Milestone LPR Tested

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Ethan Ace
•Published Mar 31, 2015 04:00 AM

*** **** **** *********'* *** ****?

*********'* *** ******** *** *** ***** IP *******, *********** ******* ***** *********** with *** ********* ***** ****** *** **** video, ********, *** ******.

** ****** *********'* *** **** ***** cameras ********* ********'* ** ********** ** ******,*****'* ***** *** ***** ********* ***, *** ******'* ********* ******* ************ ***, *** ******.

*** * ****** ***** ******* *****, from *** ** ******* ** ***** inside, ***** ** ******** ** *********'* LPR:

*** ****** ******* *** ********* *** questions:

  • *** ******** *** *********'* ***?
  • **** ******** ******** ******* ****** *** three ******* ****** - ********, ***** and ******?
  • **** ******* **** *********** ** ****** plates *** ********** ***********?
  • **** ***** ****** / ******* ** you **** ** ****** **?
  • **** ********** **** / ****** ****** should *** ******?
  • **** ****** ****** ****** ****** *** improper ***********?
  • *** **** ** ******* *********'* ****** ***?

    • **** *** *** *** ******** **** this ****:

    ******* *********** ***********

    • ********** ** ******* ********* *********, ********** capturing and *********** ~**% ** ****** ****** the *** *** ~**% ** ****** at ***** **** ******** *** ** 1/250 ****** (****** *******).
    • ******** ********** ** ****** *** ****** to ******* ****** ***** ******* */*** exposure *** ** ************ *** ******* of ******* ******.
    • ***-** ******* ********** ********** ***** **% ** plates ****** *** ***. ** *****, non-IR ******* ******** ********** **** ~**% of ******, ** ~**% ** ******* plates **** *** ****** ** ** all, **** **** **% ** ***** read ********** **********.
    • *********** ******** *** ******* ** ******* speeds, **** ~** ** ~** ***.
    • **** ***** *** **** ***** ********* recommended ********, passing *** *** ***** **********.

    *********** ******

    • *** **** ****** ******* ****** **** mistaking ********** (* *** *, * for *, ***.) *** ******* ** read *** ** **** *********, ********* first ** **** ** *** *****.
    • ****** **** ************ **** ******** ***** on **** *******, **** ** ***** one ** ***** ***** ***** *******.
    • *** ***** ** ***-***** ********* **** as *****, ***, ***** *******, ***., only * ***** *** ** *** total.
    • ***-** ******* **** ***** ****** ** misread ****** *** ** ***** ****** being *** *** ** ****/******* ***** levels ***** *** ****, **** ********* plate ********** ********* ** *****.

    ****** ******

    • *** ***********, *** ***** **** ***** streams *********** ** ********* **************, ***** substantially **** *********/******* **** *.***.
    • ********** ** * ****** *** ****** using *********** ******** ********* *** **** minimally **** ** ********, *** ************* with ******** ** *** *****. ********** ***** cameras ************** ******** ** ******* ********, up ** ~**% **** ******** ** scene ** *** ******* (** **** Quad **** ** *.* *** *******).
    • ********* ** ***** **** **** * to ** ** ****** ********** ****** as *** ********** ***** ****** **** faster, ******* ***** ** ***** ******** and ******** ****** ***** ** *****.
    • ********* ** *.*** ********** *********** ****** in *** ***** ******* ** **-** seconds
    • ********** ********** **** **** ** ***** and *** ********** ****** ** ** increase ** ****** ****, *** ********** delay.
    • **** ****** **** ** ******** (** motion) ** ****** ***** ******. ******** H.264 ****** *** ** ******** ** well, *** ** *** ********** ** LPR ******.

    *******

    ********* ******** *** ******** ***** ********, with *** ********* ****:

    • ******** *** **** *******: $*** *** MSRP (******** *** ***** *******)
    • ******** *** ******* *******: $*,*** ****
    • ******** *** ***** *******: $*** ****

    *** **** ******* ** ******** *** server, **** * ******* ******* ******** for **** ******. * ***** ******* must ** ********* ** ***** **** state ** ******* ** ** **** with *** ******. *** *******, ** **** United *******, ******, *** ***** ******, three ********* *** ******** (*** ******** in **** **** *** **********).

    ***************

    ******** *** ******** **** ******** **** setup ********** *** ********, **** ***** integration *** *** ********* ***** ******, at * ***** ***** **** ***** than **** ********* *** *******, **** as******* ******, ****** ******* *** ******** ******* plate ********* *** ******* ****** ***** of *******.

    *******, ***** ****** ****** ** ********* bandwidth/storage ************ ** *****, ***** *** stream **** *** *** ********** **** also ** ******** ** ***** ****** are ** ** *****. ****, ****** of **** *** ************ ***** ****** preclude *** ******* **** ***** **** for ******* ************ ********.

    *******, ** **** ***** (>** ***) recognition ** * ****, ********* ********/******** platforms *** ****** * ****** ******.

