Initial review of the Hikvision DS-2CD2087G2-L(U) ColorVu 4K 8MP IP bullet camera.

alastairstevenson

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Blue Iris reports as 20FPS on both settings
What firmware and camera is this?

The IPC_G3_EN_STD_5.5.160_210209 using the DS-2CD2347G2-LU camera limits the max bitrate setting to 8192 or less on this camera.
But it allows up to 16,384 on the DS-2CD2087G2-LU - and this is also stuck at 30fps under the same firmware.
I assessed the fps using the VLC codec info.
It doesn't seem to be a quirk of VLC as the configured fps values are OK on other Hikvision cameras using h.265
 

ljw2k

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HIKVISION DS-2CD2087G2-LU(2.8MM)
Firmware Version - V5.5.160 build 201103
 

alastairstevenson

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HIKVISION DS-2CD2087G2-LU(2.8MM)
Firmware Version - V5.5.160 build 201103
Interesting - so not quite the same firmware and camera model where I see the frame rate stuck at 30fps.
This one is using V5.5.160 build 210209

I just downloaded IPC_G3_EN_STD_5.5.160_210108 off the DS-2CD2347G2-LU product page.
Yet another variant of the V5.5.160 firmware ...
 

Dave Lonsdale

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Hi ljw2k. It's the 'I Frame interval' and not the 'Frame Rate' that I find doesn't work. But what I realise I also didn't make clear is that I can set the iframe OK on the configuration/video tab, it's just that it doesn't actually change what happens to the video. Assuming you left the I Frame interval at 20 as per an earlier post of yours (below), with a fps of 20, the iframe should have been "1" and not "0.20". The figure 0.20 means 0.20 per second. So, with a fps of 20, this is an iframe of 50 100 and not your setting of 20.
Screenshot 2021-03-04 194036.png
 
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ljw2k

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Hi Dave you are asking the wrong person to work all this out as I am not sure if it is the camera or BI that it is reporting false figures. Maybe someone else who knows might post something.
This is interesting for me also owning the same cam.

@ alastairstevenson - do you want me to send you my version of the firmware?
 

Dave Lonsdale

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Interesting - so not quite the same firmware and camera model where I see the frame rate stuck at 30fps.
This one is using V5.5.160 build 210209

I just downloaded IPC_G3_EN_STD_5.5.160_210108 off the DS-2CD2347G2-LU product page.
Yet another variant of the V5.5.160 firmware ...
Yes, it looks like the behaviour of the firmware in your DS-2CD2347G2-LU is very different. I will also confess that when I said the iframe was locked at 50 in my camera I was wrong - it's locked at 100. It's unfortunate that having got old, I even get simple arithmetic wrong. I have the same firmware as ljw2k (not surprising since he helpfully updated it before shipping it to me).
 

Dave Lonsdale

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Hi Dave you are asking the wrong person to work all this out as I am not sure if it is the camera or BI that it is reporting false figures. Maybe someone else who knows might post something.
This is interesting for me also owning the same cam.

@ alastairstevenson - do you want me to send you my version of the firmware?
I'll stick with the firmware I've got thanks - maybe there are other changes that are not suitable for the DS-2CD2087G2-LU.
Another age thing - thought it was a post from Alastair - sorry!
Yes, will somebody else with this camera please post their findings please.
 
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alastairstevenson

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Is there anyway this firmware can be downgraded?
Not via the web GUI it seems.
I tried via the bootloader/recovery facility on the DS-2CD2347G2-LU but that route isn't available on that camera as the rcvy part has been tweaked and is currently persona non grata.

@ @alastairstevenson - do you want me to send you my version of the firmware?
By all means do so - if I can load it, I should be able to check the same observations.
It will be interesting, but maybe not surprising, if it behaves differently.
 

alastairstevenson

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Is there anyway this firmware can be downgraded?
Not via Linux / Firefox, which is my default access now that the video rendering works OK with that combo.
But IE11 / Win7 allowed a downgrade to IPC_G3_EN_STD_5.5.134_200430 with no problems.
I didn't try Edge.
 

alastairstevenson

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Hi Dave you are asking the wrong person to work all this out as I am not sure if it is the camera or BI that it is reporting false figures. Maybe someone else who knows might post something.
This is interesting for me also owning the same cam.

@ @alastairstevenson - do you want me to send you my version of the firmware?
Thanks for sending that variant of the V5.5.160 G3 firmware.

As a follow-on to this post I tested other versions, but they didn't seem to behave differently on video settings :

On the face of it, the G3 firmware is a bit bugged, as fps appears stuck at 30 on h.265, but other video settings seem to work OK.
I'm assessing fps on the DS-2CD2347G2-LU using the 'Codec info' on VLC when pulling the video stream.
On all 3 variants of firmware below, using h.265 gives a 30fps value in VLC.
IPC_G3_EN_STD_5.5.160_210209
IPC_G3_EN_STD_5.5.160_201103
IPC_G3_EN_STD_5.5.134_200430

Accessing the DS-2CD2087G2-LU that's using IPC_G3_EN_STD_5.5.160_210209 gives the same result.
Linux mediainfo does not show the fps value on a downloaded clip from the DS-2CD2087G2-LU
Interestingly, single-framing through the downloaded clip suggests it's actually running at the configured fps value and not at the 30fps reported by VLC.
Four other Hikvision G1 cameras on h.265 show in VLC an fps value that matches what's in their configuration setting.

