Trying to get a camera to work on Ubuntu/Skype
 

I had posted a question a couple of weeks ago on this question, and it listed all the commands, lists, and programs that I installed, but I can't find that post, or all those details I put anywhere on this forum. So, I don't have all the details now.

I do have wine
I did buy a webcam that was said to work "out of the box" Logitech quickcam plus - which shows in cheese (but only in very dark shadows), but it at least says there is camera - I have 8 other web cams I have tried - no luck, and none in skype. *skype sound works ok*

I have crossover
Installed EasyGspca and EasyCam2 (which stays in my accessories folder even though they are the install files) -

In the original post which I can't find in this web site, had all the commands I tried from another post 0

So, I have gotten everything to work like a charm - EXCept a cam to work.

Please help. I hope I don't lose this post also.

What does wine have to do with this? There is a linux version for skype.

I wanted to make sure anyone replying would have all the information, and everything I had installed. I have skype for Ubuntu, but, I am at so much a loss to get any cameras to work, I wanted to give as much information as possible.

I am using Ubuntu 9.04 - the Jaunty Jackalope. Sorry this was not in the original post.

Does Skype even list your camera in the drop-down-menu in the video section of the settings window?

The QuickCam Express Plus will list (it is the only one that does) but it is all static. No picture. Cheese shows a picture but extremely dark (even when pointed outside in the bright sunlight) - the camera works fine on another computer with xp.

Let's be a bit more systematic. Do the following:

1. Open a root shell and type:

2. Unplug and replug the camera (your post doesn't say but I assume it's a USB camera).

3. See what the messages log shows -- which driver is activated? Any error messages?

4. One possible remedy is to move the camera's attachment point to a USB port that is integral the computer, rather than on a USB extension box (unless this is already true).

We'll know more once these steps are taken.

yes, it is plugged into a main usb port.
This was the result;

any@Ubuntu:~$ tail -f /var/log/messages
Sep 16 11:46:46 Ubuntu kernel: [78753.688881] gspca: probing 046d:092f
Sep 16 11:46:46 Ubuntu kernel: [78753.749082] gspca: probe ok
Sep 16 11:46:46 Ubuntu kernel: [78753.749127] usbcore: registered new interface driver spca561
Sep 16 11:46:46 Ubuntu kernel: [78753.749134] spca561: registered
Sep 16 11:46:57 Ubuntu kernel: [78764.720137] usb 2-2: USB disconnect, address 7
Sep 16 11:46:57 Ubuntu kernel: [78764.723865] gspca: disconnect complete
Sep 16 11:47:39 Ubuntu kernel: [78806.100090] usb 2-2: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 8
Sep 16 11:47:39 Ubuntu kernel: [78806.335555] usb 2-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Sep 16 11:47:39 Ubuntu kernel: [78806.338338] gspca: probing 046d:092f
Sep 16 11:47:39 Ubuntu kernel: [78806.408642] gspca: probe ok

All the camera shows in Skype is static lines. no picture. Like looking at a tv after the station has gone off the air.

In Cheese, the picture is there but very VERY dark. I can't seem to find any way of adjusting the camera, or getting it to work in Skype.

That's not so great -- it didn't get a device assignment (or your messages log extract isn't complete). In fact, this log entry is typical for a device that isn't well-supported.

I did a Google search:

Google: spca561 skype

And it seems lots of people are having trouble with this camera and Skype. Maybe if you read some of the the articles thie above Google link lists you will come up with something.

I am reading the posts - and I have no clue. No one seems to give clear commands (what to type) or what site to go to, its like try this lsusb | grep QuickCam - and I type that then I get the same line he got in his post (which is just a read of the properties) Bus 002 Device 002: ID 046d:092f Logitech, Inc. QuickCam Express Plus. Then the post said it was fixed. Nothing is fixed ..

Well, I just don't understand. I bought this cam just because (I have 7 others)it was supposed to work.
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/HardwareSupp...amerasLogitech - said this camera would work "out of the box"

I had read post after post, and I am forgetting what I tried and didn't try.

