Version 4 to version 5 upgrade - what is involved?

General discussion about Blue Iris
Seagull
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2023 11:00 am

Version 4 to version 5 upgrade - what is involved?

Post by Seagull »

I am being hit by the cancelled app signing certificate in BlueIris on three systems. If I can't find a solution, how simple is an upgrade?

I've loved using BlueIris 4 due to it needing no maintenance. Now the App is refusing to run I may need to do an urgent in place upgrade on those three systems.

Is it just a case of drop the latest installer on top and it will pick up settings?

Is there upgrade pricing for us old v4 users, or will I need $80 per system?

Thanks for any help.
IAmATeaf
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Re: Version 4 to version 5 upgrade - what is involved?

Post by IAmATeaf »

I thought that just renewing your support would allow you to update to v5?
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TimG
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Location: Nottinghamshire, UK.

Re: Version 4 to version 5 upgrade - what is involved?

Post by TimG »

I agree.

OP:
1. I think Support used to sell a second (and third ?) licence at a discount price, so they may do the same with Support plans. Give them a call or send an email.
2. A BI5 licence gives you the program and updates for a 12 month period. You can keep using BI5 after that time. Normally if you want newer versions, you would purchase a Support plan which again gives you 12 months worth of updates.
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Seagull
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Re: Version 4 to version 5 upgrade - what is involved?

Post by Seagull »

I have tried emailing them, but not really getting a reply. All I have had so far is a copy paste email about the certificate. A fact I already managed to work out.

The only other thing in the email was to come here and ask.

I now just want to know about upgrade options as one of my installs is just stuffed and I know I have to throw money at it.

If I buy a new licence, can version 5 just run on top of version 4 and pick up all the settings?

I need to avoid having to re-train people or spending hours on a reconfigure.
Seagull
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2023 11:00 am

Re: Version 4 to version 5 upgrade - what is involved?

Post by Seagull »

Pity you can't upload images on this forum. (EDIT: Now added image thanks to assistance below)

The main install I am worried about is a v4.8.6.3 that was installed only a year ago. I had this on the shelf unused for ages.

It says "Support level Basic [Expired]" "Expires 25/07/2023 05:14:46" "Version 5 eligible"

What does that actually mean?

I click on an upgrade/renew button and it offers me extended service for $29.95 annually - is that to v5? OR still v4?
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TimG
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Re: Version 4 to version 5 upgrade - what is involved?

Post by TimG »

1. You can add pictures. While you are writing, there is an "Attachments" button below the window. "Add files" and place image inline.
2. Version 5 eligible - If you have a valid support plan you can upgrade to BI5. You only just missed the opportunity to install the BI5 update there. That date should be 12 months after initial installation.
3. There are two basic support plans. A one off 12 month deal, or a slightly cheaper annual subscription. Either should make it version 5 eligible again. See here and scroll down.
4. Once you have a support plan you can keep updating BI5. When the plan runs out you must not, as it will put you into demo mode. If you DO end up in demo mode, you can install a version that was valid during your support plan.

Please note that this is a peer to peer forum, and I am not official Support. I may not be 100% accurate, but it should be close !
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Rantech
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Re: Version 4 to version 5 upgrade - what is involved?

Post by Rantech »

It has been quite awhile since I did my version 4 to version 5 upgrade so forgive me if my memory is in error ... I believe the advice was to install version 5 on the version 4 machine, it will create a new install leaving the version 4 in place then you can test and configure version 5 before removing version 4. If you install a new version 4 exe it may or may not watermark all your camera streams as "evaluation" if that version is "newer" than available when your license expired. In theory, if it was available at the time your license expired, it should be okay (talking about newer Version 4 exe's, not Version 5) but that won't solve your certificate problem since you would need a recent Ver 5 install to fix that.

