Good License Plate camera for under $150?

[mike_va 0]

Is that with IR?

[rory 0]

Thats short range IR and looks like its too dark.

Need to get it closer to the vehicles, and will likely only get them if the vehicles are head on with the camera. Very rare though do even the best LPR cameras get plates 100% of the time, and those cameras cost in the $2000+ range.

[korlforever 0]

Is that with IR?

 

yes, it's on.

[korlforever 0]

Thats short range IR and looks like its too dark.

Need to get it closer to the vehicles, and will likely only get them if the vehicles are head on with the camera. Very rare though do even the best LPR cameras get plates 100% of the time, and those cameras cost in the $2000+ range.

 

Unfortunately, this is the only place where I can mount the camera as vehicles with trailer boats come in. However, as I said before the distance is 12m (40ft) which is clearly in the specified range of this camera. Those photos are taken with even an additional IR illuminator on.

 

To get this working what do you think about this:

 

1/ I haven't tried it but could there be any interference with the additional IR illuminator that was already mounted?

2/ In your experience do you think the one model up (http://www.ktnc.co.kr/english/viewtopic.php?t=924) could do the trick?

3/ Buy a really heavy duty IR illuminator and floodlighting the whole entrance?

 

In addition I could straighten the cars up with speed bumps on either side. Do you have any other suggestions? Thank you.

[rory 0]

I would say that 40' is likely on edge of the IR, they always over specify the IR distance - so whatever IR distance is claimed, always cut it in half for actual outdoor IR in a large area.

 

Speed bumps would be a option.

 

Also try adjusting the AGC and shutter if it has that in the settings.

[rory 0]

Also try adjusting the camera height up or down.

[dvarapala 0]

^Some cameras will let you set a fixed shutter... some will let you set a min/max value... some don't let you set it at all, and it's just controlled by the camera.

 

Yup. As much as some people dislike Arecont Vision cameras, some of them do allow you to set a fixed shutter speed. That, along with the progressive scan image sensor, is why I chose an AV1310DN.

[irishkc_1 0]

While LPR (License Plate Recognition) is a formula based issue; for analog cameras your plate target area must be 25% of the screen. With standard cctv cameras, when a car with headlights comes into the viewing target the camera aperture closes and you get no describable picture. If cost is the issue, try Pixim cameras, they work very well in this environment and yes some are around 150clams. I use DeView Pixim domes on ATM buildings and get good license plate shots. But these go for 225smakeroos. Stay away from the chinese cameras, its junk.

[bike_rider 0]

Thats short range IR and looks like its too dark.

Need to get it closer to the vehicles, and will likely only get them if the vehicles are head on with the camera. Very rare though do even the best LPR cameras get plates 100% of the time, and those cameras cost in the $2000+ range.

 

Unfortunately, this is the only place where I can mount the camera as vehicles with trailer boats come in. However, as I said before the distance is 12m (40ft) which is clearly in the specified range of this camera. Those photos are taken with even an additional IR illuminator on.

 

To get this working what do you think about this:

 

1/ I haven't tried it but could there be any interference with the additional IR illuminator that was already mounted?

2/ In your experience do you think the one model up (http://www.ktnc.co.kr/english/viewtopic.php?t=924) could do the trick?

3/ Buy a really heavy duty IR illuminator and floodlighting the whole entrance?

 

In addition I could straighten the cars up with speed bumps on either side. Do you have any other suggestions? Thank you.

 

Any progress on this? A neighbor has the same camera and is not happy with the results. IR sensitivity seems to be very poor.

[korlforever 0]

Thats short range IR and looks like its too dark.

Need to get it closer to the vehicles, and will likely only get them if the vehicles are head on with the camera. Very rare though do even the best LPR cameras get plates 100% of the time, and those cameras cost in the $2000+ range.

 

Unfortunately, this is the only place where I can mount the camera as vehicles with trailer boats come in. However, as I said before the distance is 12m (40ft) which is clearly in the specified range of this camera. Those photos are taken with even an additional IR illuminator on.

 

To get this working what do you think about this:

 

1/ I haven't tried it but could there be any interference with the additional IR illuminator that was already mounted?

2/ In your experience do you think the one model up (http://www.ktnc.co.kr/english/viewtopic.php?t=924) could do the trick?

3/ Buy a really heavy duty IR illuminator and floodlighting the whole entrance?

 

In addition I could straighten the cars up with speed bumps on either side. Do you have any other suggestions? Thank you.

 

Any progress on this? A neighbor has the same camera and is not happy with the results. IR sensitivity seems to be very poor.

 

Nothing new yet. I switched off the additional IR illuminator and I am imagening an improvement (maybe - maybe not). I am kind of getting many plates at night but during bright day light I only get the plates that are in the sun not in the shade. I am wondering if I should get another camera for day light. On this matter I am wondering if it is generally possible to connect 2 cameras to the same ALPR system to improve readability of the OCR?

[ronp 0]

Despite all the negative comments about a good license plate camera for under $150 I took a gamble on one currently for sale on ebay for $137. It's an EN-V150K-70: 1/3" Sony Super HAD Effio, 700TV Lines, Vari Focal Lens 9~22mm, Electronic Shutter 1/60-1/100,000 Sec, IR 850nM, IR LED Distance 200FT.

 

I have the camera mounted 2' off the ground about 2' off the road. I zoomed in to a FOV about 8' wide at 25' from the camera.

 

The day-time shots are perfect for reading the plates (see pictures, below). But, the night shots are washed out from the IR reflecting off the plates.

 

My question is what settings should I adjust to attempt to make the plates readable at night. The documentation that came with the camera is minimal and in poorly translated Chinese to English (not unexpected for $137).

 

A couple relevant menu options are: Lens (manual/auto), Shutter/AGC (Auto/Manual), Backlight (Off/BLC/HLC), ATR (Off/On). From what I've read, ATR appears to be equivalent to WDR and the HLC setting blacks out the overexposed areas.

 

Do I just need to try manually setting the shutter speed? To what? Maybe try BLC and ATR?

 

Ron

[ronp 0]

I think I answered my own question. This afternoon I changed the shutter from auto to manual at 1/4000 and turned on the backlighting to BLC. Daytime pictures are a bit washed out but license plates are still easily readable. Below is a night shot I just took. Perfecto for $137 + $10 shipping.

[excableguy 0]

Awesome Ron. I wouldn't mind mounting one of those at the edge of my yard for a little fun. Haha.