user6126: Due to all the lights in the video the vehicle number is not visible. The video was captured by a CCTV camera. In the video the car comes close enough to be able to read the vehicle number if it were not for all the lights which make it completely unreadable. Not even the form of 1 letter or number can be guessed. Really nothing can be seen except light. Is there a way to edit this video so that the vehicle number becomes visible?

user2836: There isn't really a magic "enhance" button like on CSI.  If there isn't enough information to see even part of the numbers (at least a blur where they are) then it is impossible to tell what is there because the information simply was not captured.  It is most likely clipping, which means that everything in that area is the maximum possible whiteness and thus any detail that was beyond that is lost.
If there is some detail, there are some options available.  There is forensics software that can analyse the data from various frames and interpolate what the numbers are.  It doesn't actually enhance the image, but from process of elimination it can tell what the license plate can't be and that lets it figure it out.
The next best approach after that is to try something like what eLouai suggests to try to sharpen any details there and adjust the contrast of the image such that it increases the contrast of the near washed out portion to make any detail that is there more visible.  It won't be magical results, but it might be enough to get a slightly better idea as long as there is something there to work with.
You might find this related post on Photography.SE to be interesting as it is kind of related.

user6079: Depending on the fidelity of the video you can try to do a high pass filter on the video, in essence it will sharpen edges of the scene and help bring it out.
The two steps I would do:
1) De-noise it (I use the neat video plugin for after effects)
2) Run a high pass filter (photoshop has this, but not after effects). 
To emulate this:
a) Create a duplicate of the video (command D)
b) Drop the tint effect to turn it into black and white
c) Add the find edges effect (only the black areas will be sharpened) 
d) Drop the levels effect onto it, adjust it to to bring in more black (to sharpened more) or bring in more white, to leave out areas not to sharpen.
e) If the edges are to harsh you can always blur it to shoften or feather the sharpening effect.
f) Add an adjustment layer, drop it below the duplicate layer
g) Change mode track matte of the adjustment layer to luma inverted (it would hide the layer above when this is done automatically).
h) Add unsharpen mask effect to the adjustment layer, put it 100, radius 2, adjust as needed.
You can already see that this type of work you can tweak a lot of things.
Hopefully this gets you going in the right direction
All the best,

6126: <p>Due to all the lights in the video the vehicle number is not visible. The video was captured by a CCTV camera. In the video the car comes close enough to be able to read the vehicle number if it were not for all the lights which make it completely unreadable. Not even the form of 1 letter or number can be guessed. Really nothing can be seen except light. Is there a way to edit this video so that the vehicle number becomes visible?</p>
 2836: <p>There isn't really a magic "enhance" button like on CSI.  If there isn't enough information to see even part of the numbers (at least a blur where they are) then it is impossible to tell what is there because the information simply was not captured.  It is most likely clipping, which means that everything in that area is the maximum possible whiteness and thus any detail that was beyond that is lost.</p>

<p>If there is some detail, there are some options available.  There is forensics software that can analyse the data from various frames and interpolate what the numbers are.  It doesn't actually enhance the image, but from process of elimination it can tell what the license plate can't be and that lets it figure it out.</p>

<p>The next best approach after that is to try something like what eLouai suggests to try to sharpen any details there and adjust the contrast of the image such that it increases the contrast of the near washed out portion to make any detail that is there more visible.  It won't be magical results, but it might be enough to get a slightly better idea as long as there is something there to work with.</p>

<p>You might find <a href="https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/17098/csi-image-resolution-enhance-how-real-is-it/17238#17238">this related post</a> on Photography.SE to be interesting as it is kind of related.</p>
 6079: <p>Depending on the fidelity of the video you can try to do a high pass filter on the video, in essence it will sharpen edges of the scene and help bring it out.</p>

<p>The two steps I would do:</p>

<p>1) De-noise it (I use the neat video plugin for after effects)</p>

<p>2) Run a high pass filter (photoshop has this, but not after effects).<br> 
To emulate this:<br>
a) Create a duplicate of the video (command D)<br>
b) Drop the tint effect to turn it into black and white<br>
c) Add the find edges effect (only the black areas will be sharpened) <br>
d) Drop the levels effect onto it, adjust it to to bring in more black (to sharpened more) or bring in more white, to leave out areas not to sharpen.<br>
e) If the edges are to harsh you can always blur it to shoften or feather the sharpening effect.<br>
f) Add an adjustment layer, drop it below the duplicate layer<br>
g) Change mode track matte of the adjustment layer to luma inverted (it would hide the layer above when this is done automatically).<br>
h) Add unsharpen mask effect to the adjustment layer, put it 100, radius 2, adjust as needed.<br></p>

<p>You can already see that this type of work you can tweak a lot of things.
Hopefully this gets you going in the right direction</p>

<p>All the best,</p>
