Bricked my DS-2CD2032-I from China, need 5.2.5 firmware? Someone please help.

[pprd]

So I just bought a DS-2CD2032-I off Amazon, it came from China. It arrived in a brown box, manual in chinese, etc. The firmware on the sticker on the camera itself reads "v5.2.8 141231".

I plugged it into my Hikvision DVR (DS-7608NI-SE/8P), and it worked fine. So, like an idiot, I immediately went to the Hikvision US website, downloaded the latest firmware (2xx2_Series_IP_Camera_Firmware_v5.2.0_140721), and bricked my camera. It looks like it's rebooting every 10 seconds or so. The DVR no longer recognizes it.

I've spent a lot of time googling the problem. I got my hands on the Hikvision TFTP Auto Updater tool, and I've been trying various firmware versions that I get off the internet. Nothing seems to work. The TFTP Auto Updater tool detects the camera, pushes the firmware, and I get the "system update completed!" message. But when I then plug in my camera to my NVR, I get nothing.

Have I totally screwed myself here? I've read a lot about how firmware 5.2.5 fixes a lot of problems like these, but I swear I can't find a single download link for it. I don't even mind if it's all in Chinese -- I just want my brand new camera to work. Any help is really appreciated. And I know this is a really common question, I've read similar threads on this site, but no one is providing an actual download link for 5.2.5. And I'm not even sure that it will solve my problem. I even looked on the disc that came with my camera in case it had the original 5.2.8 141231 on it, but no luck.

Please help. I'm out of ideas.

 

[catseyenu]

http://www.ipcamtalk.com/hikvision/1784-hikvision-2532f-getting-audio-post20608.html#post20608

 

[S474N]

You have 5.2.8 and you "upgraded" with "latest" firmware 5.2.0? :laugh:

 

[pprd]

You have 5.2.8 and you "upgraded" with "latest" firmware 5.2.0? :laugh:

Yep. Like I said...

So, like an idiot, I immediately went to the Hikvision US website, downloaded the latest firmware

I screwed up. But, be that as it may, the fact that downloading the latest firmware directly off of Hikvision's site bricks my camera is really poor. I understand that there are separate versions depending on the country, but the fact that you can so easily turn your brand new camera into a door stop is frustrating. And I've spent all night trying a dozen different firmware versions (in different languages), updater tools that hack the firmware files to alter languages, etc. Nothing works. A simple pop-up "Hey, you're trying to install a firmware that doesn't match your camera's language!" would have been really, really helpful.

And I'm realizing now that even if I never touched anything in the first place, the camera I received is a chinese model with chinese firmware, chinese software, etc. I would have been unhappy even if I hadn't screwed up. Which I admit that I did.

 

[S474N]

Still no way (only with $$$). You may upgrade it to 5.2.5 chinesee and work in chinesee. Have got same problem :-(

 

[pprd]

Ok, thanks for your replies. What's really frustrating about all of this is that I specifically bought Hikvision over other brands because of the supposed ease of firmware upgrades. If this is considered easy, then I shudder to think what it's like for the other brands. Because this has been a nightmare.

If I could do it all over again, I'd go to Costco and just pull something off the shelf. That's what I'm going to recommend to friends, too. This is nonsense.

 

[fenderman]

Ok, thanks for your replies. What's really frustrating about all of this is that I specifically bought Hikvision over other brands because of the supposed ease of firmware upgrades. If this is considered easy, then I shudder to think what it's like for the other brands. Because this has been a nightmare.

If I could do it all over again, I'd go to Costco and just pull something off the shelf. That's what I'm going to recommend to friends, too. This is nonsense.

Hikvision is not easier to upgrade, its just that they make firmware more readily available...as with any other electronic device - if its working properly there is no need to upgrade firmware...
Costco is a great alternative as they do stock swann and lorex systems that are hikvision and dahua rebrands, however, you are limited to the camera styles they offer (mostly bullets and two axis domes)..they dont stock these in the stores..you need to order online...
If you do the proper research there is nothing wrong with buying for china...otherwise there are US resellers like our site sponsor Nelly's that will provide a hassle free experience...

