Found Firmware that fixes Hikvision 4MP WDR Performance DS-2x42 IP WDR

FastCamMan

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Hello Everyone...been reading this forum for a while and all the insight I have gained from all your posts is invaluable. Thank you and this will be my first post.


There have been a number of previous posts regarding Grey Image problems with the 120db WDR enabled on some of the newest Hikvision 4MP Cameras. Some of the solutions (or should I say workarounds) have been to adjust the brightness down and contrast and saturation higher but in my experience this has only been workaround and falls short of addressing the actual problem (which appears to be image processing related).


While most of the discussion about Grey images has been around the 4MP Turrets and Bullets but I have also noticed the same problem on the 4MP Minidomes (DS-2CD2542FWD-IS) which incidentally run the same firmware. I have a few dozen of the DS-2CD2542FWD-IS 4MP minidomes installed and the poor grey scaled image has been a major problem for us.


As many of you are aware, Hikvision makes cameras for LTS yet LTS has their own builds of firmware.


Knowing that the LTS CMIP3142W-28S (http://www.ltsecurityinc.com/ip-camera/ip-dome/ip-network-camera-dome-cmip3142w-28s.html) is the exact same minidome camera as the DS-2CD2542FWD-IS I took a look at what firmware LTS has available and noticed it was v5.3.2 (build 150915). At first glance I through that firmware probably would not be any better that the mainline Hikvision firmware of v5.3.3 build 150630 that is available from the Hikvision Europe Portal. Then I realized that the build number of the LTS 5.3.2 is actually much newer than the build of the native Hikvision 5.3.3. For those that are unaware, Hikvision build numbers represent the year, month and date of the build (YYMMDD). I figured I would give it a shot. To my surprise the WDR image quality is vastly improved and the issue with an overly grey tinted image is gone!


I would welcome anyone else’s thoughts and experiences and to see if the fix works for the 4MP Turrets and Bullets as well. We do not use the 4MP Turrets and Bullets yet so I could not test those.


A couple words of wisdom:


1. ONLY ATTEMPT loading the LTS image on a Western Region otherwise known as unhacked English Version of the Cameras (the Serial No. must have 'WR' as the last two letters followed by nine numbers in the serial number). Further the Camera should NOT have any Chinese characters on the label.


2. After going from Hikvision 5.3.x to LTS 5.3.2 Build 150915 the password may be reset to 12345. If you have an NVR that's trying to access the camera it will lockout the admin account for 30 minutes if you do not immediately login after you 'upgrade' to LTS 5.3.2 Build 150915 and change the admin password back to what you wish it to be. It a lockout does occur a power cycle of the camera clears the lockout condition. As other settings in the camera are retained when switching from Hikvision to LTS (and vice-versa) firmware.


3. We are using Hikvision branded NVRs (running 3.3.x) and they work fine with the LTS 5.3.2 firmware on the Cameras (motion detection, line cross and intrusion detection all tested)


4. I have confirmed that to go back to Hikvision firmware it is as simple as going into the camera and uploading the Hikvision firmware back on the unit. So it's easy to switch back and forth from LTS to Hikvision firmware


We are now running LTS 5.3.2 build 150915 on over 30 of the DS-2CD2542FWD-IS 4MP minidomes and could not be happier with their image quality and overall performance. I am told by Hikvision that a new mainline firmware is forthcoming to address the issues that are already fixed in the LTS v5.3.2 build 150915 but no one there will commit to a release date and we simply could not wait any longer (we have 30 more of these DS-2CD2542FWD-IS to install over the next week). There was some speculation that the image quality issues were hardware (image sensor related) but I can tell you that the LTS firmware has resolved the issue on all of our 4MP minidomes new and old (some are almost three months old).


P.S. I also have tested an early limited release of the USA version of the DS-2x22,2x42 Firmware v5.3.3 build 150826 and can confirm that it is still suffering from the WDR image quality problems that the v5.3.3 build 150630 mainline firmware.
 

gwminor48

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I'll have to play around with this tomorrow during daylight. I have 2 LTS turrets, 1 has V5.3.2 build 150915 and 1 has V5.3.2 build 150902. I also have the LTS mini dome CMIP3142W-28S with V5.3.2 build 150902 but it is on a small porch. I downloaded build 150915 just now, not sure if there is much difference in the 2 builds but I'll see what I can find out tomorrow during daytime.
 

uski

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Hello,

Do you know if this firmware is going to work on a DS-2CD2542FWD-IWS (wifi version) ?
If no, is it possible to take the 5.3.3 firmware with wifi from Hikvision and put the video processing part of LTS 5.3.2 in it ?