So, I am to believe that Ubuntu w/Skype can not handle a webcam? I have been trying, reading posts, command lines suggestions, and downloads for over 2 weeks.

Post said:
with the hotfix https://edge.launchpad.net/~stemp/+archive/ppa my cam logitec works well,

I go to the site https://edge.launchpad.net/~stemp/+archive/ppa

and I have no idea which thing to download - there are dozens there - none say hotfix, I feel like a mongoloid at an Einstein Festival.

found and downloaded libc4l 0.1.tar.gz
extracted it to documents (don't know where to put these things)
In the file there was an install - it said:

To compile simply type "make" after that you can find the compiled libraries
and wrappers under the lib dir, public headers are under the include dir.

Sorry no make install target for now.

So, I clicked on makefile: it said :
CC = gcc
CFLAGS = -g -Wall -Iinclude
LDFLAGS = -shared -Llib
CONVERT_OBJS = $(addprefix libv4lconvert/,libv4lconvert.o tinyjpeg.o \
jidctflt.o spca561-decompress.o rgbyuv.o spca501.o \
bayer.o)
CONVERT_LIB = libv4lconvert.so.0
V4L1_OBJS = $(addprefix libv4l1/,libv4l1.o log.o)
V4L1_LIB = libv4l1.so.0
V4L1COMPAT = v4l1compat.so
V4L1COMPAT_O = $(addprefix libv4l1/,v4l1compat.o)
V4L2_OBJS = $(addprefix libv4l2/,libv4l2.o log.o)
V4L2_LIB = libv4l2.so.0
V4L2CONVERT = v4l2convert.so
V4L2CONVERT_O = $(addprefix libv4l2/,v4l2convert.o)
TARGETS = lib/$(CONVERT_LIB) lib/$(V4L1_LIB) lib/$(V4L2_LIB) \
lib/$(V4L1COMPAT) lib/$(V4L2CONVERT)

all: $(TARGETS)

So, I pasted it into my terminal

any@Ubuntu:~$ CC = gcc
bash: CC: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$ CFLAGS = -g -Wall -Iinclude
bash: CFLAGS: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$ LDFLAGS = -shared -Llib
bash: LDFLAGS: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$ CONVERT_OBJS = $(addprefix libv4lconvert/,libv4lconvert.o tinyjpeg.o \
> jidctflt.o spca561-decompress.o rgbyuv.o spca501.o \
> bayer.o)
bash: addprefix: command not found
bash: CONVERT_OBJS: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$ CONVERT_LIB = libv4lconvert.so.0
bash: CONVERT_LIB: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$ V4L1_OBJS = $(addprefix libv4l1/,libv4l1.o log.o)
bash: addprefix: command not found
bash: V4L1_OBJS: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$ V4L1_LIB = libv4l1.so.0
bash: V4L1_LIB: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$ V4L1COMPAT = v4l1compat.so
bash: V4L1COMPAT: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$ V4L1COMPAT_O = $(addprefix libv4l1/,v4l1compat.o)
bash: addprefix: command not found
bash: V4L1COMPAT_O: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$ V4L2_OBJS = $(addprefix libv4l2/,libv4l2.o log.o)
bash: addprefix: command not found
bash: V4L2_OBJS: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$ V4L2_LIB = libv4l2.so.0
bash: V4L2_LIB: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$ V4L2CONVERT = v4l2convert.so
bash: V4L2CONVERT: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$ V4L2CONVERT_O = $(addprefix libv4l2/,v4l2convert.o)
bash: addprefix: command not found
bash: V4L2CONVERT_O: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$ TARGETS = lib/$(CONVERT_LIB) lib/$(V4L1_LIB) lib/$(V4L2_LIB) \
> lib/$(V4L1COMPAT) lib/$(V4L2CONVERT)
bash: CONVERT_LIB: command not found
bash: V4L1_LIB: command not found
bash: V4L2_LIB: command not found
bash: V4L1COMPAT: command not found
bash: V4L2CONVERT: command not found
bash: TARGETS: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$
any@Ubuntu:~$ all: $(TARGETS)
bash: TARGETS: command not found
bash: all:: command not found
any@Ubuntu:~$


ok - so that didn't work. how do I install a file that has no install?
Packages couldn't find it either.