    XProtect ****** ***

    ** *** ****** **** ** ***** to **** ****** ******* ** ****** events. ****** *** ***** ** * special *** ****, **** ***** ****** directly **** ** **** *****. ******** an ***** ******** ** ******** **** in *** ********** ****. ** *** tab ** **** *****, ******** ***** to **** ******* ****** *****, ****** for ******** ****** (********* ******* *******), and ****** *******.

    **** ***** ******** ** ******** ** LPR *** ** *** ******** ******:

    Server *************

    *** ******** *** ****** **** ** a ******** *******, ***** **** *** XProtect ***** *** ********* *******. ********* recommends ** ** *** ** * dedicated ******* *** *** *** *** server. In *** *****, *** *** ****** increased *** **** ** ***** **% on ******* (**** ****-**** ***** **, 2.4 ***), **** ****** ****** ** memory *****.

    **** ***** ******* ***** ************* ** the *** ******:

    ****** ******* ******

    ************ ** *** *** ******, ** well ** ******** ********* *** ******** issues. ** **** *****, ************ ****** without *** ***** ***********. ** ******, installation of ********* *** ****** ******** *****, and ****** ************ *** *** ********, despite ***** ********* ** *** *********'* prerequisites.

    ***** ****** *** *********** *** ** the **** *** ****** ** *** Milestone ************, ***** *** ****** **** over **** ** **** ****** * proper *******. ***** ****** ** ******** ** burn ***** **** (*****, ********) ****** installation ** ******* *** ***** ******.

    XProtect *** ****** *************

    ****** ** *** ****** ** *** server ******** * ***** ************* *******, capturing ** ******* *********** ** *** field ** **** **** ******* ****** in *** *****, *** ******** ********** to * ******* ** ******** **** as ********** *********, ****** ** ****** in *** *****, ***.

    *** ***** ******* ** ********** ** *** video *****:

    ** **** ** ***** ***** ** cover ******** ********** **** ** ********** frame ****, ****** ** ****** ** scene, ********** ****, *** ****:

    Milestone ****** ***************

    ********* ******** ********** *** ********* ******** for *** *******:

    • * ***
    • *****, ******* >**
    • ********** "*** *** ****"

    ***** ******** *** ********, ** *** the *****, ***** *** **** ******** of ** ******* ********* *** *.***, with ***** **** **** ** ******* cases, **** ************. 

    *.*** **. *****

    *.*** *** ** **** *** *** cameras. *******, ** ********** *********** ********** delay, **** *** **** ******* *** car ******* *** *** ***** ***** processed ********* **** MJPEG) ** **-** *******.

    **** ***** ******** ** *********** ****** ******** useless *** *********, ** *** ***** was ********* **** ***** *** ****** event ********. ******* ** **** *****, ******** on ** *** ***** ********* ***** after *** *** *** ******* ******, seen *****:

    ********* 

    ********* ********** ***** * *** *** LPR **********. **** **** **** ********* is ******** **** **** *** ********* framerate, ***** *** ** *** ********** or *** ***** *******.

    ********** ********* **** *** *********** * FPS *** ********** ********** *********** ********** delay, ******* ** ***** *.***, **** above, *** *** *** ******* *********** ***********.

    **********

    ********* **** *** **** ******** ****** on ********** *** ****** ** ******* of **********. *******, **** **** *** guidelines ** *** *** ******* *** US ******, *** *** *** *** Euro-style ******.

    ***** ******* *** ******** ***** ** a ******* ************** ** *.* ****** per ********* "******" (**** ****** ** a *********), ***** ****** ** ***** size *** *****, *** ****** ******* to *** ***/*** *** ******* *****.

    ** ****** ****** *********** **** **** up to *** *** ***** ** *********** difference ** ********** **** ** *****.

    Most ****** *********** ******

    ***** *** *** **** ****** ****** found ** *** *******:

    *** *******: ********/****** **********

    *** **** ****** ***** ** ***** in *********** *** ******** **********, **** ** B ***** ******** *** * ** 0 ******** *** *. 

    ************, ********* ********** **** ****** *** read, **** ******** *** ***** ** last ********* ** * ******* *****:

    *** *******: ******** ***** *****

    ******** *** ********** **** *** **** plate ******** *****. ** *** *****, one ** ***** ***** *** *******, though ****** *** ** *********, ** seen *****:

    ***-** *******: ***** *** **** ******

    *** *** ***** ***** ****** ********* poor *********** ***** ** ***-** ******* *** high **** ******. ** ***** ** ******* images ** *** *****, ***** ******* of **** *** *******, ***** ********* digital *****, ********* ** ***** ********* the ******* ** *** ******* *****. This ****** ******** ****** *** ******** in ***** ***** *** ****** *** capture.

    ** **** (*** *** ***, **** as *** ***** ***-***** **** *****) cameras, **** *** ** ******** *******, but **** ******* ******, *********** ****** them ******** ******* ****** ******* ** IR ************.

    Versions *** ******** ****

    ********* ******** ********* **** *.** *** used **** ******** *** *.**. ******* module **** *** **, **** ** specific ***** ******* ****. **** *** recognition ********** *** ***** **** **** 500 ***** ********* **** ******** **** of *******.

