Author Topic: HikVision LiveView: Is there a solution to all the browsers abandoning plugins?  (Read 25210 times)

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Offline DaleReid

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As Mac005 pointed out for Foscams, there is a brief extention to our use of browsers such as FireFox to see the live stream from our IP cameras.

While his solution was from Foscam, it did work with my HikVisions on the latest Firefox (as of MidMarch 2017), but will definitely NOT work for future releases of FireFox.  And to not update the browsers leaves one possibly vulnerable to security issues.

And despite some indications from conversations on other forums, Internet Explorer does NOT work either, nor does Chrome.

I haven't found a solution for the future on the Hikvision home page for English language.

I haven't found a solution for the future on a general Google search, despite trying various key phrases.

Questions:
a) Are those of us with considerable time and money and setup using these cameras out of luck for the future?
b) Has anyone talked with sellers of Hikvision or to Hikvision itself as to the future solution, if there is one?
c) Is there a firmware update that needs to be done to the cameras to get around the way they currently feed IP streaming that is shown on our browsers as the live image?

I would think that as popular as this brand and method used by other brands too, that a solution would be already available, since Mozilla had announced a year or more ago that they were going to get rid of plug ins all together.

I also would suppose that since this is a big company that they aren't going to want to just throw in their hand and quit trying to compete for the IP streaming cam's market.

I see lots of discussion here and there, all of it rather old, and other than Mac's temporary fix, nothing is promising.  Numerous comments have been made about using IE, which as I noted is no longer working, either.

Since I don't actively stream to the web most of the time, and only want to use the camera to locally view the stream, I don't like the idea of having to stream to a web site, then use equivalent bandwidth to go look at that website just to see a camera.

Thoughts?  Helpful ideas?  Discussion?  Should we jsut put our cameras up for sale?  Are there cameras out there that have solved the problem of local live view of the stream? 

Thanks.  Getting a bit frustrated at this lack of solution from an otherwise very nice company.
Dale
(blowing off steam a bit, so I'm sorry if the tone sounds downbeat.)
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Offline graculus

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VLC Media Player will display the rtsp stream from a hikvision (and any other cam that generates that output).

Offline ValentineWeather

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Dale IE 11 still works. I've got future updates turned off.

As you know lots of software will capture the stream but configuring the Hikvision for the future is going to be a problem.
China is good at copying stuff but really bad at software from my experience with cameras so don't hold your breath for a fix.
Randy

Offline DaleReid

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Once again, my heartfelt gratitude to the members of this forum for their comments and encouragement to help me find some solutions here.

I didn't know that VLC Player (or PotPlayer) could display the live stream from the cameras, or even what rtsp was.

I also happened upon a nice utility called

ONVIF, which was on sourceforge.net (and maybe other places too, but that was where a search took me to download it) and it will find all the cameras on your network and display them.  Once you select a camera and enter the address, it will actually show the video, too, and with passwords and all, allow you to enter  into the 'web page' being generated by the HIK camera.

Along the bottom of that screen is the address, port, and the channel information which can be copy and pasted into VLC or whatever.

For me, this will be an answer to the function that FireFox provided in the past.  I'll just have to go to a different program on my computer to look at the cameras.

So far, the only thing I see I've lost (and I've not been in all the nooks and crannies yet) is the ability to toggle on and off the record to disk, which under a browser was a camera and a movie camera on the bottom right.  I might not have everything configured for these new ways of seeing the stream, or maybe there isn't a way to do the record as I was under FireFox.

I have IE 11.0.9600 and it will not show the stream no matter how many times I try installing the webcomponents and restarting the browser.  I'm not sure which version you're using, but I agree, time to turn the install update off as far as wanting to use this method, at risk of some vulnerabilities that might get plugged.

Once again, a big thanks to the tips you guys offered.

If I get the lawn raked, family stuff done and taxes filed, I'll try to help others by putting together a basic update on what I discovered.  Most of the folks here using cameras seem to be so more aware and knowledgeable than I that it probably won't be of any value, but maybe someone will come along that is missing that one key part to get them happy again.
Dale

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Offline gwwilk

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HikVision has some software that works independently of any browser that accesses our HikVision cameras.  Download the appropriate 'NEW' version of the HikVision iVMS-4200 and install it.  No browser necessary, and the capabilities are far greater than the Camera/Browser-Based tool.

