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My Blue Eyeball Webcam works for the application cheese out-of-the-box in Ubuntu. Now I would like to use it for Skype for which it does not work. What can I do?

UPDATE3: I had limited time to return the webcam, so I returned it and bought one that was on the list of webcams supported in Skype.

UPDATE2:

On this site: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SkypeWebCams they give the following tips when webcams work in cheese but not skype. I don't understand some, do they look like they would help?

~http://code.google.com/p/gstfakevideo/

Works right away in cheese. To get skype video, run "LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib32/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype" at the command line (NOTE the LIB32!!!)

Skype 2.0.0.72: You should setup ov51x-jpeg (version here: 1.5.8) and "sudo modprobe ov51x-jpeg forceblock=1" or edit /etc/modprobe.d/options and add there "options ov51x-jpeg forceblock=1". Loading ov51x-jpeg without forceblock-option results in a black video stream for skype, while it works fine using "cheese".

works with cheese ootb but not in Skype. works in Skype (2.1.0.47) when setting "LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype"

UPDATE: I have included output of diagnostic programs.

v4l-info

### v4l2 device info [/dev/video0] ###
general info
    VIDIOC_QUERYCAP
    driver                  : "uvcvideo"
    card                    : "Blue Eyeball 2.0"
    bus_info                : "usb-0000:00:1d.7-3"
    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_ENUM_FMT(1,VIDEO_CAPTURE)
    index                   : 1
    type                    : VIDEO_CAPTURE
    flags                   : 1
    description             : "MJPEG"
    pixelformat             : 0x47504a4d [MJPG]
    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       : 614400
    fmt.pix.colorspace      : unknown
    fmt.pix.priv            : 0

controls
    VIDIOC_QUERYCTRL(BASE+0)
    id                      : 9963776
    type                    : INTEGER
    name                    : "Brightness"
    minimum                 : -10
    maximum                 : 10
    step                    : 1
    default_value           : 4
    flags                   : 0
    VIDIOC_QUERYCTRL(BASE+1)
    id                      : 9963777
    type                    : INTEGER
    name                    : "Contrast"
    minimum                 : 0
    maximum                 : 20
    step                    : 1
    default_value           : 12
    flags                   : 0
    VIDIOC_QUERYCTRL(BASE+2)
    id                      : 9963778
    type                    : INTEGER
    name                    : "Saturation"
    minimum                 : 0
    maximum                 : 10
    step                    : 1
    default_value           : 7
    flags                   : 0
    VIDIOC_QUERYCTRL(BASE+3)
    id                      : 9963779
    type                    : INTEGER
    name                    : "Hue"
    minimum                 : -5
    maximum                 : 5
    step                    : 1
    default_value           : 2
    flags                   : 0

### video4linux device info [/dev/video0] ###
general info
    VIDIOCGCAP
    name                    : "Blue Eyeball 2.0"
    type                    : 0x1 [CAPTURE]
    channels                : 1
    audios                  : 0
    maxwidth                : 1600
    maxheight               : 1200
    minwidth                : 48
    minheight               : 32

channels
    VIDIOCGCHAN(0)
    channel                 : 0
    name                    : "Camera 1"
    tuners                  : 0
    flags                   : 0x0 []
    type                    : CAMERA
    norm                    : 0

tuner

audio

picture
    VIDIOCGPICT
    brightness              : 45875
    hue                     : 45875
    colour                  : 45875
    contrast                : 39321
    whiteness               : 38010
    depth                   : 16
    palette                 : YUYV

buffer

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

camorama -D

VIDIOCGCAP
device name = Blue Eyeball 2.0
device type = 1
can use mmap()
# of channels = 1
# of audio devices = 0
max width = 1600
max height = 1200
min width = 48
min height = 32

VIDIOCGWIN
x = 0
y = 0
width = 800
height = 600
chromakey = 0
flags = 0

VIDIOCGWIN
x = 0
y = 0
width = 800
height = 600
chromakey = 0
flags = 0

VIDIOCGPICT:
bright = 45875
hue = 45875
colour = 45875
contrast = 39321
whiteness = 38010
colour depth = 16
YUYV

1 Answer 1

1

See which v4l (video 4 linux) profile your webcam supports; there are two versions; v4l and v4l2.

Skype may only use one profile and the driver only provides the other.

3
  • I have provided more information. Is it informative? I think I have v4l2, what does that mean?
    – D W
    Aug 31, 2010 at 18:41
  • It looks like your camera has both, but Skype doesn't like the interface your driver is presenting. Since Skype is proprietary software you'll have to contact them for support.
    – Broam
    Sep 1, 2010 at 14:48
  • 1
    Hi @Broam this "answer" would likely be better suited as a comment to the poster. It appears you have a reputation greater than 50 points so this function is available to you. You can read more about this in our FAQ Sep 2, 2010 at 0:21

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