Hikvision NVR DS-7808N-E2/8P Chinese to English Conversion - Which firmware?

[ravescar]

Hi First post here and first time trying to set up IP Cameras around home.

I have got an Hikvision DS-7808N-E2/8P in Chinese that i would like to try flash to English/multilanguage to resolve the issue with connecting 3 hikvision cameras with english firmware.
I bought the NVR from taobao and had no luck in asking the seller for an English version firmware.

The NVR is got AARR in middle of its serial number, during the course of trying to resolve the issue, i updated NVR to 3.4.6 Build 160405 which is the newest firmware available.

I am looking at flashing 7608NI-E2/8P firmware, for example this one: Baseline Firmware_NVR (76/77/86NI-E)_En_V3.3.1_build 150422
can someone confirm if this firmware would work? I am afraid that it will brick the NVR so would like to double check here for advice...

I tested flashing 3.4.6 chinese firmware via TFTP but keep getting the following error message"Open file ["C:\TFTP\econt_Vision - AV2000] failure", i hope this doesn't mean TFTP is broken...

 

[alastairstevenson]

I tested flashing 3.4.6 chinese firmware via TFTP but keep getting the following error message"Open file ["C:\TFTP\econt_Vision - AV2000] failure", i hope this doesn't mean TFTP is broken...

Don't worry about that - it's not a real error - the NVR when it's near the end of the boot-up sequence goes looking for the 3rd party products it supports, and it just so happens that the method to discover Arecont_Vision devices is a tftp broadcast which the tftp updater gets and comments on.

On your CN menus - with the standard Hikvision firmware currently available you are probably out of luck, as your NVR model has a Chinese region flag.
The time was when there was older (3.0.8 or 3.0.10) ML firmware that worked with that model, which could be used as an EN start point which was retained on a web GUI update with newer versions. But those versions are no longer published.
*edit* I notice that's not true - these older ML versions of firmware are published here : http://www.hikvisioneurope.com/portal/index.php?dir=Product Firmware/Back-ends/Recorder/NVR/DS-7600NI-E1(E2) 7700NI-E4/

try flash to English/multilanguage to resolve the issue with connecting 3 hikvision cameras with english firmware.

What's the problem here? Language mismatch in reverse?

 

[ravescar]

Don't worry about that - it's not a real error - the NVR when it's near the end of the boot-up sequence goes looking for the 3rd party products it supports, and it just so happens that the method to discover Arecont_Vision devices is a tftp broadcast which the tftp updater gets and comments on.

I see, thanks for the explanation, so that is what happen if connection is successful but no firmware is loaded?

It seem to be not accepting the firmware file digicap.dav that i placed in the same directory as tftpserv.exe, the same firmware that worked in web ui for firmware updating 3.4.6 with a Chinese language flag.
NVR is connected to a switch and then to a pc that had ip 192.0.0.128, windows firewall is off, and tftp are run with administrator privilege.

the tftp software I am using comes from the post regarding downgrading 5.3 to 5.2.5 for cameras.

What's the problem here? Language mismatch in reverse?

I tried to connect cameras to NVR using hikvision and ONVIF protocols, the error roughly translate to "IP Channel Language Mismatch", none were able to connect successfully.

the cameras had firmware 5.3.6

 

[ravescar]

On your CN menus - with the standard Hikvision firmware currently available you are probably out of luck, as your NVR model has a Chinese region flag.
The time was when there was older (3.0.8 or 3.0.10) ML firmware that worked with that model, which could be used as an EN start point which was retained on a web GUI update with newer versions. But those versions are no longer published.

That is a shame, seems that they are going backward with the camera-NVR integration by doing those checks...

 

[alastairstevenson]

It's part of their squeeze down on the grey imports tactics. Not a good way to treat your customers, in my view. It seems the voices of the 'authorised distributors' with their big margins have a lot of weight.

It seem to be not accepting the firmware file digicap.dav that i placed in the same directory as tftpserv.exe, the same firmware that worked in web ui for firmware updating 3.4.6 with a Chinese language flag.

