Driver for EasyCAP USB video input dongle

[russell.eberhardt]

Trying to get one of these dongles working to copy VHS to DVD before my VHS machine packs up.

The driver for this dongle refered to here http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,85718.0.html has been withdrawn by Sourceforge as a suitable driver is included in the latest kernels.

Can anyone tell me if it is in the 2.6.38.8-pclos3.bfs kernel I'm using?  If so how do I get VLC to recognise it?

Russell.

[russell.eberhardt]

Update:

Sourceforge states that the driver is included and enabled in another distro alot.  Tried running that in Virtualbox and get the same result with VLC so I guess the problem is that I don't know how to use VLC 

Back to PCLinuxOS; Found this window in VLC and guess I need to know the Video device name and the Audio device name.  Any ideas as to where I can find these?


Thanks.

Russell.

[djohnston]

What does dmesg say about the device? Clear the buffer first, then plug the USB device in. Everything in dmesg after that should refer to the capture device.

dmesg -c  (comment - clear the buffer, then insert video dongle)
dmesg     (comment - all output should refer to the device)

[russell.eberhardt]

dmesg output:

[root@localhost ~]# dmesg
usb 7-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 5
usb 7-1: New USB device found, idVendor=05e1, idProduct=0408
usb 7-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
usb 7-1: Product: USB 2.0 Video Capture Controller
usb 7-1: Manufacturer: Syntek Semiconductor
easycap::0easycap_usb_probe: allocated 0xD9120000=peasycap
easycap::0easycap_usb_probe: where     0xD9120014=&peasycap->video_device
easycap::0easycap_usb_probe: and       0xD91201C0=&peasycap->v4l2_device
easycap::0adjust_standard: selected standard: PAL_BGHIN
easycap::0adjust_format: sought:    640x480,UYVY(0x59565955),1=field,0x00=std mask
easycap::0adjust_format: sought:    V4L2_FIELD_NONE
easycap::0adjust_format: actioning: 640x480 PAL_BGHIN_AT_640x480_FMT_UYVY-n
easycap::0adjust_brightness: adjusting brightness to  0x7F
easycap::0adjust_contrast: adjusting contrast to  0x3F
easycap::0adjust_saturation: adjusting saturation to  0x2F
easycap::0adjust_hue: adjusting hue to  0x00
easycap 7-1:1.0: Non-NULL drvdata on register
easycap::0easycap_usb_probe: registered with videodev: 0=minor
easycap::0easycap_usb_probe: hardware is FOUR-CVBS
easycap::0easycap_usb_probe: easysnd attached to minor #0
easycap:: easycap_open: ==========OPEN=========
easycap::0adjust_standard: selected standard: PAL_BGHIN
easycap::0adjust_format: sought:    640x480,UYVY(0x59565955),1=field,0x00=std mask
easycap::0adjust_format: sought:    V4L2_FIELD_NONE
easycap::0adjust_format: actioning: 640x480 PAL_BGHIN_AT_640x480_FMT_UYVY-n
easycap::0adjust_brightness: adjusting brightness to  0x7F
easycap::0adjust_contrast: adjusting contrast to  0x3F
easycap::0adjust_saturation: adjusting saturation to  0x2F
easycap::0adjust_hue: adjusting hue to  0x00
[root@localhost ~]#

It looks as if the driver's working OK but no indication of a name to give VLC.

Russell.

[Just18]

I am not seeing a driver .....  like this output ......

Oops .....  the driver is called easycap    

Use

ls /dev/vid*

to get a list of the attached video devices.
If you have only one then it will be /dev/video0

Try ....

Capture Mode       PVR
Video Device         /dev/video0

If you need to track errors then

Tools - Messages ...  at the bottom of page change Verbosity to 2 and leave it open

[AS]

The "device".... should be called /dev/easycap0 ...

[Just18]

Also you need to determine which actual device you have - if not already done .... so you know you have the correct driver.

http://easycap.blogspot.com/p/devices.html

[AS]

Also you need to determine which actual device you have - if not already done .... so you know you have the correct driver.

http://easycap.blogspot.com/p/devices.html

from post #3

usb 7-1: New USB device found, idVendor=05e1, idProduct=0408

[Just18]

Also you need to determine which actual device you have - if not already done .... so you know you have the correct driver.

http://easycap.blogspot.com/p/devices.html

from post #3

usb 7-1: New USB device found, idVendor=05e1, idProduct=0408

1. Three different devices do have the same device ID:
ID 05e1:0408 Syntek Semiconductor Co., Ltd

with different capabilities it seems ......

[djohnston]

Back to the Open Media window, Capture Device tab: what devices do you see in the pull down menu when you click the Capture mode button?

[russell.eberhardt]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

ls /dev/vid* gives /dev/video0
ls /dev/easy* gives /dev/easysnd1

So this is what I've tried:
Open VLC
Media>Streaming>Capture device
Left capture mode set to Video for Linux 2
Set Video device name to /dev/video0
Set Audio device name to /dev/easysnd1
Clicked "Stream" - it shows source as v4l2:///dev/video0
Set destination to both display locally and go to a file
Clicked "Stream"
Status bar at the bottom of VLC window displays "Streaming"

Result:
No video display
Small file is created of 44 B only.

Tried again using PVR instead of Video for Linux 2
Same result.

Any ideas?

Russell.

[Just18]

IIRC, when I last used my unit, the audio had to be a completely separate stream.

Concentrate on getting video displayed ......  the more useful things can be addressed afterwards.

[@@light hose@@]

Tried running that in Virtualbox and get the same result with VLC so I guess the problem is that I don't know how to use VLC.

[russell.eberhardt]

Given up on this for now.  I have it working under Windoze but the video quality is appalling so I've ordered a (hopefully) better device.  Thanks for everyones help and advice.

Russell.