New RCA HSDB2A 3MP Doorbell IP Camera

JonSnow

Getting the hang of it
Joined
Dec 10, 2019
Messages
109
Reaction score
45
Location
Winterfell
Noticed Batch config tool and the other hik app has more options but they get hidden after a few seconds.

Also noticed upnp and multicast settings are different which may explain why google cast or Alexa support work on day Nellys firmware.
dp.PNG
 
Last edited:

David L

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
7,932
Reaction score
20,757
Location
USA
FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I swear i tried that password a few times
Also want you to know I had great dreams last night thanks to you and rafale :) I love success stories. So to date, on this Thread, we have only had one brick, and in my opinion, we might of been able to save that one but they had to return it within 30 days. We never tried the one hour/no power reset trick that we actually found out later works.
 

David L

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
7,932
Reaction score
20,757
Location
USA
Noticed Batch config tool and the other hik app has more options but they get hidden after a few seconds.

Also noticed upnp and multicast settings are different which may explain why google cast or Alexa support work on day Nellys firmware.
View attachment 53751
Yeah, I have seen that flash by too. I just figured since batch tool is for all Hikvision cameras, not all the options are available on ours, but they could be and our firmware just prevents us from changing too much.

Just give us access to the serial RS232 or RS485 connection :)
 
Last edited:

David L

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
7,932
Reaction score
20,757
Location
USA
Here is how I worked around this:

Use a PC or a mac to login to the doorbell’s wifi. Make sure that you disabled your pc’s ethernet connection to avoid Confusing IP ranges.
You should be using the laview_code as the wifi password.
Once you are in, use the iVMS4200 software to modify the SSID of the doorbell back to the ezviz_serial.
You should then be able to move on with the mobile app inclusion.


Technically what I did was another shortcut. I used the iVMS4200 software to get the doorbell to join my wifi network directly. Yes it can do that... Then my mobile app software didn’t even have to try to find the doorbell’s SSID and skept directly to the rest of the doorbell configuration, only asking for the doorbell’s admin password to login to the doorbell.
Definitely plan to add this great work around/fix to the 101 in the Troubleshooting Tip section. Thanks again for coming to our rescue...
Looking forward to your write up. Or if you need me to I can write it up.

Thanks,
David
 

richtj99

Getting the hang of it
Joined
May 11, 2016
Messages
163
Reaction score
17
Hi,

I am playing with this one now & read the troubleshooting. Do i need to use the app to setup the device or can i login to the device wifi & use the IVS software to add it to my wifi?

To confirm, once the admin password is set with the iVMS software (admin, password device doorbell password) dont change the IVMS password ever?

Last - Nelly's firmware or La?
 

David L

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
7,932
Reaction score
20,757
Location
USA
Hi,

I am playing with this one now & read the troubleshooting. Do i need to use the app to setup the device or can i login to the device wifi & use the IVS software to add it to my wifi?

To confirm, once the admin password is set with the iVMS software (admin, password device doorbell password) dont change the IVMS password ever?

Last - Nelly's firmware or La?
Are you talking a new install , First time? If so, what Doorbell/brand do you have? What Firmware?
 

rkulp89

n3wb
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Messages
5
Reaction score
5
Location
Vegas
I just bought the RCA version and tried to flash Nelly's firmware on it using the batch config. It said it was successful and was rebooting but this actually bricked the camera.

The doorbell button is solid red, reset button does nothing as well as power cycling. I tried loading the digicap.dav file directly onto a reformatted (FAT32) SD and rebooting in hopes that it would load the firmware as some others have suggested and still no change in behavior. Anyone else run into this issue or have some suggestions on what else to try?
 

David L

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
7,932
Reaction score
20,757
Location
USA
I just bought the RCA version and tried to flash Nelly's firmware on it using the batch config. It said it was successful and was rebooting but this actually bricked the camera.

The doorbell button is solid red, reset button does nothing as well as power cycling. I tried loading the digicap.dav file directly onto a reformatted (FAT32) SD and rebooting in hopes that it would load the firmware as some others have suggested and still no change in behavior. Anyone else run into this issue or have some suggestions on what else to try?
If you are unable to get your Doorbell to Reset, Remove Power from the Doorbell (Breaker or physically disconnecting Doorbell from Power) for at least One Hour. The Doorbell has an internal battery that needs to drain enough to properly do a Full Reset. - VorlonFrog - Tomgar - NickTheGreat, NickTheGreat
 

rkulp89

n3wb
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Messages
5
Reaction score
5
Location
Vegas
If you are unable to get your Doorbell to Reset, Remove Power from the Doorbell (Breaker or physically disconnecting Doorbell from Power) for at least One Hour. The Doorbell has an internal battery that needs to drain enough to properly do a Full Reset. - VorlonFrog - Tomgar - NickTheGreat, NickTheGreat
I've done this 3 times already. Camera turns on with solid red button and does nothing else. My understanding is that the .dav should get extracted into multiple .bin files once the camera boots and installs the firmware from the SD card.... this isn't happening. I've also tried the reset button every time I've tried a reboot and still no luck.
 

