[linux-uvc-devel] Chicony 04f2:b5a2

[Bruce & Linda Hansen]

Hi,

I'm a low-tech linux user wondering what the chances are of getting my
on-board web cams to work on a couple laptops I recently purchased. The
cameras look to be made by Chicony. The identifying number is 04f2:b5a2.
These laptops are sold only in China, as best I can tell. They are Lenovo
XiaoXin Air 12 machines, fairly new on the market.

They came loaded with Windows Home Chinese edition, but that didn't really
work for me. I wiped the disks and put on Kubuntu 16.04 LTS, which I
believe runs with a 4.4 kernel.

In addition to knowing if this camera is -- or will be -- supported, I'd
also be interested in an educated guess about how long I would need to wait
if the linux driver has not yet been written, but might be on a list to be
written. (I know, it usually isn't good ettiquette to ask software
developers that question, but, well, I need to know!:-))

If what I need to do to have these machines ready for my daughters'
education soon is to run out and buy a usb webcam, it is perfectly
acceptable to tell me that. I will be grateful for the advice, not offended.

Thanks!


Bruce.

[Moritz Barsnick]

Hi Bruce,

Post by Bruce & Linda Hansen
In addition to knowing if this camera is -- or will be -- supported,

So you don't yet know whether it works? The easiest way would be to
bring up a program that uses a video device (not Skype, please!), or to
check for the creation of a video device in the first place. You would
probably check "dmesg | less" for occurences of "video", and check for
devices /dev/video*.

Post by Bruce & Linda Hansen
be interested in an educated guess about how long I would need to
wait if the linux driver has not yet been written, but might be on a
list to be written.

This mailing list is for the UVC driver, which supports a class of
devices conforming to the USB Video standard. If your device is one of
those, but doesn't work, then here is the right place to ask how
someone can help in getting it to work. (Chances are high that it
indeed is a UVC device.)

Post by Bruce & Linda Hansen
I wiped the disks and put on Kubuntu 16.04 LTS, which I believe runs
with a 4.4 kernel.

Seeing is believing:
$ uname -r

If it indeed is a UVC device, you will see an entry in the dmesg output
(or in /var/log/messages) like this:
uvcvideo: Found UVC 1.00 device FOO (04f2:b5a2)
and some additional stuff.

Actually, more precise information is given here:
http://www.ideasonboard.org/uvc/faq/

(But please note that the "supported devices list" isn't up to date,
considering the vast amount of UVC devices which "just work".
http://www.ideasonboard.org/uvc/#devices)

Cheers and good luck,
Moritz

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[Bruce & Linda Hansen]

Hey, thanks for the reply. Most of that stuff I had already checked. I'm
not quite sure what happened, but I found the camera suddenly working.

I think it might be your suggestion that I check the camera with some
program *other than* skype. Skype was what we had tried it on before. (I
know, I know, it's a program that has gone over to the Dark Side. I'm
planning on dumping it from the family computers when I can, but that kids
are needing it for some distance education at the moment. ...) I couldn't
immediately find another program that uses the camera on the bare-bones
Kunbuntu I had loaded, so I downloaded Cheese. Cheese worked, so I knew
there was a driver that worked. Now skype works, too. I'm guessing my
package manager downloaded a dependency that makes it work for skype now
too. Or maybe I was just doing something wrong before that I suddenly,
inexplicably, started doing right. Anyway, I'm happy, and I just wanted to
say thank you before I unsubscribe from the list.

It's been a pleasure doing business with you!

Bruce.