 

[pprd]

Hikvision is not easier to upgrade, its just that they make firmware more readily available...as with any other electronic device - if its working properly there is no need to upgrade firmware...

Not exactly. There are numerous threads on several of these sites (cctv, cam-it, ipcamtalk, etc) where people discuss Hikvision's ease of upgrade process. And there absolutely may be good reason to upgrade the firmware on a functional camera. Just reading through the release notes of the last couple of versions of Hikvision IP cameras reveals a number of bug fixes and improvements that are significant. So there could absolutely be a need to upgrade.

Costco is a great alternative as they do stock swann and lorex systems that are hikvision and dahua rebrands, however, you are limited to the camera styles they offer (mostly bullets and two axis domes)..they dont stock these in the stores..you need to order online...

You left out the most important aspect of ordering from Costco: their top-notch return policy. If anything doesn't work, or if anything goes wrong during the warranty period (which from Costco tends to be about 3 years...), simply walk the unit back into the store and they swap it out or give you your money back, no questions asked. That is huge.

If you do the proper research there is nothing wrong with buying for china...otherwise there are US resellers like our site sponsor Nelly's that will provide a hassle free experience...

I'll ignore your "No True Scotsman" logical fallacy about what constitutes "proper" research. I spent dozens of hours absorbing as much knowledge as possible on forums like these, reading review sites, reading feedback, etc. The degree to which that qualifies as "proper research" in your mind is irrelevant to my point that these Hikvision cameras can be bricked extremely easily, with no way back and no support from Hikvision if you're unlucky enough to have ordered a unit from the wrong region.

The real answer is as you said at the end -- order from a US reseller who can verify that it's a USA unit with USA firmware, in a retail box. You might spend 10% - 15% more per unit, but it's worth not having to deal with this.

 

[fenderman]

Not sure what those threads were talking about..there is nothing different in the upgrade process between a hikvision or say a dahua camera...its not easier in any way. Not sure what improvements you are referring to say from 5.2.0 to 5.2.5 or 5.2.8...there are no performance improvements...even if there are security improvements ip cameras should not simply be port forwarded..there is no way manufacturers patches will keep up with hackers.
I recommend costco all the time for their return policy however, you are serverly limited with respect to options...both in camera design, lens size, camera..getting cams with audio and/or alarm in and out...also keep in mind that swann offers very infrequent firmware updates so you may has well have a hikvision without upgrading the firmware...its great for a basic system if you dont need to customize it...the great return policy is worthless if you cant get the features you want/need.
Even a cursory review of this forum alone would provide all the information you need to prevent what occurred to you..particularly the part about installing 5.2.0 on a 5.2.8 camera...thats a big nono regardless of camera brand unless others have confirmed that older firmware works...
A true USA unit is not 15 percent more expensive its closer to 50 percent if not a bit more.....That is the tradeoff..for a 50+ percent discount you understand that there will be zero support provided to you...for many users that a great deal..for others not...its all about understanding your options.

 

[ServiceXp]

I'll ignore your "No True Scotsman" logical fallacy about what constitutes "proper" research. I spent dozens of hours absorbing as much knowledge as possible on forums like these, reading review sites, reading feedback, etc. The degree to which that qualifies as "proper research" in your mind is irrelevant to my point that these Hikvision cameras can be bricked extremely easily, with no way back and no support from Hikvision if you're unlucky enough to have ordered a unit from the wrong region.

The real answer is as you said at the end -- order from a US reseller who can verify that it's a USA unit with USA firmware, in a retail box. You might spend 10% - 15% more per unit, but it's worth not having to deal with this.

Maybe your research was done elsewhere, I don't know. I do know this forum is filled with similar stories of people in the same exact plight you find your self in. Seems like every couple of hours these threads are updated with the success and failure of those trapped in firmware hell.

