NHD-815 (IPC_388M) Firmware Update RSTP

I upgraded the firmware on my Swann NHD-815 cams and now they don't work with Blue Iris but still work with the Swann DVR. They worked before the firmware upgrade so I know Swann did this to us. Problem is I have 8 of these things and now I am upset, so I am going to try to unlock them.

I don't know what firmware I was on before the upgrade. I found a post here and it started with "IPC_388M.541_16081000.ov4689.3MP.SW_AUS.pak" but when I did the update "IPC_388M.541_17051800.ov4689.4MP.SW_AUS.pak" was the one I used (note the 4MP) Swann baited me to upgrade.

Post about "IPC_388M.541_16081000" disabling RSTP

Link to cam

Anyways here are some of the things I have done.

1. Open Cam and solder in serial cable
2. Putty settings 115200 for serial
3. Password for root (blank) <- Humm
4. Start telnetd (./busybox telnetd)
5. Putty telnet UN:root PW:blank


/ # cat /etc/passwd
root:$1$$qRPK7m23GJusamGpoGLby/:0:0::/root:/bin/sh

/mnt/app # ps
PID USER TIME COMMAND
1 root 0:00 init
2 root 0:00 [kthreadd]
3 root 0:29 [ksoftirqd/0]
5 root 0:00 [kworker/u:0]
6 root 0:00 [khelper]
7 root 0:00 [kdevtmpfs]
8 root 0:00 [netns]
9 root 0:00 [sync_supers]
10 root 0:00 [bdi-default]
11 root 0:00 [kblockd]
12 root 0:00 [khubd]
14 root 0:00 [cfg80211]
15 root 0:00 [rpciod]
16 root 0:00 [khungtaskd]
17 root 0:00 [kswapd0]
18 root 0:00 [fsnotify_mark]
19 root 0:00 [nfsiod]
20 root 0:00 [crypto]
27 root 0:00 [ftspi020.0]
28 root 0:00 [kworker/u:1]
29 root 0:00 [mtdblock0]
30 root 0:00 [mtdblock1]
31 root 0:00 [mtdblock2]
32 root 0:00 [mtdblock3]
33 root 0:00 [mtdblock4]
34 root 0:00 [mtdblock5]
47 root 0:00 udevd --daemon
53 root 0:00 [jffs2_gcd_mtd3]
77 root 0:00 [log_thread]
78 root 0:00 [threadmon]
79 root 0:00 [log_notify]
86 root 0:16 [em_callback:0]
87 root 0:01 [em_callback:1]
88 root 0:00 [em_callback:2]
93 root 0:00 [saradc thread]
114 root 0:00 [3dnr_add_table]
117 root 0:00 [cb_thread]
121 root 0:06 [isp_ae]
122 root 0:02 [isp_awb]
123 root 0:01 [isp_af]
139 root 0:00 [vcap_md]
140 root 0:06 [vcap_vg_cb]
143 root 0:00 [isp_mon]
146 root 0:00 [mcp100_cb_threa]
147 root 0:00 [mcp100_getjob_t]
152 root 0:04 [favce_cb_thread]
153 root 0:00 [favce_engine0_t]
154 root 0:00 [favc_enc_log]
159 root 0:00 [favce_cb]
166 root 0:00 [scaler_add_tabl]
169 root 0:00 [scaler_callback]
170 root 0:00 [scaler_2ddma_ca]
177 root 0:00 [audio_in]
178 root 0:00 [audio_out]
181 root 0:00 [gm_job_sch]
182 root 0:00 [gm_tick]
183 root 0:00 [gm_group]
188 root 1:58 [vp_slave]
189 root 0:00 [gm_wait_disp0_i]
190 root 0:00 [gm_wait_enc_cap]
191 root 0:00 [gm_wait_enc_bs_]
192 root 0:00 [gm_wait_enc_scl]
193 root 0:00 [gm_wait_enc_3di]
194 root 0:00 [gm_wait_au_grab]
195 root 0:00 [gm_wait_au_rend]
196 root 0:00 [gm_vpslv]
197 root 0:00 [datain_callback]
198 root 0:00 [dataout_callbac]
199 root 0:00 [dataout_timeout]
200 root 0:00 [usr_decode]
201 root 0:00 [gm_vpslvNotify]
204 root 0:00 [vp_master_0]
205 root 0:00 [gm_vpmst]
206 root 0:00 [gm_vpmstNotify]
222 root 0:00 ./daemon ./dvr
224 root 0:00 ./daemon ./dvr
225 root 0:00 email
226 root 0:00 /bin/sh -c ./dvr
227 root 28:37 ./dvr
286 root 3:39 ./ip_client eth0
299 root 0:00 [gm_notify2nd_0]
305 root 0:00 [gm_notify2nd_3]
342 root 0:00 udhcpc -i eth0 -p /var/run/udhcpc.pid -r 172.16.25.13
353 root 0:00 [gm_notify_9]
355 root 0:00 [gm_notify2nd_9]
356 root 0:00 [gm_notify_10]
357 root 0:00 [gm_notify2nd_10]
365 root 0:00 -sh
407 root 0:00 ./busybox telnetd
418 root 0:00 -sh
499 root 0:00 [kworker/0:0]
507 root 0:00 [kworker/0:1]
508 root 0:00 [kworker/0:2]
509 root 0:00 ps


