Converting a 7608 to a 7616 (or a 7806 to a 7816)

[scn101]

I believe that the underlying hardware is the same between the 8- and 16-channel NVRs. The only restriction is the firmware on the 8-channel that restricts it to 8 cameras.

Had anyone figured out how to mod the 8-channel to be a 16-channel?

 

[scn101]

Thanks for the insight. Seems I only have a single core so modifying the FW to think it can handle 16 cameras is probably a non-starter.

What do you have in you 7816?
# cat cpuinfo
Processor : ARMv7 Processor rev 2 (v7l)
BogoMIPS : 999.42
Features : swp half thumb fastmult vfp edsp neon vfpv3
CPU implementer : 0x41
CPU architecture: 7
CPU variant : 0x3
CPU part : 0xc08
CPU revision : 2
Hardware : dm385evm
Revision : 0000
Serial : 0000000000000000
#

 

[scn101]

Thanks for the reply Alastair. You have dual-core CPUs at twice the frequency. Makes sense that those are rated for 100Mbps vs. the 40Mbps of my unit. I'm thinking about getting the 7816N-E1 or -E2 (I don't really need the second hard drive bay) and I'd like to get one without POE since the POE power supply fan is loud. From what I'm reading there should be no problem getting an 3.0.10 or higher FW for it, is that correct? Or I might go with the POE version and modify the PSU with an external quieter fan.

 

[alastairstevenson]

This was the 7816N-E2 that I bought recently. Though the prices have gone up somewhat.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hikvision-NVR-16CH-Network-Video-Recorder-HDMI-NVR-Up-to-6MP-5MP-3MP-1000M-Engineering-project/2041536563.html

 

[scn101]

Thanks, that is the one I'm contemplating.

What FW rev are you running? In all English?

 

[alastairstevenson]

Currently on 3.2.1 just to see how it all works with the improved camera analytics support. But originally on 3.0.8, which I may revert to - I miss the telnet access. And yes, all in English.

 

[scn101]

Wouldn't 3.0.10 be best? I think it fixes an RTSP buffer overflow vulnerability and I believe still has telnet access. Or am I mistaken?

 

[alastairstevenson]

You are correct.
I was just running 3.2.1 to check it out - it's a major re-write, not just re-styled.

 

[scn101]

I just ordered a 7616E-N1 (http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/bUae6TMk). I really don't need two hard drive bays, one is enough for my needs. I decided to use an external POE rather than the internal POE model to avoid the fan noise of the POE model. I'm hoping the power adapter is of the type that allows me to use a different mains power cord that I can swap to a 120V USA cord. Is this the case?

I'm still searching for the POE solution to use. Ideally I'd like an 8-port POE that can handle about 90W total with one or two gigabit Ethernet uplinks, one to the NVR, one to my router. Or, I may just get a regular gigE switch and use a power injector for the cameras. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

All my HV cams have their language flag = 1 so they are English. I'm hoping I can upgrade the NVR to 3.0.10 in English. Do you know where I can locate that FW? Is this the right one?: NVR_(76,77,86-Ex)BL_ML_STD_V3.0.10_141126.zip HV has so many similar models that finding the proper FW is hard and I don't want to brick it.

Thanks.

 

[alastairstevenson]

*Edit* Isn't that a 7816N-E1 ?

The external PSU that came with my 7816N-E2 has an IEC connector, and is labelled as 100-240V.

I have tried various firmware, on the assumption that 7616N-E2 = 7816N-E2, which seems to be true so far.
On 14Apr15 @whoislooking posted an ML 3.0.10 for 7616N. I tried it, and it worked OK. ML at the web login, English choice at the VGA/HMDI interface. And it seemed happy with the cameras, though they were already saved in the configuration. I should really reset to defaults and try again, just to be sure.And as a further test, I tried this Hikvision download:
NVR_(76,77,86-Ex)BL_ML_STD_V3.0.10_141126
On the web GUI, it simply showed zero progress.
On the serial console, it complained of a language mismatch. The 7816N-E2 is language=2
I changed the firmware language using Hiktools, and the firmware loaded OK.
It was EN/CN at the web GUI, and ML at the VGA/HDMI interface! Very good.
Everything else looked fine.
I removed the 3332 and added it again, no complaints.
Next, I tried this:
NVR_(76,77,86-Ex)BL_EN_STD_V3.0.10_141126
It complained of a language mismatch, only via the serial console.
I changed the language to 2 (CN) with Hiktools. Upgrade went OK, reboot OK.
The result was EN only at the VGA/HDMI interface, EN/CN at the web GUI.
3332 camera remove / add was OK. Everything else looked OK.

 

[scn101]

Oops, yes 7816N-E1. Thanks for letting me know that I won't have any power supply issues, just need a USA cord and I have lots of them.

For either FW, was the default EN for both the Web and VGA logon?

Where did you get NVR_(76,77,86-Ex)BL_EN_STD_V3.0.10_141126? I can find it on a HV website but it says I must register.

 

[alastairstevenson]

I picked it up a while back before they added the registration requirement. I'm a bit of a collector. Just in case.
But I have registered anyway so I could download other stuff, it's easy to do. Now they can track me ...

 

[Oleglevsha]

iTuneDVR has claimed to be able to do this
DS 7604N xx > DS 7608N xx
DS 7616N xx > DS 7624N xx
Change is possibleand welcome
DS 7604N xx > DS 7616N xx
DS 7616N xx > DS 7632N xx
​It is possiblebut you cannot usethe full functionality, limitingthe amount of RAM

 

[scn101]

"And getting round the u-boot bootloader captive restricted shell."

What do you mean by this? If you are in a u-boot terminal session can you not read flash, erase, and write flash? u-boot can protect sectors but you can disable that protection with the "protect off all" command.

 

[alastairstevenson]

The bootloader is a modified version of u-boot that does not allow command access. The only interaction with it when boot is interrupted is to specify the IP addresses for TFTP to use to upgrade from a remote firmware file.