Something to note about Amazon and HIK

C

chewy

n3wb
Mar 11, 2015
2
2
I have followed the advice here about USA boxes and checking the firmware to ensure English is listed on the firmware. Today I had a camera go bad. I called HIKVision USA and found the Camera was in fact a import from China, and not a USA serial number. To be clear this was in the English box, does have the right firmware codes.

No warranty.

So I checked 9 of the 18 cameras I have. None of them are USA cameras, and none of them have an HIK warranty. With that being said, the ones from Nelly's are covered by Nelly's from what I was just told, but they are not in fact USA cameras. They are South American (or maybe South Africa) distributed so HIK in the USA will not handle the support or warranty.

My suggestion. If you do like I do, and buy a few at a time, get the serial numbers and call HIK in the USA to find out the real deal. The support guy was super helpful, and I understand the position of the USA entity.

just food for thought.

Side note: Guy was very cool to talk to and got me the pin out to repair the bad cable I have. I have attached it to this message to help others out.

Thanks,
Chewy
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This is well known already. The only place to get Hikvision USA cameras is through a distributor which will be impossible unless you have your own company.
 
Can you point me to the threads you found your firmware code information on? I'm in similar situation. Was sold "Full USA version in USA retail boxes" from an Amazon seller. Been paying a premium too.
 
People don't want to pay Hikvision USA prices, they want the cheap Amazon from China price, it is what it is.

Unless they actually advertise Hikvision USA, there's a 101% chance it's not. My daughter started selling genuine Hikvision USA cameras and was told to stop by Hikvision USA, so it is what it is. She can get them if you want, WrightwoodSurveillance.com, just not on her site, she has to special order them.
 
networkcameracritic said:
People don't want to pay Hikvision USA prices, they want the cheap Amazon from China price, it is what it is.
Click to expand...

I do, and I paid the premium from a vendor saying it was, but I think I was sent Chinese anyways. So Amazon sellers cannot sell authentic/authorized USA versions?
 
They can but it will be taken down. It's not unusual, for example Axis and ACTi don't allow it's products to be listed for below list price, or what the industry calls MAP pricing or they take your partnership away.
 
For the price ($85) it is well worth it. The hardware is the same and I can order a spare for each camera and it will still be less expensive than getting them from an authorized distributor.
 
Cornerview said:
Does all this mean that we in the US cannot buy a USA version WITH a 3 year warranty?
Click to expand...
If you mean a warranty from hikvison - No, unless you are an installer/dealer and have an account with an authorized distributor..Some sellers like nellys and LTS offer their own 3 year warranties..
 
Is there a tell-tale clue as to whether a camera is Chinese or USA version?

I just bought 4 cameras for a great price through a Newegg vendor called oHI-Vision.

Over the weekend, I played with all four cameras, and they all worked great. I didn't see a single Chinese character outside of the autorun menu off the CD. After I chose English, that's all I saw. All four firmware were the 5.2.5 versions.

Outside of a warranty issue, could there be a firmware problem when it's time to update?

BTW, I'm sure my cameras are not USA versions. I see no reason why they would be.

FWIW, is there anything else I should look forward to with these cameras?
 
jordanb said:
Check the serial number of the camera if it has CH in it, it's a Chinese region camera.
Click to expand...

Like this? ---> DS-2CD2132F-IS20150131CCCH*********

Would a USA camera have USA in it's serial number?

Will my "CH" cameras play well with a USA version NVR I may purchase through B&H Photo?

Also, I just noticed my firmware is 5.2.8, not the 5.2.5 I mentioned earlier...

EDIT: Actually, only the box says v5.2.8. The camera's internal configuration menu says it's firmware is v5.2.5 build 141201 with encoding that's v5.0 build 140714.

EDIT: Strange, the sticker on the back of the camera says that the firmware should be v5.2.8 build 141231... Is this a common discrepancy on these Chinese cameras?
 
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SEO_9C1 said:
Like this? ---> DS-2CD2132F-IS20150131CCCH*********

Would a USA camera have USA in it's serial number?
Click to expand...

If I'm not mistaken, the official USA version will have the "CH" replaced with "WR" (stands for "Western Region")...Never had a USA version myself to know for sure, so don't quote me on that, but I believe I've heard other official Hik USA camera owners say that.
 
SEO_9C1 said:
Like this? ---> DS-2CD2132F-IS20150131CCCH*********

Would a USA camera have USA in it's serial number?

Will my "CH" cameras play well with a USA version NVR I may purchase through B&H Photo?

Also, I just noticed my firmware is 5.2.8, not the 5.2.5 I mentioned earlier...

EDIT: Actually, only the box says v5.2.8. The camera's internal configuration menu says it's firmware is v5.2.5 build 141201 with encoding that's v5.0 build 140714.

EDIT: Strange, the sticker on the back of the camera says that the firmware should be v5.2.8 build 141231... Is this a common discrepancy on these Chinese cameras?
Click to expand...

Same here - though mine says 5.2.8 on the box and is 5.2.3 in actuality. My guess is that's because 5.2.8 is the actual Chinese firmware what would have been installed but the dealer hacked a 5.2.3 version to be multi-language and installed that instead.
 
SEO_9C1 said:
Like this? ---> DS-2CD2132F-IS20150131CCCH*********


EDIT: Actually, only the box says v5.2.8. The camera's internal configuration menu says it's firmware is v5.2.5 build 141201 with encoding that's v5.0 build 140714.

EDIT: Strange, the sticker on the back of the camera says that the firmware should be v5.2.8 build 141231... Is this a common discrepancy on these Chinese cameras?
Click to expand...
Yes, leave the firmware as is...do not attempt to upgrade it.
 
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Talking with HIK, outside China, official FW is 5.2.5, that's it.
They don't plan to make an unified firmware as their strategy was to differenciate the different local and foreign markets distribution, and firmware was the only way to preserve a little this marketing choice.
So hacks will exist for longer as the frontiers and internet opened to worldwide buisness.
But for sure, we will expect to have in the next incoming months a simple way a single add-on sw to reconfigure our cams.
FW generators exists yet, but they are jalously used by people who spent a lot of hours develloping them and somewhere want to have some revenues back.

So all cams labelled v 5.2.8 cannot be used outside China, this is why most of them where modified for overseas use.
And Amazon, to grow their sales have contracts with China suppliers too, so devices are also shipped under Amazon label system, but in fact directly from China suppliers, who have an account also on Aliexpress/Alibaba/EBay, etc.... No surprises here...

The only difference, you will pay a little more through Amazon system, for exactly same product : that's it ...
 
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fenderman said:
Yes, leave the firmware as is...do not attempt to upgrade it.
Click to expand...

They've all been working well through my browser, but I want to add an NVR.

Will my Chinese Hikvision cameras work well with a USA Hikvision NVR bought through one of their USA dealers (B&H Photo)?

Or, will these foreign cameras need a region fix to work with this domestic NVR?
 
USA cameras simply have a 9 digit serial number (no letters).

I have two Hikvision USA cameras that I ordered for a project and will take a picture of. To give everyone an idea, the cost for a dealer for one 2132F is in the range of $150 before tax.
 
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