It worked for me, anyway.  The only downside is that unless this tool is installed on the computer you're using you can't configure the camera.
Regards, Jerry Wilkins
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Offline DaleReid

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Jerry,
Wow, thanks for chiming in and mentioning the software.

I was on the HikVision site for a long time last night again, and didn't see any mention of this.

As someone who is in customer service, or was a lot more, if I were them, I'd have an easily findable FAQ on this, with links and lots of metadata leading to it.

These are amazing devices, considering the price, with a pretty good camera, a web server, lots of triggers for motion, times of day, etc.  To not have how to use it all over your web site sucks.  Its no admission of poor design or fault at all, it is being in front of the wave of change.

I'm off to install the software you mentioned, and for LOCAL viewing may represent the best solution yet.

Dale
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Offline DaleReid

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Guys,
I have furrows on my brow from banging my forehead against the monitor trying to get IE 11 to work.

It gives the the story about needing to install the plug in.  I've downloaded it.  Installed it, and restarted IE.  No luck.
The instructions hint that the browser needs to be closed during install, so I've downloaded it, found it with Windows Explorer, closedd IE, run the webcomponents and then restarted IE.  No luck.  I've rebooted the system.  No luck.

Has IE 11 been slipstreamed with an upgrade that doens't allow it to do plugins any more?

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Offline ValentineWeather

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Dale I use Chrome as my main browser but extension IE TAB does work with Hikvision cameras. Install on Chrome open IP address on camera then clink on the IE extension Icon upper right and you should be able to see camera stream after logging in.


https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ie-tab/hehijbfgiekmjfkfjpbkbammjbdenadd?utm_source=chrome-app-launcher-info-dialog
Randy

Offline CNYWeather

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I just saw a FB post, IPTimelapse will let you steam directly to YouTube! :grin:
Tony




Offline ValentineWeather

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I just saw a FB post, IPTimelapse will let you steam directly to YouTube! :grin:

Really? Beware if you download the latest version I did and it wiped out all my settings. I had to roll my computer back or spend hours setting my cameras back up. Boy was I pissed..  :evil:
Randy

Offline CNYWeather

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Yeah. I lost everything once with an upgrade and had to re-do my setup.

Last time I tried to upgrade I had to buy a new key also I was told.
Tony




Offline youngros

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I have just installed a Hiki and I found this work around to getting the plugin to work in Firefox.
https://forum.use-ip.co.uk/threads/hikvision-plugin-doesnt-work-in-firefox.1077/

Offline Cutty Sark Sailor

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HikVision has some software that works independently of any browser that accesses our HikVision cameras.  Download the appropriate 'NEW' version of the HikVision iVMS-4200 and install it.  No browser necessary, and the capabilities are far greater than the Camera/Browser-Based tool.

It worked for me, anyway.  The only downside is that unless this tool is installed on the computer you're using you can't configure the camera.
Hikvision US has a new updated version of the FREE iVMS4200
http://www.hikvision.com/us/Tools_84.html
 


Offline ValentineWeather

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I've mentioned before IE TAB Extension works with chrome and Hikvision cameras. Version IE Tab 10.7.31.1
Randy

Offline youngros

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The Firefox work around seems to have stopped working so I am now using the IE tab in Chrome. Thanks for the heads up on this.

Offline PeeGee

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Dale I use Chrome as my main browser but extension IE TAB does work with Hikvision cameras. Install on Chrome open IP address on camera then clink on the IE extension Icon upper right and you should be able to see camera stream after logging in.


https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ie-tab/hehijbfgiekmjfkfjpbkbammjbdenadd?utm_source=chrome-app-launcher-info-dialog

Now I used Google Chrome with the IE tab for config my Hikvision cam too. See the stream again  :lol:
Thanks for the tip ValentineWeather (Y)

Peter.

Offline ValentineWeather

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You guys are welcome.  :-)
Randy