q see cam issue

[Pogo]

BTW, these cameras seem to default to their factory IP address until they receive an ack for a DHCP request. Still no difference in recognition by any of the software tools or access through their web interface, though -- which still complains about needing the plugin and would probably reject the login credentials anyway.

 

[msquared]

You could always try a VM using an older OS if that would expand your options.
Another option to consider would be to treat the camera as if it were bricked and hack it to reload a firmware and default settings.
But you'd have to have a firmware.
I think someone more familiar with this process would be in a better position to say what options are available by going this route.
Unfortunately, I have no experience in this.

 

[Pogo]

I'm convinced the issue is one of simply a factory reset and re-initialize process -- given access to the existing firmware by a compatible method.

Considering I have the current login credentials of the NVR that provisioned these cameras, there's clearly an additional hook of some kind also binding the cameras to the NVR for authenticating initialization -- more than likely the MAC address of the NVR itself, but that's just a guess. I'll figure it out. Certainly not a necessity, but rather more of a challenge and learning experience to share with others at this point.

Anyway, I do appreciate your weighing in on the subject. I honestly thought there would be more general participation, if not with a magic bullet posted in fairly short order, at least with the methodology and frustration I've discovered firsthand over several days of pecking at it. I've successfully replaced the connectors. The cameras boot up and provide both hardware/firmware data and static video via the web interface display. They just don't initialize to stream video as independent devices -- which by all indications of the available ports, protocols and available documentation, they should be able to do

But like they say, "Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you expected." LOL I've certainly gained some here.

I did want to comment on the Reolink subject for @brokensword as an aside since I also have a few of those cameras. Depending on model, a firmware upgrade should address the I-frame issue if it's a big enough annoyance. Reolnk takes a lot of flak, but I find them to be reliable and decent quality devices that most folks would be happy to have. Their support also seems fairly responsive as evidenced by their addressing of the I-frame issue. They do fall short of others on the night vision, but I look at the shortcoming(s) of any camera as manageable variables depending on the purpose and placement -- not to mention the economics. Free Reolinks are rarely a bad thing!

Thanks again. I'm grateful for your input and your taking the time to provide it.

 

[Pogo]

I'm rather pleased to report that I'm finally able to access the Q-SEE provisioning features through the camera's web interface using AVYCON's IP Specialty Tool. It scans and identifies cameras on my network where all the others I've tried failed to see anything. The camera IP is displayed as a hot link to whatever web port the camera is configured to use and opens whatever web interface the camera has to offer. In the case of older camera firmware requiring Active-X, it simply warns of the risks with an option to continue or eject. If you accept the risks, it launches an IE11 module with Active-X and you're in business with a functioning web interface login window for your camera. Very simple and very cool. Exactly what these types of cameras require for factory resets, or just basic provisioning and configuration. I just can't believe it's taken me nearly a week to locate such a solution.

So I finally have a camera login screen, but the NVR password doesn't work. Shit. Oh well, let's try all the others that haven't worked either and see what happens. BTW, I have the IP Tool app on my laptop and the camera hanging off the ethernet port powered by a 12v power supply for this particular exercise. The cam uses its default 192.168.226.201 IP address when not seeing an ACK for a DHCP request, so the laptop was also set to a 192.168.226.x address. Normal 255.255.255.0 subnet for both addresses. Default IP address? May as well try the default password again and see what happens. 123456 - Bingo! It also worked for the other camera on my Blue Iris network. After all my pissin' up a rope with this, it would seem that the cams were in a default mode the whole time and I just never stumbled across the right combination of ports and credentials trying to bring them up in Blue Iris -- or the default password also required the default ip address in combination to grant initial access from a non- authorized source. Who knows?

At any rate, I'm over the big hump and now just need to get familiar with the capabilities of these things and figure out why neither are in color yet. I'm happy with the onboard provisioning flexibility, particularly the dual sub streams and I-frame feature. Nice little cams, actually.

We don't need no stinking button! LOL

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[msquared]

Congratulations on getting them to work and finally hitting on the right combo!

 

[Pogo]

The Avycom software was certainly key in overcoming the IE / Active-X requirement of the older camera firmware. I spent considerable time trying the various workarounds suggested by others with zero useful results. The Avycom tool worked flawlessly in bringing up the firmware interface without complaints of a missing plugin. It simply warned that Active-X was going to be implemented -- at least that how it behaved in my particular case. Here is the link to the software;

Download Center 1 page | AVYCON

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The ONVIF option isn't obvious and needs to be accessed via the dropdown arrow. When selected, it automatically searches and lists what it finds. The links are hot to what the tool sees as the appropriate port / access for the device. It doesn't seem to relate well to XML in ONVIF mode and I haven't played around much in AVYCON mode which seems like more of a NVR resource than a camera tool. It found my old Swann DVR, complained about lack of a plugin which turned out to be readily available from the DVR and installed without a hitch. It then detected the lack of an osx component it felt was necessary for everything to fly. Asked me if it was ok to download it from Swann, installed it without issue and instantly provided access to the DVR.

A very smart and efficient utility. While not exactly providing a password reset function, it can at least get you to a legacy login interface to do so if you know the procedure.