 

[pprd]

Not sure what those threads were talking about..there is nothing different in the upgrade process between a hikvision or say a dahua camera...its not easier in any way. Not sure what improvements you are referring to say from 5.2.0 to 5.2.5 or 5.2.8...there are no performance improvements...

Sigh. Ok, let's do this. Let's look at the last 3 versions officially available from Hikvision USA or Europe (5.1.2, 5.2.0, 5.2.3). Performance improvements include:

1. Optimization of night image effect
2. Add sub-stream resolution of QVGA
3. Added the unit display of XY coordinates for people counting and heat mapping functions
4. Added the IE client display for 256Kbps, 512Kbps and 12288Kbps
5. Optimized Defocus Detection algorithm with decreased detection time
6. Optimized ONVIF protocol support
7. Support configuration file input/output
8. support log inquiring
9. support ODM test
10. support user authentication for HTTP snapshot
11. support New Event based on V2.4 protocol
12. support Defocus Detection, Audio Detection, Scene Change Detection
13. support Media-related event.
14. Changed video stream as default instead of video & audio
15. Optimized upgrading notice, time and security mechanism.
16. Support device verification code for EZVIZ Cloud P2P
17. Support NVR Smart Search
18. Support Smart Config. Wi-Fi connection through EZVIZ CLOUD P2P
19. Support sub-streaming Push function in MJPEG.
20. Solved false alarm issue caused by motion detection when switching to Capture Mode
21. Added Intrusion detection (only 1 defined area) and Line Crossing Detection (only 1 defined virtual line)
22. Support one ROI codec area (Region of Interest);
23. Allsupport EZVIZ CLOUD P2P function.
24. Support 8~32mm Motorized VF lens with Auto Focus.Optimized MJPEG encoding self-adaptivity: it varies based on image quality under VBR, or varies based on bitrate under CBR;
25. Added mutual exclusion message between Mirror and high framerate (50/60fps) in Full HD1080p resolution in Capture mode.
26. Support Face Capture with structural information output;
27. Support 8~32mm Motorized VF lens with Auto Focus.
28. Optimized MJPEG encoding self-adaptivity: it varies based on image quality under VBR, or varies based on bitrate under CBR;
29. Support 8~32mm Motorized VF lens with Auto Focus;
30. Support Defocus Detection;
31. Support picture overlay;
32. Support HLC;
33. Support sub-streaming Push function in MJPEG;
34. Support Smart IR.
35. Optimized image quality;
36. Exposure time: up to 1s.
37. Optimize Wide Dynamic Range effect

That's a total of 37 performance and functionality improvements in the last 3 versions of firmware officially available on Hikvision's website. There are countless reasons why someone might want to upgrade to take advantage of any number of those improvements.

even if there are security improvements ip cameras should not simply be port forwarded..there is no way manufacturers patches will keep up with hackers.

Ok, not sure how this relates at all. No one's discussing the merits of port fowarding in this context.

I recommend costco all the time for their return policy however, you are serverly limited with respect to options...both in camera design, lens size, camera..getting cams with audio and/or alarm in and out...also keep in mind that swann offers very infrequent firmware updates so you may has well have a hikvision without upgrading the firmware...its great for a basic system if you dont need to customize it...the great return policy is worthless if you cant get the features you want/need.

Having a great return policy is absolutely not worthless -- it's a major selling point that should be a big part of anyone's choice of where to buy their hardware. But we may be arguing the same point here -- if you can get what you want from a Costco system, it's a no-brainer. I totally agree.

Even a cursory review of this forum alone would provide all the information you need to prevent what occurred to you..particularly the part about installing 5.2.0 on a 5.2.8 camera...thats a big nono regardless of camera brand unless others have confirmed that older firmware works...

That's being misleadingly optimistic about the clarify of the information on forums like these. These forums are filled with people having different (and sometimes conflicting) experiences with the same equipment. Is there good information and helpful advice on these forums? Of course there is. But it's not trivial to read through every bit of information available to make an informed choice about what equipment to buy, how or when to upgrade, etc. I think you may have lost sight of what it's like to be new to this area. It may seem painfully obvious to you, but to others -- and especially newcomers -- there are significant and dangerous pitfalls that can render a new system useless with just a single misstep. Just because the information to avoid these mistakes is out there doesn't mean it's easy to find, or to understand, for newcomers. My point is that Hikvision could do better to prevent people from making poor choices. I already admitted, multiple times, that I screwed up.

