Poor IR contrast in new Tennessee license plates

[samplenhold]

I am stating to wonder that we are trying to do too much with one cam. Maybe expecting one LPR cam to be able to tackle normal (?) plates AND 3M plates is not proper. Sometimes I have an issue with plates being washed out and other times they are just fine. Maybe we will have to do two cams. One tuned to the 3M plates and the other for IR reflective plates.

 

[erkme73]

We purchased an ANPR camera from Digital Watchdog - DWC-XSBA05MiL. But yall make a good point about the lens needing to be able to 'see' it. I saw where Flock had made comments that they some how 'trained' their cameras to be able to identify the new plates from Tennessee. I wonder if this is something the manufacturer of that DW camera could do in an update. I obviously doubt it but it would definitely be interesting.

I can't speak to new installations, but the Flock cameras that have been around for several years here in mid-TN are now noticeably brighter red strobing LEDs. I suspect they're retro-fitting their existing installations - at least here in 3M printed-plate heaven, TN.

 

[erkme73]

Has anything changed (i.e. come to market) that provides for a DIY solution with a 740nm IR and appropriately tuned sensor? I saw the review of Andy's LPR camera, but that's just a bit too rich for my budget. I was hoping by now something like conventional Z12-E, but equipped with the 740nm gear... @EMPIRETECANDY - any chance that will happen?

 

[wtimothyholman]

Has anything changed (i.e. come to market) that provides for a DIY solution with a 740nm IR and appropriately tuned sensor? I saw the review of Andy's LPR camera, but that's just a bit too rich for my budget. I was hoping by now something like conventional Z12-E, but equipped with the 740nm gear... @EMPIRETECANDY - any chance that will happen?

Modifying the optics for 740 nm IR would require a significant change in the hardware. Instead, a conventional Z12-E could be easily modified by replacing the 850nm IR LEDs with soft white LEDs, and keeping the camera in daylight mode. It woiuld be able to to read any plate, including temporary paper tags.

By making the LEDs soft white, they would blend in with porch lights, yard lights, and other outdoor illumination, I think that they would be less conspicuous than reddish 740nm IR LEDs, at least in a residential environment.

 

[erkme73]

Modifying the optics for 740 nm IR would require a significant change in the hardware. Instead, a conventional Z12-E could be easily modified by replacing the 850nm IR LEDs with soft white LEDs, and keeping the camera in daylight mode. It woiuld be able to to read any plate, including temporary paper tags.

By making the LEDs soft white, they would blend in with porch lights, yard lights, and other outdoor illumination, I think that they would be less conspicuous than reddish 740nm IR LEDs, at least in a residential environment.

Thanks Tim - Yeah, I read all 20 pages again tonight to refresh my memory on how we progressed. Unfortunately, my application is a bit unique - with zero ambient lighting where the camera is placed. No street lights, no houses visible from any direction. Fireflies are BRIGHT out here. So using a warm light of any intensity would really stick out.

I was just hoping that since the last post in December, a camera manufacturer would have seen the need/interest for those of us trying to stay in the game with 740nm. As you put in your earlier posts, the market was flooded with cheap 850nm cameras that were being used for LPR... Seems to me there's a market. Maybe just not big enough (yet).