Hikvision advises that their camera systems should be purchased through authorized distributors. However, according to a contact at Hivision, USA, their distributors don't sell to individuals. Of course, Amazon, ebay, and a few other unauthorized sources list Hikvision cameras for purchase. So, maybe the most difficult problem concerning the Hikvision cameras is not the setup, firmware updates, resolution or remote access issues, but just how to buy one of the damn things. The authorized sellers are all foaming at the mouth for large commercial surveillance system orders. I'm guessing that upgrades and support are out the window if one of the unauthorized 3rd party vendors is used. Then, how do most of you acquire you Hikvision camera ?