/dev/videoN node not created for webcam under 12.10

[Francis Lamonde]

Hi,

Under Kubuntu 11.10 everything works perfectly. When my webcam is connected, the node "/dev/video0" gets created and v4l can access it, so that programs like Skype and VLC can see the webcam and use it.

However under 12.10 the node is not created, but the hardware seems perfectly supported.

Here are results of different commands I tried, after connecting the webcam, to compare 11.10 with 12.10:

UNDER 11.10:

frank@oskde64:~$ ls -la /dev/v*
crw------- 1 root root 10, 57 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vboxdrv
crw------- 1 root root 10, 56 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vboxnetctl
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 0 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcs
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 1 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcs1
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 2 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcs2
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 3 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcs3
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 4 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcs4
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 5 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcs5
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 6 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcs6
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 7 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcs7
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 128 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcsa
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 129 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcsa1
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 130 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcsa2
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 131 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcsa3
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 132 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcsa4
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 133 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcsa5
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 134 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcsa6
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 135 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vcsa7
crw------- 1 root root 10, 63 2012-12-30 21:50 /dev/vga_arbiter
crw-rw----+ 1 root video 81, 0 2012-12-30 21:57 /dev/video0

/dev/v4l:
total 0
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 80 2012-12-30 21:57 .
drwxr-xr-x 17 root root 4740 2012-12-30 21:57 ..
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 60 2012-12-30 21:57 by-id
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 60 2012-12-30 21:57 by-path
ls: cannot open directory /dev/vboxusb: Permission denied

frank@oskde64:~$ lsusb
Bus 008 Device 006: ID 041e:400b Creative Technology, Ltd PC-Cam 600

frank@oskde64:~$ lsmod | grep gspca
gspca_sunplus 18434 0
gspca_main 28314 1 gspca_sunplus
videodev 92992 1 gspca_main

UNDER 12.10:

frank@kub64:~$ dmesg
... AT BOOT UP ...
[ 95.980410] gspca_main: v2.14.0 registered
... CONNECTING DEVICE ...
[ 2582.072013] usb 8-1: new full-speed USB device number 6 using uhci_hcd
[ 2582.259126] usb 8-1: New USB device found, idVendor=041e, idProduct=400b
[ 2582.259128] usb 8-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[ 2582.259130] usb 8-1: Product: Creative PC-CAM 600
[ 2582.259132] usb 8-1: Manufacturer: ViewQuest Technologies INC.
[ 2582.262166] gspca_main: sunplus-2.14.0 probing 041e:400b
[ 2583.095638] usb 8-1: usbfs: interface 0 claimed by usbfs while
'gvfs-gphoto2-vo' sets config #1
[ 2583.313134] usb 8-1: usbfs: process 2762 (gvfs-gphoto2-vo) did not claim
interface 1 before use

frank@kub64:~$ ls -la /dev/v*
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 0 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcs
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 1 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcs1
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 2 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcs2
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 3 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcs3
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 4 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcs4
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 5 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcs5
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 6 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcs6
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 7 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcs7
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 128 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcsa
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 129 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcsa1
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 130 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcsa2
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 131 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcsa3
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 132 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcsa4
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 133 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcsa5
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 134 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcsa6
crw-rw---- 1 root tty 7, 135 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vcsa7
crw------- 1 root root 10, 63 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vga_arbiter
crw------T 1 root root 10, 238 Dec 31 08:48 /dev/vhost-net

frank@kub64:~$ lsmod | grep gspca
gspca_sunplus 18360 0
gspca_main 28322 1 gspca_sunplus
videodev 120309 1 gspca_main

frank@kub64:~$ lsusb
Bus 008 Device 002: ID 041e:400b Creative Technology, Ltd PC-Cam 600

