USB cameras that are still available to buy that work

[prupert]

Hi there

From reading here:

http://www.zoneminder.com/wiki/index.ph ... d_hardware

It seems that lots of the USB cameras that are natively supported by Linux and thus by ZM are old and can no longer be purchased.

This is not always the case, by chance, I bought a WebCam for use with a Asus WL-500G (a router that has 2 USB ports) and the WebCam works with ZM. It is a Trust Mini Webcam WB-1200p. However, the resolution is lousy and only good for monitoring a room.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with recently available Webcams, that you can still buy online and that will defo work with ZM??

I have three Webcams currently, a wierd Chinese webcam that I bought in China. I had it working with ZM 1.23 on Debian, but I just can't get it to work on ZM 1.24.1 on Ubuntu. zmu sees the camera, but which ever option I choose in console, the LED light for the camera comes on briefly, then it dies and I see this in syslog:

Mar 3 15:28:11 server zmc_dvideo2[21690]: INF [Debug Level = 0, Debug Log = <none>]
Mar 3 15:28:11 server zmc_dvideo2[21690]: INF [Starting Capture]
Mar 3 15:28:12 server zmc_dvideo2[21690]: ERR [Failed to set picture attributes: Invalid argument]
Mar 3 15:28:12 server zmdc[18743]: ERR ['zmc -d /dev/video2' exited abnormally, exit status 255]

I also have a Microsoft Lifecam that uses the uvc drivers, but zmu doesn't even see the camera and I get the same message in syslog:

Mar 3 15:33:01 server zmdc[18743]: INF [Starting pending process, zmc -d /dev/video1]
Mar 3 15:33:01 server zmdc[22358]: INF ['zmc -d /dev/video1' started at 09/03/03 15:33:01]
Mar 3 15:33:01 server zmdc[18743]: INF ['zmc -d /dev/video1' starting at 09/03/03 15:33:01, pid = 22358]
Mar 3 15:33:01 server zmc_dvideo1[22358]: INF [Debug Level = 0, Debug Log = <none>]
Mar 3 15:33:01 server zmc_dvideo1[22358]: INF [Starting Capture]
Mar 3 15:33:01 server zmc_dvideo1[22358]: ERR [Failed to set picture attributes: Invalid argument]
Mar 3 15:33:01 server zmdc[18743]: ERR ['zmc -d /dev/video1' exited abnormally, exit status 255]

Obviously I have the wrong settings for both, but I have tried all the combinations I can think of, and none work.

So, I was just wondering if some people could recommend some USB cameras that you can buy today, that are cheap and that will work with ZM?

Or is USB not the way to go since I see most people talking about capture cards?? But that seems a way more expensive way to me

[zoneminder]

Can you get it working with ffplay or xawtv? Also try v4l-info to see what it is able to do.

I see you are in Bristol in which case you are local to me. I can always try it out for you and see if we can get it working.

[prupert]

The machine is headless, but with a VNC server running, so checking video on it does't always work as VNC doens't like to send video it seems.

xawtv only sees my naff Trust USB camera, not the other to.

I'll have to google v4l-info to work out how to use it and then report back.

Thx for the offer for onsite visit, but I think that is me asking far too much!! I am sure it would be a better learning experience for me to work out it via forums, and way less stress for you

I'll report back with what v4l-info does.

In the meantime, if people have any suggestions, that'd be cool - I'll then update the wiki with the info.

[prupert]

Sorry I put this in the wrong forum btw.


So, after reading some stuff on Ubuntu wiki, I installed EasyCam2 to install the apparently correct drivers.

I then ran v4l-info on the two webcams that I can't get to work. Here is the result:

### v4l2 device info [/dev/video1] ###
general info
VIDIOC_QUERYCAP
driver : "uvcvideo"
card : "Microsoft LifeCam"
bus_info : "0000:00:1d.7"
version : 0.1.0
capabilities : 0x4000001 [VIDEO_CAPTURE,STREAMING]

standards

inputs
VIDIOC_ENUMINPUT(0)
index : 0
name : "Camera 1"
type : CAMERA
audioset : 0
tuner : 0
std : 0x0 []
status : 0x0 []

video capture
VIDIOC_ENUM_FMT(0,VIDEO_CAPTURE)
index : 0
type : VIDEO_CAPTURE
flags : 0
description : "YUV 4:2:2 (YUYV)"
pixelformat : 0x56595559 [YUYV]
VIDIOC_G_FMT(VIDEO_CAPTURE)
type : VIDEO_CAPTURE
fmt.pix.width : 640
fmt.pix.height : 480
fmt.pix.pixelformat : 0x56595559 [YUYV]
fmt.pix.field : NONE
fmt.pix.bytesperline : 1280
fmt.pix.sizeimage : 675840
fmt.pix.colorspace : SRGB
fmt.pix.priv : 0

