View Hikvision cameras without a browser plugin?

[toastie]

Whilst the firmware for my 4 Dahua cameras mean there is no need for me to install a browser plugin, my 4 Hikvison cameras still seem to need a plugin. Is this still the case in 2022?
As someone who mostly uses PCs running Linux it would be an advantage not to need browser plugins.

 

[alastairstevenson]

What's the model of the Hikvision cameras and their firmware version?
The newer firmware (depends on the camera model) uses the 'websocket' browser facility to render video, without the need for a proprietary plugin.

 

[toastie]

Thanks for responding to my enquiry, my Hikvision cameras in service are-
DS-2CD2035FWD-I 3MP Hikvision G1 series fixed Bullet firmware V5.6.6 build 210625
DS-2CD2135FWD-I 3MP fixed Dome firmware V5.6.6 build 210625
DS-2CD2135FWD-I 3MP fixed Dome firmware V5.6.0 build 190507.
PTZ DS-2DE4A425IW-DE PTZ (auto-tracking not configured) firmware V5.6.16 build 200925. Though I am not using the PTZ's auto-tracking I would only update the firmware if I was certain that auto-tracking was retained.

I use the Virtual Host feature on my Hik NVR with Linux Ubuntu Mate desktop browsers, or Blue Moon browser under Wine, or ONVIF Manger under Wine. I also use a VLC playlist that picks up the RTSP streams through Virtual Host.
My BI PC has a 2nd NIC for the cameras' subnet, as you would expect.
I suppose I could feed my Linux PC with the cameras' subnet but I don't want to mess with the IP settings or install a 2nd NIC, even then I'd still have an issue with Hikvision plugins, unless newer firmware is browser plugin free.

 

[alastairstevenson]

Looking back, it seems that for G1 series cameras, firmware versions of 5.5.80 and later introduced the 'libwebsockets_server.so' library that allowed video rendering without the proprietary plugin.
Despite that, though, it's still heavily oriented around the use of Edge in Windows.

 

[toastie]

Thanks for that info, I think for now I'll keep the cameras' firmware as it is.
With previous versions of Pale Moon under Wine that I used, the Hikvision plugin was accepted. A while back I also had Ubuntu's Chrome displaying Live Views but I've several options including BI.
I'll just add a note about ONVIF Manger for those using Linux, ONVIF Manager will run under Wine but you need 32bit. Wine does it's best to keep giving you 64bit and I had no success with this.