That's great it's helping to clear some scrotes of the street :thumb:

Agreed with what your saying above about Hikivision - definitely not a plug and play system. I didn't manage to get mine set up in December before going away. I might have a go at doing it this weekend if my brain can handle it.

I've been asked by the father-in-law to setup a camera outside the front of his house to keep an eye on the small driveway where he parks his van. I've used Foscam cameras in the past for internal CCTV and they do the job but had a look at the Hikvision cameras after reading this thread.

I bought the DS-2CD2032F (3MP bullet camera with SD card storage) and set it up at my house first to test it. With experience of setting up the Foscam cameras I found the Hikvision about the same but the product seems higher quality. The menu system is great and everything just works (unlike the Foscam). The picture quality is amazing. You see CCTV on crimewatch sometimes and you can barely tell if it's a man or woman.

I'll be powering it via a POE injector and upload snapshots when motion is detected to an FTP server just in case they stole the camera with the SD card in it. The camera should be mounted high enough to be out of their reach though.

I'm tempted to get another Hikvision for my house now. I've got an internal Foscam pointing out of a front window which is fine for daytime but rubbish at night.

UK suppliers were selling the Hikvision above for about £120-130. Obviously these would have been genuine international models. I bought mine off ebay for about £75 and it is a version for the Chinese market but with the menu changed to english. I don't see it being a problem and I saved £60 odd.

Just bought 2 sets of these

7604 NVRs 40MBsec new editions
and 3 2042 4MP cameras the new ones, fitting it all at the weekend.

Good luck, any questions, feel free to post them.

And if you happen to get notification alerts working on the iPhone app (iVMS4500) let me know. It's my main stumbling block...it's enabled (both on NVR and the phone) but nothing happens :wonder:

ok so took me 3 hours and its all working somethings i cannot get working are

Email, no matter what servers i use i just get check parameters, so sacked that off for now.
Ive done the intrusion and Line crossing detection but as of yet i wont see anything as i think that needs to email you.

I was a bit puzzled to the playback but then figured out i needed smart view then it goes to all trigger points.

Would love to see red marks where the line crossing stuff is done though, have a 3 lines on mine all near doors and gates...

not too sure if i can activate anything more apart from seeing a green line with lots of marks on it where action happens...

I tired setting mine up with the alerting, but it kept catching twigs and such in the wind and drove me nuts.

Try using motion detection instead of if you have it. Not sure about email - who do you use as I know quite a few people have had fun and games setting it with certain accounts like yahoo, etc.

Mines not set up properly and the aftersales support is non existent :(

I've got my NVR up and running and I can see, record, replay and do all the normal features - which are quite good. The one stumbling block I'm having is this. As said, I can see the cam on the NVR. When I try to access the NVR in ivms it won't go into device manager to enable me to set up the NVR in there. I also can't access the NVR ip in IE. For some reason the username/password is been rejected but yet if I do the password in SADP & IVMS it allows me to change settings, IP ady and accepts the password - meaning the user name has changed, but to what? I've no frigging idea :o

They have the worst customer services and that includes Hotpoints :lol1:

managed to do it with virgins email but i soon disabled it all as it spammed me like mad LOL... too many trees near me that kick it all off

all setup and working now use Smart to view the events as its fast forwards to the events... Email switched off as it was a ballache

Update...

Been busy:


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...012a38dc35.jpg


In addition: One person serving 1yr at her majesty's pleasure with help from my system :) (no news on the other guy)

Perimeter of house now protected with razor wire in the vulnerable places (cheaper than raising the fences), which is legal and legit (incase anyone want to ask).

Infected right thumb due to accident with said razor wire (pierced the skin through and then OUT the through my thumbnail :o ). Tetnus jab now up to date :lol1:

Replaced driveway floodlight (42watt CFL = 200watt halogen approx equivalent ) with a 120watt LED (approx 600watt equivalent) to assist night-time image quality...instant daylight at night! :lol1:

Notification alerts....never worked.
Couple of random crashes/reboots, don't know why. Motion detection area reset afterwards :mad:

Mums partner wanted some kit and didn't need notification alert. So sold him the NVR and replaced mine with a DS-7616NI-I2/16P which is a newer model and much better bandwidth abilities so can support a load more cameras. Setup was painless, just took a picture on the phone of the setting in the menus and copied them across from the old NVR to the new one. Pretty much plug and play. :)

I've bought him 4 DS-2CD2T42WD-I5 EXIR bullet cams to go with the 8ch NVR. They are quite big, but physical quality is superb. Night vision is light years ahead of my domes.