A true USA unit is not 15 percent more expensive its closer to 50 percent if not a bit more.....

Here we go again:

Cost of brown boxed unit from china: $109.99 (http://amzn.com/B00G7GMEOG)
Cost of US version, US firmware, in retail box: $116.66 (http://amzn.com/B00M6NC9CG)

If you read the description from both vendors, you'll see what they say about the region, firmware, etc. That's a difference of just over 6% for the same camera. Even Nelly's, which you cited as a good US resource, has prices that are within 10% of china-based sellers on sites like Amazon and eBay.

 

[pprd]

Seems like every couple of hours these threads are updated with the success and failure of those trapped in firmware hell.

Bingo. This is exactly my point. It's happening over and over again, to all kinds of people. To me, that says it's not so much the people and their ability to research, as it is the poor design and business decisions to create these cross-region incompatibilities, the lack of built-in protections against bricking your hardware, and Hikvision's refusal to support those who are either unlucky or uninformed enough to buy from the wrong seller.

You can blame me and my poor research all day along -- I already admitted I screwed up. But LOTS of people are doing it, over and over again, even in spite of your forum's supposed expert level of information that distinguishes it from other forums.

 

[ServiceXp]

Bingo. This is exactly my point. It's happening over and over again, to all kinds of people. To me, that says it's not so much the people and their ability to research, as it is the poor design and business decisions to create these cross-region incompatibilities, the lack of built-in protections against bricking your hardware, and Hikvision's refusal to support those who are either unlucky or uninformed enough to buy from the wrong seller.

You can blame me and my poor research all day along -- I already admitted I screwed up. But LOTS of people are doing it, over and over again, even in spite of your forum's supposed expert level of information that distinguishes it from other forums.

We will have to disagree then. I understand you are upset about creating an expensive paperweight, BUT If people (You), after their (your) reserch, know that it is a VERY risky proposition to upgrade their CAM's, and STILL do so, have NO ONE to complain to IMHO. You can blame others (manufacture, people on the web, etc...) but the bottom line is you knew it was dangerous (presumably from your research) but yet you still proceeded. each:

 

[pprd]

We will have to disagree then. I understand you are upset about creating an expensive paperweight, BUT If people (You), after their (your) reserch, know that it is a VERY risky proposition to upgrade their CAM's, and STILL do so, have NO ONE to complain to IMHO. You can blame others (manufacture, people on the web, etc...) but the bottom line is you knew it was dangerous (presumably from your research) but yet you still proceeded. each:

So, in the one hand you're saying every couple of hours someone else is dealing with this issue, but then you say it's me and my research that's to blame? Yes, again, I messed up. I don't know how else to put it so that you (and others) will stop focusing on my mistake. No one's arguing that I screwed up, but thanks for re-clarifying it again. And I'm not looking for someone to blame -- I'm just observing how easy it is to make a mistake, and that Hikvision could take some steps to make it less dangerous. Furthermore, people are going to want to upgrade as Hikvision makes improvements. Refer to that huge list in my previous post if you need examples. Making that firmware upgrade process a bit clearer and safer (do not accept region mismatched upgrade attempts, provide firmware roll-backs, etc.) would go a long way.

The fact that so many people are doing the exact same thing over and over again, in spite of the information out there, means there's a much larger problem with the design of these cameras and how they can be updated and bricked so easily. You can blame me and my poor research skills all you want, but you'll have to point that same finger at the countless others who are suffering the same fate. It's a big crowd of people with bricked equipment, and it's only getting bigger.

