Difference between revisions of "Set up a Webcam with Linux"

From Linuxintro
imported>ThorstenStaerk
imported>ThorstenStaerk
(there was a "USB headset" from Logitech attached as well.)
Line 46: Line 46:
 
* to watch your camera's input, use ''gqcam''.
 
* to watch your camera's input, use ''gqcam''.
  
= If you have another webcam =
+
= Other webcams =
 
If you have another webcam, try the above nevertheless. If it does not work, exchange the driver gspca against uvcvideo:
 
If you have another webcam, try the above nevertheless. If it does not work, exchange the driver gspca against uvcvideo:
 
  zast -i uvcvideo_kmp_default
 
  zast -i uvcvideo_kmp_default
 
  modprobe uvcvideo
 
  modprobe uvcvideo
 
and start gqcam again.
 
and start gqcam again.
 
Note that /dev/video needs to be there, otherwise, no v4l! The driver needs to create it.
 
 
To be sure about Vendor and Device IDs, here is a screenshot when calling hwinfo with the Logitech Quickcam messenger:
 
<pre>
 
hwinfo --usb delivers
 
06: USB 00.2: 0000 Unclassified device
 
  [Created at usb.122]               
 
  UDI: /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_46d_8da_noserial_if2
 
  Unique ID: l1VU.vE+cdFBwClB                                     
 
  Parent ID: zPk0.v+N+B0xY+P6                                     
 
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb4/4-2/4-2:1.2     
 
  SysFS BusID: 4-2:1.2                                           
 
  Hardware Class: unknown                                         
 
  Model: "Logitech QuickCam Messanger"                           
 
  Hotplug: USB                                                   
 
  Vendor: usb 0x046d "Logitech, Inc."                             
 
  Device: usb 0x08da "QuickCam Messanger"                         
 
  Revision: "1.00"                                               
 
  Driver: "snd-usb-audio"                                         
 
  Driver Modules: "snd_usb_audio"                                 
 
  Speed: 12 Mbps                                                 
 
  Module Alias: "usb:v046Dp08DAd0100dc00dsc00dp00ic01isc02ip00"   
 
  Driver Info #0:                                                 
 
    Driver Status: quickcam_messenger is active                   
 
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe quickcam_messenger"         
 
  Driver Info #1:                                                 
 
    Driver Status: gspca is active                               
 
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe gspca"                       
 
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown     
 
  Attached to: #26 (Hub)                                         
 
 
13: USB 00.3: 0000 Unclassified device
 
  [Created at usb.122]               
 
  UDI: /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_46d_a0b_noserial_if3_logicaldev_input
 
  Unique ID: hz3w.SFg3xCNSZQ3                                                     
 
  Parent ID: uIhY.uOe2OKugI8D                                                     
 
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.2/usb3/3-1/3-1:1.3                     
 
  SysFS BusID: 3-1:1.3                                                             
 
  Hardware Class: unknown                                                         
 
  Model: "Logitech USB Headset"                                                   
 
  Hotplug: USB                                                                     
 
  Vendor: usb 0x046d "Logitech, Inc."                                             
 
  Device: usb 0x0a0b "Logitech USB Headset"                                       
 
  Revision: "10.13"                                                               
 
  Driver: "usbhid"                                                                 
 
  Driver Modules: "usbhid"                                                         
 
  Device File: /dev/input/event2                                                   
 
  Device Files: /dev/input/event2, /dev/input/by-path/pci-0000:00:1a.2-usb-0:1:1.3-event-
 
  Device Number: char 13:66                                                             
 
  Speed: 12 Mbps                                                                       
 
  Module Alias: "usb:v046Dp0A0Bd1013dc00dsc00dp00ic03isc00ip00"                         
 
  Driver Info #0:                                                                       
 
    Driver Status: usbhid is active                                                     
 
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe usbhid"                                           
 
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown                           
 
  Attached to: #27 (Hub)                                                               
 
</pre>
 
  
 
= See also =
 
= See also =

Revision as of 07:12, 9 October 2008

You want to set up your webcam with Linux, see a video stream from it and learn which applications you can use with it, right? Then this article is for you. It has been tested with SUSE Linux 11 and a Logitech Quickcam messenger, but should work for other configurations as well.

Load the driver

To find out what driver you need, call

hwinfo --usb

This will deliver something like:

06: USB 00.2: 0000 Unclassified device
  [Created at usb.122]                
  UDI: /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_46d_8da_noserial_if2
  Unique ID: Eopr.vE+cdFBwClB                                      
  Parent ID: uIhY.uOe2OKugI8D                                      
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.2/usb3/3-1/3-1:1.2      
  SysFS BusID: 3-1:1.2                                             
  Hardware Class: unknown                                          
  Model: "Logitech QuickCam Messanger"                             
  Hotplug: USB                                                     
  Vendor: usb 0x046d "Logitech, Inc."                              
  Device: usb 0x08da "QuickCam Messanger"                          
  Revision: "1.00"                                                 
  Driver: "snd-usb-audio"                                          
  Driver Modules: "snd_usb_audio"                                  
  Speed: 12 Mbps                                                   
  Module Alias: "usb:v046Dp08DAd0100dc00dsc00dp00ic01isc02ip00"    
  Driver Info #0:                                                  
    Driver Status: quickcam_messenger is active                    
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe quickcam_messenger"
  Driver Info #1:                                                  
    Driver Status: gspca is active                                 
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe gspca"
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown       
  Attached to: #20 (Hub)

This means you can load the webcam driver like this:

modprobe gspca

Now you should see a video device:

ls /dev/video*
/dev/video  /dev/video0

That means you can install and start your webcam-viewer-software. We choose gqcam:

yast -i gqcam
gqcam

It works. You see a video what from what is going on in front of your webcam.

How to use it

  • to capture video streams, use the software streamer.
  • to do video conferences, use ekiga.
  • to do IP phoning, use skype.
  • to watch your camera's input, use gqcam.

Other webcams

If you have another webcam, try the above nevertheless. If it does not work, exchange the driver gspca against uvcvideo:

zast -i uvcvideo_kmp_default
modprobe uvcvideo

and start gqcam again.

See also