LPR Camera for Lorex DVR or NVR

A customer with a Lorex security camera system recently asked me about adding an LPR camera to their existing system. Here is his question in short: “What LPR camera can I use with my existing Lorex camera system?” Can you use an LPR camera with a Lorex recorder? Yes, but which model you choose depends on whether your Lorex is an IP camera NVR or a coax BNC DVR.

What LPR camera works with a Lorex IP camera NVR?

If your Lorex is a network IP camera NVR that supports at least 4MP resolution and is ONVIF compliant, it will work with our best LPR camera, the Viewtron LPR-IP4. The camera connects to the NVR using ONVIF / RTSP. The LPR-IP4 is a 4MP IP camera that captures clear license plates, and it also has automatic license plate recognition software built in.

However, on a Lorex NVR you will only be able to use the license plate capture function. The ALPR features, such as the plate database and searchable plate events, are only integrated with Viewtron IP camera NVRs. If you want to understand the difference between license plate capture (LPC) and automatic license plate recognition (ALPR), I made a video that explains it here: License Plate Capture vs ALPR.

If you want the full ALPR experience, look at a complete Viewtron LPR system like the VT-LPR-S4, which includes a Viewtron NVR that is fully integrated with the automatic license plate recognition software of the camera.

More details are in this forum post: LPR Camera Compatible with Lorex IP Camera NVR.

What LPR camera works with a Lorex coax DVR?

If your Lorex is a BNC coax DVR and you need to use an existing coax cable run, the LPR-AHD5 license plate capture camera is the option. It works only if your DVR supports 1080p resolution in AHD or HD-TVI video format. The LPR-AHD5 is capable of excellent license plate capture, but it does not have automatic license plate recognition software. So you get clear video footage of plates, but no automation or plate database. This is fine for most applications.

More details are here: AHD Compatible LPR Camera.

My advice: if you are running new cable, go with the IP LPR camera. I only recommend the coax LPR camera when you have an existing coax system and new cable is very hard to run.

If you are unsure if you have a Lorex DVR or NVR, email the exact make and model to info@cctvcamerapros.net and we will help you find out.

How far from the street should an LPR camera be mounted?

The smaller the vertical and horizontal angle from the camera to the license plate detection zone, the better. This matters most for ALPR. It is less important for license plate capture, but a smaller angle still gives you a clearer plate. I explain this in the LPR camera for home video below.

Read the full article here: LPR Camera for Home: Viewtron LPR-IP4 Surpasses Expectations.

More LPR Camera Videos

You can see additional LPR camera system videos here.