Usb Video Capture (and Web Cam)

[Just17]

Maybe thorper will post back with some info, as he appears to have the same device ........

[Tony]

Some explanation, and I'll leave you too it.  
That's the first time extracting Audio off a Video in VLC. Was intuitive fluke. I downed a Youtube Video of an Album, it just had the cover, no animation. Thus, I have the Audio, and deleted the.mp4.
Installed PACPL ("Perl Audio Converter")
Excellent, works off of the Right- click context menu with so many formats to choose. Thanks Just17 !
 
Must admit to using my Logitech Webcam in Win for a so much better result with the proprietry drivers just recently. Linux aint been ditched for this Aim, just a work in progress.
Installed Guvcview, haven't tried it as yet.

Why did I ask ? I Make Videos of Live Audio, & Audio/Video. Video on a P4 type Computer is resource deprived maybe. Audacity does Audio via a good quality Mic very well. Myself and my Son do Guitar pieces, Vocals, and upload to Youtube, and Audio to Soundclick.

Outa here, excuse me, best of luck Pussycat and thanks !

[thorper]

Maybe thorper will post back with some info, as he appears to have the same device ........

Unfortunately not because I discovered why my device wasn't working. It is faulty and the device isn't recognised in vista when I plug it in, although there appears to be power to the device. Serves me right for buying cheap imported rubbish.

[Tony]

Maybe thorper will post back with some info, as he appears to have the same device ........

Unfortunately not because I discovered why my device wasn't working. It is faulty and the device isn't recognised in vista when I plug it in, although there appears to be power to the device. Serves me right for buying cheap imported rubbish.

So, you're refering to MS Vista, as 'Cheap imported rubbish', or,... 

So many factors at play, but simply, your cheap Hardware has died. 
Maybe first upgrade from Win 6 (Vista), which was plagued with Compatibility problems, confusion with third party Software/Hardware manufacturers because M$ floundered with sharing info about the new version release, to Win 6.1 (Bugfix = Win 7) and start afresh.

However you obviously have tested the device, and it is a cheap piece of Hardware, which has failed.

[thorper]

Maybe thorper will post back with some info, as he appears to have the same device ........

Unfortunately not because I discovered why my device wasn't working. It is faulty and the device isn't recognised in vista when I plug it in, although there appears to be power to the device. Serves me right for buying cheap imported rubbish.

I'll leave it for you to decide what I meant by cheap rubbish 

[atolboo]

I have an Easycap DC60 and it works without any problems with the command as van be seen here
The driver is already in the kernel.

[Just17]

Pussycat says his device is  ID 1c88:0007 Somagic, Inc.

From what I read from your link it speaks of this device

ID 05e1:0408 Syntek Semiconductor Co.

http://linuxtv.org/wiki/index.php/Stk1160

Are they different devices?  They would appear to be   

[atolboo]

Are they different devices?  They would appear to be   

Found the next information here...

Monday, June 18, 2012

• New driver for Easycaps with somagic chip

     New driver for Easycaps with somagic chip
     This page http://code.google.com/p/easycap-somagic-linux/wiki/GettingStarted is the light at the end of the tunnel for owners of any Somagic - EasyCAP who want to use it with Linux.

[Pussycat]

Hi guys - progress...

But first of all, I've carried out all the (relevant?) instructions in the "GettingStarted" link some time ago in this thread but the problem has being getting it recognised by any capture capable program.

Secondly, after somagic-init the dc60 ID becomes 1c88:003c (which matches the Win driver version).

Thirdly, I'd already found the links suggested by atolboo but they don't help with the somagic version.  It seems there are numerous clones of the easycap each utilising different chip sets.

However, having rested (from this!) for a few days, I've just delved into the man pages to find likely parameters.