I have not seen this myself yet - but there have been posts that indicate the traditional tftp updater process in the bootloader may no longer be a feature. Certainly, a while back, Hikvision removed the tftp updater download from all their websites.
The uncertainty is whether any of the newer firmware updates also update the bootloader to remove and change its features.
To progress the problem with your NVR, it may be a good idea to get your hands on a USB to TTL serial convertor, and the connectors for the on-board serial console.
Firmware updates are still possible via that route, it's easy enough to do.
There is some useful info in this thread: https://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php/2666-UART-connection-to-recover-Hik-cameras?highlight=uart

 

[lalexn]

I have a similar problem with the DS-7804N-E1 / 4P. I think our only way out of this situation is to go back to the old firmware ( 3.0.8 or 3.0.10 )
If anyone has the firmware please give a link .

 

[alastairstevenson]

I'm not sure if the 7804 hardware is different from the 7816 / 7808. Did you ever look at /proc/cpuinfo?
7816 3.0.8 : https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByOOL4RskWFLNU9CWXJsc09BaTA
7816 3.0.10 : https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByOOL4RskWFLUGo0S2ZZenZnX0E

*edit* I notice that these older versions of ML firmware are still published here :
http://www.hikvisioneurope.com/portal/index.php?dir=Product Firmware/Back-ends/Recorder/NVR/DS-7600NI-E1(E2) 7700NI-E4/

 

[ravescar]

I have not seen this myself yet - but there have been posts that indicate the traditional tftp updater process in the bootloader may no longer be a feature. Certainly, a while back, Hikvision removed the tftp updater download from all their websites.
The uncertainty is whether any of the newer firmware updates also update the bootloader to remove and change its features.

There was a post on this forum that mentioned that during NVR booting it send out a UDP packet from ip address:192.0.0.64 with a magic number

While trying to get TFTP flashing to work, i used wireshark to see if that UDP packet was present, it wasn't, there is no inbound packet from Source:192.0.0.64 at all.

Maybe this is an indication that TFTP is not going to work with my particular NVR or firmware 3.4.6?

The reason TFTP seem to have "successful" connection may be because while troubleshooting TFTP issue I set NVR ip to 192.0.0.64...
Currently if I set ip address to 192.0.0.64 on NVR, i would get connection success/open file failure message, and the firmware do not get loaded.
Setting it to any other ip it would report "connect client failure.0" message.

To progress the problem with your NVR, it may be a good idea to get your hands on a USB to TTL serial convertor, and the connectors for the on-board serial console.
Firmware updates are still possible via that route, it's easy enough to do.
There is some useful info in this thread: https://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php/2666-UART-connection-to-recover-Hik-cameras?highlight=uart

Thanks, i have now put down an order for that to try.

 

[alastairstevenson]

To correct my earlier posts - I notice that these older 3.0.8 and 3.0.10 ML versions of firmware are still published here :
http://www.hikvisioneurope.com/portal/index.php?dir=Product Firmware/Back-ends/Recorder/NVR/DS-7600NI-E1(E2) 7700NI-E4/

 

[lalexn]

I'm not sure if the 7804 hardware is different from the 7816 / 7808. Did you ever look at /proc/cpuinfo?
7816 3.0.8 : https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByOOL4RskWFLNU9CWXJsc09BaTA
7816 3.0.10 : https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByOOL4RskWFLUGo0S2ZZenZnX0E

I try to load the firmware, but none of these firmware not approached or via WEB or via tftp.

Then I tried the 3.4.0 firmware and now my nvr beeps and restarts.

 

[alastairstevenson]

There is no firmware file transmit with the tftp updater.
Some questions:
Did you rename the file as 'digicap.dav' and place it in the same folder as tftpserve.exe ?
Have you checked the Windows PC firewall settings for 'allow inbound' for the tftpserve.exe program?
Is your PC running Windows 10?
Is your PC connected via cable, not WiFi (can be troublesome for tftp updater)?

 

[lalexn]

The file is correct , the firewall is disabled , the antivirus off , win7 , the computer is connected to a router , nvr connected to the router . After the recorder has ceased to be included 3.4.6 firmware loaded again, and he made again in Chinese

 

[ravescar]

The primary issue that is driving me nuts is that i have a region 2(chinese) NVR and 5 region 1(English/ML) cameras, so that on ip channel menu, the cameras all report IP Channel Language Mismatch and is offline.

I think i might be using wrong approach by updating those firmware... updating firmware on either NVR/Camera does not change regions, is that right?