Dedicated License Plate Cam project

[cam235]

If you use variable bitrate compression, you normally see the highest bitrate at dusk and dawn, because the image is most noisy then and noise doesn't compress well. During the night the camera normally does more noise-reduction before compression, and during the day there's less noise to start with. So something in your system is marginal and dropping some bits during high-bitrate times; I assume either the network , CPU or disk.

 

[trock]

I was interested in setting up an LPR over a year ago however didn't come across a reasonably priced camera that would work.

Since then I have installed the popular hdw5231r-z and they work great. Would the IPC-HFW5231E-Z12E be a good choice for this?

Thanks again.

Sent from my SM-G955U1 using Tapatalk

 

[bigredfish]

As long as you can use the 3d party script to get it to re-focus between Day/Night changes its a great camera. It has a problem/bug with focus shift between profiles.

To get around that I'm trying to use a single profile for Day/Night which isnt optimal. It does ok except for dusk/dawn for about an hour waiting on the IR to change...

 

[trock]

Is this something that is most likely to be fixed with a firmware update or is it a hardware issue?

Does the Z5 have the same issue?

Thanks again for the response.

Sent from my SM-G955U1 using Tapatalk

 

[bigredfish]

I'm no software engineer but Its existed long enough for Dahua to fix if they wanted to or could via firmware...? dont know..

Not certain if the Z5 has same problem/flaw or not?

 

[nbstl68]

I'm not clear from reading this thread but does the focus issue affect both the Z12 and the newer Z12E?
Is it only specific to the day/night profile change or any time the IR may kick on and off each night and morning?

I was about to buy the Z12E but if this is keeping these models from being a reliable LPR option I may reconsider for now.

 

[tangent]

I'm not clear from reading this thread but does the focus issue affect both the Z12 and the newer Z12E?
Is it only specific to the day/night profile change or any time the IR may kick on and off each night and morning?

I was about to buy the Z12E but if this is keeping these models from being a reliable LPR option I may reconsider for now.

It doesn't keep it from being reliable for LPR, you just need to plan on using software to externally manipulate the camera. It's probably the best camera for LPR you'll find in this price range. You can go price something from hanwah if you want but it will be more.

 

[xmodpt]

Hello all

this has been a great topic.

I am trying to come up with a system with the following specs.

I have:

- MySql database with my "blacklisted" plates
- OpenALPR running in command line and it works GREAT it detects 95% of the plates so far

What i need:

- a way to read a plate and popup a warning on screen (with a screenshot )if the plate is blacklisted
- the system must work on linux ( and it does )

My current test setup

- Lubuntu Linux
- OpenALPR working perfect
- Atom 230
- 2 gb ram
- 320gb HD
- 4MP DS-2CD2642FWD-I Hikvision Varifocal Bullet IP Camera Powerd by POE Switch


Can anyone point me a fast way to get it ??
Something like this


Thank you all in advanced

Nuno Pires

 

[0blar]

Hi
@xmodpt
I'm really interested to do the same, Can you share your code project ?

 

[xmodpt]

hello m8

that's my pickle.... i have all the parts but i don´t know how to get them together....

the software part it my problem.

all i have is a PHP+Mysql database that i use in a manual mode, every time i have an even i have o search manualy.

i have seen all the youtube videos, searched google and found millions of examples but none as i need it to be.....
that is why i asked for help.

regards
NP

 

[SyconsciousAu]

My current test setup

- Lubuntu Linux
- OpenALPR working perfect
- Atom 230
- 2 gb ram
- 320gb HD
- 4MP DS-2CD2642FWD-I Hikvision Varifocal Bullet IP Camera Powerd by POE Switch

Out of curiosity how many frames a second are you putting through the Atom and how long is it taking to process them?

Could you do some sort of if, then, else, command on the output?

 

[Mufasa]

I only know php, have not yet set up ALPR. So the answer definitely is not the optimal.

But for starter, maybe you can have a php script that watches the alpr log file, extract the last few plate read, and do the mysql compare there? if the mysql compare is a hit, then output the image and the license plate.

Then in the front end just refresh that page at an interval, and it should be able to get close to what your video is showing.

 

[Mufasa]

finally looked at alprd.. which has a setting that sends an http post to a URL you specify.

The code in PHP should probably start like this:
$json_srting = file_get_contents('php://input');
$json = json_decode($json_string, TRUE);

Then you have the plate json data in your php script. Do whatever you want after that.

 

[m00st]

I've been playing with the cloud version OpenALPR for some time, mostly with my SD50225U-HNI from @EMPIRETECANDY . Works great during the day, even without configuring special shutter time, disable WDR etc.

