Logitech Quickcam Zoom - using an old webcam in 2020

[Lysander]

This is an old webcam, purchased in 2003, so it's probably too much to ask for it work in 2020?

When plugged in via USB the green light comes on so there is some life, and hwinfo gives

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0: USB 00.1: 10f00 Camera
  [Created at usb.122]
  Unique ID: dOTr.hnwOc5TqMLB
  Parent ID: k4bc.MxUuepIFPaE
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.1
  SysFS BusID: 1-1:1.1
  Hardware Class: camera
  Model: "Logitech QuickCam Zoom"
  Hotplug: USB
  Vendor: usb 0x046d "Logitech, Inc."
  Device: usb 0x08b4 "QuickCam Zoom"
  Revision: "0.03"
  Driver: "snd-usb-audio"
  Driver Modules: "snd_usb_audio"
  Speed: 12 Mbps
  Module Alias: "usb:v046Dp08B4d0003dc00dsc00dp00ic01isc01ip00in01"
  Driver Info #0:
    Driver Status: pwc is active
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe pwc"
  Driver Info #1:
    Driver Status: snd_usb_audio is active
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe snd_usb_audio"
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
  Attached to: #64 (Hub)

However, when using Cheese or guvcview I just get a notification that no device is detected. Is it possible to get this thing working in Debian 10 or should I buy something more modern?

[LE_746F6D617A7A69]

Your webcam is officially supported by the pwc driver, but see this:

Logitech QuickCam Zoom (On some webcam likes Quickcam Zoom Silver (usb product ID: 046d:08b4), you need to set module option: power_save=1 )

Reference:
http://lavrsen.dk/foswiki/bin/view/PWC/ ... amsWithPWC

[oswaldkelso]

Looks like it needs the philips webcam driver. it's looks like it's been dropped

https://www.lavrsen.dk/foswiki/bin/view ... ernel2dot6
https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/04/ ... ra-support
https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/ ... ilips.html
https://www.mallxs.nl/Hardware/logitech/

[LE_746F6D617A7A69]

@ oswaldkelso: I'm assuming that the driver is already installed, see this:

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Driver Info #0:
    Driver Status: pwc is active
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe pwc"

[Lysander]

Thank you very much, both of you:

Your webcam is officially supported by the pwc driver, but see this:

Logitech QuickCam Zoom (On some webcam likes Quickcam Zoom Silver (usb product ID: 046d:08b4), you need to set module option: power_save=1 )

Reference:
http://lavrsen.dk/foswiki/bin/view/PWC/ ... amsWithPWC

This is the first time I've added a module option to the kernel, will have to read up on how to do this.

[Head_on_a_Stick]

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ke ... le_options

[Lysander]

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ke ... le_options

Thanks HoaS, so I presume it's just

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#modprobe pwc power_save=1

Though I am still not getting any visuals from the camera in guvcview or Cheese.

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pwc --version
whereis pwc
find pwc

All come back with nothing.

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lysander@psychopig-xxxvii:~$ dpkg -s pwc
dpkg-query: package 'pwc' is not installed and no information is available
Use dpkg --info (= dpkg-deb --info) to examine archive files.

[Head_on_a_Stick]

so I presume it's just

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#modprobe pwc power_save=1

Only if the module wasn't loaded beforehand.

Check the actual value by examining the content of /sys/module/pwc/parameters/power_save

[Lysander]

so I presume it's just

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#modprobe pwc power_save=1

Only if the module wasn't loaded beforehand.

Check the actual value by examining the content of /sys/module/pwc/parameters/power_save

Ah, so it IS there!

version =10.0.15 apparently.

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lysander@psychopig-xxxvii:~$ cat /sys/module/pwc/parameters/power_save
-1

[Lysander]

So I am 50% of the way there - I can record audio but no video. I am kind of at a lost of what to do next. Does anyone have any ideas?

pwc is loaded properly

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lysander@psychopig-xxxvii:~$ cat /sys/module/pwc/parameters/power_save
1

[LE_746F6D617A7A69]

What is the dmesg showing after modprobe-ing the pwc module?

[oswaldkelso]

I would also try something other than cheese to try narrow down the issue.

ffmpeg or mpv

https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Capture/Webcam

Like wise try something like setpwc to see if it gives a clue

It only in the archives if you want to try a deb
http://ftp.ticklers.org/debian-archive/ ... /s/setpwc/

newer version here but no deb
https://www.vanheusden.com/setpwc/