LPR with a pair of IPC-HFW5241E-Z12E
- Thread starter Chicken
- Start date
Nice work Parley. Looking really clear. I need to get out there as mess with the zoom a little on one of mine and fine tune the focus. Our dishwasher broke Tuesday night, then my car had the check engine light come on Wednesday morning when I went to try and buy a new dishwasher and then my weekend toy car's AC died on the way to buy the dishwasher 
Its been one of those weeks of burning $$$. Hopefully I'll get back to playing with the cameras in a week or two.
Its been one of those weeks of burning $$$. Hopefully I'll get back to playing with the cameras in a week or two.
Parley
Known around here
Now that it is dark I am getting most of the plates. There is about a 20 minute period during dusk that I cannot read the majority of the plates. Some I can pick up on my Hikvision PTZ. I think this is about as good as I am going to get without installing an external IR light. I will watch it for a few more days and them make a determination on whether I really need one or not as I am getting a good portion of them. Maybe 90%. Daytime is fantastic.
Chicken, life does have a way of doing that.
Chicken, life does have a way of doing that.
Parley, at dusk is the camera in B&W mode already and you are having problems or is it still in color mode? I had the same problem and ended up using the Sunset sunrise app to fix it. I change to b&w an hour before sunset and stay in it until an hour after sunrise. I’ll check tomorrow and post a few examples.
Parley
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Both. It changes right in the middle. I do not know if the Sunset Sunrise app will work with my NVR. Maybe if I changed the FPS to 500 that might work. I also noticed today that the camera stayed in the B/W mode so we shall see what happens tonight. I was looking into buying another camera from Andy but it looks like he is out of stock on this model. I would be interested in buying the 4MP model with the 1/1.8" sensor and see how that would work, but I do not think it is out yet.
Parley
Known around here
The NVR stayed in B/W all day and that helped a lot in the transition from daytime to nighttime. I am not losing any plates. So inch by inch I am making good progress. 
I do not know about sunrise as I do not get up that early. Hahahaha
I do not know about sunrise as I do not get up that early. Hahahaha
bigredfish
Known around here
That matches my experience, keeping it in B&W 24/7 solved the focus issue.
On my other camera, I simply use the “Schedule” to force it to switch to B&W an hour before sunset, and wait till an hour after sunrise to have it switch back to color. No need for the sunrise/sunset Utility in that case.
On my other camera, I simply use the “Schedule” to force it to switch to B&W an hour before sunset, and wait till an hour after sunrise to have it switch back to color. No need for the sunrise/sunset Utility in that case.
Parley
Known around here
I have come to the conclusion that I will need a total of 4 LPR cameras. I am surprised by the number of vehicles without a front license plate. I don't have a good angle to one of the streets but I can make it work. Here is a picture showing part of it. I can do better with the camera mounting and angle than the one in the picture. 
However the location will be pretty much the same.
I am surprised by the number of vehicles without a front license plate. I don't have a good angle to one of the streets but I can make it work. Here is a picture showing part of it. I can do better with the camera mounting and angle than the one in the picture. However the location will be pretty much the same.
bigredfish
Known around here
One can never have too many LPR cameras
I have 3 on my little street as I’m unlucky in 2 of the 3 with regards to placement/angle.
I have 3 on my little street as I’m unlucky in 2 of the 3 with regards to placement/angle.
Parley
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Andy is out of the Z12 model but he does have the Z5 in sto
It sure looks that way. Hahahahaha. Andy is out of the Z12 model but he does have the Z5 in stock which may work for a couple of spots. The distance is not a far as the one I posted on a number of posts up. I need to do some research on the Z5 model for a LPR camera.
Edit: I just went to Andy's website and I see that he has 3 of the 5241-Z12 in stock. I just place an order. The camera I just installed was a 5231-Z12. I do not know what the difference is?
One can never have too many LPR cameras
I have 3 on my little street as I’m unlucky in 2 of the 3 with regards to placement/angle.
It sure looks that way. Hahahahaha. Andy is out of the Z12 model but he does have the Z5 in stock which may work for a couple of spots. The distance is not a far as the one I posted on a number of posts up. I need to do some research on the Z5 model for a LPR camera.
