How to access camera Dahua archives now that IE is dead?

[wrybread]

I have two different Dahua cameras, a IPC-HFW7442H-Z and a SD49225T-HN, and watching the video playback (as opposed to live feed) really only works with Internet Explorer. But now I can't load Internet Explorer anymore... I know there's some workarounds to get IE working, but I'm wondering if there's a better way? Any other method to watch the recorded footage on these cameras?

 

[wittaj]

Try pale moon or simply use the work arounds.

But since one is a PTZ I would say use the IE work around.

 

[paul@austins.tv]

Try Microsoft Edge in IE mode. It works for my Dahua NVR & XVR.

 

[wrybread]

Try pale moon or simply use the work arounds.

But since one is a PTZ I would say use the IE work around.

Ugh, since even with the workarounds IE is just so janky. I'm surprised Dahua hasn't released a firmware update that would fix it, there must be hundreds of thousands of these cameras out there, all essentially inaccessible now. And even with the workaround I've had to edit the CSS of the webpage using IE's developer tools or the video playback covers the controls. Amazing cameras, but really disappointing software.

 

[wrybread]

Try Microsoft Edge in IE mode. It works for my Dahua NVR & XVR.

Thanks, that works. Oddly it only lets me add the camera URL for one month, then it expires. Same for you or is there a way to set it permanently?

 

[wittaj]

It isn't as simple as a firmware update. It would need a new chipset to handle it.

While it is weird to us that they use a no longer supported browser, there is a reason...

Many manufacturers have focused the firmware around Internet Explorer (which was the standard once upon a time), even brand new cameras unfortunately. Keep in mind we are not the intended audience of Hikvision and Dahua, it is professional installers with specialized equipment and/or don't update their equipment (many still use laptops with Windows 7), so they are not going to invest in changing the firmware until they see a need. As such, those end users usually don't get into the userface like we do.

So until their professional installers and their intended market demand or require it, we won't see it and us complaining they don't care is irrelevant because we are not their intended market. They are not going to reinvent the wheel and throw out all firmware and start new until there is a need from their intended market. They use their existing firmware as the base and build on it. Some cameras work better than others with different browsers, but IE is the sure browser to work with these cameras.

We are just fortunate to be able to get our hands on these cameras and NVRs.

 

[wrybread]

It isn't as simple as a firmware update. It would need a new chipset to handle it.

Nonesense, it's just playing an HTML5 video, any chipset can handle that. They simply need to load a different webpage into the firmware.

 

[wittaj]

You would be surprised...it is an entire firmware revamp. Maybe @Wildcat_1 who tears these firmware apart for Dahua can shed more light than I can as he looks at it under the hood, but it has been stated here before it is a change that the existing cameras cannot handle....

There is a reason the new web gui cannot be loaded on an older gui camera. And even then it is still recommended to still use Explorer based on what wildcat has seen under the hood.

If it were that simple they would have done it already...

4K/X is the old web gui and the 4K/T is the new gui and you cannot load the new gui on the 4K/X and these cameras came out within a year of each other.

People also come here saying it is nonsense that these cams are browser dependent and when they reluctantly try explorer all of a sudden it works...

@TonyR says it best here LOL:

SD4A425DB-HNY Unable to connect to it for first time

Hi All, I appreciate all of the feedback. I have performed requisite troubleshooting before submitting my initial post. Using different pc's, various browsers, different port switches, cables, different switches, reviewing/triple checking port configs/ip reservations/fw rules, you name it...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[wrybread]

You would be surprised...it is an entire firmware revamp.

I'm a developer, and I work with web devepment all the time. You're right, I would be very very very surprised if there was something that required a change in chipset! I'd be less surprised if I saw a pig fly.

 

[wittaj]

I'm a developer, and I work with web devepment all the time. You're right, I would be very very very surprised if there was something that required a change in chipset! I'd be less surprised if I saw a pig fly.

Maybe you can offer your services to Dahua LOL.

Maybe you can get under the hood of the firmware and prove to us it is that simple...

I would think web development versus a firmware to operate a camera that is centered around a specific browser is more detailed than a simple change.

 

[wrybread]

Maybe you can offer your services to Dahua LOL.

That's the odd thing, none of this is hard, I could do it in a day or two. Any decent developer could. So it's mind boggling that Dahua doesn't just do it.

