Set up a Webcam with Linux

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 Ubuntu 8.10, but should work for other configurations as well.

Tested webcams

The following webcams have been found working with this tutorial:

• Logitech Quickcam messenger
• Philips Webcam SPC220NC

A general list of working webcams can be found at http://mxhaard.free.fr/spca5xx.html.

Setup with SUSE Linux

This has been tested with SUSE Linux 11 x64 but should work with any SUSE version. To find out what driver you need, call

hwinfo --usb

In case of the Logitech Quickcam Messenger the answer will be 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 install and load the webcam driver like this:

yast -i gspcav-kmp-default
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.

Setup with Ubuntu

This has been tested with Ubuntu 8.10 x32 but should work with any Ubuntu version. Find out the driver activation command of your webcam. For this, first install the software hwinfo:

sudo apt-get install hwinfo

Then call hwinfo:

hwinfo --usb
04: USB 00.2: 0000 Unclassified device
  [Created at usb.122]
  UDI: /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/usb_device_46d_8da_noserial_if2
  Unique ID: 4ajv.vE+cdFBwClB
  Parent ID: k4bc._Mkd+LmXb03
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:11.0/0000:02:00.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.2
  SysFS BusID: 1-1:1.2
  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: gspca_zc3xx is active
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe gspca_zc3xx"
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
  Attached to: #8 (Hub)

Activate the driver:

sudo modprobe gspca_zc3xx

Now you should be able to see the video device:

ls /dev/video*
/dev/video0

How to use it

record video

to capture video streams,

• use the software cheese. It is a gui that allows you to watch and record your camera output at the same time. It stores in a strange format (.ogg), but mplayer can play this.
• use the software mencoder:

mencoder tv:// -tv driver=v4l:width=320:height=240:device=/dev/video0 -nosound -ovc lavc -o myvideo.avi

• or use the software streamer:

streamer -c /dev/video0 -f jpeg -F stereo -o myvideo.avi -t 0:05

IP phoning

• to do IP phoning, use skype.

watch it

• to watch your camera's input, use cheese or 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

• http://en.opensuse.org/Webcam
• http://www.linux.com/feature/126186
• http://ubuntulinuxhelp.com/linux-driver-for-quickcam-usb-cameras-logitech-quickcam-fusion/
• http://www.goldmann.de/webcam-linux_tipp_408.html
• http://wiki.ubuntuusers.de/Webcam