Physical Camera Installation Guide

For hardware installers: use this guide to mount, connect, aim, and test fixed Gate and Bring Your Own Camera (BYOC) cameras. SiteTrax.io and the customer's designated integration team handle software integration and OCR acceptance. Agree who adjusts the camera settings before the site visit.

Before permanent mounting: send representative recorded footage to SiteTrax.io for review. A clear view of a vehicle does not necessarily make its identifiers readable.

Quick reference: fixed Gate cameras

Start with these published SiteTrax.io recommendations, then validate the actual lane and markings. Measure mounting height from the road surface to the centre of the lens.

Sources: Gate requirements and Input Video specification. These heights apply to the stated fixed rear views, not every OCR installation. Other views, distances, angles, minimum character size in pixels, and acceptance rates are project-specific.

1. Confirm the installation brief

Before buying equipment or visiting the site, obtain a short installation brief agreed with SiteTrax.io and the customer. It must identify:

• Equipment: camera and lens models, mounts, lights, and outdoor/temperature suitability. Have SiteTrax.io review third-party camera compatibility using the BYOC guide.
• Layout: each camera's lane, direction, required identifiers, mounting position, target distance, and intended reading area (the capture zone). Mark lights and traffic paths on a site sketch.
• Power and network: supply type, required PoE standard and power budget where applicable, cable route/length, and the customer-provided network connection point. Check these against the selected equipment's specifications.
• People: installer, customer site/IT contact, SiteTrax.io contact, and the person responsible for focus, exposure, recording settings, and camera access. A hardware-only installer assists that person on site.
• Testing: representative vehicles, maximum speed, day/night test arrangements, how to share sample clips, and who reviews them. SiteTrax.io and the customer agree OCR acceptance targets.

Resolve missing details before permanent installation. The quick-reference recommendations do not replace the site layout or equipment specifications. BYOC storage and software tasks belong to the designated integration team unless separately assigned.

2. Trial the position and framing

1. Use a representative vehicle at the capture zone. Trial the applicable height from the table before drilling permanent fixings.
2. Aim as squarely as practical at the required markings. Keep text level; avoid steep downward or sideways views.
3. Work with the camera-configuration owner to adjust optical zoom and focus so the smallest required text is readable in the saved recording at full resolution. Digital zoom cannot restore missing detail.
4. Check the nearest and farthest vehicle positions and normal lane wandering. Include the complete identifier without clipping.
5. Check queues, adjacent traffic, barriers, and vehicle structures for obstruction. If both container and chassis IDs cannot be captured clearly, change the position or add a view.
6. Record moving samples and review them with SiteTrax.io before securing the final position.

Measure and record lens height, camera-to-target distance, and lane offset. Use dedicated lane/direction views as the baseline. A shared or bidirectional view requires validation with SiteTrax.io; see Gate Operations.

Illustrative coverage only; not a scale drawing or prescribed mounting geometry.

3. Secure the camera and cabling

• Use a rigid mount and manufacturer-approved fixings suitable for the structure and outdoor conditions. Protect low cameras from vehicle impact.
• Keep the camera and cables outside vehicle clearance and pedestrian routes. Provide safe maintenance access.
• Fit weatherproof glands, connector protection, strain relief, and drip loops. Follow the hardware instructions for power, grounding, and surge protection.
• Tighten fixings to the manufacturer's specification, secure cables, and label the camera and network connection.
• Verify camera power and the network link with the customer IT contact; confirm the configuration owner can access the camera.
• Clean the lens/window. Recheck framing and focus after tightening; save a reference image.

4. Check moving images in daylight and darkness

Capture samples at the agreed maximum speed and vehicle positions. The installer adjusts physical placement and lighting; the camera-configuration owner changes image settings. Review the saved clips together:

• Blurred moving text: shorten exposure with the camera supplier or SiteTrax.io; add suitable light if the result becomes too dark. 30 fps alone does not prevent blur.
• Washed-out text or glare: adjust lighting position/output and exposure. Check actual painted and reflective markings.
• Dark or uneven text: illuminate the complete capture zone and retest at night. Check focus after day/night switching.
• Ghosting or bands: review WDR and lighting flicker settings with the supplier, using recorded moving footage.

The Gate lighting guidance provides a starting arrangement. Lamp output is not a measurement of light reaching the marking; acceptance depends on the recorded result.

Simulated examples, not OCR test results.

5. Complete the hardware handover

Installer checklist: tick each item when checked and documented.

• ☐ Mounting: camera and lights secured; connectors weatherproofed; cables protected and labelled; vehicle clearance checked.
• ☐ Power and network: camera powered correctly, network link verified, and access confirmed with the configuration owner.
• ☐ View: required markings visible across normal vehicle positions; framing and focus rechecked after tightening.
• ☐ Evidence: full-resolution moving clips supplied for daylight and darkness, labelled with camera, test time, direction, and speed. Identify any test still outstanding.
• ☐ Installation record: supply camera/lens details, final height, target distance, lane offset, site sketch, photos, and settings recorded by the configuration owner.
• ☐ Handover: name the maintenance contact, agree cleaning/inspection arrangements, and record unresolved issues and who will resolve them.

Send the record and clips through the agreed project channel. SiteTrax.io reviews the capture evidence and identifies any physical adjustments needed. Record hardware handover separately from final OCR acceptance.

Integration acceptance — SiteTrax.io and customer integration team

These checks belong to the designated integration team, not the hardware-only installer:

• Video delivery: verify uploads reach the correct project with the required format, timestamps, and location information. Follow Input Video and the BYOC guide.
• OCR results: compare known identifiers with results in SiteTrax.io Intelligence; verify direction where required. Record correct, incorrect, and missing reads against the agreed test population and conditions.
• Sign-off: compare results with the project's targets. Record the decision, approver, and outstanding actions; request installer assistance if positioning or lighting needs adjustment.

For result interpretation, see How Intelligence uses SiteTrax.io data. For missing uploads or results, use the Troubleshooting Guide.

Other capture methods and ongoing checks

• Vehicle-mounted: follow the Drive installation guide for mounting, cabling, and power. Check vibration and moving footage; the fixed Gate heights above do not apply.
• Handheld: follow Capture Android or Snap. Keep the required markings complete, steady, and well lit.
• Maintenance: inspect cleanliness, alignment, fasteners, seals, cables, and lights on the agreed schedule. Repeat affected tests after impact, relocation, or changes to camera settings, lighting, or lane layout.