I agree with the point that they don't typically sell to non corporate users, but still they're running really outdated web standards in their cameras. It's downright odd and weirdly lazy, given how great their hardware is. That's the kind of thing that could turn a corporate client away from them, just as I'd think twice before buying a Dahua camera again, especially if I could find one that was as good hardware-wise.

I would think web development versus a firmware to operate a camera that is centered around a specific browser is more detailed than a simple change.

Nope, it's just a webpage thing. They need to make a version of their webpage that works with modern web standards, and then pack that webpage into their firmware so users see it when they access their cameras.

 

[wittaj]

You are preaching to the choir here lol. We all would prefer to use different browsers.

I think they haven't had a need because their intended market is mainly businesses where they have enough light they can stay in default settings so they dont have a need yo logni to the camera via browser. It is us homeowners that push these to the limits and actually change settings.

Good luck finding a good camera that isn't centered around explorer lol.

Yeah even in 2023, brand new cameras coming off the line are still requiring Internet Explorer and the plug-in in many instances. Some cameras are better than others, but IE is the standard if you don't want problems.

Unfortunately Hikvision and Dahua make many of the other brands out there, so you would potentially have the same experiences. Heck even 5 times the cost Axis still recommends Internet Explorer for many of their cameras LOL.

AXIS Media Control | Axis Communications

Decode H.264 video in Internet Explorer

www.axis.com

 

[wrybread]

Heck even 5 times the cost Axis still recommends Internet Explorer for many of their cameras LOL.

AXIS Media Control | Axis Communications

Decode H.264 video in Internet Explorer

www.axis.com

Are you sure? From a quick google search it looks like all new Axis cameras support modern web browsers.

https://help.axis.com/en-us/axis-os#browser-support

 

[wrybread]

And interestingly it looks like Axis has updates for many of their older cameras to enable modern browsers. So it's not only their new cameras that can do it.

 

[wittaj]

Or maybe they don't want to in order to force new cameras being bought lol.

But I suspect it is probably barely enough memory and RAM that they are afraid a newer firmware would make it buggy.

Similar to how many androids can't accept a newer version at some point as it would just get too slow to operate. Or it does accept the update and is slow as can be.

 

[wrybread]

But I suspect it is probably barely enough memory and RAM that they are afraid a newer firmware would make it buggy.

Axis is updating their older cameras to support modern browsers, with no change in hardware. There's no additional memory required to make the webserver in the camera serve a different webpage. I suspect it's just a non priority by Dahua, bizarrely.

 

[wrybread]

I found a way to view Dahua cameras in Chrome, using the IETab extension. Costs $20 after a 2 week trial though, ugh. Seems to work well though.

IE Tab

Display web pages using IE within Chrome. Use Java, Silverlight, ActiveX, Sharepoint, and more.

chrome.google.com

 

[wittaj]

I found a way to view Dahua cameras in Chrome, using the IETab extension. Costs $20 after a 2 week trial though, ugh. Seems to work well though.

IE Tab

Display web pages using IE within Chrome. Use Java, Silverlight, ActiveX, Sharepoint, and more.

chrome.google.com

Lol I will just change the BHO folder name to something else to keep Explorer going for free lol.

 

[jmcu]

Here is a easy way to put IE back on windows for older FW that needs it, use at own risk as IE is "no longer with us" not dead.


Make a new text file on desktop and paste -
CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application").Visible=true
change the "Save as type" to "all files" , save as : whatever.vbs

 

[wittaj]

I'm new to learning about security cameras but been reading a lot. I would prefer to stay away from chinese brands and so have leaned towards the AXIS brand. But I had not heard anything about needing to use IE to run most of these systems, including Axis per your note above. I had planned on building an inexpensive dedicated tower system to run the software and storage. I have an OEM version of Windows 7. Are you saying I should use that with IE on it?

Axis is expensive, so maybe they can afford to update firmware on older cameras to allow them to use newer browsers. Or maybe because they are more expensive, they also have more memory and RAM than other cams that allowed them to be updated that other brand cams couldn't.

I have an older Axis camera that works best with Explorer. I have no need to update the firmware as it works for my situation. Another thing you will find is that many times updating camera firmware causes other issues, so I am not going to update a perfectly working camera on the hope that the firmware allows it to use another browser, but then takes away a feature I need.

In addition to the hack I mentioned above to use Explorer, I keep an old laptop around that has no internet connection that I will use if that time ever comes.

As you do your research, you will find that the Chinese brands represent an incredible value. For the cost, I would not put Axis at a superior advantage over Dahua or Hikvision.

What is your reasoning for avoiding the Chinese brands?