How to compile Webcam Drivers gspca for Puppy 2.17?

[muggins]

do you have a link to any driver that supports this device? also, if you type uname -r, what's the result?

[edoc]

sh-3.00# uname -r
2.6.18.1

This site lists two ViMicro Web cams as supported in Linux:
http://www.linuxtv.org/v4lwiki/index.php/Webcams

Quote:
spca5xx * Supports webcams based on Sunplus Sonix Transvision Z-star/Vimicro chips

# zc0301 -- included in the kerne * Supports Z-Start/Vimicro ZC0301-based USB cameras

I am not certain if either is the same chipset as mine.

[muggins]

well you could try modprobe zc0301, to see if that works with the webcam. if it doesn't, then you can remove the module with:

modprobe -r zc0301

apart from that i'm not sure what driver you can try, as it seems that it's not supported by gspca.

[edoc]

Tried that, nada.

Interestingly, xawtv was already installed in TEENpup but I did not know that so I
installed it a second time. Both desktop icons, the original TEENpup default labeled
simply "TV" and the one I installed "xawtv", are unresponsive.

[muggins]

doc,

when you say that modprobe -r zc0301 did nothing, did you check that the driver was/wasn't recognised by usbview? as if you're relying on xawtv as your guideline, that might be a different problem.

[edoc]

I, unfortunately, observed no change to USBview. My USB webcam hardware data is
read and displayed but the device is still highlighted in red. I saw nothing related to the
driver.

[tempestuous]

Let's clarify some of this information.
vabene06's gspca module packages earlier in this thread support ONLY Puppy 2.17 with the 2.6.21.5 kernel.
vabene06, you should indicate the kernel version in the name of the package when you provide these.

sh-3.00# uname -r
2.6.18.1

That would be a Puppy version between 2.12 and 2.16. vabene06's drivers won't work there.

I now attach the gspca driver compatible with Puppy 3.x and 4.0 (kernel 2.6.21.7).
This package installs the module in the correct location: /lib/modules/2.6.21.7/kernel/drivers/usb/media/
and a post-install script runs "depmod" so the new module can be located.

I also modified the gspca source code so the driver will recognise the device ID: 0ac8 0323, as identified by edoc, which regardless of any rebranding, is actually a Vimicro product.

EDIT Nov 7 2007
gspca driver now attached for Puppy versions 2.12-2.16 (kernel 2.6.18.1)

sh-3.00# xawtv -noxv
...
can't open /dev/video0: No such device

This error is because Puppy does not contain the necessary /dev/videoxxx device nodes.
My xawtv-3.95.pet package from here -
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 804#129804
provides the script which will create these device nodes.

By the way, these are exactly the same device nodes required by analogue (but not digital) TV tuner cards.

The webcam drivers for Logitech Quickcam devices are here
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=23456

[edoc]

OK, so if I understood correctly then I did the right thing ...

Note: I am doing this on my TEENpup 2.14 machine.

I downloaded and ran this version of xawtv:

This error is because Puppy does not contain the necessary /dev/videoxxx device nodes.
My xawtv-3.95.pet package from here -
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 804#129804
provides the script which will create these device nodes.

Then I downloaded and ran this:

gspcav1-20070508-k2.6.21.7.pet

So now I need to close everything and restart X so I can see the new version of
xawtv (I think I have three of them, hope they don't conflict with one another, not
to mention two versions of gspcav).

Will report back if I didn't break everything too badly!

[edoc]

No joy under TEENpup 2.14.

Will try the other machine with Puppy 3.01

[edoc]

Ran both apps, xawtv and gspcav, no joy on the 3.01 machine either.

USBviewer again reads the hardware data but highlights the webcam in red.

xawtv does show up in Multimedia but nothing happens when it is selected.

[tempestuous]

I am doing this on my TEENpup 2.14 machine.

No. Neither vabene06's nor my driver packages support this Puppy version.