I checked whether the I-frame setting was working by dropping the max bitrate down to 256kbps and observing the video, where the time between the I-frame pulses could be judged.
Bitrate was measured by both VLC and network monitoring, the values were aligned.
 

ljw2k

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@alastairstevenson

Thanks for the confirmation of having to use Windows 7 O/S to be able to downgrade this particular camera.

I get the below error on Windows 10 and IE/Edge/Chrome.


2021-03-05 16_12_25-Configuration - Personal - Microsoft Edge.jpg
 
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avotek

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If i wanted to build a system around these cameras i'm assuming that you guys would recommend that i use a Hik NVR. What would be the Hik equivalent to the 16ch & 32ch Dahua NVR without physical PoE ports (NVR5216-4KS2 and NVR5232-4KS2)?
Would there be any benefits to sticking with the Dahua NVR (which i'm comfortable using) over the equivalent Hik NVR if the assumption was that i would primarily be using these new Hik DS-2CD2087G2-L(U) cameras?
 

wittaj

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If all you care about is recording 24/7 and maybe some motion triggering setup within the NVR, then you are probably ok. But any functions that the camera has (like AI or IVS functions) may or may not work. Likewise any functions the NVR might have like AI may not work if the cameras are not same brand. ONVIF compatibility is supposed to help allow different brands to work together, but full functionality shouldn't be expected.
 

avotek

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If all you care about is recording 24/7 and maybe some motion triggering setup within the NVR, then you are probably ok. But any functions that the camera has (like AI or IVS functions) may or may not work.
Thank you! Any recommendations for a good choice for an equivalent Hik NVR?
 

zape

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I bought a laview nvr for ~$60 and converted to hik using serial cable.
 

Dave Lonsdale

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Thanks for sending that variant of the V5.5.160 G3 firmware.

As a follow-on to this post I tested other versions, but they didn't seem to behave differently on video settings :

On the face of it, the G3 firmware is a bit bugged, as fps appears stuck at 30 on h.265, but other video settings seem to work OK.
I'm assessing fps on the DS-2CD2347G2-LU using the 'Codec info' on VLC when pulling the video stream.
On all 3 variants of firmware below, using h.265 gives a 30fps value in VLC.
IPC_G3_EN_STD_5.5.160_210209
IPC_G3_EN_STD_5.5.160_201103
IPC_G3_EN_STD_5.5.134_200430

Accessing the DS-2CD2087G2-LU that's using IPC_G3_EN_STD_5.5.160_210209 gives the same result.
Linux mediainfo does not show the fps value on a downloaded clip from the DS-2CD2087G2-LU
Interestingly, single-framing through the downloaded clip suggests it's actually running at the configured fps value and not at the 30fps reported by VLC.
Four other Hikvision G1 cameras on h.265 show in VLC an fps value that matches what's in their configuration setting.

I checked whether the I-frame setting was working by dropping the max bitrate down to 256kbps and observing the video, where the time between the I-frame pulses could be judged.
Bitrate was measured by both VLC and network monitoring, the values were aligned.
Morning Alastair
It was a good iframe cross-check idea to drop the bitrate to 256kbit/s. I did the same and it confirmed the figure reported in Blue Iris as being correct i.e. 100 with a setting of 20. When you said “the values were aligned” was that the setting and VLC or by observing the video and VLC? I tried every combination I could think of to make the result correspond with the setting (bitrate type, video quality, frame rate, video encoding).

The I Frame interval was always 100 - most IP camera purists would say this number is far too big - 10 seconds at my 10fps.

I am, nevertheless, astonished at how well the picture quality holds up at very low bitrates. But I still want CBR to work!

Please, will someone else from the forum who has this camera please also do a cross-check. To confirm:
  • CBR can be set but is always VBR
  • I-Frame can be set but the result is always 100
  • unlike Alastair, my FPS setting works correctly
  • my firmware is V5.5.160 build 201013
 

alastairstevenson

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When you said “the values were aligned”
That was referring to the bitrate - the value shown in VLC Codec info matched what the network traffic monitor was showing.
This was to confirm that the configuration settings was actually working OK.

It does sound like BI gives a pretty useful view of what the camera is doing on it's video stream.
And it does sound like the Hikvision G3 firmware is due some updates to fix these quirks.
 

netnode

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Hi, new here and new to the IP camera scene.

I just bought two of these from Andy's Aliexpress store.

I will be needing two junction boxes to fit them, however, Andy tells me he doesn't have any junctions as yet.

The data sheet for the camera lists this as the junction box,
DS-1280ZJ-S Junction Box

When I search for the DS-1280ZJ-S Junction Box it doesn't list the DS-2CD2087G2-LU as being compatible?

Has anyone used a junction box to install a DS-2CD2087G2-LU, I would love to know what you bought and if it fitted.
 
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