Hikvision's equipment can be found from countless sellers online through eBay, Alibaba, Aliexpress, Amazon, Balkan Islands (Eastern Bloc), and many other e-commerce marketplaces. Usually, you will find these sellers selling Hikvision Gray Market cameras and NVRs that have their default language changed from Chinese to English and also have firmware versions that are a few revisions behind their official English version. These versions are almost always models designed for the Chinese domestic market, where the camera or NVR has had its firmware (software) changed to allow us international folk to set it up without learning Chinese.
To do this, the seller must first purchase a Chinese domestic market model (or Hikvision Gray Market version), unbox and 'flash' a modified firmware that has been hex-edited to allow for English menus and functionality. Common problems with this process are:
We are getting more and more reports that Hikvision products have been found cheaper elsewhere, know where you order the Hikvision products.
Here are some disadvantages that you get if the purchase is made elsewhere. It is therefore important that you purchase from an official Hikvision reseller.
Cons:
- Obsolete & modified firmware versions
- No official support
- Non-upgradable firmware
- Buggy menus and achievements
- No warranty whatsoever (our range has a 3-year warranty)
- Malware or backdoors in equipment (Possibility that strangers can see your camera)
In addition to the above issues, a faulty Hikvision Gray Market Camera or NVR will be subject to:
- Return the camera to China (at your expense)
- Awaiting an unofficial replacement from China
- Storefront may be gone by the time a return is required