SquintPRO · ANPR cameras
ANPR camera requirements: when existing CCTV can read plates, and when a dedicated camera is needed
An ANPR camera is any camera whose image lets software read a number plate reliably, by day and at night. An existing CCTV camera can do it if its position, resolution, shutter and night lighting suit the lane. This guide sets out what to check on each camera at a Saudi gate or car park, and when a dedicated camera is the honest answer. SquintPRO, the video analytics platform Interkey builds, reads plates from the stream of any camera that passes those checks.
Published 8 min read
Orientation
At a glance
The whole page in one table, before the detail.
- What decides it
- Plate size in the image, shutter, night lighting, angle, distance, lane width
- Existing CCTV
- Often usable where a camera faces one lane near the barrier
- Dedicated camera
- Fast or wide lanes, steep positions, no infrared
- Saudi plates
- Arabic and Latin characters; both must be legible
- SquintPRO
- Reads plates from a qualifying camera's stream; licensed per stream
The problem in plain words
- Plate reading usually fails at the camera, not in the software.
- An existing camera's fitness depends on how it is placed and set, not on its brand.
- The usual gap is the night: no infrared, a slow shutter, headlight glare.
- What to do: check each gate camera, adjust the close ones, add dedicated cameras only where needed.
What makes a camera an ANPR camera
An ANPR camera, also called an LPR or licence plate recognition camera, is defined by its image, not its label: as a vehicle passes, the frame must show the plate large, sharp and evenly lit enough for each character to be told apart. Cameras sold for ANPR are built for that, with a narrow view, a fast shutter and infrared lighting.
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General CCTV is built for a wide scene and people in motion, but that does not rule it out. A camera already at a barrier, facing one lane at a modest distance, can often be set for plates. A dome covering a whole car park from a pole usually cannot, whatever its resolution, because the plate is a small patch of the image seen from too steep an angle.
For the whole plate-reading process, see number plate recognition with SquintPRO; for the streams and cameras SquintPRO accepts, see SquintPRO camera compatibility.
Why Saudi gates and car parks are demanding for plate cameras
- Two scripts on one plate. Saudi plates carry the registration in Arabic and Latin characters, so the plate must fill more of the frame than a single-script plate.
- Strong and low sun. Midday glare, and low sun in the lens at dawn and late afternoon, wash out characters.
- Dust and heat. Dust on the housing window softens the image; heat haze over long approaches blurs distant plates.
- Headlights at night. Without infrared lighting and the right exposure, a reflective plate turns into a white rectangle.
- Mixed traffic. Trucks carry plates higher than cars, and GCC plates may use other layouts.
None of this rules plate reading out. It means checking each camera in the conditions it will meet, at noon and at night.
ANPR camera specifications: what to check on each camera
Use the plate-reading software's own minimum for each row; the pilot confirms it at your lane.
| Requirement | Why it matters | How to check an existing camera | Dedicated camera needed when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution at the plate | Each character needs enough pixels, in both scripts | Measure the plate width in pixels on a frame of a passing vehicle | The plate stays too small even zoomed in |
| Field of view | A wide view spreads pixels over the scene | The lane should fill most of the frame | The camera must keep a wide security view |
| Shutter speed | A slow shutter blurs moving characters | Set a fixed fast shutter; look at vehicles at gate speed | Night images are too dark at that shutter |
| Night lighting (IR) | Plates must stay readable in darkness and against headlights | Characters should be dark and clear on night frames | No infrared, or it does not reach the plate |
| Angle | Steep angles squash and skew characters | Check height and how far across and down it looks | It cannot move close to the line of the lane |
| Distance and lane width | One lane per camera, read at the right range | Count lanes in view; find where vehicles slow | A wide entry has several lanes |
| Video stream | The analytics read the camera's stream | Confirm a standard stream (RTSP or ONVIF) at full resolution | It records locally or streams reduced resolution |
The resolution printed on the box says little: what matters is how many pixels land on the plate at the reading point. A camera that reads well at noon can fail at night, so every check needs night frames as well.
ANPR camera installation: angle, height, distance and lane width
Most daytime plate-reading problems are installation problems. The exact figures come from the software supplier's guidance for your plate size and vehicle speed.
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- Read where vehicles slow down, just before the barrier or ticket machine.
- Keep the installation angle shallow: close to the line of the lane, slightly above and to the side, never directly overhead.
- Set the height for the vehicle mix. Yards with trucks may need a second reading point for their higher plates.
- One lane, one camera, wherever two vehicles can pass side by side.
- Front or rear plate. Reading the rear plate at an exit keeps headlights out of the lens.
