is this an impossible system ?

[metafizx 0]

Hi -

 

So is this the impossible system or what ?

 

I have a friend that wants to setup an IP Wireless Camera system that can see license plates on cars (about 30 feet away, on approx 30deg angle), night or day. And have a fairly wide field of view (say 50-60deg).

 

1 camera to monitor outside on the garage, and 1 camera to monitor inside. The outside camera is the one that would read license plates of cars going by. I'm not too worried about the indoor camera.

 

additionally, record to a PC (luxriot or something), using motion detection to conserve disk space.

 

The wireless is a 802.11G standard router and has to go across a home w/ stucco and glass doors out to a garage with cars, etc. So the signal isnt really great (1 or 2 bars on my laptop).

 

I was considering the Arecont megapixel camera but I think the bandwidth it requires would not work on the wireless.

 

So my questions are, what kind of network camera would you recommend ? any other suggestions to make this system work ?

 

would it be better to have a high end CCTV cam & network DVR sitting on the net in the garage, to capture locally ? and access the DVR over the wireless?

 

thanks in advance..

[metafizx 0]

I read a thread on wireless IP systems in this forum, and looks like I should convert to a 5Ghz AP for starters.

[zmxtech 0]

your no plate cam should not be wide-angle but just the width of your driveway from any distance . A wide angle overview cam also -throw in some IR to light the plates up and for night use.

 

54G wifi link should handle your camera. I would suggest a high gain antenna pointing at your shed as WIFI drops the speed down to 1Mb or so if you have poor signal. [you could use pre-N WIFI also] small 2.4Ghz 12DBi pane should do it.

 

no benefit for 5ghz unless you have interference or want to be more stealthy

but running WPA\AES encryption will be fine.

 

my 2c

[metafizx 0]

hi ,

 

thanks for the reply.

 

I am considering a Axis 221 cam, not megapixel, but with the progressive scan CCD and MJPEG compression it should be pretty cool.

 

I am running the wireless through a Engenius E3220 bridge to a standard wireless router (linksys). the camera is connected to the E3220.

 

You are right the link is weak and getting about 1 Mbps throughput, a far cry from the blazing 54 Mbps that I'd like to get a chunk of.

 

So putting a good antenna should help a lot...thanks.

[chad_cooper 0]

if you are using a camera with IR, make sure that camera has a mechanical IR cut filter removal. As the camera needs this removed during IR use. The ACTi CAM-5220 works well for this application.

[metafizx 0]

if you are using a camera with IR, make sure that camera has a mechanical IR cut filter removal. As the camera needs this removed during IR use. The ACTi CAM-5220 works well for this application.

 

hi, yes thanks. I got the Axis 221 which has the IR Cut filter.

I just posted about this camera, it is giving me problems...

[metafizx 0]

update, I put in a Axis 221 with AI/IR 2.8-12mm Computar lens.

 

Works pretty good, but still wrestling with exposure/camera settings.

 

I can see license plates in certain lighting and settings, but it is very difficult to get a "perfect" setting for all lighting conditions.

 

I reduced the exposure to 1/15th and cut back on the contrast & brightness this helped to keep the license plate from getting washed out.

 

basically it's a lighting/exposure nightmare to cover all cases from bright sunlight to IR dark.

 

ideally there needs to be a camera that has specific settings for various lighting conditions.

[CollinR 0]

You sooo should have gone with an Arecont 3130, it would do this out of the box.

 

 

They 3130s will also work over wifi, however 1 camera swamps the radio.

[metafizx 0]

You sooo should have gone with an Arecont 3130, it would do this out of the box.

 

 

They 3130s will also work over wifi, however 1 camera swamps the radio.

 

yeah I know...I wanted to use this cam, but since the guy insisted on wireless, I had to go with lower res.

 

it's working pretty good now...I told him that if he wants better, then we have to have a wired setup, and get off the wireless.