DS-2CD2387G2-LSU/SL - 2 Way Audio doesn't work, camera reports no errors - What is the last firmware which allows downgrades?

[troglegranular]

I've got two or three LSU models of this camera here. The ones I am actively using are on firmware V5.7.3 build 220112, as I want the LED light linkage feature which is later removed from these cameras (for absolutely no good reason that anyone is publicly aware of). I can't get two way audio on this camera to work at all. I know I had it working on at least one camera when I first obtained these cameras, but I cannot remember what (if anything) changed in my setup which broke this.

I've tried some HTTP PUT's to interface with the Hikvision ISAPI directly, and I get zero errors in this process - just an, "ok" status and some accompanying HTTP blocks as a response.

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I'm willing to try a different firmware version out if I can still downgrade at a later time to the above 5.7.3 firmware which still supports the LED light linkage feature. I know at one point in time that Hikvision blocked firmware downgrades (yet another thing to love, yay), so I'm wanting to find out if anyone knows what version I should stop at, or if there is a particular version which I should try which is known to work with 2 way audio on this camera.

Ultimately I'd love to have a proper solution for my two way audio non-functionality issue without losing the white LED linkage feature, but I guess I might can get away with changing firmware between the versions as necessary for the use case as a forced concession. Please let me know if I can provide any additional information. Thanks.

 

[RetiredDinosaur]

How are you connecting to the cameras to start 2-way audio? I've found that direct connecting does not support 2-way and you have to connect via the Hik-Connect service in order to initiate it.

Newer firmware for this camera has the static white light on event (normally on) which does the same thing as LED linkage

Some of subsequent patch since 5.7.3 had worrying detail about fixing damage to the speaker on these cameras which 2-way audio caused and I would probably upgrade

 

[alfaclvi]

I think it is v5.7.10
On v5.7.11 release notes it says: "Does not support rollback to versions prior to 5.7.11"

 

[troglegranular]

How are you connecting to the cameras to start 2-way audio? I've found that direct connecting does not support 2-way and you have to connect via the Hik-Connect service in order to initiate it.

Newer firmware for this camera has the static white light on event (normally on) which does the same thing as LED linkage

Some of subsequent patch since 5.7.3 had worrying detail about fixing damage to the speaker on these cameras which 2-way audio caused and I would probably upgrade

I've tried the web interface, I've tried third party tools utilizing ISAPI, and I've tried ISAPI PUT commands directly via curl. All of these *should* work on their own, certainly the last two. They aren't doing anything different than the Hikvision app itself would be doing. I absolutely will not use the Hikvision app, because I do not trust their software in the slightest bit. That goes for most camera companies, but *especially* Hikvision.

The static white light on event feature you are referring to doesn't activate the two side white lights, but only the center event light. It is less than half of the luminous flux output, and that isn't desirable at all for the application at hand. It isn't exactly a 1:1 functionality. Please correct me if I am wrong about the 2 lights vs single center light functionality on newer firmware - this is my understanding from the last time I looked into this issue. I'd **love** to be wrong about this.

I think it is v5.7.10
On v5.7.11 release notes it says: "Does not support rollback to versions prior to 5.7.11"

Thank you! I might give that a try later on and see what happens. I'm still hoping to get it working on the current firmware version, but that may or may not happen thanks to Hikvision's baffling decision to remove functionality with no explanation ever being offered, even when Hikvision engineers are clueless as to the reason. It is such a frustrating decision on an otherwise quality product.

 

[RetiredDinosaur]

I've tried the web interface, I've tried third party tools utilizing ISAPI, and I've tried ISAPI PUT commands directly via curl. All of these *should* work on their own, certainly the last two

Hikvision 'ringfence' liveguard functions of their cameras behind their cloud service. You won't be able to start 2-way audio connected via direct IP unfortunately

 

[troglegranular]

Hikvision 'ringfence' liveguard functions of their cameras behind their cloud service. You won't be able to start 2-way audio connected via direct IP unfortunately

That is absolutely not the case. You're either referring to an entirely irrelevant set of context/features, or you are mistaken.

 

[RetiredDinosaur]

I absolutely will not use the Hikvision app, because I do not trust their software in the slightest bit. That goes for most camera companies, but *especially* Hikvision.

Seems a very odd choice to invest in their equipment when you don't trust the software that interfaces with said hardware. What makes you think they haven't hidden anything in the software baked into their hardware?

That is absolutely not the case. You're either referring to an entirely irrelevant set of context/features, or you are mistaken.

You are welcome to contact their tech support, they'll tell you the same.

 

[troglegranular]

Seems a very odd choice to invest in their equipment when you don't trust the software that interfaces with said hardware. What makes you think they haven't hidden anything in the software baked into their hardware?


You are welcome to contact their tech support, they'll tell you the same.

I don't trust *any* camera software, as almost all of it is proprietary garbage from China. I shouldn't *have* to trust them. I chose this hardware for the sensor quality, and feature set - all of which is entirely independent of the software. I also don't provide the cameras internet access. I'm not sure why you think I would - no one should. Hikvision specifically have had a number of backdoors and vulnerabilities in their cameras over the years. This isn't exactly new information.

As far as 2 way audio goes, as I've already stated, I have used it first hand previously. You are objectively mistaken in one way or another. You can make that statement as much as you'd like, but I've literally seen first hand that you are 100% incorrect regarding my specific camera models.

 

[alfaclvi]

You are welcome to contact their tech support, they'll tell you the same

I never understood the "serial number". I followed Kyle's suggestion to contact UK/Ireland Support. They just politely rejected my Case because of the serial number. Not from UK/Ireland. Exactly same platform, same model in EU and UK but the serial number is a problem. My region Hikvision support does not accept issues if you are not the reseller/distributor!!!! "Support.xx email is for national distributors/resellers service only". Bought my devices from one of the largest companies which legally import those Hik devices. Not Aliexpress, not Ebay, not Amazon. So if I contact them, they will ask to send them back to check. A two weeks, at least, procedure. Everything is wrong with them and especially their firmwares. This did not happen a few years ago. Now they possibly have other priorities or they don't care about End-users. Just for big companies

 

[troglegranular]

Seems a very odd choice to invest in their equipment when you don't trust the software that interfaces with said hardware. What makes you think they haven't hidden anything in the software baked into their hardware?


You are welcome to contact their tech support, they'll tell you the same.

For the record, I have 2 way audio working on them again. There's a bug on Hik cameras with certain firmwares in which the backchannel doesn't properly close itself. Too many attempts to connect to it can get it stuck in the wrong states. Both the PUT methods I described and the external tool I will be using work properly as I described them.

Please don't spread blatant misinformation, especially when I am telling you directly that I have seen them working in the past. I don't really care what their support says when they are clearly wrong.