Re: [gentoo-user] webcam software

[Canek Peláez Valdés]

On Tue, Jan 21, 2014 at 9:30 PM,  <gottlieb@×××.edu> wrote:
> On Sat, Jan 18 2014, Canek Peláez Valdés wrote:
>
>> On Jan 18, 2014 4:02 PM, <gottlieb@×××.edu> wrote:
>>>
>>> My main system is a dell latitude E6430s.   I am embarrassed to say
>>> that, although I have had this system for a while, I just now realized
>>> that it has a build in webcam.  What software do you recommend and what
>>> should I start reading to learn how to use it.
>>
>> To play with it, and of you already use GNOME, I recommend Cheese. It's
>> actually fun to use.
>>
>> For video conferencing, and if you and your interlocutors have already sold
>> your souls to Google, Google Hangouts works remarkably well; I have use it
>> for doing joint research remotely  a couple of times, and it works great.
>>
>> You only need to emerge google-talkplugin.
>>
>> Regards.
>
> Thank you canek (and walt, james, and eroen) but I didn't make clear the
> level of my ignorance.  I have never used a webcam, but I recently
> became a grandfather so figured I should learn.  I must need a driver
> for the camera.  According to lsusb I have
>
> Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0c45:646b Microdia
> (the 400 line verbose output is at the end of this msg).
>
> But I get no hits on google for that number (there are some close)
> gentoo-wiki.info lists several webcams but not mine then ends with
>
>     Other
>
>     If you can't identify the make or model or your webcam, try these
>     drivers:
>
>     media-video/gspcav1: supports many webcams based on various
>     chipsets.  List of supported devices at
>     http://mxhaard.free.fr/spca5xx.html
>
>     media-video/linux-uvc: supports many webcams following the UVC
>     specification. List of supported devices at
>     http://linux-uvc.berlios.de. A specific viewer luvcview is
>     available.
>
> From the list at linux-uvc.berlios.de I see that 0c45 is Sonix
> Technology and the model number closest to mine 6409 is for a
> (different) dell laptop so I am guessing I should try
> media-video/linux-uvc.
>
> But, as I mentioned, I am a complete novice with webcams and wonder if I
> am way off base here.  Is the above the right path to follow?

[Humongous snip]

Ah, you need first the drivers then. Don't bother with out-of-tree
drivers. Try (directly in your kernel) USB_VIDEO_CLASS (a.k.a. UVC),
CONFIG_USB_GSPCA, and if that doesn't work enable all of
CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_*. Mine works only with CONFIG_USB_GSPCA.

After loading the modules, or booting with the new kernel, see if you
have /dev/v4l (it's a dir). Then any modern software (e.g., Cheese or
google-talkplugin) will autodetect the camera.

Regards.
-- 
Canek Peláez Valdés
Posgrado en Ciencia e Ingeniería de la Computación
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México