frank@kub64:~$ lsusb -v

Bus 008 Device 006: ID 041e:400b Creative Technology, Ltd PC-Cam 600
Device Descriptor:
  bLength 18
  bDescriptorType 1
  bcdUSB 1.10
  bDeviceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
  bDeviceSubClass 255 Vendor Specific Subclass
  bDeviceProtocol 255 Vendor Specific Protocol
  bMaxPacketSize0 8
  idVendor 0x041e Creative Technology, Ltd
  idProduct 0x400b PC-Cam 600
  bcdDevice 1.00
  iManufacturer 1 ViewQuest Technologies INC.
  iProduct 2 Creative PC-CAM 600
  iSerial 0
  bNumConfigurations 1
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength 9
    bDescriptorType 2
    wTotalLength 167
    bNumInterfaces 2
    bConfigurationValue 1
    iConfiguration 0
    bmAttributes 0x80
      (Bus Powered)
    MaxPower 500mA
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength 9
      bDescriptorType 4
      bInterfaceNumber 0
      bAlternateSetting 0
      bNumEndpoints 1
      bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass 0
      bInterfaceProtocol 0
      iInterface 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes 1
          Transfer Type Isochronous
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0000 1x 0 bytes
        bInterval 1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength 9
      bDescriptorType 4
      bInterfaceNumber 0
      bAlternateSetting 1
      bNumEndpoints 1
      bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass 0
      bInterfaceProtocol 0
      iInterface 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes 1
          Transfer Type Isochronous
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0080 1x 128 bytes
        bInterval 1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength 9
      bDescriptorType 4
      bInterfaceNumber 0
      bAlternateSetting 2
      bNumEndpoints 1
      bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass 0
      bInterfaceProtocol 0
      iInterface 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes 1
          Transfer Type Isochronous
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0180 1x 384 bytes
        bInterval 1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength 9
      bDescriptorType 4
      bInterfaceNumber 0
      bAlternateSetting 3
      bNumEndpoints 1
      bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass 0
      bInterfaceProtocol 0
      iInterface 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes 1
          Transfer Type Isochronous
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
        bInterval 1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength 9
      bDescriptorType 4
      bInterfaceNumber 0
      bAlternateSetting 4
      bNumEndpoints 1
      bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass 0
      bInterfaceProtocol 0
      iInterface 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes 1
          Transfer Type Isochronous
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0280 1x 640 bytes
        bInterval 1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength 9
      bDescriptorType 4
      bInterfaceNumber 0
      bAlternateSetting 5
      bNumEndpoints 1
      bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass 0
      bInterfaceProtocol 0
      iInterface 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes 1
          Transfer Type Isochronous
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0300 1x 768 bytes
        bInterval 1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength 9
      bDescriptorType 4
      bInterfaceNumber 0
      bAlternateSetting 6
      bNumEndpoints 1
      bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass 0
      bInterfaceProtocol 0
      iInterface 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes 1
          Transfer Type Isochronous
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0380 1x 896 bytes
        bInterval 1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength 9
      bDescriptorType 4
      bInterfaceNumber 0
      bAlternateSetting 7
      bNumEndpoints 1
      bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass 0
      bInterfaceProtocol 0
      iInterface 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
        bmAttributes 1
          Transfer Type Isochronous
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x03ff 1x 1023 bytes
        bInterval 1
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength 9
      bDescriptorType 4
      bInterfaceNumber 1
      bAlternateSetting 0
      bNumEndpoints 3
      bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass 0
      bInterfaceProtocol 0
      iInterface 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x82 EP 2 IN
        bmAttributes 2
          Transfer Type Bulk
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0040 1x 64 bytes
        bInterval 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x03 EP 3 OUT
        bmAttributes 2
          Transfer Type Bulk
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0040 1x 64 bytes
        bInterval 0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength 7
        bDescriptorType 5
        bEndpointAddress 0x84 EP 4 IN
        bmAttributes 3
          Transfer Type Interrupt
          Synch Type None
          Usage Type Data
        wMaxPacketSize 0x0002 1x 2 bytes
        bInterval 8
Device Status: 0x0000
  (Bus Powered)

Additional info:
Packages "libv4l-0" and "libmimic" are installed.

I did try the TEST function in the DIGITAL CAMERA settings of KDE System Settings. Test was successful as per the dialog window. I can see the name of the device in the setting, all looks ok in there.

I tried manually creating the node and assigning my user to "video" group:
sudo mknod /dev/video0 c 81 0
sudo chmod 666 /dev/video0
sudo chgrp video /dev/video0
sudo ln -s /dev/video0 /dev/video

Skype is still unable to see the webcam and VLC still fails opening the node /dev/video0.

Also this seems to be a common problem as I can see a lot of info on the web, however everything I read did not help and for many of the threads I read, they ended up unresolved.

Thank you for helping.

[Francis Lamonde (frankebay99)]

Closing this bug (only valid option is "invalid") as 8 years later things have changed.