In Puppy 3.00 or 3.01 install gspcav1-20070508-k2.6.21.7.pet and my xawtv-3.95.pet
Forget about the menu and USBviewer. Use the commandline.
As the xawtv README explains, first create the device nodes

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MAKEDEV-V4L.sh

Now plug in your webcam and do this

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modprobe gspca
xawtv

[edoc]

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MAKEDEV-V4L.sh

Now plug in your webcam and do this

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modprobe gspca
xawtv

The first command worked fine, but the second failed:

# modprobe gspca
FATAL: Error inserting gspca (/lib/modules/2.6.21.7/kernel/drivers/usb/media/gspca.ko): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)
#

[tempestuous]

OK, in spite of my efforts, it appears the gspca module does not load successfully with your webcam.
But now that you have the correct device nodes set up, maybe go back a step and try the zc0301 module again -

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modprobe zc0301
xawtv

[edoc]

# modprobe zc0301
# xawtv
This is xawtv-3.95, running on Linux/i686 (2.6.21.7)
xinerama 0: 1024x768+0+0
WARNING: Your X-Server has no DGA support.
can't open /dev/video0: No such device
v4l-conf had some trouble, trying to continue anyway
v4l2: open /dev/video0: No such device
v4l2: open /dev/video0: No such device
v4l: open /dev/video0: No such device
no video grabber device available
#

[tempestuous]

I was assuming that you would be trying on the same Puppy 3.x installation that you were using earlier, so the /dev/videoxx device nodes would still exist.
But if you're trying on a different system, or you're booting a CD with no pupsave file, then obviously those device nodes must be created first.

If all requirements are satisfied, it's possible to have xawtv query available devices with this command

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xawtv -hwscan

[edoc]

I am afraid that you are talking over my head.

obviously those device nodes must be created first.

What is "obvious" to someone with your expertise draws a blank stare from me!

I have by now loaded multiple apps and multiple commands and did not understand
most of what each of them did.

Do you have a paint-by-numbers, step-by-step as to what you'd like to see me do on
my 3.01 machine - from the start - please?

I am booting 3.01 from CD and have a Frugal install.

Also, would you like me to use the existing pup_save file or create a new one?

I did most of the prior testing on my TEENpup 2.14 machine and only switched to the
3.01 machine at the end of things.

[tempestuous]

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MAKEDEV-V4L.sh
modprobe zc0301
xawtv

if no success

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xawtv -hwscan

[edoc]

# MAKEDEV-V4L.sh
*** new device names ***
/dev/video0: char 81 0
/dev/video1: char 81 1
/dev/video2: char 81 2
/dev/video3: char 81 3
/dev/radio0: char 81 64
/dev/radio1: char 81 65
/dev/radio2: char 81 66
/dev/radio3: char 81 67
/dev/vtx0: char 81 192
/dev/vtx1: char 81 193
/dev/vtx2: char 81 194
/dev/vtx3: char 81 195
/dev/vbi0: char 81 224
/dev/vbi1: char 81 225
/dev/vbi2: char 81 226
/dev/vbi3: char 81 227
# modprobe zc0301

# xawtv
This is xawtv-3.95, running on Linux/i686 (2.6.21.7)
xinerama 0: 1024x768+0+0
WARNING: Your X-Server has no DGA support.
can't open /dev/video0: No such device
v4l-conf had some trouble, trying to continue anyway
v4l2: open /dev/video0: No such device
v4l2: open /dev/video0: No such device
v4l: open /dev/video0: No such device
no video grabber device available
# xawtv -hwscan
This is xawtv-3.95, running on Linux/i686 (2.6.21.7)
looking for available devices
port 57-57
type : Xvideo, image scaler
name : Intel(R) Video Overlay

#

[edoc]

I am stuck here.

Anyone have suggestions as to what to try next, please?

[tempestuous]

There's a chance that the gspca module failed to load the videodev module it depends on, so the whole process would be -

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MAKEDEV-V4L.sh

For each installation with a pupsave file, that command is needed once only. Then -

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modprobe videodev
modprobe gspca
xawtv