Hikvision Bullets on Amazon

[TBlaine27]

Are the Hikvision bullets on Amazon safe to buy? or are they chinese/knock-off? They are only $117 for the 4mm..

HIKVISION DS-2CD2032-I 3MP 4mm Outdoor HD DWDR IR Bullet Network IP Camera POE

 

[Git]

I purchased my first 2032 from Amazon as a test and it turned out fine - it came with English Firmware and it was upgradeable. It came in a colored box, not the brown generic one. (I ended up buying several more cameras from an authorized Hikvision USA vender, and it appears the only difference was the authorized vendor's box had a little silver colored seal on the lid of the box)

Regarding Amazon - you have to look at all the sellers and read the description of the condition. For example for $122 HD Security Store indicates "Retail 2YR WARRANTY ENGLISH FIRMWARE VERSION UNLIMITED FIRMWARE FROM USA OR EUROPE. BEWARE OF BROWN BOX HACK OR FAKE OEM"

I didn't buy mine from them, but looking at it now, I think that one would be pretty safe to buy, and it is Amazon Prime. The cheaper ones are mostly shipping from China

 

[TBlaine27]

Thanks for the info, very much appreciated. I'm so tired of fake/clones of everything!

I had purchased a foscam camera on amazon a long time ago, and when I got the box it said "Foscam IP Camwra" !!! seriously?!

 

[Chust]

I bought 2 from CCTVONE on Amazon and got the real deal. See my review on page 2.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M6NC9CG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[davej]

So there are known fakes?

 

[Chust]

I believe some vendors are selling the chinese version as the english version. I wouldn't say fakes.

 

[Chust]

English version costs more and comes in colored box.

 

[fenderman]

So there are known fakes?

I have never heard of any fakes...the "fakes" are china region cameras that will revert back to Chinese if you update the firmware...there are ways to change it back to English in multiple threads on this site...there is also a service performed by member @CBX where he can convert your camera to US region permanently...
Its all about how much hassle you want to deal with....you can get these cams direct from china for 85...you will have to self insure yourself against any failures...you will receive no warranty or support despite their claims as shipping is very expensive...With US sellers you will pay more but often get support, warranty, and the ability to return depending on the seller...Some US sellers are selling the China region cameras...others are not...most are providing their own warranty as hikvision will only warranty cams sold by authorized distributors...

 

[networkcameracritic]

I bought one of Amazon just to see and it was English, BUT, it had a China region code, meaning that next time you upgrade the firmware, it will revert back to Chinese. The same vendor also sells a true English version but charges a lot more for it. So if it's too good to be true, it probably is.

 

[Chust]

yeah buddy, I paid $140 each. Then thankfully seen the aliexpress prices. $140 for english hmmmmmmmmm seems like BS to me. I be sticking with chinese version with 5.20 firmware.

 

[Chust]

Were do you look to see the region code?

 

[Zxel]

I bought one of Amazon just to see and it was English, BUT, it had a China region code, meaning that next time you upgrade the firmware, it will revert back to Chinese. The same vendor also sells a true English version but charges a lot more for it. So if it's too good to be true, it probably is.

The problem with Chinese cameras being sold on Amazon even though they are advertised as English is the fault of the company selling the camera THRU Amazon, not Amazon. You can order the same camera off of the same Amazon page and it may come from another seller (which is why you need to ALWAYS see who is selling the item. Even purchases fullfilled by Amazon are suspect (a commmon misconception is that if Amazon is fullfilling the order it must be AOK) because all "fullfilled by Amazon" means is that the supplier has given the product to Amazon to ship - i.e. they are not shipping the item to the customer, Amazon is.

Your best bet is to check the feedback (this forum is also an EXCELLENT source) for reviews that mention they got the English version from "X" company. You will notice on the left you can buy the same item from multiple sellers, you should not just automatically click on the buy button without checking who is the seller.

Contacting the seller (you can do it directly thru Amazon) is the best way - get it in writing (email) from the company that it is indeed the English version. If you receive a Chinese vrsion instead Amazon will give you a refund and will remove the seller from selling the item if it continues.

Hope that helps in navigating the Amazon purchase experience - done properly Amazon is an excellent source to purchase from (even Nelly's sells there).

