Which firmware is the best?

[Brenner]

I´ve read so many threads about bricked cams, firmware up/downgrades, language hacking and so on but I can´t find the answer which Firmware version should I take in general?

5.1.6? 5.2.0? 5.2.5?

My china 2332 is on 5.2.0 (delivered with 5.2.0 multilanguage) and it works like it should. Everthing is fine. So never touch a running system or is there a important reason to update to 5.2.5 (with all the "hacks" for returning to english language)?

 

[fenderman]

I´ve read so many threads about bricked cams, firmware up/downgrades, language hacking and so on but I can´t find the answer which Firmware version should I take in general?

5.1.6? 5.2.0? 5.2.5?

My china 2332 is on 5.2.0 (delivered with 5.2.0 multilanguage) and it works like it should. Everthing is fine. So never touch a running system or is there a important reason to update to 5.2.5 (with all the "hacks" for returning to english language)?

There is no benefit to the higher firmware...stick with 5.2.0..

 

[Brenner]

Thanks

 

[bp2008]

It could be argued that 5.1.6 is better, as I believe 5.2.0 took away a few things like having multiple lines in the line crossing detection feature. I'm not very familiar with most of the firmware differences though. In most cases I prefer to leave the firmware alone unless I have a specific reason to update it.

Some might argue that newer firmware may have fixed previous security flaws. For this reason I like to keep my router's Tomato firmware up to date, even though sometimes it backfires when a new bug is introduced. Like last time I updated, in early December, the bandwidth monitoring feature lost its ability to save bandwidth usage logs. That bug only just got fixed last week (its time to update the firmware again, and hope nothing else goes wrong!).

In the case of Hikvision cameras, there are numerous well-known and years-old security flaws that I think are still in the very latest firmwares, so I wouldn't bother updating Hikvision cams just for possible security improvements.

 

[Brenner]

It could be argued that 5.1.6 is better, as I believe 5.2.0 took away a few things like having multiple lines in the line crossing detection feature.

Oh, there are multiple lines possible? Why not in the 5.2.0 :sad: That´s the features for me to use the alarm trigger!

 

[bp2008]

I'm not sure. Maybe Hikvision decided to reserve multiple lines for the higher cost cameras or some such nonsense.

 

[Brenner]

It´s a pity cause when I´m understand it in the right way I brick my cam with a older firmware too.

 

[NetWorker]

I'm torn on updating the firmware because I prefer that all cams are running the same version but it also seems like it's not worth the risk from the horror stories I've read here.

My suggestion is stick what you have and enjoy it's fully functional state but doesn't hurt to follow future updates in case new features get added.

 

[vimes]

It is going back a little while now but I remember that firmware and the one following, in terms of removed features. IIRC there were indeed many more features in the firmware BUT for many people they simply did not work and if they did then they didn't work reliably. I can't remember all the extra functions that it had but when I set and tested them I too came to understand that for me it was a waste of time. So the "upgrade" to later firmware was not compromised by missing features which I could not get to work consistently.

There are threads somewhere detailing the issues people were having at the time, some claiming some success and others not much.

All of my six cams are now on firmware 5.2.5 and my, to yet arrive, camera Hikvision V5.2.5 DS-2CD2232-I5, will also be on that firmware.

 

[alastairstevenson]

I think Hikvision recognised that they had overburdened the CPU by allowing 4 lines in line detection and 4 areas in intrusion detection, leading to some erratic behaviour when other demands on the CPU were added such as feeding multiple video streams. Hence the reduction to one of each.
On a DS-2CD3332-I I just had delivered, the 520MHz ArmV5 CPU is around 80% idle when the camera is supplying one video stream at 1080p, normal motion detection active but no line crossing detection or intrusion detection.
That drops to around 40% idle when both line crossing and intrusion detection are enabled and active.

 

[vimes]

^^^^ That seemed to be the consensus of opinions in some of the posts at the time people were evaluating those features. Whilst it is nice for those people who need them it is pointless, and potentially concerning, if you are relying on features for your security which can be inconsistent at best.

 

[catseyenu]

I don't know where "inconsistent" came from, 5.16 was the last and best full feature firmware IMO.
Correct me if I'm wrong but IIRC 99% of the problems were configuration issues.
CBX made a full featured 5.20 (4 line intrusion fields & telnet etc) that I uninstalled to go back to 5.16.

 

[Brenner]

CBX made a full featured 5.20 (4 line intrusion fields & telnet etc) that I uninstalled to go back to 5.16.

Why do you go back to 5.1.6 if you got a full featured 5.2.0?

 

[catseyenu]

Perhaps "full featured" is over stating it, 5.20 had 2 missing features I use that CBX put back along with the region fix but there were other differences/missing features.
Bottom line, 5.20 gave me nothing new of value and was a lesser value firmware built with bad motives IMO.

 

[ServiceXp]

What do you mean by "built with bad motives..."

 

[phillip da]

I believe the latest firmwares are attempts to stop the hacking of firmware to english language. So far Hikvision have failed on this.

 

[catseyenu]

What do you mean by "built with bad motives..."

No value added, the only reason for the updates are to further lock the hardware down.

 

[whoslooking]

Can you post the fully featured 5.20 firmware. Not CBX region fix.?

 

[catseyenu]

Actually, this is not true.

Sigh...
Actually it depends on your setup, if you are exposing them to traffic outside of your LAN then there are no guarantees.

Can you post the fully featured 5.20 firmware. Not CBX region fix.?

No, this was CBX's gift to his earlier customers.
You can contact him & see if he is still doing this.

 

[fenderman]

Actually, it does not depend on your setup.

If you want to harm yourself, that's fine with me. But it's not fine with me to watch others be harmed by bad advice. When I have the background in this case to know better as the manufacturer did by releasing new software/firmware.

If you want to say that the manufacturer wasted all their time and resources to produce new firmware for a device that in "Your mind" does not benefit anyone to use that firmware?

Then please be so kind to take the time with detailed specifics facts to inform the rest of us idiots on all that was changed in that firmware release and why no IP Camera owner worldwide should be so stupid to waste their time installing any frivolous new firmware releases if all "Seems" to be working well.

Don

Yes it does depend on your setup. If your cameras are not exposed to the internet then the flaws cannot be exploited unless there is some malware on the firmware itself...
Relying on a manufacturer to fix bugs is ridiculous, they are months, maybe years behind the hackers. Bad advice is telling folks that they are safe by just upgrading firmware. For the record, hikvision still has 5.2.0 up on its USA site - recommending "updated" firmware that the manufacturer has not officially released is dangerous - do YOU have the facts about 5.2.5 or 5.2.8?. This doomsday fear mongering is nonsense. Oh yes i forgot, the only "secure" method is your 1fps solution...
Im surprised you haven't posted a sticky on the foscam forum recommending that folks throw their old foscams in the trash because they are no longer supported with new firmware (which you only find out after they have data mined your email address because they force you to provide to see available firmware updates).
There is no reason to be condescending towards other forum members particularity because your post is full of nonsense (and you keep adding to it with the no less than 15 edits so far)