4mega pixels and supports h.264+ which I since found uses much much less bandwidth meaning these camera use less bandwidth than my 3mega pixel domes. Verdict is out on quality/performance; too early to say.

The new DS-7616NI-I2/16P seem to work better...its quicker...even when viewing live footage over 3G on a phone the images appear far quicker. Better still alarm notifications have started working! Be it home or away....even though it says "connection failed" if I enable it in my phone when configured as a remote device via HikDNS...if create a second device using the local IP address (192.168.x.x) inotifications works....and still works when I'm not at home...weird! I don't care if it makes no sense as it works :cool:

The old NVR- the DS7608NI-E2/8P/A has now had its firmware upgraded from the factory V3.3.1 build 150422 to V3.4.62 build 160503. My advice: do it! Nothing obvious, but it appears to be a bit slicker. Just bear in mine you have make sure you have saved all your settings...write them down, take pictures of setting, backup any important footage etc. As you have to do a factory reset which wipes the unit clean....and guess what alarm notifications work now too!

As you can see from the pic....and the most important advice I can give to those who venture down the path of installing Hikvision equipment....Get it all working BEFORE installation. Setting up the new cameras is the same deal....they MUST be activated BEFORE connecting it to the NVR by connecting the camera directly to a wired LAN, giving it power (a typical LAN won't have POE) and configuring each individual camera via a PC. Then give it the same admin password as your NVR. If you screw these first few steps up, nothing will work.

It's a shame the price of the UK supplied gear has gone up - by quite a lot!

Just wondered if anyone could shed some light on an issue I've got with my set up. It works in my IE browser fine and I can do what needs to be done. I d/loaded the IVMS app and can see the picture through my NVR set up on all my android devices, phones, tablets, etc but can't see them away from my internet connection.
I've checked my BT HomeHub 5 and it tells me I've set it up in there labelled as cctv and when I go in there I've got the relevant ports open but still can't see it on any of my devices when I'm away from my net connection.
Any suggestions?

Sorted it out yesterday. Had to change a port number and then used the hik ddns on the ivms4500 :D

Anyone managed to find some new UK stock for sensible money and not the over inflated prices hikvision have told there dealers to sell for?

Nothings being stolen from that room at least :D

thanks for a good write up. I to am looking at getting the same set up as you and was also to by a cctv installer that hikvission was the one to go for. I have always been looking at amazon but I get put off as you never know what your buying, I've just started looking at the website were you got yours, with yours being a pricey kit, I was also wanting the 4mp camera like these
http://www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk/prod...d2042wd-i-6mm/


also what NVR would I need for 3x 4mp camera's to run

I've been looking for another couple of cameras and came across this place:

https://www.selecsecurityproducts.co.uk/

Most of the other dealers have had to increase there prices because Hikvision said so.

I've currently got the NVR 7604NI - installed with 3TB - with a 2532IWS with the sound been the added bonus. I have heard from people that have gone the 4MP route that there isn't much difference. The 2532 I have is decent enough BUT the IR range is pants and I need to rely on mine and my neighbours security lights to make a decent picture. POE is so simple and makes total sense. It took me a while to get mine set up properly and I've used motion detection. It's been on since early March and not used 1TB yet.

Hi, been rather busy over the past few weeks so didn't notice this, but yeah the newer 4MP cams are the way to go. As mentioned though the infrared on my domes is nowhere near as good as that on the EXIR models. I imagine it's the same with the bullet cams.

My experience with the NVRs is only on what I've used. I'm using the DS-7608NI-E2/8P/A with four cameras without issues. This is a 8channel recorder, I found it struggled a little with 6 cameras if you pushed the bandwidth too high.

Bandwidth dictates recorded picture quality, so its down to how clear you want recorded footage. Live footage is only vieable over the network on the reduced bandwitdth (quality).

