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Tangent, but how did you handle lighting for the camera? I'm intermittently working on something similar to read a gas meter, but am struggling to find a way of lighting the digits sufficiently, while not leaving reflections on plastic over the digits. I've tried Pi-controlled LEDs and a smart bulb, with little success, so far.

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Try diffuse lighting - the classic option is a light pointing at a white shower curtain. That should cut down on the specular reflections.

Alternately, get yourself a movable light, a live view through the camera, and move the light around until you find a position that gives you a good image.

Try switching your spectrum. I bet that plastic is transparent in UV or Infrared and with some minor camera surgery, you could get some visible light filter in there.

Alternately, try some polarizing filters instead.

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