HOWTO: adding webcam support for skype and adobe flash

odd problem with webcamd_enable="YES"

Hi everyone. So I've come across a strange problem. I'm using Freebsd 9 stable. I've followed the guide and installed the required packages. Here's the issue.

If I put:

Code: 
webcamd_enable="YES"

in /etc/rc.conf, /dev/video0 is not loaded and not listed when I ls /dev, nor does it get picked up by pwcview. BUT

IF I remove the line, and then manually enable webcamd, /dev/video0 IS generated, and I can set permissions and use pwcview/other webcam programs as normal. Any idea why it's doing this? The cam is a logitech C210.
 
Some extra info that might be useful:

when

Code: 
webcamd_enable="YES"

and I try to run it, I get:
Code: 
Webcamd is already running for ugen3.2.0
..yet no /dev/video0
Here's the usbconfig dump_device_desc:
Code: 
ugen3.2: <product 0x0819 vendor 0x046d> at usbus3, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=HIGH (480Mbps) pwr=ON

  bLength = 0x0012 
  bDescriptorType = 0x0001 
  bcdUSB = 0x0200 
  bDeviceClass = 0x00ef 
  bDeviceSubClass = 0x0002 
  bDeviceProtocol = 0x0001 
  bMaxPacketSize0 = 0x0040 
  idVendor = 0x046d 
  idProduct = 0x0819 
  bcdDevice = 0x0010 
  iManufacturer = 0x0000  <no string>
  iProduct = 0x0000  <no string>
  iSerialNumber = 0x0002  <D07EA700>
  bNumConfigurations = 0x0001
 
Do you have
Code: 
cuse4bsd_load="YES"
in /boot/loader.conf?

Also to avoid manually setting permission for video0, edit your /etc/devfs.rules file.
 
bbzz said:
Do you have
Code: 
cuse4bsd_load="YES"
in /boot/loader.conf?

Also to avoid manually setting permission for video0, edit your /etc/devfs.rules file.
Click to expand...

Yes, I do have
Code: 
cuse4bsd_load="YES"
in /boot/loader.conf. I do not think I would be able to manually load webcamd and create /dev/video0 if cuse was not loaded.

As I said it works fine IF:
1. I do not use
Code: 
webcamd_enable="YES"
in /etc/rc.conf
and also
2. manually type
Code: 
webcamd -d ugen3.2 -i 0 -v 0

this creates /dev/video0 and works properly.

But if I enable webcamd in /etc/rc.conf, /dev/video0 is not created.

Also, I already know about /etc/devfs.rules, but it cannot set permissions to /dev/video0 if /dev/video0 is not created/does not exist.
 
Right, sorry.
And if you explicitly add flags in /etc/rc.conf? Along the lines of:

Code: 
webcamd_flags="-d ugen3.2 -B"

Also try all again without -i and -v switch. Yeah, I know, you'd be surprised.
 
ok, so.

tried it with
Code: 
webcmad_enable="YES"
webcamd_flags="-d ugen3.2 -B"

/dev/video0 not created.

tried with
Code: 
webcamd_flags="-d ugen3.2 -B"
only. still /dev/video0 not created

tried via terminal manually:

Code: 
sudo webcamd
Attached ugen3.2[0] to cuse unit 0
Creating /dev/video0

created, but then it hangs.. as in I can't get back to console without pressing ctrl+c. When I installed webcamd I used pkg_add -r webcamd, maybe I should remove it and compile it from ports instead?
 
Thanks for this helpful guide @Aleksey14.

aleksey14 said:
...
in /etc/devfs.rules add lines
Code: 
[system = 10]add path 'video *' mode 0666
Click to expand...

Maybe it's a formatting issue, but I had problems with the spaces. Only
Code: 
[system=10]
add path 'video*' mode 0666
worked for me.


aleksey14 said:
...
Code: 
export LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l2convert.so 
/usr/local/share/skype/skype --resources=/usr/local/share/skype $@
Click to expand...

This part didn't seem to make any difference than when I just ran the skype binary. Is it still necessary?

Thanks again; it's nice to be able to see friends and family who live far away.
 
I haven't used my formerly working generic USB webcam in a few months, but when I plugged it in today and started pwcview I saw a green screen where the video normally would be and the system semi-froze. I say semi- because the colours were slowly changing and every once in awhile the mouse would move or a keystroke would register. But, after about 10 minutes I was forced to hard reboot. I don't think I've used the webcam since upgrading from 8.2 to 8.3, but searching for things like "FreeBSD 8.3 webcam" doesn't turn anything up.

When I plug the webcam in I see:

Code: 
Jun  7 19:06:24 met kernel: ugen3.2: <Image Processor> at usbus3
Jun  7 19:06:24 met root: /usr/local/etc/rc.d/webcamd: WARNING: failed to start webcamd
Jun  7 19:06:24 met root: Unknown USB device: vendor 0x090c product 0x937b bus uhub3

in syslog.

I do see /dev/video0 and I set the permissions to crw-rw-rw-.

Am I missing something?
 
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