zmu -d /dev/video0 -q -v output a deal breaker?

[active8]

Hi:

The first time I build ZM, there were no problems other than warnings and dependancies that I dealt with. Then I started getting compile errors, but it's fixed, for now. I'll give you what I have and we can go from there.

System:

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# uname -a
Linux host.domain.tld 2.6.32-279.14.1.el6.x86_64 #1 SMP Tue Nov 6 23:43:09 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

That's the $20 word for CentOS 6.4 with a pretty current kernel I'll list the cam specs (noise) below my signature. It's a GE EasyCam (on the surface) and I only listed the specs that might matter. The video output spec confuses me, as those formats (?) are not available selections in ZM monitor setup. Also, the cam is 24 bit VGA, which ZM should be OK with.

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# zmu -d /dev/video0 -q -v
Error, failed to query crop capabilities /dev/video0: Success

At the same time, the ZM system log page reports:

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2013-05-29 20:00:07.876852	zmu	4959	ERR	Failed to query crop capabilities: Invalid argument	zm_local_camera.cpp	935

The Source column on the ZM monitor page is always red and the Function is always orange, except once when I set it for (IIRC) mocord. Then it went green, but events were triggering over nothing obvious and when I clicked the event and clicked the button to convert the frames (which i don't know where to find on disk) to video (tried AVI and mpeg; the cam's specs claim avi output) I got a coarse static video with no clue that any vid was captured. Also, according to the ZM wiki, the monitor should be a link that I can click to view the cam output. It is never a link.

This time around (reinstalling), my log shows a crash in addition to the 3 warnings, to wit:

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2013-05-28 22:30:24.855400	          zmpkg	        4572	INF	Command: stop	                                                        zmpkg.pl	
2013-05-28 22:29:07.405250	          zmdc  	        4115	ERR	'zmc -d /dev/video0' exited abnormally, exit status 11	zmdc.pl	
2013-05-28 22:29:07.390809	          zmc_dvideo0	4535	INF	Got signal 11 (Segmentation fault), crashing	                zm_signal.cpp	        73
2013-05-28 22:29:07.119771	          zmc_dvideo0	4535	WAR	Saturation control is not suppported	                        zm_local_camera.cpp	1396
2013-05-28 22:29:07.119338	          zmc_dvideo0	4535	WAR	Hue control is not suppported	                                        zm_local_camera.cpp   1338
2013-05-28 22:29:07.119089	          zmc_dvideo0	4535	WAR	Contrast control is not suppported	                                zm_local_camera.cpp	1454
2013-05-28 22:29:07.118437	          zmc_dvideo0	4535	INF	Starting Capture	                                                        zmc.cpp	                191

[not too badly mangled] Back to the shell:

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# ll /dev
...
crw-rw----.  1 root root     10,  57 May 28 22:21 vhost-net
crw-rw-rw-+  1 root video    81,   0 May 28 22:21 video0
crw-rw-rw-.  1 root root      1,   5 May 28 22:21 zero

# lsusb
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 004 Device 007: ID 0c45:600d Microdia TwinkleCam USB camera

OK, this tinkerbell cam does work with camorama and xawTV

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# xawtv -hwscan
This is xawtv-3.103, running on Linux/x86_64 (2.6.32-279.14.1.el6.x86_64)
looking for available devices
port 63-78
    type : Xvideo, image scaler
    name : Radeon Textured Video

/dev/video0: OK                         [ -device /dev/video0 ]
    type : libv4l
    name : USB camera
    flags:  capture

at mxhaard dot free dot fr/spca5xx.html this cam (bearing the GE logo) is listed unde SONIX as

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Chicony 	94 	0x0c45 	0x600d 	TwinkleCam DC2110 	  	sn9c102 	Pas106a 	Yes 	gbrg 	spca5xx

The README from the driver code from the same site lists the cams that are compatible with the drivers. Is this the chipset in the comment on the line below? The vendor and product IDs are the same.

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{USB_DEVICE(0x0c45, 0x600d)},	/* spcaCam@120 */

I had a compile prob with those drivers, but I may have them already:

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# modprobe -l |grep gspca
...
kernel/drivers/media/video/gspca/gspca_sn9c20x.ko
kernel/drivers/media/video/gspca/gspca_sonixb.ko
kernel/drivers/media/video/gspca/gspca_sonixj.ko
kernel/drivers/media/video/gspca/gspca_spca500.ko
kernel/drivers/media/video/gspca/gspca_spca501.ko
kernel/drivers/media/video/gspca/gspca_spca505.ko
kernel/drivers/media/video/gspca/gspca_spca506.ko
kernel/drivers/media/video/gspca/gspca_spca508.ko
kernel/drivers/media/video/gspca/gspca_spca561.ko
kernel/drivers/media/video/gspca/gspca_spca1528.ko
...

Notice 500, 501, 505, ... where the webpage from which I snipped says the driver should be spca5xx? I'm not sure whether the gap in sequentials (from modprobe) is significant.

Perhaps someone could please suggest what I should do next. Part of me says to get a new cam, but I dunno. Any help will be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance.

Mike

Camera specs:

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Video Output CIF(352X288), QVGA(320X240),
                  QCIF(176X144), QQVGA(160X120)

Video Frame Rate Max.    30 fps
Video Data Format          RGB24, I420

File Format
                JPEG (still image)
                AVI (streaming video)

Camera Control Settings      Contrast, Brightness, Saturation,
                                       Sharpness, Exposure

Driver Compliance Video for Windows, WDM, TWAIN

[graphicw]

Make sure you use a resolution supported by the driver. USB cams do not often work at their full marketed resolution in Linux. Do not set resolution higher than CIF or QVGA on this can in zone under.

[active8]

I hadn't. Previously 320x240 gave me a red source and an orange function column on the monitor page. I just tried 160x120 and I still get the crash in zmdc.pl

I've been using Device Format NTSC as the Source in the monitor setup window. There's no other option there that matches the camera specs (like CIF or QVGA)

[graphicw]

What is the error message that you get in the log when zmdc.pl crashes? 320x240 with 24bit color should work. Some USB cams use yuyv format in place of NTSC. Give that a try and see what you end up with.

[active8]

YUYV is not an option in the dropdown and the error message is the one in my OP

so how do I try out this idea of using YUYV?

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2013-05-28 22:29:07.405250             zmdc             4115   ERR   'zmc -d /dev/video0' exited abnormally, exit status 11   zmdc.pl   
2013-05-28 22:29:07.390809             zmc_dvideo0   4535   INF   Got signal 11 (Segmentation fault), crashing                   zm_signal.cpp           73

i think I'll rebuild with degubbing and crash reports enabled.

Too bad the wiki says that make uninstall is the only thing needed to uninstall. I stopped in the middle of building an RPM when I saw that and halfway through the uninstall script, the thing stops and tells me it's deprecated and lists what it would have done were it to still work. Might need to create my own git repo of this code.

[active8]

Hi qraphicw

Oh. You meant "YUYV palette," not "YUYV format. Stumbled on that one in one of the 20 million blogs. Too bad all those blog solutions aren't in one place.

Thanks graphicw! That stopped the crashing, now I can get on with the other probs.

[graphicw]

Yes you are right. I used the wrong wording. Lol Glad you have it working. Most of the USB cams I have encountered only work with yuyv pallet in linux.