Microsoft webcam VX3000: poor video (i.e. green screen only)

dgg3ps · July 8, 2010, 12:44pm

Maybe my previous post wasn’t very clear. I shall try again hoping someone has some advice…

My VX3000 webcam seems to be recognized by skype and kopete, however the image is terrible (green screen with some colour-ful dots at the top).

Here is some output that might shed some light on the issue:

This is what I have installed


maja@obsidian:~/peter> rpm -qa | grep gspca
webcam-gspca2-kmp-default-20100603_2.6.31.5_0.1-18.1.i586

maja@obsidian:~/peter> rpm -qa | grep libv4l
libv4l-0.6.1-2.2.i586

maja@obsidian:~/peter> ls -lh /usr/lib/libv4l/
insgesamt 60K
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  18K 24. Okt 2009  ov511-decomp
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  22K 24. Okt 2009  ov518-decomp
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 5,4K 24. Okt 2009  v4l1compat.so
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 5,5K 24. Okt 2009  v4l2convert.so

Which seems to be received well on startup:


maja@obsidian:/usr/share/man> dmesg | tail -30     
...
 8485.232049] usb 2-2: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 3
 8485.390641] usb 2-2: New USB device found, idVendor=045e, idProduct=00f5
 8485.390665] usb 2-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=1, SerialNumber=0
 8485.390676] usb 2-2: Product: USB camera
 8485.390876] usb 2-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
 8485.911999] Linux video capture interface: v2.00
 8485.927575] gspca: main v2.6.0 registered
 8485.932545] gspca: probing 045e:00f5
 8485.939845] sonixj: Sonix chip id: 11
 8485.944243] gspca: probe ok
 8485.944279] gspca: probing 045e:00f5
 8485.944298] gspca: probing 045e:00f5
 8485.944329] usbcore: registered new interface driver sonixj
 8485.944340] sonixj: registered
 8486.114169] usbcore: registered new interface driver snd-usb-audio

However the output at runtime of Kopete might give a hint to the problem:


maja@obsidian:/usr/share/man> LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so kopete
Calling appendChild() on a null node does nothing.                           
Calling appendChild() on a null node does nothing.                           
maja@obsidian:/usr/share/man> Calling appendChild() on a null node does nothing.
VIDIOC_ENUMSTD: Das Argument ist ungültig                                       
VIDIOC_ENUM_FMT: Das Argument ist ungültig                                      
VIDIOC_ENUMSTD: Das Argument ist ungültig                                       
VIDIOC_ENUM_FMT: Das Argument ist ungültig                                      
libv4lconvert: Error decompressing JPEG: fill_nbits error: need 3 more bits     
libv4lconvert: Error decompressing JPEG: fill_nbits error: need 1 more bits     
libv4lconvert: Error decompressing JPEG: fill_nbits error: need 1 more bits     
libv4lconvert: Error decompressing JPEG: fill_nbits error: need 1 more bits     
libv4lconvert: Error decompressing JPEG: fill_nbits error: need 1 more bits     
libv4lconvert: Error decompressing JPEG: fill_nbits error: need 1 more bits     
libv4lconvert: Error decompressing JPEG: fill_nbits error: need 2 more bits

Any advice appreciated. Peter

deano_ferrari · July 8, 2010, 1:08pm

I have only read of suggestions that a kernel upgrade (later web cam driver) may fix this. For example:

Gentoo Forums :: View topic - (Solved)Cheese doesn’t detect lifecam vx-3000

[ubuntu] How to make Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000 work in Ubuntu? [Archive] - Ubuntu Forums](http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-885795.html)

Alternatively, compile and install a later version of the gspca1 driver.

dgg3ps · July 8, 2010, 4:20pm

How risky is a kernel upgrade? I wonder whether I then have to fiddle with the wirelss again…

Are you suggesting to go back from gspca2 to gspca1??

Prexy · July 8, 2010, 9:53pm

My VX 3000 is working ok. I have webcam-gspca2-kmp-default installed. Check to make sure your kernel matches the driver.

I use amsn. In the setup, it shows I am using device v4l2: USB Camera on channel sonixj. Switching to kopete, I see the same things.

I remember that nothing worked until a kernel upgrade. I am now at 2.6.31.12-0.2-default i686. You may have to make that upgrade, but it should be painless. I had a tricky wireless setup that got better after a kernel upgrade.

deano_ferrari · July 8, 2010, 10:50pm

Are you suggesting to go back from gspca2 to gspca1??

Sorry, I meant gspca2.

