Trials and tribulations of getting a decent WaterProof Camera
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   15 years
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I've been wanting to get a decent waterproof day/night camera that I could set motion detect to capture the wildlife that is abundant in our area...
Decent & WaterProof are the problems... Getting both is a problem.
Finally find a decent unit HiKvisionDS-2CD2042WD-1 and got it off Ebay from a user that had 3 of one type of camera, one of these, and he wants 4 of same...
As I wait for the camera to arrive... I discover there is a grey market that doesn't get support from MFG.... Tip off is CH in serial number... I wait for camera. I then find reports that updating new firmware in Grey Market cameras will brick them--at the MFG's request via the new firmware!!!
Camera supports POE (Power over Ethernet) doesn't come with power supply.. I don't have POE, but rather than run AC power to box that will connect camera to Porch, So I Purchase a POE Gigabit Switch... (Cheaper than running AC Power anyway!!)
When camera arrives, two days after POE Switch does, POE, and camera works flawlessly.... I then contact Support with a question I hadn't figured out yet (Downloaded Manual doesn't quite match camera Menus) --- who asks for serial number. No CH in serial number--My camera is a WR Serial number(Western Region--USA) and I give them that...
They Claim it's not a legal number... Emails go back and forth, but they don't budge....
I'm playing around by myself setting the firmware up, and discover that on EVERY Power Cycle, it does a Factory Reset!!!
Find a site in U.K. where this is discussed at length, and the cause is said to be an error in manufacturing: Wires routed between boards were not run correctly and the bunched up wires press on Reset Button... Which is only looked at by software during Power Up... Multiple cameras Worldwide have this reported issue!!! My camera has this issue too!
Points to Really Great Final Testing at Factory--Doesn't it??
The Solution? Dis-Assemble camera, and route the wires the way they Should Have Been in the first place!!! (Good and Bad Pictures were posted at that site)... YES!! my wires are routed in-correctly too!!! I fix wiring, and re-assemble... WORKS FINE NOW!!! I bet that was why seller sold camera!!!
Pass this along to Support too, and they STILL SAY they don't care--Camera is Illegal, and they won't support me...
That U.K. Site becomes my support group then!!!
THEN I FIND OUT--- that Firmware Code up to V5.4.5 has a BACKDOOR VULNERABILITY!!!!!! Camera contains V5.4.1 and has been powered up for a week...!!!
V5.5.53 is latest code and has been blessed as "CLEAN" by multiple sources!!!
I have no choice.... I download latest code and update camera...
IT WORKS! I DO HAVE A LEGAL CAMERA!! I tell Support this, and they reply they don't care--they think it's a bad serial number, and STILL WON'T SUPPORT ME!
I've since got the camera working flawlessly, and even got an APP on iPhone to view it... Locally for now....
With all the issues..... I got it going.... and after the upcoming rains, I'll run a PVC Pipe and waterproof connection box for the POE Gigabit camera to mount to...
So I'm just posting here to say to the World that:
HiKvision Support can KISS MY GRITS!!
Well... After capturing a
Well... After capturing a lot of Spiders....
Last night we had a 'visitor'......
I have tens of pictures of a bear beside the house and sitting area....
Wish I could attach a picture!!!
Definitely NOT a Spider!!!!
A 2689LMT in both our cars that we love... and a Nuvi 660 with Lifetime Maps that we have had literally forever.... And a 2011 Ford Escape with Nav System that is totally ignored!
Not for me
If I put one of those in my back yard, we'd have hundreds of pictures of deer and rabbits. My backyard is a shortcut for deer to get to-and-from a semi-wooded area. And the rabbits like to snack on the wife's flowers.
I never get lost, but I do explore new territory every now and then.