# [SOLVED]Questions about UVC with guvcview and USE variable.

## brent7890

I have the web camera:

 *Quote:*   

> 046d:08cc 	Logitech Quickcam Orbit/Sphere MP (2006 model) 	Logitech 	[1,2]

 

Which is supported in the driver UVC according to this page:

http://www.ideasonboard.org/uvc/#footnote-1

If you notice at the end of where I have my webcam listed, it has a [1,2] at the end of the listing. These numbers state, quoted from the website:

 *Quote:*   

> 1 First and second generation Logitech webcams suffer from firmware bug which make the camera somehow unstable. As the issue is timing-related, the exact impact of the bug on a particular user can't be predicted. If you plan to buy a Logitech webcam, consider getting one of the models not affected by the bug. More information about the issue, including possible workarounds, are available on the QuickCam Team website.
> 
> 2 Starting at version 2.6.22, the Linux kernel includes a USB audio bug fix which triggers a (possibly identical to the above) bug in first and second generation Logitech webcams. See the Linux UVC wiki for a workaround. 

 

For both the QuickCam Team website, and the UVC wiki workaround links are broken. I get "Connection Timed out" and that's the end of that. If it's not worth it, then it's not worth it, let me know if that's what you think and I'll deem the procedure futile.

Command uname -r (Kernel Version)

```
2.6.39-gentoo-r3
```

I enabled all 4l2 and 4vl2 possibilities in the kernel.

I enabled the UVC driver.

My camera is not as of this moment working, but is detected by USB and a red led lights up on the camera indicating there's power.

Command lsusb (Listing USB)

```
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Bus 004 Device 003: ID 046d:08b5 Logitech, Inc. QuickCam Sphere

Bus 005 Device 002: ID 0461:4d0f Primax Electronics, Ltd 

```

I emerged guvcview hoping it would conclude the camera is in working order, but my hopes were dashed when the program wouldn't even open posting an error saying there's no camera during detection. Maybe there's something simple I'm missing.

I'm wondering what USE variable I would need to set if I needed one. What driver would I need to install if I'm supposed to have one? I read that the UVC driver via kernel is pretty much all that's needed. I'd be thankful if someone could give clues to the possibilities of why my camera is not working, or if it cannot work entirely.

One more useful piece of information is that I did have it working on Ubuntu. It was much simpler, since all I had to do was:

```
apt-get install libwebcam

apt-get install guvcview
```

It worked but I couldn't get panning/tilting functionality to work. I tried to install libwebcam through cmake, but it kept looking for paths:

/usr/local/linux/drivers/media-video/video/uvc/

when it should be:

/usr/src/linux/drivers/media-video/video/uvc/

I tried changing it a few different ways, but to no avail. I'd rather do it the Gentoo way if that's possible.

I want to read "The Republic" dialogue by Plato with my brother over the Internet since he lives in Detroit and I live in LA. It would be nice to have a camera to do it with   :Very Happy:  .

Thanks in advance.

----------

## Veldrin

 *brent7890 wrote:*   

> One more useful piece of information is that I did have it working on Ubuntu. It was much simpler, since all I had to do was:
> 
> ```
> apt-get install libwebcam
> 
> ...

 

what about emerge guvcview?

Or what functionality does libwebcam provide?

V.

----------

## brent7890

Hi, Veldrin. Thanks for responding.

I did emerge guvcview. I have the application, but I'm unable to test it since it will not open without a detected webcam. If I try it gives error on this account, and automatically closes. libwebcam is just a library file for guvcview under Ubuntu, I didn't think it would work or was necessary, but I thought I'd give it a try nonetheless. I downloaded a tar version of libwebcam from a directory at fedoraproject.org:

http://pkgs.fedoraproject.org/repo/pkgs/libwebcam/libwebcam-0.2.0.tar.xz/7b65473e9a1b22c3330448011143039d/

Here's a brief explanation of libwebcam in this link:

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libwebcam

This is what it briefly states so you have an idea:

 *Quote:*   

> libwebcam0: Webcam Library
> 
> libwebcam0-dbg: Debug Symbols for the Webcam Library
> 
> libwebcam0-dev: Webcam Library - Development files
> ...

 

I wouldn't mind using another program besides guvcview, I'm not aware of any, but it was in the Gentoo repository:

http://packages.gentoo.org/package/media-video/guvcview

If I remember correctly, in Ubuntu, you needed libwebcam for guvcview to function. I'm sure it was added to create a fairly simple way for users to install drivers for their webcams and work out common bugs relevant to them. I'm not sure if that provided kernel changes for the users, or if Ubuntu enables drivers through something like genkernel during install. Maybe when you connect USB devices, it provides changes through installs via apt-get, but I'm not sure. I know using Ubuntu, I never had to configure or compile a kernel  :Razz: . I know distributions are different in their own way, and in Gentoo the functions for devices/drivers are already provided via kernel (I've never had to download standalone drivers) -- therefore after enabling correct drivers in the kernel:

```
emerge guvcview
```

should completely take care of directing the drivers to their proper places to run the program, but sometimes there's a little more to do. I wish I had another camera to test. If I get one I'll try it and report back the results. Until then, if you've got any ideas, I'm all ears.

Thanks for your response.

There's not much documentation on webcams I've noticed, here's the only one I could find and was following for awhile:

http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Webcam

As far as I can tell, it does not entail any information for programs such as guvcview. With guvcview, I can change the parameters on a webcam -- such as it's resolution, the panning/tilting, inversion, and other such goodies.

Once again, thank you  :Smile:  .

----------

## brent7890

I'm so sorry anyone and everyone, I've thrown us all for a dupe here. It seems that the matter was simple enough afterall, and only a minor mishap sent me swimming in the wrong direction in the sea of driver/kernel configuring. Here's my error:

If you notice in my first post, I posted:

 *Quote:*   

> I have the web camera:
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 046d:08cc Logitech Quickcam Orbit/Sphere MP (2006 model) Logitech [1,2]

 

If you notice my lsusb output:

 *Quote:*   

> Command lsusb (Listing USB)
> 
> Code:
> 
> Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
> ...

 

Let's compare:

What I thought: 046d:08cc Logitech Quickcam Orbit/Sphere MP (2006 model) Logitech [1,2]

Actual lsusb:     Bus 004 Device 003: ID 046d:08b5 Logitech, Inc. QuickCam Sphere

The ID numbers are different: (046d:08cc) (046d:08b5)

Somewhere along the lines, I thought I had a better camera than I actually did, and the mix up occurred   :Laughing:  .

This is my actual device:

```
ID 046d:08b5 Logitech, Inc. QuickCam Sphere
```

Which is supported with the Phillips Camera Driver   :Rolling Eyes:  .

Here's the relative information:

http://www.gratte.net/docs/html/vlc-streaming_webcam.html

Also for the list of drivers under the Philips Camera Driver:

http://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/USB_PWC.html

I modified my kernel and rebuilt it with success. GUVCView now opens displaying the output of my camera device.

Once again, I apologize for the misunderstanding, and am very grateful for another lesson learned.

Thanks.

----------

## Veldrin

Don't worry - this happens to most of us. Just digging in the wrong direction.

I am glad you figured it out. 

V.

----------