 

[ServiceXp]

So, in the one hand you're saying every couple of hours someone else is dealing with this issue, but then you say it's me and my research that's to blame? Yes, again, I messed up. I don't know how else to put it so that you (and others) will stop focusing on my mistake. No one's arguing that I screwed up, but thanks for re-clarifying it again.

The fact that so many people are doing the exact same thing over and over again, in spite of the information out there, means there's a much larger problem with the design of these cameras and how they can be updated and bricked so easily. You can blame me and my poor research skills all you want, but you'll have to point that same finger at the countless others who are suffering the same fate. It's a big crowd of people with bricked equipment, and it's only getting bigger.

Yep I can't help it if people can't fight the urge to upgrade their CAM. I will say this... most of them are not crying a river like you are. They understood the risks (those who bothered to do the research), and they took the chance. You did the same and now wanna cry about it. I say "Man Up", deal with the consequences of your actions, instead of argumentatively complaining about the manufacture.

Man Up Brother..... and find a HIk dealer that will sell you a USA CAM that will provide support...

 

[fenderman]

Read my responses in bold


That's a total of 37 performance and functionality improvements in the last 3 versions of firmware officially available on Hikvision's website. There are countless reasons why someone might want to upgrade to take advantage of any number of those improvements.
Nowhere did i reference 5.1.2...im talking about improvements after 5.2.0


Ok, not sure how this relates at all. No one's discussing the merits of port fowarding in this context.

I was referring to any unannounced security fixes - which are only issues if you port forward.

Having a great return policy is absolutely not worthless -- it's a major selling point that should be a big part of anyone's choice of where to buy their hardware. But we may be arguing the same point here -- if you can get what you want from a Costco system, it's a no-brainer. I totally agree.
Like i said, very limited options...if they have exactly what you need then its great.


That's being misleadingly optimistic about the clarify of the information on forums like these. These forums are filled with people having different (and sometimes conflicting) experiences with the same equipment. Is there good information and helpful advice on these forums? Of course there is. But it's not trivial to read through every bit of information available to make an informed choice about what equipment to buy, how or when to upgrade, etc. I think you may have lost sight of what it's like to be new to this area. It may seem painfully obvious to you, but to others -- and especially newcomers -- there are significant and dangerous pitfalls that can render a new system useless with just a single misstep. Just because the information to avoid these mistakes is out there doesn't mean it's easy to find, or to understand, for newcomers. My point is that Hikvision could do better to prevent people from making poor choices. I already admitted, multiple times, that I screwed up.
My point is that if you read the info you will be fine...you are taking this too personally...just because you and the others dont follow instructions it does not mean that buying from china is a bad idea. Just understand what you are agreeing to.
If you have no pc or networking experience you should be buying from someone who offers support.

Here we go again:

Cost of brown boxed unit from china: $109.99 (http://amzn.com/B00G7GMEOG)
Cost of US version, US firmware, in retail box: $116.66 (http://amzn.com/B00M6NC9CG
That is NOT a USA hikvision camera...even if they magically were, they are NOT authorized hikvision dealers and you will have no support or warranty via hikvision.
Even if they were USA hikvision, the cost of the camera is 116 vs under 85 via ali express. That is a 36% premium...a premium they are scamming you on...
If you read the description from both vendors, you'll see what they say about the region, firmware, etc. That's a difference of just over 6% for the same camera. Even Nelly's, which you cited as a good US resource, has prices that are within 10% of china-based sellers on sites like Amazon and eBay.

 

[pprd]

I say "Man Up", deal with the consequences of your actions, instead of argumentatively complaining about the manufacture.

Man Up Brother.....

.... And there we go. I was wondering when the ad hominem attacks would start. Now I'm a crybaby and my manhood is being attacked. 10-4, good buddy, I'm ejecting out of this thread. You're doing a great job, keep up the good work.