 

[networkcameracritic]

I complained in a review that I received a China region code camera and the seller asked Amazon to remove that feedback. So take the review with a grain of salt. Also, different sellers share the same review pool as they use the same product ID. so you never know. I believe the seller was hdsecuritystore and was 'fulfilled by Amazon'.

 

[networkcameracritic]

Hate to double post, but just realized what one of you asked. If telnet into the camera, there's a command, prthardinfo that displays the language flag, 2 for china, 1 for english. The example below is a china camera.

# prtHardInfo
Start at 2014-11-01 21:07:11
Serial NO :CMR-HD200-20-K20141008CCCHddddddddd
V5.1.6 build 140802
hardwareVersion = 0x0
hardWareExtVersion = 0x0
encodeChans = 1
decodeChans = 0
alarmInNums = 1
alarmOutNums = 1
ataCtrlNums = 0
flashChipNums = 0
ramSize = 0x4000000
networksNums = 1
language = 2
devType = 135170
SD status = 0 (1:noraml;0:none)

 

[Zxel]

I complained in a review that I received a China region code camera and the seller asked Amazon to remove that feedback. So take the review with a grain of salt. Also, different sellers share the same review pool as they use the same product ID. so you never know. I believe the seller was hdsecuritystore and was 'fulfilled by Amazon'.

A complaint in a review without going thru the normal Amazon reporting procedure can end up getting your review removed, as you experienced. The reviews are not what you use to report abuse by a seller, you must use the normal Amazon complaint procedure FIRST - then do your review AFTER Amazon does its investigation. Amazon will NOT remove a review that is backed up by an Amazon complaint. Sellers know Amazon's rules and will leverage them against you if they can, they prey on buyers lack of knowledge on Amazons procedures.

The review pool sharing is correct, this is a good thing because buyers want information on the item more than the seller of the item (there is a seperate review section for sellers). The idea is to find a review where a purchaser says they received an English version from company "X", and those that say they got a Chinese version from company "Y", avoid the "Y" companies.

As mentioned in my previous post "fullfilled by Amazon" should not give you a fuzzy warm feeling when purchasing - it just means the item is already in Amazons hand and will be shipped to you from Amazon. Now to be sure technically Amazon is suposed to review an item for correctness before accepting it for fullfillment by Amazon, however, they do not inspect all items given to them for sale - usually just a sample item sent by the company. The company could have sent them an English one to review but after approval sent in Chinese versions for sale. It could also be that the reviewers of the product being submitted don't have the expertise to know a Chinese version from an English version - duno. Amazon relies on customers (even more so now that they have expanded greatly) to point these things out to them.

Amazon will remove a seller and their items for sale if they get too many complaints (I've even seen them remove a company for one complaint - depends on the egregiousness of the complaint).

Still the best way is to contact the seller BEFORE you buy any item on Amazon if you have any doubt on what you may receive. Of course you are still protected by Amazons buyers protection, so if you do get the wrong thing all you should be out is time (ya I know - time is money).

 

[Git]

I bought 2 from CCTVONE on Amazon and got the real deal. See my review on page 2.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M6NC9CG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I went back and looked who I purchased mine from Amazon - and it was CCTVONE, although they are not one of the currently listed 16 vendors who are selling them. In October I paid $147 for it, so prices have come down a bit. I bought three 'real mccoy' 2032's (3 year US warranty) and they were $151 each with tax and shipping from a Hikvision USA authorized vendor

 

[Chust]

I definitely have english ones! I just upgraded both of my Amazon 2032's to firmware 5.2.3 and they're still english. Glad CCTVONE didn't cheat me!

 

[sprucecams]

I just found this on AliExpress:

HIKVISION DS-2CD2032-I 3MP 4mm Outdoor HD DWDR IR Bullet Network IP Camera $84.77

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Free-shipping-wholesale-Hikvision-DS-2CD2032-I-bullet-Camera-CCTV-camera-IP-camera-nimi-network-camera/1010031_1317354518.html

Can/should I believe this? These are exactly what I am looking for. Many thanks.

 

[Chust]

Yeah, I have 5 of them. They are the multi-language ones. Which I do believe are chinese. I bought mine from Rocky at http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hikvision-Original-infrared-waterproof-network-camera-DS-2CD2032-I-3MP-IR-bullet-ip-camera-Can-support/1679852388.html

 

[Chust]

The english ones I bought from CCTVONE on Amazon.