What exactly do sellers mean by "original English version with upgradable firmware"?

[meloman]

Hi there, I'm new to NVR cameras, thinking about ordering a DS-7608NI-I2/8P (H.265 NVR) and a few cameras to start like DS-2DE3304W-DE for PTZ and DS-2CD2T42WD-I8 for everything else.

Trying to pick one of the highly rated seller on AliExpress to make an order. Many of them state something like "This version we offer is original English version with upgradable firmware. No power adaptor inclued."

Does it mean that if I were to buy it, I should expect to be able upgrade to the latest firmware file downloaded from Hikvision.com like v5.4.5? Is it a straight-forward procedure for these "upgradable" Chinese cameras, or there are some tweaks/special guidelines to follow? I've looked over the sticky threads but those seems to be on how to convert from Chinese-only firmware.

 

[johnyfalco]

Hi there, I'm new to NVR cameras, thinking about ordering a DS-7608NI-I2/8P (H.265 NVR) and a few cameras to start like DS-2DE3304W-DE for PTZ and DS-2CD2T42WD-I8 for everything else.

Trying to pick one of the highly rated seller on AliExpress to make an order. Many of them state something like "This version we offer is original English version with upgradable firmware. No power adaptor inclued."

Does it mean that if I were to buy it, I should expect to be able upgrade to the latest firmware file downloaded from Hikvision.com like v5.4.5? Is it a straight-forward procedure for these "upgradable" Chinese cameras, or there are some tweaks/special guidelines to follow? I've looked over the sticky threads but those seems to be on how to convert from Chinese-only firmware.

Previously a lot of the cameras sold on AliExpress were cameras that were originally designed for the Chinese market so they were a LOT cheaper than the international market cameras. Because these cameras were domestic Chinese cameras with Chinese language only firmware, to sell them to the international market somebody had to hack the firmware and put English language firmware on them.
But the downside to this workaround, is that you cannot update the firmware on these because it will brick the camera.
Now that a backdoor has been found on this firmware / cameras, you have these huge numbers of cameras that are open to the internet.
So to have a relatively "safe" camera that can have a "secure" firmware that can be upgraded, you need to buy one of the recently made ENGLISH language cameras. The downside to buying those, is that they cost more to purchase.


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