    ****** ******** ******** **** ** *******:

Comments (15)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Mar 31, 2015

We find its hit and miss. Complex and often lacks clear points in which to test and confirm the configuration. We have notice issues where we have had to remove and replace it for another solution after nine months of issues, even the "nothing is wrong its your hardware" only to find a new release fixed other issues - furthermore we have had been massive delays reading the plate up to a minute before it going in a database resulting in the gate opening too late or the system disregarding it. Milestone support is terrible. They do not understand the product enough, the logs files are poor leading to issues tracing any problems even for them.

BTW Milestone tell you that Express supports LPR, you pay your money, install it and then find out from support no it doesn't.. Their website tells a different story.

Currently we have another site which is taking Milestone over 2 days just to get the license to work!

Sorry but i'm on the fence on Milestone LPR, my gut tells me the dacollen system is too processor heavy and too poorly integrated.

(2)
U
Undisclosed #4
•Apr 01, 2015
In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1

Express can not support LPR, as this platform doesn't use a 'Management Server' in it's configuration - only Corporate, Expert and Enterprise use this function to 'centrally control' numerous recording servers.

In lower levels (like Express), they use a separate 'Management Application' to control each individual recording server.

They named each of these interfaces so similarly just to annoy people I think...

PV
Pat Villerot
•Mar 31, 2015

Can you confirm the model of processor used? We're trying to gauge the level of performance vs new i7 processors and also their Xeon equivalents.

(1)
Avatar
Ari Erenthal
•Mar 31, 2015
Chesapeake & Midlantic

If you can just get a generic US library, is there any advantage to paying for libraries for individual US states?

Will the generic US library work on Canadian license plates, as they are the same size and shape as US license plates?

Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Mar 31, 2015
In reply to Ari Erenthal

The individual libraries are supposed to be "tuned" to specific states, to account for things like differences in character pattern, reflectance, etc. But we haven't seen much difference. We used the NJ library and tested with "Shore to Please" plate, which has stacked characters:

It did not read the stacked characters, and NY and PA plates read just as well as they did using the US generic module.

Because of that, I'd expect Canadian plates to work as well (but I won't guarantee it!), and we'll actually get one to add to the plate repertoire in the future.

JG
Jeff Goodall
•Mar 31, 2015

it also seems the skew of the license plate is possibly greater than it should be for LPR technology with the above pictures.

Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Mar 31, 2015
In reply to Jeff Goodall

The cameras were set up at an angle of incidence of about 19-20 degrees to the road, within Milestone's recommendations (<25 degrees). The vertical angle was very shallow as well, as cameras were only about 7' off the ground.

(1)
U
Undisclosed
•Apr 01, 2015

I am guessing that older analog D1 resolution license plate cameras would not work due to low resolution?

Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Apr 01, 2015
In reply to Undisclosed

I wouldn't rule them out, but the FOV would need to be about 6' wide at most, and you would need to very carefully set it so you get multiple frames of the plate. Angle of incidence would need to be very shallow.

The up side to SD cameras, if there is one, is that the frame size is smaller, so the server should be able to process higher framerates, instead of the 4 Milestone recommends as their general rule.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #3
•Apr 01, 2015

Thank you for providing information on setup challenges and the impact on time frames. This is very relevant information.

Avatar
Roshan Blessen Mathew
•Apr 13, 2015

We were struck with Milestone LPR, Thank you for publishing this article which indeed helped us in geeting out.

Is XProtect LPR 2.0a released as I cant find it in their website and I use 1.0c

Avatar
Ethan Ace
•Apr 13, 2015
In reply to Roshan Blessen Mathew

Milestone supplied us with an advance (non-beta, but non-public as of test time) copy of 2.0a. They just put out a newsletter last week, however, claiming general availability April 15th, so check back in two days.

U
Undisclosed #5
•Apr 14, 2015
IPVMU Certified

H.264 may be used for LPR cameras. However, it introduces significant processing delay, with the time between the car passing and the plate being processed increased from < 1 sec for MJPEG to 10-15 seconds for H.264...

Any thoughts on why decoding a 4 FPS H.264 stream would add 10 seconds of latency? Surely the VMS is capable of decoding multiple concurrent 30FPS H.264 streams in < 1 sec for live view as well as VMD, so what gives?

Makes you think that the application was written for MJPEG initially, and to make it compatible with H.264, they took the easy way out and are just decoding H.264 and re-encoding it as MJPEGs before sending it to the LPR server. Speculation? Justified because their abysmal performance invites it.

Was wondering what the camera processing time stat shows when using h.264. If it's < 1 sec even though taking ten, it's probably not the LPR server using up the time...

U
User 1
•Aug 05, 2020

Hi All, Does anyone know if Milestone LPR has improved or not since the last time this evaluation was performed?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #7
•Jan 05, 2024

Now that almost 8 years have passed since this report I wonder if you guys plan to do a new one to see if they have improved? Thanks.