controls
VIDIOC_QUERYCTRL(BASE+0)
id : 9963776
type : INTEGER
name : "Brightness"
minimum : -64
maximum : 127
step : 1
default_value : 0
flags : 0
VIDIOC_QUERYCTRL(BASE+1)
id : 9963777
type : INTEGER
name : "Contrast"
minimum : 0
maximum : 95
step : 1
default_value : 0
flags : 0
VIDIOC_QUERYCTRL(BASE+2)
id : 9963778
type : INTEGER
name : "Saturation"
minimum : 0
maximum : 150
step : 1
default_value : 0
flags : 0
VIDIOC_QUERYCTRL(BASE+3)
id : 9963779
type : INTEGER
name : "Hue"
minimum : -40
maximum : 40
step : 1
default_value : 0
flags : 0
VIDIOC_QUERYCTRL(PRIVATE_BASE+0)
id : 134217728
type : INTEGER
name : "Backlight Compensation"
minimum : 0
maximum : 1
step : 1
default_value : 0
flags : 0
VIDIOC_QUERYCTRL(PRIVATE_BASE+1)
id : 134217729
type : MENU
name : "Power Line Frequency"
minimum : 0
maximum : 2
step : 1
default_value : 2
flags : 0
VIDIOC_QUERYCTRL(PRIVATE_BASE+2)
id : 134217730
type : INTEGER
name : "Sharpness"
minimum : 0
maximum : 31
step : 1
default_value : 3
flags : 0

### video4linux device info [/dev/video1] ###
general info
VIDIOCGCAP
name : "Microsoft LifeCam"
type : 0x1 [CAPTURE]
channels : 1
audios : 0
maxwidth : 640
maxheight : 480
minwidth : 48
minheight : 32

channels
ioctl VIDIOCGCHAN: Invalid argument

tuner
ioctl VIDIOCGTUNER: Invalid argument

audio
ioctl VIDIOCGAUDIO: Invalid argument

picture
VIDIOCGPICT
brightness : 21959
hue : 32768
colour : 0
contrast : 0
whiteness : 15887
depth : 16
palette : YUYV

buffer
ioctl VIDIOCGFBUF: Invalid argument

window
VIDIOCGWIN
x : 0
y : 0
width : 640
height : 480
chromakey : 0
flags : 0

server@server:~$ v4l-info /dev/video2

### video4linux device info [/dev/video2] ###
general info
VIDIOCGCAP
name : "Z-star Vimicro zc0301p"
type : 0x1 [CAPTURE]
channels : 1
audios : 0
maxwidth : 640
maxheight : 480
minwidth : 160
minheight : 120

channels
VIDIOCGCHAN(0)
channel : 0
name : "ZC301-2"
tuners : 0
flags : 0x0 []
type : CAMERA
norm : 0

tuner
ioctl VIDIOCGTUNER: Invalid argument

audio
ioctl VIDIOCGAUDIO: Invalid argument

picture
VIDIOCGPICT
brightness : 32768
hue : 0
colour : 0
contrast : 32768
whiteness : 0
depth : 24
palette : RGB24

buffer
VIDIOCGFBUF
base : (nil)
height : 0
width : 0
depth : 0
bytesperline : 0

window
VIDIOCGWIN
x : 0
y : 0
width : 320
height : 240
chromakey : 0
flags : 0

server@server:~$

I think my problem is, from all this, I don't know what captuure method, device format or capture pallete to choose. I have moved a little further forward in that the Microsoft Lifecam, which previously was always listed as red in the ZM console is now orange, I just need to work out what settings I need to choose to get it to work

Any advice based on the v4l-info listings?

[newvisionantenna]

If you running your webcams using the standard firmware that came with the WL500 router then you will have horrible quality. You would need the 2.6 kernel of Openwrt installed along with the proper modules and drivers for your camera.

If you are in need of usb Zoneminder camera's, I have a huge box full of them for testing. I have high qualtiy hard to get camers, Phillips, sever version of Logitech, and Creative. I can't give up my Orbit, but if you need anything send me a PM and offer and I'll box you up all the one's that have been fully tested on my 8.04 DVD.

[prupert]

Ohh, srry, there must be some confusion.

I am running Zoneminder on my Fujitsu server, dual core Pentium D 2.0 Ghz. I just mentioned the Asus, since that is what I originally bought the only web cam that currently works on ZM for

Great offer about webcams, I'll send you a PM, cheers.