video capture and output device API, also driver framework for the Linux kernel, which supports many USB-webcams, TV-tuners, and many other devices.
Video4Linux is closely integrated with the Linux kernel. Video4Linux was named after Video for Windows (sometimes abbreviated V4W
), but is not technically related to it.
V4L had been introduced late into the 2.1.X development cycle of the Linux kernel. V4L1 support was dropped in kernel 2.6.38.
Source: Wikipedia | Modules/v4l2