The 4MP cameras use a more efficient compression so they so they make it less of an issue. But the CPU is used for other things like playing back recorded footage and remote access etc. And this is something I noticed was improved when I switched to my current 16 channel NVR.

The 4 channel version of what I had should be ok. But obviously it has less room for expansion should you wish to add another camera.

Just a heads up:

Alot of Hikvision's products have had some major (they call it major, not me) firmware updates. So it maybe worth checking out if there is any available. (googling "firmware" with the product number usually give the relevent hits).

The 8 channel NVR is already on its latest firmware and up until last night was stable...when last night when all the cameras went off line until this morning. Reboot fixed it. Its the first time I noticed this, and the EXIR cams are using older firmware so I'm going to update the camera's firmware this weekend.

The 16 channel and my Domes are also due updates which I'll get round to in the next few weeks or so when I'm back on UK soil.

The 16 channel NVR/Domes also has a ongoing "bug" over the past few months where I randomly lose a camera feed. On one occasion two. No camera in particular, its totally random and I just I lose live viewing from it. Then between a few hours to a day later its all working again....I've not messed with it or rebooted anything, it just starts working out of the blue again. Hopefully the firmware will fix this. :)

I also have an android box to experiment with getting a continual stream to a TV. Lots of ways; Kodi, VLC, iVMS, or using the web interface in Chrome. Going to have a play and see what works best. :cool:

Thanks Ali gotta admit mines be rock solid thus far, so I'm not tempting fate LOL...
Im currently running 3 of the 4Meg bullet ones.... and 4 port NVR

Just some Hikvision updates...

The major browsers have blocked webcomponents in recent updates, which is a complete PITA if you use a browser to access your cams/nvr. However, Pale Moon, an open source browser, still works. Otherwise its iVMS...

Managed to brick one of my NVRs whilst doing a firmware update, so now au fait with the un-bricking process for them/cameras if anyone ever gets this issue :rolleyes: Its a bit on the tedious side to say the least.

Likewise how to get the security code to reset a camera to default password, without emailing Hikvision :rolleyes:

Regarding Ali's random dropping of cameras - are these IP ones and are they running through a POE hub as opposed to the NVR? I've had an issue whereby both web and iVMS 4500 have got confused/dropped cameras/ignored NVR. It seems to be down to the Server & Http ports needing to be different on the Cameras not connected to NVR - ie NVR is http 80 & server 8000, Cam1 needs to be (something like) http 81 & server 8001, Cam 2 82 & 8002 etc. Modify the settings to match the cams in the NVR and all is happy again.

Otherwise, email alerts for line crossing events can be annoying when its light changes (ir/daylight), rain drops or pussycats. There's also a slight delay in being notified depending on your isp etc, so anyone know of any way to get push notifications?

More Hik fun & games :rolleyes:

Ordered a mini-PTZ to cover the street outside my home in London and in particular my car after some scrotes chawed the rear lights. Obviously I move my car, so I set the camera to cover it when parked. Anyway, that arrived on Friday but for some random reason that day there was a power-cut and which seemed to have upset one of my DS-2CD2132s. Its just not visible on the network any longer. It won't resolve to http and I tried dropping it on the NVR (was on a POE switch) but it just errors. SADP can see it sometimes but it won't connect and ping responds 80% of the time. Something borked.

Spent Saturday afternoon up a ladder sorting out the PTZ, which works absolutely fine. There's no IR but the street is light enough anyway with existing streetlighting. Happy with that purchase.

I then turned my attention to the other camera and went to re-install firmware via TFTP. However, it seems that Hikvision has put a checksum in their more recent software for "grey" imports, which mine must have been, so I spent a happy couple of hours downloading/uploading software and it has yet to work properly. Best I have had is a fully Chinese version, which won't work with my NVR... Most of the time it just reports language incompatibility. There are various tools/hacks on the web to get around this, so I am going to try some of them. So, if you have a grey Hikvision camera, don't try and update the firmware folks, not unless you are prepared to potentially lose it. Mine isn't beyond repair as yet, just need to get the right firmware (5.1.0 or 5.2.0 hacked) to sort it out. All very tedious though. Serial numbers of Chinese ones tend to have CH in there somewhere, whereas UK/International have WR, so check before attempting a f/ware update.

