I am looking for a camera similar to a Reolink RLC-410-5MP from a "better" vendor

[bigbillsd]

I want the higher megapixel to allow more zoom when needed to identify license plates and people after the fact. The two Reolinks I bought as a high MP test bed are working out and the price was right, $55 each on sale prior to black Friday. Although the digital zoom in leaves a bit to be desired, I am looking for something a little better that won't break the bank.

Once I figured out the direct to disk function on BI I was able to get my dedicated BI machine back down to 35% CPU usage. When I added those two cameras to my existing 9 cameras. the CPU immediately pegged at 100% machine the machine unusable..

 

[mat200]

I want the higher megapixel to allow more zoom when needed to identify license plates and people after the fact. The two Reolinks I bought as a high MP test bed are working out and the price was right, $55 each on sale prior to black Friday. Although the digital zoom in leaves a bit to be desired, I am looking for something a little better that won't break the bank.

Once I figured out the direct to disk function on BI I was able to get my dedicated BI machine back down to 35% CPU usage. When I added those two cameras to my existing 9 cameras. the CPU immediately pegged at 100% machine the machine unusable..

Hi @bigbillsd

Remember there is more than just MP that defines the quality of an image capture.

Have far away from the camera?
Day time?
Night time?
Moving? Stationary?

 

[bigbillsd]

One is for above the garage, 40' max distance
Day Night Moving and Stationary.

The rest will just be around the perimeter so the distance will be less.

And they should be POE, one of the standards. -Bill

 

[mat200]

One is for above the garage, 40' max distance
Day Night Moving and Stationary.

The rest will just be around the perimeter so the distance will be less.

And they should be POE, one of the standards. -Bill

Hi @bigbillsd

1) One is for above the garage
Q) How high?

2) 40' max distance
Q) TO do what? ID at 40'? License plate in the day? License plate at night? Detect it is a person/car in the day? Detect it is a person/car in the night?

Thanks

 

[SouthernYankee]

Please read the cliff notes in the wiki. Also read Optimizing Blue Iris's CPU Usage . The wiki is in the blue bar at the top of the page.

For me the best cameras are the Dahua 2MP starlight cameras. They are great at night.

Before placing the cameras set up a test. Get a bucket, 8-10 ft 2x4 and mount the camera. Then get a friend, at night to ware a hoodie, baseball cap and sun glasses. can you easily recognize them ?

Read, study, plan before spending money.

 

[bigbillsd]

The garage camera will be installed at the peak of the gable which is approx 12' up. Being able to identify license plates in the daytime would be awesome. The reolink resolution or optical config just won't let me read them at 30' away and only mounted 9' off the ground currently. That seems poor, but maybe I am expecting too much. I have read the cliff notes twice now. -Bill

 

[Q™]

When I added those two cameras to my existing 9 cameras. the CPU immediately pegged at 100% machine the machine unusable

Drop you camera frame rates to 5 @bigbillsd and you should see a vast improvement in your CPU load.

What CPU are you running?

 

[SouthernYankee]

You need to use the correct IP lens. And the correct optical zoom. Read up on license plate reader (lpr). What you are trying to do is not simple and will take a lot of work and testing.

12 ft up and 40 ft away, is a difficult angle and distance.

 

[mat200]

The garage camera will be installed at the peak of the gable which is approx 12' up. Being able to identify license plates in the daytime would be awesome. The reolink resolution or optical config just won't let me read them at 30' away and only mounted 9' off the ground currently. That seems poor, but maybe I am expecting too much. I have read the cliff notes twice now. -Bill

Hi @bigbillsd

I and many others here were shocked, shocked I tell you, to realize how far off from reality our expectations where due to Hollywood distorting what can be done with security cameras.

Seriously, you're probably not realizing just how off you are from reality..

Bill - pick up one of these Review-Dahua IPC-HDW2231RP-ZS Starlight Camera-Varifocal and start playing with it. It is a very nice camera and the price is very reasonable.

You'll learn a lot once you start to have a decent varifocal camera to play with.

Compare the video results at night with those of the reolinks, try your hand at reading license plates.

Also, 12' is a bit too high for most situations - you'll get a bad angle typically when mounted that high.

If you do not have a POE switch or other PSE you may want to pick up one.