driver for usb webcam for skype (solved)

[kapil]

i have a usb webcam manufactured by intex company of india.
they have provided a cd with webcam.. but it has driver only for windows 98,xp etc.
is there any way i can make usb webcam workable?

[Rog131]

Re: driver for usb webcam

Plug in your webcam and run the command (konsole):

lsusb

With the output you could find more information - is it supported - how to enable - etc...

[kapil]

Re: driver for usb webcam

ok.. i ran lsusb.. this is the output

Bus 002 Device 005: ID 093a:2468 Pixart Imaging, Inc. Cammaestro 2.5DU/X-EYE/Orite SC-120/ICGear TravelCam/Easy Snap Snake Eye Webcam
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 03f0:171d Hewlett-Packard Wireless (Bluetooth + WLAN) Interface [Integrated Module]
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

following is the output of: lsmod | grep video

videodev        43360 1 gspca_main
v4l1_compat      16804 1 videodev
v4l2_compat_ioctl32  13344 1 videodev
video         23612 0
output         3680 1 video

i installed camorama.. but it says

unable to capture image

and shows haphazard lines in the video box..

any suggestions?

[kapil]

Re: driver for usb webcam

i did lots of digging.. came across good blog by shantanugoel:
http://tech.shantanugoel.com/2008/05...in-ubuntu.html
but even that does not work...

following is the output of dmesg

[  57.790088] usb 2-3: new full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 3
[  58.018294] usb 2-3: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[  58.170292] Linux video capture interface: v2.00
[  58.192312] gspca: main v2.6.0 registered
[  58.194231] gspca: probing 093a:2468
[  58.210231] pac207: Pixart Sensor ID 0x27 Chips ID 0x00
[  58.210236] pac207: Pixart PAC207BCA Image Processor and Control Chip detected (vid/pid 0x093A:0x2468)
[  58.220831] gspca: probe ok
[  58.220885] usbcore: registered new interface driver pac207
[  58.220888] pac207: registered

looks like the device is registered but it refuses to work with camorama/skype...

[The Liquidator]

Re: driver for usb webcam

This might help (or it might not...)

On my wifes netbook, it was necessary for me to install the linux-backports-modules package. Folowing a reboot the webcam just worked.

Your mileage of course may vary.

[GreyGeek]

Re: driver for usb webcam

My webcam wouldn't work until I installed Cheese. After that, it works with all applications which require it. Something was installed with Cheese which my webcam needed in order to work.

[kapil]

Re: driver for usb webcam

WARNING: Do not install linux-backports-modules package if wireless is working well before installing that package..cause after installing linux-bacport-module wireless will stop working.
even drivers are not properly uninstalled later on.. which causes problem in installing drivers again.

when i uninstalled the drivers for broadcom through Hardware Driver module the process got stuck at 30% indefinitely so i closed that.. and now i tried to reinstall driver it gave me error:

SystemError: Failed to fetch http://in.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/...ntu4_amd64.deb Could not resolve 'in.archive.ubuntu.com'

what should i do now.. i am not getting the error also

@Liquidator: does that netbook has inbuilt webcam or usbwebcam?

@GreyGeek: i will install Cheese as soon as my wireless starts working again

[The Liquidator]

Re: driver for usb webcam

Sorry it doesn't appear to have worked and there have been adverse consequences

The netbook has a built in webcam but as it's running UNR Cheese is installed by default so simply having that installed didn't allow it to work.

Have you tried the purge option for the backports module (if using synaptic it's the "remove completely"

The error message you got to me suggests it might be a straightforward connection failure to the server. Assuming you are hard-wired to the internet it could simply be an issue with the server in question. It wouldn't be the first time I have seen that. May I suggest that within synaptic/software sources you switch to the main server option. That might resolve that problem.

[kapil]

Re: driver for usb webcam

@liquidator: bah.. thats fine
and yes.. it was network problem.. i tried sometime later and connection worked properly.

but the problems are seems to be getting worse.
what i am trying to reinstall the driver for wireless using Hardware Drivers utility of kubuntu.
it shows Broadcom STA wireless driver as active.
i mark it for remove. It removes successfully. Then i restart the comp. It again shows Broadcom wireless driver as "actived but not currently in use".
i just want to reinstall the drivers..
anyone

[kapil]

Re: driver for usb webcam

@GreyGeek: hey you were right.. i could use my webcam when i installed Cheese..
though i could not use it with skype. i don't know what does skype require more than that..
but hey atleast i could see a moving images by using my webcam thanks.

i am starting a new thread to deal with my wireless driver problem now..

[GreyGeek]

Re: driver for usb webcam

@GreyGeek: hey you were right.. i could use my webcam when i installed Cheese..
though i could not use it with skype. i don't know what does skype require more than that..
but hey atleast i could see a moving images by using my webcam thanks.

i am starting a new thread to deal with my wireless driver problem now..

Helping each other... isn't that what FOSS is all about?

BTW, since Medibuntu stopped including Skype and users now have to download Skype from the Linux page of the skype website, the new Linux version (2.1.x) includes some nifty stuff. For me, the most important is the "Share my screen" (or part of it). This allows me to see the screen of the person I am trying to help and to watch as he points his mouse and clicks on various options. A real time saver!

The new 2.1.x version has some problems with some Linux kernerls and architectures. The README file includes this note about video problems:

Video

* Sometimes receiving video shows a white square on top-left part of the
window.

* Skype does not work well with newer version of GSPCA Webcams driver (Linux
Kernel >=2.6.27), possible workaround:
- Ubuntu 32 bit: install "libv4l-0" package and launch Skype with:
LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype
- Ubuntu 64 bit: install "lib32v4l-0" package and launch Skype with:
LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib32/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype
- Other distributions might have the same library, but may have a
different path.

You may want to try that. I am running the 2.6.31-17-generic kernel on a 64bit Kubuntu Karmic with the latest updates and Skype video and sound work perfectly.

[kapil]

Re: driver for usb webcam for skype

@GreyGeek: ib32v4l-0 is already newest..kubuntu says.. when i tried to install it..
can you please tell me.. how launch skype with that preload option.

[GreyGeek]

Re: driver for usb webcam for skype

@GreyGeek: ib32v4l-0 is already newest..kubuntu says.. when i tried to install it..
can you please tell me.. how launch skype with that preload option.

Be glad to. First, the 2.1.x version of Skype has problems with kernel versions greater than 2.6.27-, so that is why this fix is necessary. If you have a 32 bit installation then use

locate v4l1compat.so

and make sure it exists on your system. If it does not then install the "libv4l-0" package. Then,
right click on the KGear icon at the left end of the bottom panel and chose "Menu Editor". If you already have a Skype icon in the menu then edit it and change it so that the fourth text entry box on the "General" tab, the one with the "Command:" label in front of it contains:

LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype

instead of just the word skype. Notice that there is a space just before the word skype, but only there. Save the changes to make them permenant.

If you are running the 64bit version of Kubuntu make sure you have the "lib32v4l-0" package installed and modify the "Command:" text entry box to show:

LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib32/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype

instead.

Skype 2.1.x is a nice improvement over 2.0.47.

[kapil]

Re: driver for usb webcam for skype

@GreyGeek: dude.. you totally rock..
i donno from where you digged that solution. but it worked.
thanks 8)