Screwed by Aliexpress...

metricus

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I figured I would share this story so that others can be warned:
Sometimes late last year (2014) I got screwed by an Aliexpress seller. He sold me 3 cams (DS-2532-iws) international version but I received chinese with hack obviously for much higher price.
I had asked him repeatedly if they were international version, english label, red-white box the whole shabang. He said yes in writing.

I disputed on Aliexpress and in the process I HAD to demonstrate that the cam was hacked and send pictures of screen. So I upladed official firmware and got Chinese only menus. (v. 5.20)

Aliexpress dragged my dispute for 3 months. There is no way to call them or get answers. You are told that the case is reviewed y their "experts". Bunch of bull. They just protect their countrymen no matter if they are crooks or not. They will simply not help an american.

I even forwarded them a written confirmation from Hikvision that they are for chinese market only and they were illegaly sold with hacked software. Aliexpress was simply pretending it did not understand.

I am an experienced linux user and I consider myself not an idiot. However, I simply have no idea what I could have done better other than not buy from Aliexpress. At least on eBay you have better protection against liars.

So there you have my story. I came here hoping I can find some reasonable hacks.

Frankly, I think that Hikvision would do much better to not put so many roadblocks. They should simply say that you get no support and/or warranty if cam was not purchased from authorized dealer. Even better forget the whole dealer bull and sell on Amazon same camera for all. They would make a fortune.
 

milkisbad

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It would be a tech support nightmare if they sold to the public...
 

metricus

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Other companies sell at Home Depot. Not so sure about the nightmare. One could still hire a company to do full service install. Whatever. Don't want to start debate here. It was just an opinion.
Current policy is idiotic and I have no doubt that they need to relax it.
 

fenderman

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Other companies sell at Home Depot. Not so sure about the nightmare. One could still hire a company to do full service install. Whatever. Don't want to start debate here. It was just an opinion.
Current policy is idiotic and I have no doubt that they need to relax it.
They won't have to... They sell via Swann and laview to end users... You would be surprised how many folks buy these without knowing what a static ip address is....

Sent via Taptalk
 

Del Boy

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It would be a tech support nightmare if they sold to the public...
+1

Also how do you do much better than market leader (by share)?

Sorry to hear about your Aliexpress experience. I still use Ali for some stuff... I just can't help myself!
 

metricus

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I have used AE on many other items with good and OK success. I just don't use them on expensive items anymore. There are a lot of liars on there and it's just not worth the risk.
If one has developed a relationship with a certain seller then it is a different matter. But, from what I can see the serious camera sellers have listings on eBay as well.
 

whoslooking

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I figured I would share this story so that others can be warned:
Sometimes late last year (2014) I got screwed by an Aliexpress seller. He sold me 3 cams (DS-2532-iws) international version but I received chinese with hack obviously for much higher price.
I had asked him repeatedly if they were international version, english label, red-white box the whole shabang. He said yes in writing.

I disputed on Aliexpress and in the process I HAD to demonstrate that the cam was hacked and send pictures of screen. So I upladed official firmware and got Chinese only menus. (v. 5.20)

Aliexpress dragged my dispute for 3 months. There is no way to call them or get answers. You are told that the case is reviewed y their "experts". Bunch of bull. They just protect their countrymen no matter if they are crooks or not. They will simply not help an american.

I even forwarded them a written confirmation from Hikvision that they are for chinese market only and they were illegaly sold with hacked software. Aliexpress was simply pretending it did not understand.

I am an experienced linux user and I consider myself not an idiot. However, I simply have no idea what I could have done better other than not buy from Aliexpress. At least on eBay you have better protection against liars.

So there you have my story. I came here hoping I can find some reasonable hacks.

Frankly, I think that Hikvision would do much better to not put so many roadblocks. They should simply say that you get no support and/or warranty if cam was not purchased from authorized dealer. Even better forget the whole dealer bull and sell on Amazon same camera for all. They would make a fortune.
Well you came to the right place, your also lucky as the model of firmware that was originally installed tells a lot.
It's a simple mtd hack as posted in the sticky section, this will transform your Chinese model camera's to full English and allow you to upgrade to the latest firmware if you choose too.
Personally I would not do that, I would use the 5.16 firmware in my signature below and stay with it, this will give a full English Camera with all the features that hikvision have now removed.
 

metricus

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Thank you whoslooking. I did already dload the file from dropbox. I will try that first.
I am a long time linux user and I will do the mtd hack just because... but I am really swamped right now.
 
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