[ubuntu-uk] Webcam with built-in mic to work on Ubuntu?

[Tony Pursell]

On Fri, 2011-02-04 at 10:24 +0000, Gordon Burgess-Parker wrote:
> On 11/01/2011 16:30, Tony Pursell wrote:
> > On Tue, 2011-01-11 at 10:39 +0000, Gordon Burgess-Parker wrote:
> >> On 07/01/11 15:22, Tony Pursell wrote:
> >>> And so does my Logitech C250. Cheap and worked in 10.04 and 10.10.
> >>>
> >> One more question - can you confirm that the microphone works as well as
> >> the camera?
> >>
> > Yes indeed it does - It was an important factor in my decision to buy it
> > as I have never been able to get the mic on my headphones working.  The
> > mic is not always enabled for some reason but I put that down to Ubuntu
> > being a bit fickle. It's easily enabled on the input tab of Sound
> > Preferences.
> >
> > I bought two of them because it wasn't worth paying the carriage on just
> > one.  My wife uses the other one for her Windows Laptop.
> >
> > Tony
> >
> >
> >
> >
> Sorry, one last question - does this webcam function fully in Skype? 
> (I'm asking because Skype in Ubuntu - the beta version - seems to be a 
> bit hit and miss on this...)
> 

Yes it does.  But as you point out, Skype beta is, itself, a bit flaky.
Before I attempt a Skype AV session, I always check:

1) In Sound Preferences, that the webcam is enabled as the Input source
and the input is not muted.

2) That the webcam video works by using Cheese or guvcuview.

This is because Skype gets well and truly knotted if you try and resolve
webcam problems once a Skype AV call has been attempted.  For instance,
it may insist that you have a conference call (which doesn't allow
video).  Of course, if you are not using video, some of these problems
may not affect you.

Sometimes, Ubuntu seems not to have recognised the webcam, which the
tests above will reveal.  It is then usually just necessary to unplug
the camera lead, wait about 20 seconds, plug it back in, wait a few
seconds, and test again.  

Occasionally, I will have to reboot to resolve Skype or Ubuntu problems,
but with Ubuntu's fast boot time, this does not inconvenience too much
the person I have called (usually my brother).

I would emphasise that these are not problems with the webcam. The are
niggling problems with Skype and Ubuntu.  I assume that you would get
them with any webcam. 

I also use the webcam just as a microphone.  For instance, I record
telephone conversations (with telephone switched to speaker phone) and
it is brilliant.  

Tony