David L

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
7,932
Reaction score
20,757
Location
USA
I've done this 3 times already. Camera turns on with solid red button and does nothing else. My understanding is that the .dav should get extracted into multiple .bin files once the camera boots and installs the firmware from the SD card.... this isn't happening. I've also tried the reset button every time I've tried a reboot and still no luck.
Have you tried power off one hour, no SD Card? We are not sure the firmware on the SD Card works for this Doorbell, the help .pdf was shared by a user here but the .dav on the SD Card was not confirmed and it list a Video Intercom for the product/device.

1578673690609.png
 

rkulp89

n3wb
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Messages
5
Reaction score
5
Location
Vegas
Have you tried power off one hour, no SD Card?
Twice it was over an hour and once was short of that but the doorbell had only been on for a few mins so did not have much of a charge and died within a minute. Each time the camera was completely off before powering on again. I have not tried booting without the SD card, I guess I can give that a shot. I tried two different firmwares, one from Nelly and the other from EZVIZ.
 

David L

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
7,932
Reaction score
20,757
Location
USA
Twice it was over an hour and once was short of that but the doorbell had only been on for a few mins so did not have much of a charge and died within a minute. Each time the camera was completely off before powering on again. I have not tried booting without the SD card, I guess I can give that a shot. I tried two different firmwares, one from Nelly and the other from EZVIZ.
Sorry for all the questions but did you make note of which RCA firmware you had prior to changing?
 

rkulp89

n3wb
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Messages
5
Reaction score
5
Location
Vegas
Sorry for all the questions but did you make note of which RCA firmware you had prior to changing?
Unfortunately I did not. It was new out of the box when I got it and once I had it connected to the RCA app it prompt me to update the firmware. I updated it and the RCA app then showed it was on currently release but I did note take note of the version. At this point I used the batch tool in an attempt to load Nelly's firmware for ONVIF support.
 

David L

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
7,932
Reaction score
20,757
Location
USA
Unfortunately I did not. It was new out of the box when I got it and once I had it connected to the RCA app it prompt me to update the firmware. I updated it and the RCA app then showed it was on currently release but I did note take note of the version. At this point I used the batch tool in an attempt to load Nelly's firmware for ONVIF support.
No problem, I did add a statement in the 101 for future users to make sure to Note their firmware prior to upgrading, thank you.

This is what we found several months back when JSnp first found the different firmwares:

RCA (HSDB2):
(Jan 30, 2019) Build 190124
(Nov 28, 2018) Build 190124 (Possibly International Version)

We would think RCA had a newer firmware by now but I just checked and it is still the same date, Jan. 30. 2019. So there must be another location for the newer firmware Or your DB came with an older 2018 firmware and update to the 190124 build when you did your update. Which if that was the case, many people here with RCA DBs have upgraded to LaView and Nelly's from that 190124 build without any problems. Actually that is what started the firmware upgrading frenzy.

1578676545175.png

Hopefully someone with a RCA DB will chime in with more help. I have to do something for about an hour and will check back then...
 

rafale

Pulling my weight
Joined
May 31, 2019
Messages
103
Reaction score
115
Location
Portlandia
FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I swear i tried that password a few times
Glad you got it figured out. I too could have sworn the same thing until I realized I had caplocks on. It happens...

Definitely plan to add this great work around/fix to the 101 in the Troubleshooting Tip section. Thanks again for coming to our rescue...
Looking forward to your write up. Or if you need me to I can write it up.

Thanks,
David
Give me a day or so, I will get you something cleaner. A bit busy at the moment... :)
 

David L

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
7,932
Reaction score
20,757
Location
USA
Unfortunately I did not. It was new out of the box when I got it and once I had it connected to the RCA app it prompt me to update the firmware. I updated it and the RCA app then showed it was on currently release but I did note take note of the version. At this point I used the batch tool in an attempt to load Nelly's firmware for ONVIF support.
Get any further? If you are within your return period you may want to not go any further and just return it. If not, no big deal, we all have a year warranty on these so you can RMA.
 

rafale

Pulling my weight
Joined
May 31, 2019
Messages
103
Reaction score
115
Location
Portlandia
On oddity is that the brand of the doorbell you bought will want to be bound to its branded mobile app.
After a “non-native” firmware upgrade, you may end up having problems reconfiguring/re-adding the doorbell after a reset as the SSID of the doorbell will now follow the prefix of the brand of the firmware you are using which is not corresponding to the mobile app you initially used. You could then use the mobile app corresponding to the new firmware you are using but the QR code may then not match... problem.

