I was robbed. Wyze, can you enhance this video to get a license plate number?

As others have mentioned, the TV CSI shows can dramatically exaggerate what is possible.

But, enhancing a video to get a license number is a lot more possible than enhancing a still image. This is because, a video is composed of a LOT of still images shot in sequence. So, it is possible to aggregate the many pictures in a way to increase the resolution. Sort of the way pixel shifting can be used in a projector to enhance the resolution to 4k, even if only a standard HD imaging system is used.

-Joe

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Here is one company that provides this as a service. I have no idea of the cost. Also, the police may already have the software, or will pay to do it through a service.

-Joe

For an empty post with a dead URL this threadā€™s gotten surprising traction.

The more I look, I see that this issue is quite common, and there are a lot of solutions out there. Though, many of the solutions I came across were geared towards police departments. Some offered it as a service to anyone.
The main search terms to use include, Enhance video license plate. Also perhaps Forensic is a good way to distinguish the professional services.

-joe

Found some free software. Note that I have no experience with it, nor can I vouch for it in any way. I am puzzled why such software would be free, but see that they charge for the training. This is important for someone testifying in court how they enhanced the video.

-Joe

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Nice find. Pity their web site is an unholy mess.

So I ask, why do any of use buy Wyze or any other camera to install? My reasons are for watching over my property, neighborhood that everyone is safe and accounted for if something like this should happen while we are at work. You may say ā€œlocationā€ or ā€œsettingsā€ would have helped? This camera, though ā€œdetection areaā€ has been set did not start recording till it was too late and well within my detection grid, it should have been recording as he walked up my driveway as should have my other camera on the opposite side of the house. But NO, that camera only recorded as he was leaving.

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Video has been posted. Sorry but Wyze support is not very helpful and they actually suggest that we get support through forums rather than bother them.

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Do you happen to have the Wyze Cam Outdoor model? Because that MIGHT explain some of the delay - the PIR sensor is across the bottom of the field of view and, as far as I know, the additional detection settings donā€™t matter if nothing has crossed that bottom zone enough to trigger the camera to wake up. You can do tests yourself to see where a person has to be to trigger the recording.

None of that excuse applies if you have a V1, V2, Pan Cam, Doorbell, or V3 camera.

Iā€™m sorry for your theft - you have pretty good shots of the vehicle and the person and you can get police and/or postal inspectors involved. By the way even a 5MP camera might have trouble reading the plate at that distance. None of the Wyze cameras are close to that fidelity. (I canā€™t exactly blame Wyze support here; they only sold us cheap cameras and their official home security system isnā€™t here yet.) Good luck.

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Iā€™ll go with @Customer and assume that you are using the WCO. Like they said, the delay (if itā€™s the wco) is due to the camera having to wake up and start recording. Pir sensors work better with side to side motion, and it looks like once the subject is within the pir range (25-30ish feet) they are walking towards the camera. That may also be a contributing factor to the late start. Unfortunately I donā€™t think anything can be done about the license plate, but you do have a good shot of the perps clothing/physical description and the vehicle make and model and color.

Here is a link to Lifehacksters wco video, and at the 8:00 minute mark starts displaying a license plate at different distances from the wco he is demoing. Even with the plate being faced straight at the camera, at 35-40 feet itā€™s indistinguishable.

Now it looks.like the distance from your cam to the perps vehicle is about 50 or so feet and at an angle, which is not gonna be able to get you anything at 1080p.

My thought to.improve your setup is try and get a camera that is powered by your home electricity (continuous record capability, faster detection), more telephoto than wide angle for a better shot of the end of the driveway from the house. Just some food for thought. Sorry you got some packages swiped. :frowning:

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There are cameras with much higher resolution than Wyze for well under $100. Everything is a trade-off - price, features, quality, support, app, power options, networking, storage, night performance, ā€œecosystemā€, etcā€¦

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This is the problem with a lot of camera setups. You need something closer to the street and both directions as well. You should look at your camera footage and see if someone takes your stuff if you can identify them. Trying to figure out how good the quality is after the event is too late.

Use a sd card in addition to cloud recording, it captures the events before the cloud trigger usually.

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The cams used to record rather quickly, but then cash flow was an issue.
Now if we pay we get some of those seconds back, but we have to pay.
(This is my opinion based on my usageā€¦perhaps I am incorrectā€¦perhaps I am spot on)

The fact that it disturbs you is disturbing.