This one has provided some success

Code: [Select]

somagic-capture | mplayer -vf yadif,screenshot -demuxer rawvideo -rawvideo "pal:format=uyvy:fps=25" -aspect 4:3 -

Resulting in the following output

Code: [Select]

Creating config file: /root/.mplayer/config
MPlayer 1.1-4.5.2 (C) 2000-2012 MPlayer Team
mplayer: could not connect to socket
mplayer: No such file or directory
Failed to open LIRC support. You will not be able to use your remote control.

Playing -.
Reading from stdin...
rawvideo file format detected.
Load subtitles in ./
Opening video filter: [screenshot]
Opening video filter: [yadif]
==========================================================================
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
Movie-Aspect is 1.33:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
[swscaler @ 0x9a64c70] using unscaled uyvy422 -> yuv420p special converter
VO: [xv] 720x576 => 768x576 Planar YV12  [zoom]
Selected video codec: [rawuyvy] vfm: raw (RAW UYVY)
==========================================================================
Audio: no sound
Starting playback...
V:  76.2 1906/1906  0% 23%  0.0% 0 0
But ... mplayer launches and displays the tv output - hoorah!

Now "all" I have to do is persuade vlc to launch and actually do some capture - and then look for tweeks...

[atolboo]

But ... mplayer launches and displays the tv output - hoorah!

Now "all" I have to do is persuade vlc to launch and actually do some capture - and then look for tweeks...

My very short manual how I do this with my EasyCAP DC60.
Start VLC with

Code: [Select]

vlc -vvv v4l2:///dev/video0:input=0:width=720:height=576:norm=pal to check if it gets a signal.
1. Stop playing with the button "Stop playback"
2. Select Media > Open Capture Device > Video device name =

Code: [Select]

/dev/video0:input=0:width=720:height=576:norm=pal3. Change Play to Convert
4. Select destination file in any_filename.avi
5. Profile > Video - VP80 + Vorbis (Webm)
6. Use 'Start' to start the recording to the destination file.
As I don't see the video and it takes some seconds before the recording starts I monitor the CPU (GKrellM) to see when it's recording.
7. Stop recording with the button "Stop playback"

Maybe this will help in your attempt to record the video.

... It seems there are numerous clones of the easycap each utilising different chip sets.

Maybe they are listed at http://linux.terratec.de/tv_en.html

[Pussycat]

Thanks atolboo.  I'll have a play the next time I'm in PCLos!

But the ideal solution would be if it could be selected as a capture device from within vlc? (Currently only the webcam is - as video0).  Perhaps an edit could be made to a system configuration file?

[Pussycat]

Ok.  So I followed your instructions to the letter (unfortunately my German isn't up to understanding the linked content) but all that achieved was to record from the webcam.  Vlc and guvcview still do not see the EasyCap (dc60 somagic)....

[atolboo]

.... (unfortunately my German isn't up to understanding the linked content)....

This link is in Dutch, my native language.
(google translate can be a big help)

To start recording through VLC you should first find out with which device link

/dev/videox:input=y:width=720:height=576:norm=pal

a picture can be displayed in VLC.
When that's achieved it means that the appropriate driver for the device is installed and (hopefully) fully functional.
It also means that the exact device link is known and the next step is to record the video with the help of my previous short manual .

[Pussycat]

My apologies atolboo - but my Dutch is worse than my German...!

Anyway, I've followed most links and links to links to... (using Google translate where needed).

I was hoping that there would be a config file somewhere that could be edited to automate the init processes.  But as stated previously have followed your instructions as closely as possible.

However, from your last post..

/dev/videox:input=y:width=720:height=576:norm=pal

...what values should I try for x and y - or should I just experiment (the webcam would appear to be video0)?

[atolboo]

You could start with

Code: [Select]

ls /dev | grep videoin a konsole.
This way you can find if there is a (are multiple) video device(s).
This will give you the x number.
When there is (are) no /dev/video? device(s), it doesn't make sense to continue as there are no drivers for the device loaded/installed.
And for the number y, try 0 or 1..

To be tested with

vlc -vvv v4l2:///dev/videox:input=y:width=720:height=576:norm=pal