Help Downgrading Hikvision Firmware

mcvoss · Post by **mcvoss** » Sun Oct 08, 2023 7:41 pm

Hello,

I need to downgrade firmware on a DS-2CD2742FWD-IZS. The older firmware works great in BI, 5.4.5 170124, see substream etc.

I upgraded two of my cameras to 5.5.82 190220 and now BI doesnt recognize substreams.

Hikvision does not allow me to downgrade the firmware using the camera GUI.

Any help or advice is appreciated.

Thanks,
Michael

TimG · Post by **TimG** » Sun Oct 08, 2023 9:26 pm

Have you checked that the new firmware hasn't turned off the sub-streams ? I would suggest a really close look at the camera menus at the sub-stream settings.
If it's not that, maybe an email to Hikvision Support to ask how to make it work in BI5, or even how to install the older firmware.
Let us know what you find out.

mcvoss · Post by **mcvoss** » Sun Oct 08, 2023 9:50 pm

TimG wrote: ↑Sun Oct 08, 2023 9:26 pm Have you checked that the new firmware hasn't turned off the sub-streams ? I would suggest a really close look at the camera menus at the sub-stream settings.
If it's not that, maybe an email to Hikvision Support to ask how to make it work in BI5, or even how to install the older firmware.
Let us know what you find out.

Hi Tim,

Yes I looked at the substream menus etc. I have 5 of these cameras, thankfully I only upgraded 2. The menus actually are the same in the new and old firmware so it's easy to see if anything is different. Hikvision started making downgrading Firmware not possible after a certain firmware revision, I forget the revision #. Thanks for the advice, I'll reach out to Hikvision tomorrow, these are real Hikvision cameras so hopefully they'll help. Worse case I don't have substreams on these 2 cameras. Everything else is working fine.

Thanks again,
Michael

MikeBwca · Post by **MikeBwca** » Mon Oct 09, 2023 5:30 am

TimG · Post by **TimG** » Mon Oct 09, 2023 5:49 am

Good idea. Add it to the email to Hikvision. They are kinda bricked as far as BI5 is concerned

IAmATeaf · Post by **IAmATeaf** » Mon Oct 09, 2023 8:39 am

Will Hikvision talk directly to a consumer? I thought their business model was like Dahuas in that they expect purchase and support through their reseller.

Also what a strange thing to do, take away a feature that was there and presumably a selling factor with a firmware update!

Anyway, here’s hoping they reply.

mcvoss · Post by **mcvoss** » Tue Oct 10, 2023 9:47 pm

Well I haven't heard from Hikvision but w/ a little reseach I found out how to do it. I actually bricked one of the cameras on the 1st try. Good news is this method worked and not only unbricked the one camera but let me roll back a firmware.

I used TFTP and followed these instructions.

https://learncctv.com/recover-hikvision ... sing-tftp/

Thanks for all the responses guys!

Michael