Webcam not working in Skype

[Waldemar Szostak]

1) Ubuntu version: 12.04 LTS
2) skype 2.2.9.35-1 (64 bit version dowloaded from Skype website)
3) I expected my webcam Logitech Quickcam Messanger 046d:08da to work.
4) .. but it didn't work. In Skype settings after pressing the button Test the small test screen only went black; the webcam diode - which is on when the webcame is operating - did not even blink. However, the webcam does work with the latest empathy and GoogleTalk.

Workaround:
I got it working by installing lib4l compatibility package:
apt-get install libv4l-0:i386
and then by preloading the library prior to launching skype:
LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib//i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so /usr/lib/skype

[Levente Torok (toroklev)]

+1 :)

[Levente Torok (toroklev)]

However, if I am not mistaken the skype version is 2.2.0.35-1.

[papukaija (papukaija)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please answer these questions:

* Is this reproducible outside of Skype?
* If so, what specific steps should we take to recreate this bug?

This will help us to find and resolve the problem.

[papukaija (papukaija)]

Sorry, I didn't notice that it's working outside Skype.

[papukaija (papukaija)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and trying to help make Ubuntu better. However, it seems that you are not using a software package provided by the official Ubuntu repositories. Because of this the Ubuntu project can not support or fix your particular bug. Please report this bug to the provider of the software package. Thanks!

If you are interested in learning more about software repositories and Ubuntu the following pages should be informative:

1. http://www.ubuntu.com/project/about-ubuntu/components - information about Ubuntu repositories
2. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Repositories - information regarding managing repositories

[Waldemar Szostak (wszostak)]

You mean, I installed Skype from Skype's website and therefore you don't care, or you don't care about software like Skype in general?
If the first is the case, then the first package to try was the one that I got installed with Synaptics IIRC. I had the same issue, so I figured I'd try the latest version possible... So if possible, do please have a look there. I know Skype is far from being perfect, but my mom is used to it, so I had no choice :)

[Gianfranco Costamagna (costamagnagianfranco)]

Dear Waldemar the case is the first one.

Skype is a closed binary source relased from skype.com and packaged by canonical.

So basically canonical can't to so much for fixing bugs, it can only fix bugs related from configuration of the program, pre/post installation scripts and so on.

There are so many bugs that cannot fixed downstream by canonical, while others can.

So basically if you wants somebody here help fix the bug you have to provide a bug report when using a canonical skype version to be sure that the ubuntu specific version has this bug (maybe sometimes if you try the upstream version you get a bug while the downstream doesn't trigger the bug at all).

Skype 4 is being packaged by canonical staff right now, I don't know when it will be ready for public release, but I'm pretty sure it will fix your webcam bug.

In the meantime you can download skype 4 from skype.com and try to reproduce the problem. Skype 4 has so many improvements in webcam reconition, so you might get a working skype just by downloading the new version.

[Roberto BUSONERA (rob1967)]

I found all about very interesting, but the solution is very simple... Skype is on /usr/bin so changed it and everything work fine

LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib//i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so /usr/bin/skype