webcam woes

[Thomas Kaiser (ubuntu)]

Duncan Lithgow wrote:
> That's the one. As I understand it I have to (at least) get kernel 
> source and spca5xx so I can compile spca5xx as a module of my kernel. 
> I'm not deep enough into *nix to try that. There are some tutorials on 
> wiki but their not detailed enough for me to understand. Can't I just 
> get a kernel somewhere compiled with that module for me?

I don't know if the module is already precompiled in the Ubuntu 
distribution, but compiling it is not a big deal :-)

You can search in synaptic for it or use "apt-cache search spca5xx" in a 
terminal.

Compiling by yourself:


Open a terminal and run the following commands:

sudo apt-get install build-essential
==>> This will install all you need for compiling

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-yourKernelVersion
==>> This gives you the header files from the kernel which you need to 
compile the module

Change to the folder where you have the source of the spca5xx driver.

make
==>> compiles the module

sudo make install
==>> installes the module

make sure the videodev module is loaded. If not
modprobe videodev
==> This should load the module videodev

modprobe spca5xx
==> This should load the webcam driver

Plug your cam and have fun.

For testing, you can use the spcaview program from the spca5xx homepage 
or any other video4linux software should do it.

Hope this info helps.

Thomas


-- 
http://www.kaiser-linux.li