 

[fenderman]

So, in the one hand you're saying every couple of hours someone else is dealing with this issue, but then you say it's me and my research that's to blame? Yes, again, I messed up. I don't know how else to put it so that you (and others) will stop focusing on my mistake. No one's arguing that I screwed up, but thanks for re-clarifying it again. And I'm not looking for someone to blame -- I'm just observing how easy it is to make a mistake, and that Hikvision could take some steps to make it less dangerous. Furthermore, people are going to want to upgrade as Hikvision makes improvements. Refer to that huge list in my previous post if you need examples. Making that firmware upgrade process a bit clearer and safer (do not accept region mismatched upgrade attempts, provide firmware roll-backs, etc.) would go a long way.

The fact that so many people are doing the exact same thing over and over again, in spite of the information out there, means there's a much larger problem with the design of these cameras and how they can be updated and bricked so easily. You can blame me and my poor research skills all you want, but you'll have to point that same finger at the countless others who are suffering the same fate. It's a big crowd of people with bricked equipment, and it's only getting bigger.

You need to understand that folks come here when they have an issue, they dont post on forums indicating that they successfully performed an upgrade....
The bottom line is this, hikvision and dahua owe you nothing...those cameras are sold to the china market...
They dont sell to end users..if you want support buy from an outfit like nellys/wrightwood that provides their own support/warranty because authorized hikvision distributors will not sell to non dealers/installers.

 

[ServiceXp]

.... And there we go. I was wondering when the ad hominem attacks would start. Now I'm a crybaby and my manhood is being attacked. 10-4, good buddy, I'm ejecting out of this thread. You're doing a great job, keep up the good work.

The problem is you came here wanting to place the blame (after you discovered you pretty much created a paper weight), (via flawed intellectual and argumentative attempts to justify it I might add) on the manufacture for your own informed actions. That, is an emotion response of someone who is understandably upset, and THAT is why I called you out on it.

Everyone makes dumb / accidental mistakes, which sometimes turn into hard lessons to learn. I've made MANY, the difference is how we learn to handle the application of those lessons each time. We can loose focus and act like children or we can act like adults and take ownership of our mistakes.

I truly hope you don't go away mad or upset over my comments. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders and I'm sure can contribute and help others here..

 

[wxman]

A few points to stress here....

1. "Hikvision USA" is not the same as "Hikvision China"...They are different companies, in a certain sense. They share the same hardware, but their firmware's are different and not compatible with each other (except under certain circumstances in which the programming of the camera is manipulated to match the camera's of a different region)...Simply put, you can't buy a Hikvision China camera and then install Firmware from Hikvision USA right out of the box. You would have to first be able to reprogram the camera's internals to match a Hikvision USA camera before using Hikvision USA firmware.

2. In order to get a legit "Hikvision USA" version with warranty, you have to purchase from an authorized dealer. A camera for $115 bucks on Amazon is not going to qualify. All that's happened here is someone in the USA has purchased a camera from China for less and is reselling it for a profit. In fact, Hikvision USA even states on their website that they do not honor warranty from any Amazon purchases (and most other well-known stores and purchasing platforms). The only warranty that you may have is whatever warranty your sellers may decide to give.

3. You will most likely be able to unbrick your camera by upgrading it to Chinese 5.2.5 Firmware to make it fully functional again. From there, you can use a translation feature in your web browser to make it English or you can Edit a language file within your 5.2.5 firmware to make the firmware automatically convert to English (although if you choose to display the day of the week on your camera's On Screen Display, the day of the week will still be in Chinese)...I've had to do this with several camera's that were delivered from China in a bricked state because the seller put incompatible firmware on the camera before shipping. Once you get the hang of it, it's about a 5 minute job to fix it.

4. One other option is to contact the person you purchased the unit from and tell them that the camera bricked while updating firmware. They may be able to send a copy of their original firmware that was on the unit when they shipped it to you.

5. Arguing with people on here will not help matters any. This board is full of people of all different skills, personalities and background experiences. Some may talk down to you for making what they perceive to be "foolish mistakes", but it's best to ignore that. Others will come along that will understand you made a mistake by accident and will be willing to help you correct the problem. If you go getting into arguments with other posters, then the one's ordinarily willing to help may assume that you've got a bad temper and shy away from helping you to prevent any potential drama with you themselves.