I remember that nothing worked until a kernel upgrade. I am now at 2.6.31.12-0.2-default i686. You may have to make that upgrade, but it should be painless. I had a tricky wireless setup that got better after a kernel upgrade.

From what I’ve read, I’d follow Prexy’s advice.

To get your current kernel version

uname -r

dgg3ps · July 9, 2010, 11:25am

Thanks for the advice folks. Will give it a try with a kernel upgrade before buying a logitech webcam…
take care.

dgg3ps · July 12, 2010, 10:07am

@ Prexy, do you think this is the right rpm package for the upgrade? I’m running:


uname -r
2.6.31.5-0.1-default

http://download.opensuse.org/update/11.2/rpm/i586/kernel-default-2.6.31.12-0.2.1.i586.rpm

Thanks, Peter

knurpht · July 12, 2010, 11:20am

Run the Online Update. Don’t just install the kernel package.

Yast-Software-Online Update

That should give you the new kernel (and a lot of other package updates). Please be patient and accept all updates. According to other posts on the web, that should solve the webcam matters, and not generate new problems. So, wifi etc should be working like before.

Prexy · July 13, 2010, 3:25am

The kernel update will pull in the packages you need. But, post back after the upgrade and tell us if its working ok. If not, I’m sure it will be an easy fix.

dgg3ps · July 14, 2010, 11:09am

Hi, thanks for your patience. I upgraded the kernel to


> uname -r
2.6.31.12-0.2-default

and the webcam is now working in kopete. For Skype I need to preload v4l1compat and it works:


> LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype

So thanks for that guys. However the microphone of the camera is not yet working, but I will start a new thread for that and I need to collect the information properly first.
Peter

Culture1 · July 19, 2010, 4:08pm

Is this driver available for openSuse 11.3? I bought this very webcam for my brother and decided to test it before sending it off. I luged it and nothing happens, not on OS 11.2 and not on 11.3 Where did you find the driver that you mentioned?

I have a MS LifeCam VX-5000 for myself which works just like that, no driver install nothing. That#s why I bought the VX.3000 for my brother but it turned out to be a bad decision.

Culture1 · July 19, 2010, 4:11pm

I need help to get the cam working by tomorrow so i can tell my brother how to install the driver or whatever.

Culture1 · July 19, 2010, 4:44pm

The preload works for Skype but how can I set this permantly?

Prexy · July 19, 2010, 11:21pm

I just upgraded to 11.3 and I seem to have lost aMSN. However, kopete shows the cam perfectly. I keep a separate /home partition and that sonixj was still listed. I did nothing to “install” this webcam. It just works when I plug it in. I am using gspca2, which is part of the default kernel file list. I can’t find that sonixj file, so I can’t tell you where it came from. If you search on gspca webcams, there is a list of compatible webcams (vx3000 is in it) but I see no way to get it. So, it must be easier than we think.

I can’t find it anywhere. Sorry, I must be missing something.

Culture1 · July 20, 2010, 6:18am

Thanks for your reply. I actually tried it on the Laptop yesterday with OS 11.3 and it works with Kopete but the colours are terrible. i can’t get it to work with Skype, which is the main problem. Somebody suggested a preload thing to use webkam in Skype which actually works but i need to get this preload set permanently. Do you know how to set the preload to start up with Skype?

deano_ferrari · July 20, 2010, 6:58am

You can edit the menu app so that it launches with the options required. Which desktop environment are you using?

For KDE4, you can edit the application menu by right-clicking on the menu and select ‘Menu Editor’. IIRC, browse to the application and then edit the application launch command as required.

dgg3ps · July 21, 2010, 9:42pm

Hi, I have opened a new thread to get some advice on the ongoing problem with the microphone.
@Prexi: How is the microphone in the Skype Options dialogue box called that works for your VX3000?

Peter

Prexy · July 22, 2010, 5:43pm

Sorry. I don’t (yet) use skype, so I can’t answer about the mic. However, in kopete and amsn, it “just works.” Hope you get an answer in the other thread… which is the best thing to do (open a new thread) when there is a shift in the topic. hmmm… as a general rule, I have found that you have to check the speaker icon in the lower right and look at “mixer” to be sure nothing is muted.

Culture1 · July 22, 2010, 8:26pm

Thanks for the great help. It actally worked but the colours wern’t that good. I sent it off to my prother so it’s not my problem anymore
My problem is that my videos are upside down in Skype. I tried it with the command but they are still upside down. Kopete shows them correct but skype is what I use. What can I do? The Laptop is an Asus.

Culture1 · July 22, 2010, 8:39pm

I tried to use the Skype plug-in in Kopete but is’t not connecting even though Sype is running.