Monday, August 23, 2010

[update] Skype and MS VX-1000 WebCam

Ok here is the deal, since my last kernel update (2.6.33.6-147.2.4.fc13.x86_64) my webcam (a crappy Microsoft Corp. LifeCam VX-1000, USBID: 045e:00f7) stops working. No video and no microphone.

You have some options:

1. Back to the previous kernel (not a good idea)
2. Buy another camera (this one is really crappy, but an option for either)
3. Buy an extra microphone (I'm not kin of that either)
4. Do the hard work (what I'm going to show here)

[UPDATE] Still necessary for the kernel 2.6.33.8-149.fc13.x86_64
A.The Video

First of all to get the video running you need the following library (which you probably already have):
#---
yum -y install \
libv4l
#---


The creates a Skype start-up script:
#---
cat > ~/bin/skype-vl41compat.sh < __END__
export LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so
/usr/bin/skype
__END__
#---

NOTE if you have a x86_64 it is the SAME script (the lib64 version does NOT work)

Changes the shortcut for Skype to: $HOME/bin/skype-vl41compat.sh. Now just check it out on Skype by testing the camera.

As an alternative you can follow the instructions here: http://dougsland.livejournal.com/107373.html (Very nicely done with screenshots and all).

[UPDATE] for kernel 2.6.33.8-149.fc13.x86_64 you do NOT need to recompile the audio driver
B. The Audio (Microphone)

Here is the tricky part, you need to compile the patched driver.
Get the latest driver from http://linuxtv.org/hg/~hgoede/gspca/ and compile it:

#---
wget http://linuxtv.org/hg/~hgoede/gspca/archive/tip.tar.gz
tar -vxzf tip.tar.gz -C /tmp
cd /tmp/`tar -vtzf tip.tar.gz | grep INSTALL | sed -e 's/.*\(gspca-.*\)INSTALL/\1/'`
make
make install
#---

Restart your box (it has updated the kernel modules) and have fun.

NOTE If the mic does not work you may need to restart the module:
#---
rmmod gspca_sonixj
modprobe gspca_sonixj
#---


References:
http://osdir.com/ml/ubuntu-http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifusers/2009-06/msg00531.html
http://dougsland.livejournal.com/107373.html

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