I'm banging my head on my desk here this morning after the latest additions to my email exchange with HIKvision support.
To make me feel better, I'd like to hear some of your *facepalm* support stories. Here's mine:
HIK camera on my test bench, unknown password. HIK's password reset procedure: export an XML file, email to them, await a response with a reset code. (Seriously, does anyone else do anything this ridiculous?)
Me: sends file off to support at 3pm PST last Thursday.
HIK: "Did anyone get back to you?" at 7:30am Friday.
Me: "No."
HIK: "Send a new XML and we'll get it done ASAP."
Me: "I'm not home now, but I'll do it when I am."
Fast forward to Tuesday, because it was a long day Friday and a busy weekend.
Me: Tries to export new XML. SADP errors out. Try it on another machine, same thing. Camera is working, sending picture to the NVR, and I can access the web interface, but not log in.
Me (at 2:30pm yesterday): "Trying this again, but I'm getting a "Failed to get the key" when I try to export in SADP."
HIK (6:40 this morning): "Restart SADP and try again, if your able to log on the camera interface, you change the camera password under user management."
Me (rolls eyes): "Ummmmm... no, I can't change the password under user management. I need to reset the password before I can log in."
HIK: "Send us a new .xml file so we can send you a new code."
*thud thud thud thud thud*
Me: "I can't export the XML file because I'm getting a "Failed to get the key" when I try to export in SADP. I can still access the camera web interface, so it's still up and running. Does nobody read the entire thread before replying with a canned response??"
Like seriously, this is a single email thread complete with all quoted responses... IT'S ALL RIGHT THERE.
Potentially ironic email signature: "Thank you for your continuing support in using Hikvision products." You know what, if there's one thing that will convince me to drop a product line in a hot second, it's lousy tech support. It's a big part of why we don't spec Arecont, or QNAP, or Pelco. Similarly, if you have great support, I'll possibly recommend a product that's not quite as well suited to the task, just to know I have someone backing it up.
I remember in earlier firmwares, there was an online tool you could use to get the HIK password reset code yourself. Anyone know of anything for current versions? This will never fly if it happens on a client's site.