Missing VCA option in new ANPR camera?

[codlord]

I have a new ANPR camera model iDS-2CD7A26G0/P-IZHSY (H8)
Running latest firmware currently V5.7.80_230712 (in the UK).

On some PC's/browsers (e.g. Firefox on Windows) the very top bar in the web camera interface shows 4 options:
Live View
Configuration
Smart Display
VCA

But on other PC's/browsers (e.g. Firefox on Linux) it only shows the first 3, no VCA which make configuring ANPR settings impossible!

Not yet found a pattern or reason, anyone have any suggestions as to why this missing VCA may occur? All browsers I tested so far show live view image etc.

With older ANPR cameras you just went to "Configuration" at the top, then the last option on the left-hand list was "Road Traffic". Seems sensible to me to have configuration options under "Configuration"... But then HikVision in it's wisdom decides to "hide" it in this new camera

It took me ages to discover it now not under "Configuration" at all but been moved and you have to click "VCA" at the very top menu bar, then "Road Traffic".

 

[trempa92]

Update to latest firmware

 

[codlord]

@trempa92 I should of said in my post, it came shipped with the latest firmware currently V5.7.80_230712 (in the UK at least).

 

[trempa92]

any world region camera if you have in serial number WR will accept Global/EN firmware.

here is the link to the latest firmware:

iDS-2CD7A26G0/P-IZHS(Y)

Hikvision iDS-2CD7A26G0/P-IZHS(Y) 2MP DeepinView ANPR Moto Varifocal Bullet Camera

www.hikvision.com

release note:

https://assets.hikvision.com/prd/public/all/files/202408/releasenote%5CH8_5.8.60_Release_Note.pdf

 

[codlord]

@trempa92 thanks but I don't ever risk installing any HikVision firmware other than those listed on the UK web site now. I am sure the global one will work but I have had major issues with HikVision firmwares before, the worst instance when I updated a camera with newer firmware which was not on the UK site, it worked fine for months until I updated the NVR with official UK firmware and it sent the camera into a permanant boot loop.

HikVision are notoriously bad at managing and releasing firmwares, usually the portal/s, the UK site and the global site all list different firmwares! And most without any release notes. They tell people not to use the portal any more but sometimes the portal has newer firmwares!

 

[trempa92]

Alright, but you do realize if firmware is specially made for UK that it is marked as region customized. WR/En are the ones that are most basal firmware's which will support an upgrades and usually most support.

I also see your logic and i respect it. Hence i can offer another solution and that is:

Save this code as Internet_Explorer.vbs and run native ie on any win OS. Instal the plugin it asks you to and allow it. It should show all the options here.

CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application").Visible=true

 

[codlord]

@trempa92 thanks for the info, so just to clarify:

HikVision Global Site has this page iDS-2CD7A26G0/P-IZHS(Y) with Firmware_V5.8.60_240807

HikVision UK Site has this page iDS-2CD7A26G0/P-IZHSY#UK with Firmware_V5.7.80_230712

My serial number does have WR in it ...AAWRFB... so are you saying it's safe to load the v5.8.60?

I wish HikVision just made things easy...

 

[trempa92]

I would without any hesitations. Before you do anything, would you mind checking regions for plates?
If you have the same, i dont see any other reasons why not.

 

[trempa92]

Tbh , since UK is not my region and my hikvision support is adriatic region. Perhaps someone from use-ip can ask their UK region support if there is any problem using Global/en firmwares on UK devices.

Some devices like alarms have different options due to regulations, but for LPR i believe everything remains the same.

 

[codlord]

@trempa92 The newest H8 I have (on I have on 5.7.80) has:
"Region" dropdown with only a single entry "Europe Region".
Then it has:
"Country/Region" dropdown with a large list of countries (mostly Europe but a few others like Russia).

I do actually have another one of these cameras which I updated to 5.8.20 a while back but not sure where that firmware was downloaded from. And that has same settings. The ANPR camera does work on that firmware but it has some bugs so I didn't want to use it on the new one.

 

[trempa92]

Then your other one is on global firmware, why not test newest firmware on that one?

 

[codlord]

@trempa92 today I tried to upgrade my H8 which was on the 5.8.20 firmware to the 5.8.60 but it does not seem to accept it...

When I click the "Upgrade" button then click o.k. I get an "Upgrading" dialog with progress. It stays at 0 for a few minutes then just returns to the "Maintenance" page. Rebooted camera and tried again but it does the same.

 

[trempa92]

Would you try 5.8.50 first?

https://www.hikvisioneurope.com/eu/portal/?dir=portal%2FTechnical%20Materials%2F00%20%20Network%20Camera%2F00%20%20Product%20Firmware%2FH8%20Platform%2F03---7%20series%2F02-H8%20ANPR%20%28iDS-2CD7xx6%27P%2CiDS-2CD7xx7%27P%29

 

[codlord]

Hi @trempa92 I tried V5.8.50_240306 and it's the same - didn't work.

This camera is on V5.8.20_231024 which I must have downloaded from the global site I think. That version/revision is not even listed on the Euro portal link you posted.

I did also try V5.8.40_231023 as that seemed to be (nearly) the same release date as the current firmware it is running and that didn't work either.

UPDATE: Tried firmware upgrade with the Batch Configuration Tool and that failed too.

 

[trempa92]

Try the intermediate firmware first and then the one you want:

https://www.hikvisioneurope.com/eu/portal/?dir=portal/Technical%20Materials/00%20%20Network%20Camera/00%20%20Product%20Firmware/H8%20Platform/03---7%20series/02-H8%20ANPR%20%28iDS-2CD7xx6%27P%2CiDS-2CD7xx7%27P%29/For%20upgrading%20from%20V5.7.80%20to%20V5.8.40%20or%20above

 

[codlord]

@trempa92 I tried them all now and still no luck. I even tried going back to the older one on the UK web site (V5.7.80_230712) but it won't let me do that either. This sucks...

 

[trempa92]

What about factory resetting camera and then trying it out? perhaps something got in loop.

 

[codlord]

@trempa92 I found V5.8.50_240806 on the UK Portal here which my camera DID accept. And that is the completely new web interface. So I will see if that makes any difference to the night capture / exposure at night on this camera. I might risk trying the global website update to V5.8.60_240807 later but I will stick to this for now as I know it works on my UK camera!

Thanks very much for your help and advice.

 

[codlord]

@trempa92 just an update - V5.8.50 unfortunately seems to make no difference to exposure settings verses V5.7.80

It literally seems impossible to get a black video feed at night on these UK H8 cameras - my older H3 ANPR cameras show a jet black video feed at night (what I would expect). The new H8 ones always show the background at low exposure settings and a grey washed-out very grainy image at higher exposure settings.

If your H8 cameras show jet black at night then I think this is a problem with the UK firmware which seems to be UK specific given my failed attempts to install global firmware.

I am going to attempt to get some support from HikVision, something I have never done before, let's see if I get anywhere...