So getting a flavor of ANPR, I am now considering getting a dedicated setup which works 24/7. Not wanting to spend 300USD on a camera for this purpose, I am considering a 'simple' IMX291 (Sony Starvis) powered IP camera with a manual focus lens, e.g. this:
(20x) 5 100mm Manual Zoom IPC (1080P) 1/2.8" SONY IMX291 sensor Hi3516 CCTV IP camera module Box Style with Built in IRC filter-in Surveillance Cameras from Security & Protection on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

Would this work well? I figure I don't need focusing for a setup like this or am I forgetting something? Alternatively, I could go for more pixels, e.g. an IMX178 (5mp) Starvis model, but I guess that's not going to help me anywhere except in wasting CPU cycles ;-)

BTW, while the original 850nm zoomable IR illuminator that NAYR recommends is not listed anymore, I found a slightly less powered version:
Aliexpress.com : Buy CCTV 5 90Degree Adjustable Focus 3000mW Surveillance IR Illuminator LED Array 850nm 5 50M from Reliable array led suppliers on Eprid Surveillance Security Cameras Store

 

[imog]

I've been playing with the cloud version OpenALPR for some time, mostly with my SD50225U-HNI from @EMPIRETECANDY . Works great during the day, even without configuring special shutter time, disable WDR etc.

So getting a flavor of ANPR, I am now considering getting a dedicated setup which works 24/7. Not wanting to spend 300USD on a camera for this purpose, I am considering a 'simple' IMX291 (Sony Starvis) powered IP camera with a manual focus lens, e.g. this:
(20x) 5 100mm Manual Zoom IPC (1080P) 1/2.8" SONY IMX291 sensor Hi3516 CCTV IP camera module Box Style with Built in IRC filter-in Surveillance Cameras from Security & Protection on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

Would this work well? I figure I don't need focusing for a setup like this or am I forgetting something? Alternatively, I could go for more pixels, e.g. an IMX178 (5mp) Starvis model, but I guess that's not going to help me anywhere except in wasting CPU cycles ;-)

BTW, while the original 850nm zoomable IR illuminator that NAYR recommends is not listed anymore, I found a slightly less powered version:
Aliexpress.com : Buy CCTV 5 90Degree Adjustable Focus 3000mW Surveillance IR Illuminator LED Array 850nm 5 50M from Reliable array led suppliers on Eprid Surveillance Security Cameras Store

I'm using openalpr successfully with a 4mm 4MP Hikvision DS-2CD2T42WD-I8. It's mounted in a birdhouse, hung next to my mailbox, so about a foot away from the street.

The camera I am using is markedly undesirable for LPR - it's a wide angle 4mm lens, most would say it wouldn't work at all. It works well day and night, just has to be positioned right up on the street. Wasn't bought for this purpose, but I wanted to get LPR setup and it was the cheapest cam I had on hand.

So my point is your cam should work fine, but it mostly depends on the setup and the contraints you have to work within. I don't see anything about your constraints - angle to the plates, distance from the plates, etc.

 

[bigbadw]

I just walked up and confronted a Package thief as he was grabbing a package off my porch.
The license plate cameras grabbed beautiful pictures of the truck and license plate.
Because he set down the package and did not display any physical threat or danger, I allowed him to continue back to his vehicle and leave.
The Sheriff was very happy and surprised by the high quality images and video captured.
The hard work to get these cameras correct and tuning Blueiris paid off!
Thanks to you guys on this forum

 

[m00st]

An IR longpass filter is what you are after.

Optical Cast Infrared Longpass Filters | Edmund Optics

Sorry for responding to such an old post, but the IR pass filter got me thinking: why not use an IR pass filter in front of the camera? Toying around with my regular dahua 2mp camera, at night the headlights take away any chance of seeing the license plate of approaching venicles. But i guess an IR pass filter could filter most of the (visible) light from the headlights.
I noticed some professional ANPR / LPR cameras also use IR pass filters.


At first i thought this was wat NAYR was doing, but he has it in front of the IR illuminator only. Has onyone else experimented with IR pass filters in front of their camera?

 

[nbstl68]

View attachment 28620 View attachment 28619 I just walked up and confronted a Package thief as he was grabbing a package off my porch.
The license plate cameras grabbed beautiful pictures of the truck and license plate.

Just curious, when you say, " just walked up and confronted "....Was this a coincidental run-in or did you see him taking the package off the porch from inside the house or phone app notification or something like that and go confront the situation?
Did you \ he say anything at all?

So many posts here about theory of how to properly set up cameras to catch someone on camera IF something happens. It's great to see examples now and then of a camera setup actually working for their intended purposes. Thanks for posting.

 

[SirAce135]

View attachment 28620 View attachment 28619 I just walked up and confronted a Package thief as he was grabbing a package off my porch.
The license plate cameras grabbed beautiful pictures of the truck and license plate.
Because he set down the package and did not display any physical threat or danger, I allowed him to continue back to his vehicle and leave.
The Sheriff was very happy and surprised by the high quality images and video captured.
The hard work to get these cameras correct and tuning Blueiris paid off!
Thanks to you guys on this forum

I too am starting to work on an LPR solution including Blue Iris and about 20 cams total.
Did you end up finding a way to integrate LPR and Blue Iris?

 

[ecschnei]

I tried reading through all 20 pages but I didn't see where anyone posted that they succeeded in getting plates loaded into a database??? Did I miss it?