I recall that I had to do a lot of reconfiguring of my motion detection settings as there had been quite a few changes between version 4 and 5 and version 5 was not behaving as I was used to. However, I don't remember if this was due to changes in the basic algorithms or if this was solely due to my use of sub-streams in version 5. In any case, version 5 would be a recommended upgrade since it allows use of sub-streams and will significantly reduce CPU load. That alone makes it a worthwhile upgrade but depending on your system, it can be a lot of work to reconfigure as turning on sub-streams wipes out all your configured detection zones and they would all have to be recreated.

Apart from the motion detection setting changes, I don't recall there being any other issues moving from 4 to 5 ... it seemed pretty seamless.

If you decide not to upgrade, there seem to be a number of confirmed solutions for working around the app certificate problem if you check the recent posts (running from a command line (manually or with a batch file), stripping the certificate from the exe and installing, turning of UAC in windows, etc.).
Seagull
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Re: Version 4 to version 5 upgrade - what is involved?

Post by Seagull »

Thank you both for your help
TimG wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2023 5:43 am 2. Version 5 eligible - If you have a valid support plan you can upgrade to BI5. You only just missed the opportunity to install the BI5 update there. That date should be 12 months after initial installation.
I don't have a valid support plan. I realise this, partially the fault of how well it runs once setup. But was trying to work out how much an upgrade now costs. I'm sure I had previously clicked on that update button and only got the v4 I expected as that is all I had paid for.

I had bought two licences for v4 in 2019 but then the project didn't happen. Which is why this was used on this job instead.
TimG wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2023 5:43 am 3. There are two basic support plans. A one off 12 month deal, or a slightly cheaper annual subscription. Either should make it version 5 eligible again. See here and scroll down.
4. Once you have a support plan you can keep updating BI5. When the plan runs out you must not, as it will put you into demo mode. If you DO end up in demo mode, you can install a version that was valid during your support plan.
This is the bit I still don't understand. So if I paid for one of those 12 month deals at $29.95 I would go back to live support and be able to install the very latest version? Jump from v4 to v5? That sounds like the option I was looking for.
TimG wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2023 5:43 am Please note that this is a peer to peer forum, and I am not official Support. I may not be 100% accurate, but it should be close !
I do realise this is a users only forum. And I thank you for your time to assist. My email to Sales has been totally ignored, and my follow up question to the support guy was also ignored. All I have been told to do is come here. This is the kind of thing that makes me wary at paying money.
Seagull
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Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2023 11:00 am

Re: Version 4 to version 5 upgrade - what is involved?

Post by Seagull »

@rantech - thank you. That was useful and encouraging to read. So I could install 5 next to 4 and just transfer settings? I assume I'd export and import the settings file? But both could be on the same PC while I get this to work. Sounds ideal.

The big headache for me is this happened just before I am going away for a long weekend. I could not leave that shop without its CCTV during that time as it is a Bank Holiday and a busy weekend for them. If the upgrade is only $30 to get me to v5 then I'll likely do it.

These are old 720p cameras, nothing fancy. If there is a big CPU load drop that will be a bonus and may be worth the upgrade on the other system. I also only just noticed yesterday I had accidentally used the 32-bit version in that shop so this is good timing to swap to 64bit.

Meanwhile I have my systems up and running again as I hacked the certificates out. But would be happier to get them back to legit if the costs are not too high. I'll be charging for my time on these and needed to make sure it wasn't going to take me three hours of working everything out from scratch again. :)

Again I thank you both for your quick assistance. Something I can't really say about the company itself who ignored my sales questions. :D

This forum wasn't here when I set the systems up so I will have a dig around and see what I can learn to improve my setup.
IAmATeaf
Posts: 464
Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2019 7:48 pm

Re: Version 4 to version 5 upgrade - what is involved?

Post by IAmATeaf »

From what you’ve posted above to me it looks like because you had a valid support plan until it ran out you can upgrade to v5 for no extra costs.

But in order to not get the eval watermark you’d need to ensure that you run a version that was available on or before your support expiry date.

The BI website doesn’t make doing this easy as if you down v5 you will get the latest version but if you pop over to the “other” site they have copies of previous versions so after installing v5 just run the update to regress the version down to a version that your expired support plan allowed.
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