The solution is to use a PC or a MAC with iVMS4200 installed (can be laptop or desktop as long as it has wifi).
1. Disable the PC or Mac’s ethernet interface to make the IP discovery easier.
2. From you wifi menu, after the doorbell has been reset, you should see an SSID from the doorbell. It should show “brandprefix_Serialnumber” as the SSID. Try joining that network.
3. You mac or PC will prompt you for a wifi password which should be “brandprefix_6lettercode”. Replace the brandprefix with the one from the SSID. It could be Laview, EZVIZ, RCA etc... and replace the 6 letter code with the password provided on the QR code sticker for the camera.
4. Once you have successfully connected to the doorbell’s wifi, your wifi interface should have been assigned a DHCP IP address. You can now discover the doorbell using iVMS4200.
5. Make sure once again to not activate the camera or change any passwords... Instead login to the camera using the username “admin” and the password “6 letter QR Code” and go into the wifi section of the menu. From here you can get the camera to discover wifi network and get it to join your wifi network using your home SSID and wifi password.
6. Once this is done, you can now go back to your phone/tablet and use any mobile app to continue setting up your doorbell which will skip through the wifi setup section.
 

David L

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
7,932
Reaction score
20,757
Location
USA
On oddity is that the brand of the doorbell you bought will want to be bound to its branded mobile app.
After a “non-native” firmware upgrade, you may end up having problems reconfiguring/re-adding the doorbell after a reset as the SSID of the doorbell will now follow the prefix of the brand of the firmware you are using which is not corresponding to the mobile app you initially used. You could then use the mobile app corresponding to the new firmware you are using but the QR code may then not match... problem.

The solution is to use a PC or a MAC with iVMS4200 installed (can be laptop or desktop as long as it has wifi).
1. Disable the PC or Mac’s ethernet interface to make the IP discovery easier.
2. From you wifi menu, after the doorbell has been reset, you should see an SSID from the doorbell. It should show “brandprefix_Serialnumber” as the SSID. Try joining that network.
3. You mac or PC will prompt you for a wifi password which should be “brandprefix_6lettercode”. Replace the brandprefix with the one from the SSID. It could be Laview, EZVIZ, RCA etc... and replace the 6 letter code with the password provided on the QR code sticker for the camera.
4. Once you have successfully connected to the doorbell’s wifi, your wifi interface should have been assigned a DHCP IP address. You can now discover the doorbell using iVMS4200.
5. Make sure once again to not activate the camera or change any passwords... Instead login to the camera using the username “admin” and the password “6 letter QR Code” and go into the wifi section of the menu. From here you can get the camera to discover wifi network and get it to join your wifi network using your home SSID and wifi password.
6. Once this is done, you can now go back to your phone/tablet and use any mobile app to continue setting up your doorbell which will skip through the wifi setup section.
Excellent write-up...We all here and future members Thank You...
 

David L

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Aug 2, 2019
Messages
7,932
Reaction score
20,757
Location
USA
On oddity is that the brand of the doorbell you bought will want to be bound to its branded mobile app.
After a “non-native” firmware upgrade, you may end up having problems reconfiguring/re-adding the doorbell after a reset as the SSID of the doorbell will now follow the prefix of the brand of the firmware you are using which is not corresponding to the mobile app you initially used. You could then use the mobile app corresponding to the new firmware you are using but the QR code may then not match... problem.

The solution is to use a PC or a MAC with iVMS4200 installed (can be laptop or desktop as long as it has wifi).
1. Disable the PC or Mac’s ethernet interface to make the IP discovery easier.
2. From you wifi menu, after the doorbell has been reset, you should see an SSID from the doorbell. It should show “brandprefix_Serialnumber” as the SSID. Try joining that network.
3. You mac or PC will prompt you for a wifi password which should be “brandprefix_6lettercode”. Replace the brandprefix with the one from the SSID. It could be Laview, EZVIZ, RCA etc... and replace the 6 letter code with the password provided on the QR code sticker for the camera.
4. Once you have successfully connected to the doorbell’s wifi, your wifi interface should have been assigned a DHCP IP address. You can now discover the doorbell using iVMS4200.
5. Make sure once again to not activate the camera or change any passwords... Instead login to the camera using the username “admin” and the password “6 letter QR Code” and go into the wifi section of the menu. From here you can get the camera to discover wifi network and get it to join your wifi network using your home SSID and wifi password.
6. Once this is done, you can now go back to your phone/tablet and use any mobile app to continue setting up your doorbell which will skip through the wifi setup section.
Can you confirm this to be True?

If are needing/wanting to go back through the Doorbell Setup/Install process by Resetting your Doorbell and have upgraded your firmware to another firmware brand other than your Doorbell's brand, it is best to upgrade back to your brand's firmware before Resetting your Doorbell.
 

rafale

Pulling my weight
Joined
May 31, 2019
Messages
103
Reaction score
115
Location
Portlandia
Can you confirm this to be True?

If are needing/wanting to go back through the Doorbell Setup/Install process by Resetting your Doorbell and have upgraded your firmware to another firmware brand other than your Doorbell's brand, it is best to upgrade back to your brand's firmware before Resetting your Doorbell.
Maybe... But you may not always remember to do this and at times, like what has happened to me, you may not have a choice with the doorbell resetting it’s wifi settings on its own. But yeah, downgrading back to the original brand’s firmware would help avoid having to go through this song and dance. That being said... There is always risk of bricking your device when you update firmware... Especially over wifi so this is probably not a step I would recommend. I would rather login to the doorbell’s SSID and manually update the wifi settings.
 
Top