I had an eBay bid on a 7604NI from a shop refurb but lost out. However, winner couldn't collect (as spec'd) and I could, so I did. For £50 it is good vfm, esp as it already has an HDD in it. Guy also said he had a couple of IP cams for £30, so I had them as well. They're 3MP varifocal external domes (DS-2CD2732F-I) so a bargain, other than the fact that whoever took them out chopped off the RJ45 connectors :rolleyes: A quick google has found the relevant wiring diagram though.

Will take the spare NVR to my place in Wales, upgrade a couple of the existing Cams with the new domes and use those replaced as a new setup to cover parts I don't already. I won't be upgrading the firmware on any of them if I can avoid it!

be careful with the firmware on Greys Puff, mate did this exact same and bricked the device, he did buy it through Amazon but it came with chinese instructions thus Grey. Best bet is to buy from a UK vendor like me at least them its not an arse to do them

Mine all dropped off the network the other day so i had to reset box then plug them in, takes them a few moments to get online but all worked Phew...

No issues with EU market cameras here

I tend to get firmware from:

http://www.hikvisioneurope.com/porta...are/Front-ends

It's totally useless at the moment, so nothing ventured, nothing gained! I've used TFTP 4 or 5 times already, trying to find a working firmware solution and it (the process) has been OK so far, just the end result is not as desired. I have found a multi-region 5.2.0 that I will try this evening.

There's also various instructions for using Hiktool for editing digidav files before you upload but I will tread carefully or you can telnet in and edit internally. All is not lost yet!

Can't use the hikeurope site as mine is apparently a grey :rolleyes: I recall it came in a brown box not Red/White...

Was it a great cost saving getting an import? (vs time & headache)

Can't you get the Chinese firmware to work? I'd bet if you get a EU one up, the menus will be the same layout.

Google is my friend :)

Found a 5.1.0 on Hikvision USA ftp, took that, installed and all back to normal again :) Except I forgot to change the view as its a dome on a wall so upside down :rolleyes: Had to do firmware install another couple of times to get all the right settings before adding to NVR. I did try a 5.2.0 from the same site but no joy, in Chinese. There is a hacked one out there but I couldn't be ar$ed nor with all the command line stuff tar.gz, hex hacking etc

When I bought the cams, they were described as UK and I had them the same day. Has worked fine for 3 years, though I think there might be a hardware problem with this cam now as one of the installs, came up fine, then dropped off the network a couple of times, same as original issue. Will keep an eye on it and replace if necessary. I've put it on the NVR as opposed to just a POE switch

I'm employing a ain't broke don't fix strategy on everything; even the phone app :lol1:

Web components being blocked was an annoying ball ache; I forgot that win10 and Firefox automatically updates. Luckily I still have good 'ol internet explorer on most PCs which doesn't update (as I have to use for Mercedes's online servicing portal which uses some mad Java based plug in that gets blocked on most browsers :rolleyes: ).

I also have a spider nested on a bullet cam 1200miles away resulting in no nightvision. Will have to spray them with long-term insecticide next time I'm over there :rolleyes:

Anyone tried using hik-connect? I'm still using their DDNS, which still works, but I guess may get switched off at some point as its already discontinued for new users.

With you on that.

For Webcomponents, use palemoon.org browser

As to hik-connect? Never tried it, fixed IP the way forward :D

This thread unfortunately is a classic example of buy cheap buy twice, or at the very least spend most of your time faffing with trying to get a poor system to work properly.

Yep

I have three installations all working ok :wonder:

Soon to be doing a fourth with potential on a fifth.

Admittedly had some hiccups as stated on here on the first system owing to the instructions, me knowing nothing about the bandwidth constraints (same with any IP based system), and some poor quality RJ45s causing connectivity issues. The other two installs have been fine. :)

The alternative at the budgeted price point would have been Swann...whom have some of their equipment made by Hikvision anyway.

Infinite budget I'd have had an Axis system, lovely kit and probably worth it, but yeah you pay for that privilege.

what was the cost difference between the EU and CK versions?