Making a Hikvision camera model behave like another model

[Sailorboy]

Hi there,

I'm a IPC newbie currently planning a surveillance system. I want to utilize an alarm sensor network in order to trigger camera recordings.
Now I have the possibility to buy some DS-2CD2185FWD-I as a bargain. You see, there is no "S" like in DS-2CD2185FWD-IS, so these cams will not have an alarm input. I'm curious to check, whether the hardware nevertheless does support the alarm input feature (i.e. Hikvision just omits the connector on the PCB).
BUT... as might be expected the Web based alarm configuration of a DS-2CD2185FWD-I (which I have on my desk for tests) does not show the "alarm input" tab
Therefore my question:

Is there a way to make the DS-2CD2185FWD-I believe to be a DS-2CD2185FWD-IS ???
Or: could some software, which can be used to configure the IPC, be fooled to believe it were a DS-2CD2185FWD-IS ?

Where is the model information stored on the camera? I do not know the memory structure of the SOC in use, but of course there must be some NV-RAM or so which stores this piece of information. Can this be manipulated to reach my purpose?

Thank you in advance
Ralph

 

[Tolting Colt Acres]

I think you'll find if you open the case, the connector may or may not be present. The limiting factor is the firmware.

My guess is the connector is there (makes almost no sense to do a separate production run to eliminate what is, in bulk, a connector that costs a few cents if that.

 

[watchful_ip]

Yeah it will be the device id or something else in the boot params specific to alarm sensor numbers.

If you can mask that/patch davinci and the hardware is valid should work

 

[tigerwillow1]

I have two of the same base model Dahua cameras, one with and one without the -AS suffix, which adds audio and alarm inputs. They use totally different circuit boards. Other than using the same sensor and fitting in the same case, they have nothing in common appearance-wise. May or may not apply to Hikvision of course.

 

[Sailorboy]

My guess is the connector is there (makes almost no sense to do a separate production run to eliminate what is, in bulk, a connector that costs a few cents if that.

I have two of the same base model Dahua cameras [...] They use totally different circuit boards [...] May or may not apply to Hikvision of course.

I found images of the -IS camera, the board seems to be the same as the one I have in front of me. Just the socket in question is missing. No problem with that

Yeah it will be the device id or something else in the boot params specific to alarm sensor numbers.
If you can mask that/patch davinci and the hardware is valid should work

Thanks for the hint on davinci. Guess to patch this is beyond my skills !?