_p_277382_tams_catalog_prod_us_279277

And then there is this but I have no experience with it.

http://us.boschsecurity.com/us_product/02_products_3/st_bu_f_277305_tams_catalog_prod_us/st_section_f_276651_tams_catalog_prod_us/st_prodfam_p_276651_tams_catalog_prod_us_277347

The IP part number is NER-L2R2-2 DINION capture 5000 IP

IP NTSC license plate camera, 18 to 30 ft range

What is your goal? Do you want to log license plate numbers, do you want to create an event based on a license plate match, do you want to just be able to read a plate number in video?

What is your goal? Do you want to log license plate numbers, do you want to create an event based on a license plate match, do you want to just be able to read a plate number in video?

I'd like to be able to log the plates.

To log the plates, you need low resolution. We use 1MP cameras but run them at 640x480. The reason is the larger the image, the harder the CPU has to work to translate the image to text. Also, we run 5 fps and that seems to be good to 30-40mph, you may need slightly higher rate to get 65mph. You want the least you can get away. Ballpark, we use about a 7-8' wide field of view as the plate passes the area of detection. Most LPR software requires the plate numbers be a certain percentage of the image, but in general terms, with VGA resolution, the plate numbers should be about 15' pixels tall. This requires a telephoto lens. For example, we capture plates with one camera at about 70' and that requires a 50mm lens. We have one in the works where we plan on using a 22mm lens to capture plates at 25-30'.

What's your budget for software? We use Milestone XProtect LPR, runs $300 per server + $1,295 per camera + the NVR license cost (minimum is Express edition which is $99/cam). This is middle of the road pricing. High end LPR can be $2,500-5,000 per camera. Low end would be like Geovision LPR, runs about $800/cam + NVR software fee. I have not tried Geovision, but didn't get high praise. There's an open source project at www.openalpr.com that's very cool, but you have to write your own C++ code, the provide the engine to do the plate translation using open source projects. So that would be free. ACTi has a free LPR program, have not tried it, but it's free, but likely only works with their cams. I didn't go that route because plate list match is not available, but I believe it logs the plate numbers.

There is a company working on embedding the LPR translation in certain cameras by running their software on the camera's Linux. IPConfigure does it but it doesn't work all that well. This is from Carmen that sells the engine now to different companies and is the basis for Milestone LPR. They showed it off at ISC West last year and was very cool, but was not a product yet. Carmen is like OpenALPR in that they provide an engine, you write the code, but Carmen is a commercial solution, not free.