In recent years, the role of video security for vehicle access control has increased. Machine learning and advanced artificial intelligence paved the way for new technologies to take camera-based access control to the next level. The wide range of ANPR solutions calls for guidance in making the right choice of vehicle number plate capturing technology. With over 30 years of experience in Vehicle (and driver) Identification, Nedap is well known in the world of ANPR and shares its expertise within this article to guide Security and Parking professionals in their decision.

The difference between ANPR Cameras and CCTV cameras with an add on function

For reading vehicle number plates, it is important to know the difference between Automatic Number Plate Recognition Cameras vs. Standard CCTV Cameras with an add-on function. A variety of video solutions for long-range vehicle identification are applied within access control applications. But how to decide which solution fits best to your needs?

Comparison of the ANPR and CCTV camera

To decide which camera best suits your wishes, several aspects are important to keep in mind. We have listed the differences between an ANPR camera and a standard CCTV with server-based ANPR for you.

Technology

ANPR Camera Standard CCTV Camera
The ANPR camera has only one task, which is capturing a number plate.
The hardware and software design is fully developed to perform this single task.
A CCTV camera default detects and records movements near objects and on infrastructure, but can also record video images of vehicles in real time to read license plates. License plate capturing is done centrally at the server level or in the cloud.

Cost

ANPR Camera Standard CCTV Camera
Even though the one-off costs are usually higher, the cost of ownership are regularly lower because there are no recurring software license fees and there is no need to set up a software server. Although the cost per camera per entry is lower, the total cost of ownership can end up being higher due to the need for servers and ongoing software licensing costs.

Accuracy

ANPR Camera Standard CCTV Camera
ANPR cameras are specialized in capturing number plates in different traffic situations at night, with reflection, high speed and fog. The accuracy of the camera is 95% or higher. CCTV cameras are not specifically designed for ANPR, leading to lower accuracy in conditions such as bad weather, direct sunlight, poor IR reflection or high speed of cars.

Connectivity

ANPR Camera Standard CCTV Camera
An all-in-one license plate camera, with integrated ANPR software, reduces the need to rely on a constant server connection and therefore increases reliability. The camera only records images and needs a connection to a server for processing. The quality of the performance depends on the available bandwidth and the quality of the connection.

Processing capacity

ANPR Camera Standard CCTV Camera
Processing of the video takes place locally, only light alphanumeric data needs to be sent to a central location. This reduces the network footprint and improves accuracy. ANPR cameras are available that perform white listing and black listing locally. Due to the constant flow of images, more data must be processed. This means longer processing time and lower accuracy.


Main advantages stand-alone ANPR camera summed up

At Nedap, we believe that the quality of specialized ANPR cameras is the top 1 choice for secured applications because of its accuracy, cost efficiency and the connectivity. Hereby the advantages of an ANPR camera summed up:

  • Specially designed camera optimized to recognize the number plate and give an immediate good reading.
  • Automatic reading and compilation of a list of vehicle registration numbers in an alphanumeric data format
  • Extreme high reliability by being able to function as standalone solution and thus reducing the need to rely on server connection
  • No software server setup and no annual license costs involved
  • Fast processing  by sending digital data instead of having a constant video stream

Learn more about ANPR

With a lifetime of more than 13 years, the ANPR Lumo is a high-quality ANPR camera that integrates with all leading access control platforms. Curious how ANPR Lumo can help you? Find out our case studies in which different projects are described in detail in which Nedap’s ANPR solutions are applied. If you would like to know more or you have any questions, we would be more than happy to get in contact and tell you more.

Get in contact with an expert  Find out more about our ANPR Lumo