Worlds First Review - Dahua DH-IPC-HDW5849H-ASE-LED / IPC-Color4K-T - 2.8mm Turret

Last edited:
I asked before if I can update the camera with Dahua's latest firmware as EmpireTek doesn't seem to update the camera's firmware at all. But this is not possible. It uploads the file but after that it shows this message : "Update package invalid and update failed. Device will restart immediately. "

As it is probably impossible for a one person (?) company to maintain all the firmware from all sold devices, I decided only to buy original Dahua products and put this camera back in it's box.
I should have known..If it is too good to be true, it probably is :D
And I had it with the Bitdefender warnings and actively trying to disinfect the browser plugin.
 
I asked before if I can update the camera with Dahua's latest firmware as EmpireTek doesn't seem to update the camera's firmware at all. But this is not possible. It uploads the file but after that it shows this message : "Update package invalid and update failed. Device will restart immediately. "

As it is probably impossible for a one person (?) company to maintain all the firmware from all sold devices, I decided only to buy original Dahua products and put this camera back in it's box.

But from what I see firmwares on Andy site are fresh ones..
And the same I see on Dahua website and two internal Dahua firmware repositories.

You probably downloaded wrong firmware for wrong camera.
Color4K have different firmware for bullet (Color4K-X) and turret (Color4k-T) - Dahua used different chipset for both models.

Or didn't uncompress zip file, which contain *.bin file with firmware.

If You want You can download firmware from original Dahua site:

in the middle You have search box, where You must put full Dahua model name for camera and it will show matching firmwares..

Be aware that there are two versions of IPC-HDW5849H-ASE-LED - each with different firmware on Dahua website.. For Andy cam You must use Taurus version (not Meta-Taurus)..

I should have known..If it is too good to be true, it probably is :D
And I had it with the Bitdefender warnings and actively trying to disinfect the browser plugin.

The same is with original Dahua cams/NVR..
It's not Andy thing, but general problem with Chinese CCTV companies (both HikVision and Dahua), which didn't migrated to full html5 video streaming and still are using ancient plugin technology.

ps. I am a big proponent of upgrading the firmware to the latest versions (unlike many other users on this forum) but in the case of Color4K I would advise against it. The latest firmware versions released by Dahua have very high digital sharpening and image processing - this causes a lot of digital noise. Older firmware versions generate a more natural image.
 
Last edited:
I asked before if I can update the camera with Dahua's latest firmware as EmpireTek doesn't seem to update the camera's firmware at all. But this is not possible. It uploads the file but after that it shows this message : "Update package invalid and update failed. Device will restart immediately. "

As it is probably impossible for a one person (?) company to maintain all the firmware from all sold devices, I decided only to buy original Dahua products and put this camera back in it's box.
I should have known..If it is too good to be true, it probably is :D
And I had it with the Bitdefender warnings and actively trying to disinfect the browser plugin.
What feature are you needing from a firmware? This is a Camera not an IoT device that has contestant security updates.

Camera 101, don't update firmware unless something is broken or you need a new/updated feature. Security is not an issue since All Cameras should Never have Internet access...
 
I asked before if I can update the camera with Dahua's latest firmware as EmpireTek doesn't seem to update the camera's firmware at all. But this is not possible. It uploads the file but after that it shows this message : "Update package invalid and update failed. Device will restart immediately. "

As it is probably impossible for a one person (?) company to maintain all the firmware from all sold devices, I decided only to buy original Dahua products and put this camera back in it's box.
I should have known..If it is too good to be true, it probably is :D
And I had it with the Bitdefender warnings and actively trying to disinfect the browser plugin.

Newer firmware on Dahua's website does not mean it is newer or better than what EmpireTech has.

You can update the firmware on Andy's cameras and NVRs from the Dahua website, thus proving they are real Dahua. But you will find that the firmware we get from him is actually better and more recent than what is on the Dahua website because many members here provide feedback to Andy and then Dahua makes modifications to the firmware and sends back to him and then he sends out to his customers. These have been great improvements that Dahua doesn't even update their firmware and add to their website. So many of us are running a newer firmware than those that purchase Dahua cameras through professional installers. Smart IR on the 5442 series is one such improvement. Autotracking on the 49225 and 49425 PTZ is another. We got the next version of AI SMD 3.0 prior to anyone else as well.

Look at the threads here where members are actually testing firmware and improving it for Dahua - find a Dahua dealer with that type of relationship that Andy has with Dahua - I don't think you will find it. Look at the Dahua 4k camera on the 1/1.2" sensor as an example - Dahua provides cameras to Andy to sell before Dahua even made it available and look at all the improvements being made to the firmware from input from customers right here on this site. And the kicker is, we are not Dahua's target market - it is the professional installers...

And then maybe months later Dahua decides to update their firmware to include the improvements they made to the EmpireTech camera firmware. So there firmware will show a newer date, but it is actually the firmware EmpireTech customers have been running for months....

And as someone said, no reason to fix what ain't broke. We see too many instances where a perfectly good working camera for someone gets "broke" with an update because sometimes intentionally the manufacturer removes a feature the person was using and loses it when updating...
 
  • Love
Reactions: David L
But from what I see firmwares on Andy site are fresh ones..
And the same I see on Dahua website and two internal Dahua firmware repositories.

You probably downloaded wrong firmware for wrong camera.
Color4K have different firmware for bullet (Color4K-X) and turret (Color4k-T) - Dahua used different chipset for both models.

Or didn't uncompress zip file, which contain *.bin file with firmware.

If You want You can download firmware from original Dahua site:

in the middle You have search box, where You must put full Dahua model name for camera and it will show matching firmwares..

Be aware that there are two versions of IPC-HDW5849H-ASE-LED - each with different firmware on Dahua website.. For Andy cam You must use Taurus version (not Meta-Taurus)..



The same is with original Dahua cams/NVR..
It's not Andy thing, but general problem with Chinese CCTV companies (both HikVision and Dahua), which didn't migrated to full html5 video streaming and still are using ancient plugin technology.

ps. I am a big proponent of upgrading the firmware to the latest versions (unlike many other users on this forum) but in the case of Color4K I would advise against it. The latest firmware versions released by Dahua have very high digital sharpening and image processing - this causes a lot of digital noise. Older firmware versions generate a more natural image.
thx!