Thank you
 

MartyO

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I'm glueless, why is there a firmware problem that is not addressed by Hikvision. If the camera was bought today at Nellyssecurity along with a Hikvision NVR or run on a PC with BI would it also have a WDR problem?????
 

gwminor48

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I'm just throwing these out there for what it's worth, not really looking to use wdr much since I'm happy with the view without it.
turret CMIP3042W - V5.3.2 build 150915 with WDR off
Front.20151102_133505.jpg

with WDR on set at 5
Front.20151102_133558.jpg

mini dome CMIP3142W-28S - V5.3.2 build 150902 with WDR off
Porch.20151102_141058.jpg

with WDR on set at 5
Porch.20151102_141138.jpg

with WDR on set at 50
Porch.20151102_141422.jpg
 

FastCamMan

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Thanks for the images... Do you happen to have any comparison pics on the camera on the street with WDR set to 5 but running 150902 or earlier?
 

gwminor48

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Thanks for the images... Do you happen to have any comparison pics on the camera on the street with WDR set to 5 but running 150902 or earlier?
This camera came with build 150915, I could try to flash it back to 150902 to test. I have another turret on the back driveway that is on 150902. I could take some snapshots with it tomorrow if we get some sunshine.
 

Q™

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OK. I just received this Western Region camera from AliExpess...

Model DS-2CD2342WD-I
Serial No. DS-2CD2342WD-I20150906BBWRQQQQQ465
Firmware Version V5.3.3 build 150630
Encoding Version V7.0 build 150609

The camera was running POORLY: Sluggish...then responsive...then un-responsive...then non-responsive! Yikes...this suQs thought I.

So I downloaded the firmware for the model CMIP3142W-28S (file name: IPC4_V5.3.2_150915v2.zip), firmware version: "IPC4_V5.3.2_150915v2" from the LTS website. I crossed my fingers and uploaded to the camera (System > Maintenance > Remote Upgrade).

And all fixed. The camera now responds SMOKING FAST and the problems previously experienced are no more.

Thank you very much Mr. FastCamMan.

I'll tell you though...pushing that "Upgrade" button was a leap of faith!

But PLEASE think this through before you try this and NO COMPLAINTS if YOU brick your camera as result.

http://www.ltsecurityinc.com/downloads
 

Fruit

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Got to say I am completely shocked by this discovery. ...it is like the student has surpassed the master!

You can TFTP between the two if you get a 'Upgrade fail' through the web GUI (the LTS firmware are TFTP-able just like the hikvision one), and probably shouldn't try unless you have US region Hikvison cameras.
 

domelsnake

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Hi guys,

Anyone has tried LTS firmware (IPC4_V5.3.2_150915v2.zip) on DS-2CD2042WD-I cameras?


 

domelsnake

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Thanks a lot Fruit,

Is there anyway I can push the new firmware to my cameras via NRV (cameras connected to the PoE ports in NVR) or need to connect them back to my router and assign IP from the same subnet as my PC/Router sits in?
 

alastairstevenson

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To save rewiring the cameras you can plug a laptop into an NVR PoE port after either assigning it an IP address like 192.168.254.100 (web GUI update) or 192.0.0.128 (tftp update).
 

domelsnake

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Hi guys,

Last night I have tried to update the firmware on my DS-2CD2042WD-I unfortunately no luck.

Have actually tried both (IPC4_V5.3.2_150915.zip as well as IPC4_V5.3.2_150915v2.zip) and the same message appeared after few minutes "Firmware update failed".

Update has been performed via web GUI with the camera connected to the router.

Any ideas?
 

Fruit

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Hi guys,

Last night I have tried to update the firmware on my DS-2CD2042WD-I unfortunately no luck.

Have actually tried both (IPC4_V5.3.2_150915.zip as well as IPC4_V5.3.2_150915v2.zip) and the same message appeared after few minutes "Firmware update failed".

Update has been performed via web GUI with the camera connected to the router.

Any ideas?
First make sure your Serial number has WR in it so it is western region.

Did you unzip the file first? you should get a digicap.dav file which is the file you should use for upgrade

if not you will have to use TFTP tool to flash the firmware onto the camera (only if you are sure you have a western region camera)

DS-2CD2042WD-I = CMIP8242W so the firmware for CMIP8242W is the IPC4_V5.3.2_150915.zip, in theory it should be fine.
 

domelsnake

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Hi Fruit,

Yes - all my cameras have WR in the serial number and Yes - I have unzipped the file (digicap.dav).

Will try with TFTP tool - any clues how to get this done?

I have used the software in the past.


Do I telnet to the camera on the same IP as GUI runs?

What command do I issue on the camera to force the flash?
 

alastairstevenson

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Looks like they have plugged another 'grey market' workaround.
Beware upgrading if you have Hikvision cameras connected as ONVIF to get round language mismatch problems:

NVR can get the language of IPC accessed through ONVIF. Only HIKVISION products support this function
 

reeves1985

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Looks like they have plugged another 'grey market' workaround.
Beware upgrading if you have Hikvision cameras connected as ONVIF to get round language mismatch problems:
this will also black the downgrade workaround as well

They must have spotted their mistake with 3.3.4
 

Mel42

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Updated my DS-2CD2342WD-I (V5.3.3) with CMIP3142W-28S (IPC4_V5.3.2_150915v2), fixed the flashing problem and the WDR is much better, thanks!
WDR.JPG
 
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