Vehicle DIY dashcam w/ long range IR LEDs and IR filters.To pass only IR wavelength

disenchanted

Newly Enlightened
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Mar 21, 2016
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Hi,

I'm not a lighting engineer or such. But I wanted to add, and/or extend the range of my vehicle's dash cams. The IR LEDs that are built-in are low power and leave a lot to be desired.

I forget exactly which online forum I had read about IR LEDs and "IR filters", (that a person would add to IR LEDs), so that they would emit only non-visible IR wavelengths. To not cause any stray lighting while driving.

(After testing multiple dashcams I am not very impressed, nor inspired by their dependability. I had gone through a couple different units already. One unit lasted a few months and then stopped updating its time/date stamp. Another camera would work awhile, then power off. Then back on, at random times. Then, there is the heat extremes of the summer months. When even if covered or wrapped, the camera still gets extremely hot inside the vehicle).

A better approach I've seen for vehicle cams is where a small CCTV unit is installed inside a vehicle, then cameras connected to it. These use either an SSD or SDHC memory card, or both.
Ready made units of 4 or 8 video inputs are available, ready to go. But having been in IT for the past 20+ years, I've normally built all my own desk top computers myself, for the cost savings and customization.
So I was looking to just build a small, ITX sized motherboard computer that would accept video inputs. Then have an ITX CCTV computer inside of my vehicle and video cables going to
front and rear cameras. Perhaps left and right side cameras as well.

The only thing I am still researching is the IR LEDs themselves, reflector types and IR filters for them. So that they emit only non-visible IR and make the cameras able to "see" several times farther than they normally could with a basic dashcam. But without emitting any stray wave lengths of light that could affect other drivers (and invite a traffic ticket).

Does anyone have any experience using IR LEDs and IR filters to extend the range of either vehicle cams or home CCTV system cams?

Or can recommend any books or white papers on the topic?

Thanks in advance.
 

Alaric Darconville

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 2, 2001
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Location
Stillwater, America
Many people have just removed the IR filter from their camera, making it that much more sensitive to IR. You can also use exposed negative to block visible light, so that they adjust their sensitivity accordingly.
 
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