- Avoid low sun and plan cleaning: face away from dawn and late-afternoon sun, and keep the housing reachable.
Existing CCTV, an adjusted camera or a dedicated LPR camera
| Option | When it works | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Existing camera as it is | It faces one lane at the reading point, with infrared | No new hardware; plate settings can weaken its security view |
| Existing camera, adjusted | It needs a new angle, zoom, shutter setting or added infrared | Quick to try; the pilot shows whether it is enough |
| Dedicated ANPR or LPR camera | Fast or wide lanes, steep positions, no infrared | New hardware at that lane, but the most predictable reading |
Most sites end up with a mix: dedicated cameras at the busiest or widest lanes, adjusted cameras at quieter gates, and the rest of the CCTV left for vehicle detection, zone alerts and footage search.
Checking an existing camera before you buy anything
- Note its height, its distance to the reading point and the lanes in view.
- Take frames of passing vehicles at midday, in late afternoon and at night.
- Measure the plate width in pixels on those frames against the software's stated minimum.
- Check that both the Arabic and the Latin characters are legible, on dusty or older plates too.
- Record the result: usable as is, usable after adjustment, or needs a dedicated camera.
Where SquintPRO fits, and where it does not
SquintPRO reads number plates from the stream of cameras that pass these checks, already installed or added for the purpose. It logs each read with plate, time, lane and image, checks it against your lists and sends the result to your barrier, access-control or video management system. It is licensed per camera stream, and a stream can run any number of use cases, such as alerts when a vehicle enters a restricted zone.
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- It does not make a camera see what it cannot. A small, blurred or dark plate needs a camera fix.
- It does not replace barrier hardware. It sends the decision to it.
- It does not identify drivers. SquintPRO does not use face recognition.
It runs on-premise, with footage on your site, or in the cloud with 3, 6 or 12 months' retention. SquintPRO pricing factors explains what shapes a quote; car park entries and exits are covered in smart parking with SquintPRO.
Relatedsmart parking with SquintPRO
How Interkey checks your cameras and runs a pilot
Interkey starts with a camera survey of the gates and lanes in scope, sorting each camera into usable as is, usable after adjustment, or needing new hardware, with the reason written down. A pilot on a few lanes follows, against written success criteria for day and night reads. The pilot scoping guide shows how that scope is written.
For sites in Saudi Arabia, survey, integration and support come from Riyadh, with Arabic-speaking engineers; on-premise, plate images and records stay on your infrastructure. Agree before go-live who may search plate records and how long they are kept. Duration depends on sites, lanes, camera access and integration; we estimate it once the scope is known.
Relatedpilot scoping guide
Questions buyers ask about ANPR cameras
Can the CCTV cameras we already have read number plates, or do we need new ANPR cameras?
Often some can. A camera facing one lane near the barrier, with infrared and a full-resolution stream, can usually be set for plates. Overview cameras on poles rarely can. A camera survey sorts each one.
What camera resolution is needed to read Saudi number plates?
What matters is the pixels across the plate at the reading point, not the megapixels on the box. Saudi plates carry Arabic and Latin characters, so both must be legible. Use the software's stated minimum and measure it on day and night frames from your lane.
What is the right installation angle and height for a plate camera at a gate?
As shallow as the site allows: close to the line of the lane, slightly above and to the side, where vehicles slow before the barrier. Height depends on the vehicle mix, since truck plates sit higher. The supplier's guidance gives the limits; the pilot confirms them.
Does an LPR camera need infrared to read plates at night?
In most outdoor lanes, yes. Without infrared and a fast fixed shutter, headlights turn a reflective plate white and characters blur. Where an existing camera has no infrared, added lighting or a dedicated camera is usually needed. Judge every camera on night frames.
How much does it cost to add plate reading at a site in Saudi Arabia?
It depends on the lanes read, how many existing cameras qualify, how many need adjusting or replacing, and integration with your barrier and video systems. SquintPRO is licensed per camera stream, with unlimited use cases per stream. Each quote is built from the survey and the streams in scope.
How long do a camera survey and a plate-reading pilot take, and who supports us in the Kingdom?
It depends on the number of sites and lanes, camera access and integration work, so we estimate it once the scope is known. The pilot runs against written success criteria. Interkey carries out survey, integration and support from Riyadh, with Arabic-speaking engineers.
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Next step
Find out which of your cameras can read plates
Tell us about the site, its gates and lanes, and the cameras that cover them. We will tell you which can read plates as they are, which need adjusting, and where a dedicated ANPR camera fits better.
Or directly
+966-11-2180999 [email protected]Tawuniya Towers, North Tower, 7th Floor, King Fahad Highway, Olaya, P.O. Box 56835, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia