Veo VideoCam

[decatur-linux]

I am running Dapper Drake with a Pentium 4 2.6Mhz CPU. I also have a Veo video webcam that I used to use under Windows.

I am trying to find a FOSS driver or an application that will enable me to use this webcam under Dapper Drake. The Veo website provides drivers for Windows only.

I installed camserv and its related files, since this seemed the obvious choice, but nothing happened. In fact, under System I can't find any suggestion that it even sees my hardware. The webcam is a USB device.

Now, a related subject: I can view the videos on YouTube just fine, but I can't view the videos on Yahoo. I presume that the two sites use a different protocol or video technique, and Dapper supports the former but not the latter? Is that correct? Is there a plugin that I can install to view the videos on Yahoo?

I will appreciate it if you can point me in the right direction as far as my webcam goes; the problem with the Yahoo videos is not as important to me, but it still would be nice to have.

TIA.

[Gezzer]

Re: Veo VideoCam

do you have the mozilla-mplayer plugin installed
it also maybe an idea to install the w32codecs

have you tried setting the webcam up via kopete ...

[decatur-linux]

Re: Veo VideoCam

Thanks, Gezzer. Installing mozilla-mplayer did the trick for Yahoo (and I presume for other video sites as well; I haven't tried others out.)

Where would I find the w32codecs? I know what w32 means, and I know what codecs are, but I can't find anything like that under Adept or Synaptic. Point me in the right direction and I'll install them.

I have not had a chance yet to try setting up the webcam under kopete, but I will try it this afternoon. In fact, until you mentioned it, I didn't know kopete supported video; the menu describes it simply as "Instant Messenger" and I guess I think of that as texting only. I'll give it a try and let you know whether or not I am successful.

Many thanks.

[decatur-linux]

Re: Veo VideoCam

Thanks, Gezzer. I attempted to get my video camera to work under kopete but it didn't recognize the camera at all. I tried it under Windows XP and it still wouldn't work, even though I installed the latest drivers for it. Then I went back to Kubuntu and tried another Veo webcam that I had (an earlier version) and that one worked! So evidently there is something wrong hardware-wise with the first camera.

Now if I could just get Skype to support video in the Linux version! It does support it in the Windows XP version.

[decatur-linux]

Re: Veo VideoCam

Found the w32codecs at http://www.debian-multimedia.org/pool/main/w/w32codecs/. Thanks.

[Gezzer]

Re: Veo VideoCam

i would also install the libxine-extracodecs

also open adept/synaptic and search for mozilla and have a look to see if you require any of the plugins

and did you get the new webcam to work ?...

ps it maybe worth while installing the mozilla-helix-player plugin
(just for the RP codecs that maybe needed) ...

[decatur-linux]

Re: Veo VideoCam

Yesterday I tried the "new" webcam and it worked. Under kopete I was able to see my webcam and play with the webcam controls. I was able to view Yahoo videos and YouTube videos. Then I installed w32codecs.

Today I can do nothing. The application kopete shows no webcam at all. I can no longer play videos at the two web sites above. I uninstalled w32codecs but it made no difference.

I installed libxine-extracodecs. I installed the mozilla-helix-player plugin. When I started helix and tried to go to www.yahoo.com it said that I needed RealPlayer. I downloaded RealPlayer10GOLD.bin, chmod'ed it, and executed it. Helix said that I still needed to download RealPlayer.

The "blue" light on my Veo webcam [USB] comes on but no video under kopete. And this camera is good; I tried it under WinXP and it works fine.

How do I search to see if the system recognizes the webcam? How does one add hardware devices on-the-fly? When I plug in my flash-drive the system recognizes it immediately and makes it available; when I plug in my USB webcam, nothing happens. I usually leave the webcam plugged in so that it will be discovered at boot time.

I'm getting discouraged...I'm fed up with Windows, and I want Linux to replace it fully, but John Doe isn't going to go through all this: he's going to go back to Windows and to h... with open source.

[decatur-linux]

Re: Veo VideoCam

Well, I have learned something about my webcam. It IS being recognized by my Linux box! If I type the following command:
cat /proc/bus/usb/devices
I discovered that the Vendor=0545, the ProdID=8333 Rev= 0.01 and it was sold as a Veo Stingray. Unfortunately, the web page at http://www.linux-usb.org/ibmcam/ indicates that the output is a compressed data stream and the author could not find a driver for it. Does anyone know where I may find a driver for it.

I also entered the following command:
modprobe ibmcam
since support is supposed to be built into the Linux kernel. Here is the reply I got:

WARNING: Error inserting usbvideo (/lib/modules/2.6.15-27-386/kernel/drivers/usb/media/usbvideo.ko): Operation not permitted
FATAL: Error inserting ibmcam (/lib/modules/2.6.15-27-386/kernel/drivers/usb/media/ibmcam.ko): Operation not permitted

Any comments?

Now, going back to the camera I thought had a hardware problem and entering the command above:
cat /proc/bus/usb/devices
I found out that the Vendor=0545ProdID=810a Rev= 5.00
Product=USB IMAGING DEVICE
which indicates that it is a Veo Advanced Connect. Maybe I can resurrect it yet! But I get the same response when I enter the modprobe command above.

Doing a lsmod command I see the following modules that appear to be video related: videodev, video, and usbcore. Of course, I don't know what half of the modules do; I am just going by the names.

Any additional suggestions will be appreciated.

[decatur-linux]

Re: Veo VideoCam

Dummy me! I just realized that I had to run the command sudo modprobe ibmcam! and it worked! I then issued a lsmod and discovered that ibmcam was loaded. Then I ran kopete, configure, devices, and sure enough, my video device was labeled as Veo Stingray 1, the input was TV8532, and the Standard was SECAM. So it now works. Unfortunately, the oter webcam still does not work, But I have video now!

Anyone know when Skype [Linux version] is going to support video?

Thanks to all for your suggestions and help.

[rodneyck]

Re: Veo VideoCam

Wow, I have been trying to get this to work forever and never knew it only took sudo modprobe imbcam to get my veo stingray to work. Thanks!!!

However, under Kopete, it is running but there is a black screen. I tested it under Ekiga (downloaded from synaptic) and I get a picture. I have tried all the videocam adjustments under Kopete, but nothing works.

Is there another multi-messenger program someone could recommend that works with webcams?

[kennethmsmith]

Re: Veo VideoCam

having the same issue... i did the ibmcam thing to see if I could get my veo stingray to work under kopete as well. getting something (black image with lines through it) where before it didn't even pick up a camera at all.

is there a fix to get the camera working fully under kopete?