I have just bought two new Amcrest IP cameras for use with POE.
One ( IP5M-T1179EW-36M displays an image in Chrome without any problems. The other IP4M-1026EW does not (plug in problem and Amcrest Web viewer is awful) and the and the even though it appears on the current product page (https://amcrest.com/ip-cameras/outdoor- ... pixel.html), the latest firmware for that one is listed as 2018 and it is described as discontinued!
Not happy and wonder if I should sent it back? What is the current equivalent of this camera?
IP4M-1026EW Discontinued
Re: IP4M-1026EW Discontinued
Hello and Welcome to the forum..
Sadly I to have bought some new cameras and made the mistake of not looking at the Firmware page first to see if one the camera had a new FW and 2 if it is current or not... Sadly done this more then once lol... But it is what it is and I can still use them..
So I had an issue with Plug in for a little while and Don't remember what I did to get it to work.. But I have them both working without the need for the Chrome App that I also had issues with at first but have since got it working as well.
About sending them back or one back that is going to be up to you... To be honest I have loads of older cameras from other people that I can't even get a FW update some dating as far back as 2012... Because of the Security Risk in them cameras I have had them offline and stored. However I took them all out a week ago from my Cabin when I went up there to take some of my Gear and put in some different hardware.. I brought it all home... After connecting them up I remember why I put them away.. Some of them are 3mp some are 5mp but I just feel with lack of Support for FW they are suspect.. So I will put them in the Back in their own NVR that will not have access outside my own Network then I don't care about the Lack of Security in the camera
Sadly I don't know why cameras get side lined and then put on the Discontinued line.. Sadly I have a few more Amcrest cameras then I care to admit that don't get FW updates.. Sadly one that I was waiting and had hope because while mine is POE the others in the list same name just not poe got an update yet my POE one didn't and that is hard to understand... Last update on that camera was from 2017
So for now if and when I buy more Cameras from Amcrest I will check with the Firmware page to see if they are still current because i don't like the idea of buying a camera or anything for that fact that is said to be Discontinued and see the people selling them as NEW with no idea that there is no more updates for it... I have seen some very costly cameras that are being sold at top dollar and no support or FW and that is in my mind not cool...
Sadly I to have bought some new cameras and made the mistake of not looking at the Firmware page first to see if one the camera had a new FW and 2 if it is current or not... Sadly done this more then once lol... But it is what it is and I can still use them..
So I had an issue with Plug in for a little while and Don't remember what I did to get it to work.. But I have them both working without the need for the Chrome App that I also had issues with at first but have since got it working as well.
About sending them back or one back that is going to be up to you... To be honest I have loads of older cameras from other people that I can't even get a FW update some dating as far back as 2012... Because of the Security Risk in them cameras I have had them offline and stored. However I took them all out a week ago from my Cabin when I went up there to take some of my Gear and put in some different hardware.. I brought it all home... After connecting them up I remember why I put them away.. Some of them are 3mp some are 5mp but I just feel with lack of Support for FW they are suspect.. So I will put them in the Back in their own NVR that will not have access outside my own Network then I don't care about the Lack of Security in the camera
Sadly I don't know why cameras get side lined and then put on the Discontinued line.. Sadly I have a few more Amcrest cameras then I care to admit that don't get FW updates.. Sadly one that I was waiting and had hope because while mine is POE the others in the list same name just not poe got an update yet my POE one didn't and that is hard to understand... Last update on that camera was from 2017
So for now if and when I buy more Cameras from Amcrest I will check with the Firmware page to see if they are still current because i don't like the idea of buying a camera or anything for that fact that is said to be Discontinued and see the people selling them as NEW with no idea that there is no more updates for it... I have seen some very costly cameras that are being sold at top dollar and no support or FW and that is in my mind not cool...
Be Safe.
Re: IP4M-1026EW Discontinued
I had an interesting online chat with an Amcrest rep. He did not explain the anomaly of discontinued products but confirmed that both of cameras had old firmware that had not been updated! However he did say "Our team is working on the new firmware for this camera and many other so that it can be viewed without the plugin"
He also suggested an alternative (https://amcrest.com/ultrahd-4k-8mp-bull ... -28mm.html) but that is not available from Amazon UK and in any case it is a lot more expensive.
I am considering my options, possible getting a second IP5M-T1179EW but as the IP4M-1026EW does work well I may just end up keeping it. I can always view the cams in the QVRPro client on my Windows 10 PC.
He also suggested an alternative (https://amcrest.com/ultrahd-4k-8mp-bull ... -28mm.html) but that is not available from Amazon UK and in any case it is a lot more expensive.
I am considering my options, possible getting a second IP5M-T1179EW but as the IP4M-1026EW does work well I may just end up keeping it. I can always view the cams in the QVRPro client on my Windows 10 PC.