Package thief

[spankdog]

Nothing spectacular here but this car just took a package from a neighbors porch. The camera is a Dahua HDB4300F-PT that I bought a few years ago. Now that I need to read the tag I realize that having the wide view does not help with identification. I also regret not replacing this camera with the HDW5231R-Z that I just installed in my backyard.

 

[nayr]

living on a culdesac should make LPR easier since you get both ends of the vehicle with one camera.. there's 35mm Varifocal Dahua's coming down the pipeline.. both Starlight for general security and 4MP for dedicated LPR

 

[spankdog]

I am definitely going to replace this soon but haven't decided what to use yet. I like how small the HDB4300F-PT is. I have been following along with all of your camera reviews and your LPR setup. Thanks for all of your advice. I know i want to get at-least one HDW5231R-Z and then probably something else to focus on the culdesac for LPR. I have my eye on the SD59230U-HNI but i'm afraid that its too big to mount anywhere on the front of my house. Don't want to freak the neighbors out

 

[nayr]

with your neighbors getting packages stolen they are more likely to react the opposite way I've found; all my neighbors love my cameras and the videos I share on nextdoor .. Everyone thinks the world is worse than it was when they grew up and very few people are security luddites.

the only neighbors who'd possibly care are those running illegal activities out of there property, if you live next door to a drug dealer or bootlegger they probably wont like it.

I mounted my big ultra bullet to a paint matched metal box on the side of the house, the camera its self only pokes out of the front a few inches.. There's also lawn decorations you can hide cameras in, birdhouses, lighthouses, faux rocks, etc.

Every neighborhood needs a few houses just plastered with cameras IMHO

 

[spankdog]

All good points...I guess I just dont want people to think I am spying on them. Like you said though they probably wouldn't be too concerned unless they are doing something shady. The soffit above my garage is white and white gutters, downspouts etc so I think it helps hide the white cameras pretty good. The current camera is mounted right next to the downspout so I can probably mount my LPR camera there too.

 

[nayr]

When you see a camera up at a retail store or a public park do you think they are spying on you or trying to keep you safe? They are so ubiquitous now days that hardly anyone notices em, even when they are clearly obvious.

I posted up one video to my neighbors, one a few houses down came over and tanked me in person.. we were talking about 10mins and she asked where the camera was, I pointed about 3ft from her face and then laughed, I took no efforts to hide the camera by my door.

 

[ldasilva]

you can clearly see my cameras very well no efforts to hide

 

[spankdog]

All good points again. I'm pretty sure PTZ is bad idea for LPR but do you think that the SD59225T-HNI or SD59230U-HNI would be able to get a good image if i kept it zoomed near the entrance of the culdesac? I saw the IPC-HFW8232E-Z but i think it may be overkill for what I need? Do you mind recommending something for me? Thanks!

 

[nayr]

what distances are you working with, the reason for LPR using a dedicated camera is at night you have to run a high shutter speed to avoid blur, and anything not flared up as bright as a license plate will be pitch black.. they are blind all night long to anything that is not a source of light.. they require such specific settings you basically have to dedicate a camera to only LPR.

the IPC-HFW5431E-Z5 | Dahua Technology should be good for manual reading to ~150ft or so, automatic reading to almost ~100ft, price is right at ~$210

 

[spankdog]

I do remember reading that now that you mention it. I need to go check out your thread to see how that was done again. My main goal was to be able to read a plate during the day but I'm sure something will happen in the evening and I will regret not covering night time as well.

 

[nayr]

there's a measuring tool on google maps thats reasonably accurate for large distances..

and there's always Camera Calculator / Design Software tha'll help alot deciding how much camera is required to reach the point your thinking about.

Ive stoped inputing lens options, put in 4MP, 1/3 and 10 degree FOV as dahua puts in spec sheet.. ignore what lens it calculates but look at the PPF and keep it >100

 

[spankdog]

It looks like I am right in the sweet spot at 100 ft plus/minus a few feet. I contacted Andy and he said he had the HFW5431E-Z on order but none in stock. I think I will pick up one when they are available. I attached pics with the distance and camera location. Would you shoot for the area at the top of the culdesac where it narrows back to the road width? We only have rear plates here so depending on how they turn around I may or may not get a good view in the culdesac.

Thanks

 

[bababouy]

Shoot for the mouth or the bottle neck. We usually park a car in the spot that we are aiming for and adjust the camera to the plate on the car.

 

[TonyR]

No problem! Just run it through the same 'image enhancement' program that CSI Miami used here : video

I'm joking of course. Don't you just love those crime shows taking an image, zooming in until it's pixelated like a Minecraft tool and then 'enhancing it' to reveal a perfectly legible license plate?

 

[nayr]

Enlarge and Enhance aint got shit on Uncrop!

 

[spankdog]

No problem! Just run it through the same 'image enhancement' program that CSI Miami used here : video

I'm joking of course. Don't you just love those crime shows taking an image, zooming in until it's pixelated like a Minecraft tool and then 'enhancing it' to reveal a perfectly legible license plate?

Funny you mention that. Several neighbors have said that I need to make sure the police get the video so they can enhance it.

 

[spankdog]

Hah...."if you blow up the dots you just get bigger dots"

 

[TonyR]

Enlarge and Enhance aint got shit on Uncrop!

Great video clip and example of what I was attempting to point out. The sad thing is there are some folks out there that really believe this is possible!

 

[mlapaglia]

 

[Kawboy12R]

No problem! Just run it through the same 'image enhancement' program that CSI Miami used here : video

I'm joking of course. Don't you just love those crime shows taking an image, zooming in until it's pixelated like a Minecraft tool and then 'enhancing it' to reveal a perfectly legible license plate?

They must run Avigilon software...