Skype not working again - black video display from camera

[PJK2012]

I see this issue has been discussed here in 2010 and 2018, but the problem is still here.

After searching the internet, it seems the only solution offered is to start Skype in terminal with the command:

LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype

or

env LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype

Neither of these help with the problem.

I'm using Logitech Quickcam IM/Connect device number 046d:08d9, driver gspca.

It is a USB webcam with microphone. When calling with Skype, there is audio with black screen video. When calling with Google Hangouts, there is video with no audio. Both programs properly show the correct camera and microphone being selected.

The only odd thing is that I don't see the device in the multimedia hardware manager in system settings. But it is seen in terminal commands such as:

computer-ku-i5@comp-ki5-dt:~$ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 005: ID 093a:2510 Pixart Imaging, Inc. Optical Mouse
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 046d:c517 Logitech, Inc. LX710 Cordless Desktop Laser
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 046d:08d9 Logitech, Inc. QuickCam IM/Connect
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

computer-ku-i5@comp-ki5-dt:~$ lsmod | grep video
videodev 184320 3 gspca_main,gspca_zc3xx,v4l2_common
media 40960 1 videodev
video 45056 1 i915

computer-ku-i5@comp-ki5-dt:~$ ls -la /dev/ | grep video
crw-rw---- 1 root video 29, 0 Apr 14 15:15 fb0
crw-rw----+ 1 root video 81, 0 Apr 14 16:27 video0

Using Kubuntu 18.04
Skype version 8.34.0.78

[PJK2012]

I'm surprised that after 7 months no one has come along who has experience with this issue. I've given up and moved on to using Skype on Android. Just in case someone else comes along with this problem, I'll just leave this additional information here.

I thought I would see if I get the same problem with my laptop that is running Manjaro Deepin. The behavior of Skype under Linux is the same, but I thought I would try running Skype in Windows 10 in VirtualBox. Skype behavior was the same again, but when I downloaded the Windows driver from the Logitech website, Skype in Windows under VirtualBox in Manjaro Deepin worked correctly. Sadly doing the same thing on the Desktop PC under Kubuntu 18.04 did not have the same success. But the nature of the situation might give someone an idea on how to fix this in Linux. This is an unusual situation since Ubuntu marks this webcam as working out of the box. There's something wrong with the way the signal feed is being handled since it works when Windows changes the way the signal is being sent to Linux.

[jglen490]

Skype for Ubuntu

This talks about 19.04, but the links insdie the page may be helpful (can't get to the links from work). I don't know when you got your Skype software, but it's really not a part of *buntu anymore, although the vendor seems to provide a .deb file.

Hope this helps.

[claydoh]

Could it be that it is a Skype issue, as well as the camera being very ancient? -the last MS driver seems to be from 2009, the last Ubuntu Wiki update on it is 2007. However, the Gspca zc3xx driver in the kernel seems well supported. The device id seems to have a long history of not always playing nice

As the video dopes work in Hangouts, and I will assume also using Cheese, the sound could be muted in Alsamixer ( a semi-common bug I have seen in audio devices occasionally over the years) or you may simply just need to use the sound widget to switch recording input to the built-in mic for hangouts.


Another issue is as the older a device gets, it can become less likely that someone who volunteers on the driver used may not have one to test with


Also, an alternative is to try a newer version of Skype
https://www.skype.com/en/insider/

it is also available as a snap, Skype download page links to it
https://www.skype.com/en/insider/