I know this makes me sound like an idiot, but I really want to make it work, and I really don't know (as you are already screaming in the background) what I am doing.

ran :

any@Ubuntu:~/Documents/libv4l-0.1$ make # compile
gcc -fpic -g -Wall -Iinclude -o libv4lconvert/libv4lconvert.o -c libv4lconvert/libv4lconvert.c
gcc -fpic -g -Wall -Iinclude -o libv4lconvert/tinyjpeg.o -c libv4lconvert/tinyjpeg.c
gcc -fpic -g -Wall -Iinclude -o libv4lconvert/jidctflt.o -c libv4lconvert/jidctflt.c
gcc -fpic -g -Wall -Iinclude -o libv4lconvert/spca561-decompress.o -c libv4lconvert/spca561-decompress.c
libv4lconvert/spca561-decompress.c: In function ‘v4lconvert_decode_spca561’:
libv4lconvert/spca561-decompress.c:899: warning: passing argument 3 of ‘internal_spca561_decode’ discards qualifiers from pointer target type
gcc -fpic -g -Wall -Iinclude -o libv4lconvert/rgbyuv.o -c libv4lconvert/rgbyuv.c
gcc -fpic -g -Wall -Iinclude -o libv4lconvert/spca501.o -c libv4lconvert/spca501.c
gcc -fpic -g -Wall -Iinclude -o libv4lconvert/bayer.o -c libv4lconvert/bayer.c
gcc -shared -Llib -Wl,-soname,libv4lconvert.so.0 -o lib/libv4lconvert.so.0 libv4lconvert/libv4lconvert.o libv4lconvert/tinyjpeg.o libv4lconvert/jidctflt.o libv4lconvert/spca561-decompress.o libv4lconvert/rgbyuv.o libv4lconvert/spca501.o libv4lconvert/bayer.o
ln -f -s libv4lconvert.so.0 lib/libv4lconvert.so
gcc -fpic -g -Wall -Iinclude -o libv4l1/libv4l1.o -c libv4l1/libv4l1.c
gcc -fpic -g -Wall -Iinclude -o libv4l1/log.o -c libv4l1/log.c
gcc -fpic -g -Wall -Iinclude -o libv4l2/libv4l2.o -c libv4l2/libv4l2.c
gcc -fpic -g -Wall -Iinclude -o libv4l2/log.o -c libv4l2/log.c
gcc -shared -Llib -Wl,-soname,libv4l2.so.0 -o lib/libv4l2.so.0 libv4l2/libv4l2.o libv4l2/log.o lib/libv4lconvert.so.0
ln -f -s libv4l2.so.0 lib/libv4l2.so
gcc -shared -Llib -Wl,-soname,libv4l1.so.0 -o lib/libv4l1.so.0 libv4l1/libv4l1.o libv4l1/log.o lib/libv4l2.so.0
ln -f -s libv4l1.so.0 lib/libv4l1.so
gcc -fpic -g -Wall -Iinclude -o libv4l1/v4l1compat.o -c libv4l1/v4l1compat.c
gcc -shared -Llib -o lib/v4l1compat.so libv4l1/v4l1compat.o lib/libv4l1.so.0
gcc -fpic -g -Wall -Iinclude -o libv4l2/v4l2convert.o -c libv4l2/v4l2convert.c
gcc -shared -Llib -o lib/v4l2convert.so libv4l2/v4l2convert.o lib/libv4l2.so.0
any@Ubuntu:~/Documents/libv4l-0.1$

still no install. why is this so hard?