Firmware Hikvision Firmware.....what's the order?

[BigAl]

If you look at the attached image, it shows a list of firmware updates, but what does it actually mean and what is the latest release?

On the face of it, I think we'd say Ver 5.5.2 is newer than Ver 5.2.4, but what is the 'Build' bit all about?

Then compare the release dates, Ver 5.5.2 has a date of 2018/11/27 so in UK terms, 27th November 2018, but then Ver 5.4.0 is newer according to the release date of 2021/01/19 (19th January 2021)

Does it puzzle you as much as me?

 

[Dan]

Hi @BigAl

If you have been following the firmware releases for years you would understand it better.

You are correct that the versions are in numerical order (e.g. earliest version is v5.2.4, which is then followed by v5.3.0 and the latest is v5.5.2) and the build numbers are actually the original Chinese release dates of those firmware versions (e.g. V5.2.4 build 141009 was first release 9th Oct 2014 - Chinese date format [YY/MM/DD]).

What adds confusion is that the download portal dates on the right of the list are different, the reason for this is that these dates are linked to any changes made to the portal, so sometimes this date will indicate the release date but other times you may see a newer date on an old firmware because someone at Hikvision HQ has changed a folder/file name and this is marked as a portal modification which changes the file/folder date.

To get the latest firmware version you should pay attention to the version and build numbers.

 

[BigAl]

Thanks Dan

 

[tomhanman]

So just to confirm... We ignore the numbers on the right, fine. We use the build date to find incremental advance... So then in this list for my beyond old NVR the latest (and last I expect) would be 3.4.106? Built nearly two years later than the version that the database and NVR seem to think is the latest; 3.4.98? The Hikvision database seems to categorise 3.4.106 as being a version of 3.4.1 and so places it at the wrong end of the list. Whilst it would actually appear to be like version 106 of 3.4 thereby coming after version 98 which I'm currently on.

One can't help thinking things could be simpler.

I'm going to try to flash this this afternoon, if I shouldn't, do let me know real fast

 

[Phil]

Yes, the latest/newest in that list is 3.4.106.

The 'build' number is a jumbled date; for your latest 191009 is:
19 = Year 2019
10 = month 10 (October)
09 = 9th October 2019

Unfortunately, Hikvision's App / software & tools / devices have never succeeded in correctly verifying THE latest.
Mostly, they blindly say "I am THE latest"

 

[tomhanman]

Many thanks, I'm now on-site and will endeavour to bring out the very best of this poor decrepit beast!

 

[c4nt0y]

Be very careful on updating the firmware, check the release notes and make sure it is listed on it, i think hikvisions website isn't as accurate as you might think..

To be safe, I would just stick to the online upgrade in the config page and let it decide when its ready to update.

 

[tomhanman]

Thanks c4nt0y

But I have already gone ahead with perfect success.

Firmware updates really aren't the bungee jumping experience that people seem to think.

And anyway, when Phil the administrator says 'yes' (like the good old man from delmonte) then what could go wrong?