LPR Camera location conundrum

[Moondog]

Want to install an LPR camera but really struggling with the location. I'm on a curve. Here are some pics. Seems like the garage is a bad angle but it's the closest. How important is the angle?

Is it okay going high, to the 2nd floor just under the roof?

Anyway, check out these pics and let me know what you think.

Thanks
Eric

 

[TechieTech]

Your best angle is going to be in front of the garage and shooting 90 degrees to the left without getting the wall in the frame, not where you have the picture drawn straight down the driveway. Your second best angle (which is still pretty steep) will be the 2nd floor to the shot over the driveway.

 

[wittaj]

2nd story is fine for LPR because the distance is "flattening" the angle.

The 50 and 60 feet options will be problematic. You would get some plates, but would be guessing at a lot.

The 96 feet would be your best bet, but the corner of the garage will absorb a lot of the IR and you would probably need supplemental put on the garage.

But the better bet would be on the garage pointing up to the 60 feet location. Or on the top of your wall/fence if trees are not in the way.

Those that have been here awhile know that I share a representative sample of plates I get at night of vehicles traveling about 45MPH at 175 feet from my Z12E that is on the 2nd story soffit, My angle is about 40 degrees vertical, 50 degrees horizontal. Camera is 35 feet above street at this location.

 

[samplenhold]

Your 2nd story cam location pointing out your driveway probably has the best chance of getting good shots. By pointing out the driveway, you lower the risk of a parked car blocking the shot.

See this thread on planning.

LPR Case Study: Scoping, Planning, Proof of Concept, Installation, & Results

Introduction This thread is about my journey into LPR (License Plate Recognition) after having about 18 months of experience with IP cams and having quite a bit of my system finished. I am not an expert on LPR, or IP cameras either. But I have spent a lot of time working with my system and...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[Vettester]

For the best optimization I would try to mount it on the right side of your driveway hiding it in a bush or some kind of a yard decoration.



This would give the best height and angle to the street. I'm doing something similar and am getting almost straight on LPR.

 

[Moondog]

For the best optimization I would try to mount it on the right side of your driveway hiding it in a bush or some kind of a yard decoration.

View attachment 123717

This would give the best height and angle to the street. I'm doing something similar and am getting almost straight on LPR.

View attachment 123718

This is what the wall location looks like.

 

[Flintstone61]

What about the eaves (edit,, on the frt porch) below the second story mount area? next to the downspout looking back to the left toward drive way. The you don't have to adjust it from a ladder. and it's out of " plain " sight.

 

[Flintstone61]

Mines is 7 feet off the ground, and I'm getting 99.9% of everything, albeit at a speed of about 15-20.

 

[Flintstone61]

 

[Vettester]

This is what the wall location looks like.

That could work.

 

[Flintstone61]

 

[DLONG2]

One suggestion would be to place a camera within the bush. You can paint the housing black and mount it on a 4' tall vertical black 2 inch drain pipe, and it won't be so apparent. The Z12 with an optical zoom would then be able to view plates in that direction.

 

[Moondog]

One suggestion would be to place a camera within the bush. You can paint the housing black and mount it on a 4' tall vertical black 2 inch drain pipe, and it won't be so apparent. The Z12 with an optical zoom would then be able to view plates in that direction.
View attachment 123761

Oh I like that!! That's probably the best angle I could get. One option for that angle would be for me to put it on a pole (see red line on photo). That corner on the other side of the wall is a planter. Pretty high up from the sidewalk so nobody could mess with it.

 

[wittaj]

Oh I like that!! That's probably the best angle I could get. One option for that angle would be for me to put it on a pole (see red line on photo). That corner on the other side of the wall is a planter. Pretty high up from the sidewalk so nobody could mess with it.

Yep that is where I suggested in Post #3 - you could point it probably either direction or have one in each direction at that location so you get them coming and going.

 

[Moondog]

Yep that is where I suggested in Post #3 - you could point it probably either direction or have one in each direction at that location so you get them coming and going.

Stepped into that planter behind the wall and took a pic of the exact angle. about 1' above the wall. Looks good! Clear view. I zoomed in slightly, maybe 2x on my iPhone

 

[wittaj]

Still not a perfect angle and you may get some cars that you miss, but that is looking like one of your better options. What does it look like the other way?

 

[Moondog]

Still not a perfect angle and you may get some cars that you miss, but that is looking like one of your better options. What does it look like the other way?

Other direction from the planter. More likely cars can be parked all along this side of the stree

 

[The Automation Guy]

Other direction from the planter. More likely cars can be parked all along this side of the stree

That works today (shooting towards the driveway behind the grey car), but that tree will be problematic in the future. If you need a view this way, the wall on the other side of the driveway might be the best long-term option.

EDIT - you might get a good shot by moving that camera location farther right down the wall, but aiming at that same driveway. It will increase the angle, but I think it will still be acceptable.

 

[samplenhold]

Zoomed in to the shot from your post #17 you can see that the angle is fine. See the plate on the parked car below. Any cars going down the street will have the same angle.



From your shot in post #15, take a shot when a car is passing. See if the angle is OK.

Prior to running any cable and mounting the cams, set up a test rig to make sure it is what you want.

 

[DLONG2]

With the angle in the street and how it curves around your home, can't you just sell the home and buy one across the street, which would afford you better viewing angles in both directions? LPR is more than a hobby, it's a lifestyle! ;-)