I'm pretty sure it's your kernel is lacking something. There is a whole 'video for linux' menu and a host of webcam stuff in the kernel options.

how would i get to the "video for linux" part of kernel options, or kernel options (sorry im a linux newb)

/Making a definite exception to not answering these, and suggesting google.

.1 Download some kernel source (the debian one you are running for least effort) which should be installed in /usr/src/linux-version.
2. cd into the kernel top sopurce dir, & 3. Run
There's video stuff in
power management and ACPI / ACPI dupport
device drivers / multimedia support and the submenus. Look at something like this
http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/...08/kernel.html for a quick once over on how to build. READ the HELP to find out what stuff is. Be determined before you start this. It's not for the faint of heart.

I am not on a laptop. I am using a desktop.
I plugged my USB webcam in and rebooted.

Then ran:
And got this back:
See what you get.

3 years later, issue remains, I can't believe no one came up with a driver solution for the HP True Vision (AVStream) webcam.

I have it integrated with the new HP Spectre X2. It works fine on Windows. The rear camera namely Intel Real Sense camera (R200) works just fine on all distros with kernel greater than 4.2, with a bit of tweak to activate uvcvideo module, but this strange front one is not even listed as a hardware.

I'm pretty sure if Windows can do it, why can't Linux do it? There are more devices coming with the skylake processors, including Microsoft Surface and Surface books, and lots of HP Spectre variance. There should be solution for the camera to help Linux survive on these new gen machines.

The fact That the front Camera is not detected at all means that kernel can't see it. I would start by writing down every bit of information you can get on it from windows. You need make & model, IO port, whatever you can find. It could be driven by the display circuitry or something weird like that.

There was a website on free.fr that hosted a lot of drivers. These days I think they're all in the kernel ( GSPA webcam drivers). It's not usual to build all webcam support. They might offer support. I see you've been instructed on kernel builds. First time, read the help, and don't rush the job, or depend on the new kernel. Add it - don't replace one with the other.

...I have the same problem, an HP pavilion dv6t-7000 with TrueVision HD camera that can't be detected, I'm kinda sad about it

My hp stream 11 has a HP Truevision HD camcorder and it works fine (under debian jessie). Although the lsusb description of it is a bit odd. 0x05c8:0x036e - Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co., LTD (Foxlink). It may not be the same device, but it uses the uvcvideo driver and creates a /dev/video# device. And it's seen by guvcview and other things. You can use uvcdynctrl to list it's extended properties. And v4l2-ctl to manually set the properties. But guvcview lets you click and point through those same settings.

Michel Xhaard:
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/...35-usb-webcams

gspca/spca5xx now obsolete:
http://mxhaard.free.fr/index.html

Drivers:
http://mxhaard.free.fr/spca5xx.html