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acmaster

Poor Mans LPR

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Using a 12mm Hikvision value series camera what are the best settings to increase the chances of capturing a License Plate day/night as they drive by 40 - 50 ft away?

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You mention two separate needs, LPR and capturing a plate. Do you want to do LPR or do you want to just be able to read a license plate in the video?

 

Viewing a plate (not LPR) with the 12mm Hikvision at 40' should be doable day or night. What sort of problems are you having?

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Good point.

 

I just want to be able to read the plate initially.

 

I'm using the 2732 set to 12mm. I'm getting a bit of a blurry image. I believe it is focused properly.

 

What is a reasonable 'Exposure Time'? Are there any other settings such as DNR level? That should be considered?

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I would set the max exposure time to about 120/sec and adjust up/down as needed. Also, turn gain down, maybe to 50 as a starting point as you don't want gain to be used to make up for the 1/120 exposure. Don't use Backlight Settings (WDR or BLC) and turn Smart IR off. Also, dial sharpening down, maybe to 25-35 as sharpening artifacts may interfere with the ability to read plates and sharpen noise. Also turn down noise reduction as detail is more important than a pretty picture.

 

The idea is to get an exposure that shows the plate numbers at night and a pair of head or tail lights and nothing else. Yes, the scene will be very, very dark and worthless of anything other than viewing plates.

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I would set the max exposure time to about 120/sec and adjust up/down as needed. Also, turn gain down, maybe to 50 as a starting point as you don't want gain to be used to make up for the 1/120 exposure. Don't use Backlight Settings (WDR or BLC) and turn Smart IR off. Also, dial sharpening down, maybe to 25-35 as sharpening artifacts may interfere with the ability to read plates and sharpen noise. Also turn down noise reduction as detail is more important than a pretty picture.

 

The idea is to get an exposure that shows the plate numbers at night and a pair of head or tail lights and nothing else. Yes, the scene will be very, very dark and worthless of anything other than viewing plates.

you mean 1/120 sec

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Also try to mount the camera so the licence plate is in view for as long as possible. Traffic speed cameras have an angle of incidence of less than 37*

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Hi. Might be best to swap camera to one that can work.

 

 

Alter all your settings as listed you are going to get very bad or no video in day light.

 

Or install two cameras in that location night use and day use

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The solution would be to switch profiles. Thanks for the suggestions. I will give it a try this week.

 

a

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