Edit: I just went to Andy's website and I see that he has 3 of the 5241-Z12 in stock. I just place an order. The camera I just installed was a 5231-Z12. I do not know what the difference is?
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bigredfish
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Thats the newer model. I bought 3 for a friend I'm helping install a system but its going slow and will be many weeks before he's ready for me to connect them up as he has to do some trenching and lay conduit first and he's slooowwwww
Should be similar in image, has same sensor, but has AI functionality. Hoping it will help distinguish between a vehicle and a person
Should be similar in image, has same sensor, but has AI functionality. Hoping it will help distinguish between a vehicle and a person
One can never have too many LPR cameras
I have 3 on my little street as I’m unlucky in 2 of the 3 with regards to placement/angle.
I have three. One for each direction of the street. And one above my garage for any cars that pull into the driveway!
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Parley
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I have had the 5241 up for a few days now and I have seen what it takes to make it work on my street. I do have street lamps so that helps with the lighting. Here are the basics. Normal, Day and Night are all set in B/W. All shutter settings are 1/2000 for the 3. I have the IR at 100% for the 3. In the morning I need to make a slight physical adjustment to the camera and move it slightly to the right. I am getting a high percentage of the license plates.
bigredfish
Known around here
Parley
Known around here
I was trying to last night but it does not like the path to save the captures. That is something else I need to look into. I was surprised that the setup would be different than the 5231 camera. That is what I started out with but it did not work out that way. For the next camera I think I will wait for Andy to order the next generation with the 1/1.8" sensor, ANPR, 4MP and 8-32mm lens. He is talking September. Edit: Here is a daytime picture.
For the next camera I think I will wait for Andy to order the next generation with the 1/1.8" sensor, ANPR, 4MP and 8-32mm lens. He is talking September. Edit: Here is a daytime picture.
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Parley
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These cameras are working fairly well, so I will order one more in about a week. That will give me 3 with one more to go. When all 4 cameras are in place that will give me two chances to catch the plates. One chance for the front plate and one chance for the rear plate.
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Night testing LPR. (HFW5321E-Z12 left & HFW5241E-Z12E right)
As you can see images aren't perfect. (around 200ft /60m)
I've changed my setting's a little since taking these screen shots.
Its' a fine line between getting decent captures for entering cars (headlights/driving lights/fog lights) and exiting cars (tail lights/brake lights).
Cars entering usually have high Beam and driving lights on. It's like everyone is scared of the dark around here.
Angle of camera to vehicles is a little different to most.
Setting to eliminate the brightest entering lights, usually means less accurate/darker images for exit captures.
The Z12's are great, it's the fine tuning that takes a little effort.
As you can see images aren't perfect. (around 200ft /60m)
I've changed my setting's a little since taking these screen shots.
Its' a fine line between getting decent captures for entering cars (headlights/driving lights/fog lights) and exiting cars (tail lights/brake lights).
Cars entering usually have high Beam and driving lights on. It's like everyone is scared of the dark around here.
Angle of camera to vehicles is a little different to most.
Setting to eliminate the brightest entering lights, usually means less accurate/darker images for exit captures.
The Z12's are great, it's the fine tuning that takes a little effort.
bigredfish
Known around here
In image above you've probably noticed cars are at different points on bridge (that down to my screenshot vs ALPR image).
By Focus points do you mean the detection masks? They are broadly set to bridge/driveway. I could decrease the size of detection mask, but accuracy and missed captures has not been an issue.
Camera's are both set to same zoom and images are almost identical.
I have them set at that level of zoom to do other stuff like, capture every passing vehicle (neighbourhood snaps).
Neigbourhood Snap's helped recover a stolen ski boat in January.
By Focus points do you mean the detection masks? They are broadly set to bridge/driveway. I could decrease the size of detection mask, but accuracy and missed captures has not been an issue.
Camera's are both set to same zoom and images are almost identical.
I have them set at that level of zoom to do other stuff like, capture every passing vehicle (neighbourhood snaps).
Neigbourhood Snap's helped recover a stolen ski boat in January.