Found this file with some settings
/mnt/app # cat dvr.xml
<dvr
custom="SWANN"
type="IPC"
board_type="IPC_388M"
board_name="IPC_388M"
frontboard_type="no"
display_type_info="IPC_388M"
detail_machine_type="IPC_388M"
ptz_dev="no"
test_mail_content="If you receive this e-mail you have successfully setup and tested the e-mail alert from your IPC"
ntp_server="pool.ntp.org"
build_date="170518"
build_index="00"
default_norm="0"
default_output_reso="5"
default_time_zone="-36000"
default_language="1"
default_playbacknum="0"
default_alarmin_num="0"
default_alarmout_num="0"
default_enable_485="0"
default_audio_num="1"
default_osd_fmt="0"
default_disk_num="0"
default_esata_port="-1"
default_record_type="1"
default_ptz_speed="64"
support_avi_backup="0"
support_swann_ddns="1"
support_dyndns_ddns="1"
support_3322_ddns="0"
support_edit_ddns="0"
support_chn_switch="1"
channel_num="1"
http_port="85"
support_ntsc="1"
support_pal="1"
need_reduce_fps="0"
support_high_bit_rate="0"
screen_mod_9_mid="0"
key_sense_val="1"
nvr_stream_from_tcp="1"
auto_adddevices="1"
auto_add_dev_editable="1"
analog_channels="1"
support_uid="1"
mode_changable="0"
autoip_start="22"
autoip_end="88"
max_ipc_reso="41"
support_autontp="0"
support_rtspauth="0"
support_onvifauth="0"
support_wifi="0"
wifi_channels="13"
support_alpu_encrypt="1"
support_total_users="12"
support_main_users="2"
ipc_mirror="0"
support_ptz="0"
ipc_flip="0"
ipc_sensor="4"
ipc_lum_threshold_low="0"
ipc_lum_threshold_medium="0"
ipc_lum_threshold_high="0"
support_disable_preview="0"
support_tiny_recpack="0"
support_ftp="1"
support_fullwizard="0"
support_rfalarm="0"
update_server="52.4.144.217"
update_server_port="80"
push_server="pushmp.swann.com"
push_server_port="9501"
support_3gnet="0"
support_intelligence="0"
support_smartsearch="0"
support_onvif="0"
support_rtsp="0"
support_bc="1"
support_3dnr_config_interface="1"
default_3dnr_config="1"
default_hddexp_bind_out="0"
default_hddfull_bind_out="0"
default_ipconflict_bind_out="0"
default_netconnect_bind_out="0"
codec_hd="0"
downward_interface="0"
support_auto_pbframterate="0"
pic_effect="0"
support_push="1"
wifi_role="0"
ipc_structure_type="0"
ipc_encoder_method="0"
support_fmodify_pwd="1"
support_supper_pwd="1"
support_substream_record="1"
bw2color_threshold="104"
color2bw_threshold="48"
eth="eth0"
enable_pwd="1"
default_pwd="12345"
https_port="443"
default_profile="0"
support_online_update="0"
/>
/mnt/app #

So I'm stuck I tried to vi dvr.xml to update the setting and It wont let me. I guess I'm a noob at this


support_onvif="1"
support_rtsp="1"

I get "dvr.xml" file is read only

Hey xtreamdev,

FIrst up, I cannot help with the on-device system functionality/readability/etc.
Have you made any progress?

I have also encountered this retardation of function.. I had 4 of these cams, working to some extent, with my 16port Vivotek NVR (ND9441p). Noticed immediately that the cams were crippled, as I could only load the streams from the remaining, unmolested 2 cams up on the system.

Anyway, I had hoped to rollback, but I have not found anywhere, not even been able to confirm the existence of a firmware file for the old, desired firmware.

Fortuitously (?), as I only updated 2 of the 4 NHD-815’s, I still have some specs/build/details of the desired FW:


To compare, these are the details of the undesired FW:


These are as these details appear, not in SwannViewLink’s iPhone app, but ReoLink’s app, as it appears that ReoLink was the supplier for these Swann Cams, or they shared a supplier and the software is compatible with each other.
Maybe this can help you (and eventually myself) on the path to re-enabling RTSP ?

Now, in saying that, I read somewhere that it was not possible to re-enable RTSP, nor rollback the firmware for one reason or another.. but in discovering the Reolink.. link, I read somewhere about Neolink -
“An RTSP bridge to Reolink IP cameras”

And the author goes into the reverse engineering process of the ‘encryption’ (I use this term lightly) that locks out/prevents the video stream being picked up by 3rd party apps (and in my case, devices) like BlueIris.
I think you’d need some software/firmware engineering knowledge (? - this is beyond my realm of experience) to be able to do much with, but what the author HAS supplied is a service that can run in Docker and...

Heck. The links there, the GitHub page would much better provide you with whatever info I’d just be regurgitating.

*Side note - This was as far as I made it. I was going to repurpose a MacPro2,1 for doing the relay and other various tasks, but the MacOS app requires El Capitan which requires certain video cards and certain amount of ECC or unbuffered RAM that I havent procured thus far.

Goodluck!
Keep us posted on any action!
Jim