Logitech Quickcam Messenger not working in FC6

[tsorvoja]

Hi,
I'm just wondering that have anybody got Logitech Quickcam Messenger working in FC6? I got it working fine in FC4 with qc-usb-messenger drivers, but now in FC6 there seems to be a kernel configuration error when compiling driver...
Maybe I should try vanilla... ;)

[Finalzone]

No need. There is a repository dedicated to webcam module called drpixel. It is done by one of Fedora contributor from fedora-fr.org. That repository is compatible with Livna repository.

1. Install drpixel-release
using rpm
$ wget http://drpixel.tuxfamily.org/fedora/drpixel-release-1-1.noarch.rpm
$ su -c 'rpm -ivh drpixel-release-1-1.noarch.rpm'
or using yum command
$ wget http://drpixel.tuxfamily.org/fedora/drpixel-release-1-1.noarch.rpm
$ su -c 'yum localinstall drpixel-release-1-1.noarch.rpm'

2. Install the module with that command
yum --enablerepo=drpixel install kmod-gspca
You can also use
yum --enablerepo=drpixel install kmod-usb-qc-messenger

Make sure the repository is disabled by default to prevent issues like replacing core or extras packages like gaim or amsn.

[tsorvoja]

Thanks for the tip Finalzone, but I've already tried drpixel's rpm and it works. Problem is that it installs webcam to use /dev/video0 which is already in use by my tv-card --> tv-card doesn't work. Do you have a solution for this? Is there a way to change load quickcam module first and then bttv? This should solve the overlapping /dev/video/problem...

[tsorvoja]

I got it working! Removed the drpixel's rpm and reinstalled it and /dev/video0-problem was fixed. Thanks for the support, Finalzone!

[Finalzone]

Glad you figured out the problem =)

[tsorvoja]

Sorry, but the problem still exists (after reboot). Now I got quickcam in both /dev/video0 and /dev/video1). I think I'll try to fix the problem in modprobe.conf... Any suggestions for a n00b like me... ;)

[tsorvoja]

Working now. Little tweak in modprobe.conf fixed it...

[elviss]

It doesn't work:

yum --enablerepo=drpixel install pwc

Yum don't find pwc.

[Maxorata]

same problem here. Error message:
Parsing package install arguments
No Match for argument: pwc
Nothing to do

Yum can't find Pwc.

[bitsofme]

Same here but yum --enablerepo=drpixel list | grep drpixel | grep pwc finds

kmod-pwc.i686 042701-1.2.6.18_1.2849 drpixel
kmod-pwc-PAE.i686 042701-1.2.6.18_1.2849 drpixel
kmod-pwc-kdump.i686 042701-1.2.6.18_1.2849 drpixel
kmod-pwc-xen.i686 042701-1.2.6.18_1.2849 drpixel

try kmod-pwc instead of just pwc

Andrew

[Maxorata]

I was able to install it this time. I haven't tested it yet. I just hope that this module works with the AMD ATHLON processors, because I know there's one that only works with Intel processors.
Thanks for your help.

[bitsofme]

I had to edit /etc/modprobe.conf and remove the line
OPTION PWC INDEX=1
before it would work

[trainboy72]

isn't that to be strange though? having the kernel in the program being faulty on driver install? I hope that it's something that isn't getting all too common. :(

[rafemonkey]

wierd,

when I try this I get...

Transaction Check Error: package kernel-2.6.18-1.2849.fc6 is already installed

I've done a recent `yum update` so I'm not sure what's up.

[kuifje00]

Solved already ?

I also had some problems whith the standard driver quickcam-mesenger,
The exposure control is not good enough.
I have installed another driver : qc-usb-messenger-1.6
took it from here : http://home.mag.cx/messenger/
Its working for me :)

[tsorvoja]

Solved? Yes and no. The camera works quite well, but somehow it manages to kill ALSA everytime when its connected to USB during boot... so I'll have to keep it unplugged when not using it..

Actually the driver in http://home.mag.cx/messenger/ is the same driver which drpixel has compiled to rpm.

Well, I'll try to compile the driver as you did.

[tsorvoja]

Solved? Yes and no. Somehow camera manages to kill ALSA during boot, when connected. So, I have to keep it unplugged when not using it.
About the driver you compiled. It is the same driver we are trying to use, but drpixel has already compiled to rpm. I have tried to compile it, but operation fails for unknown reason.

Here's a snitch:
...
I will now try to enable the SysRq key.
If your computer crashes, you can try pressing:
Alt + SysRq + S: Emergency Sync (write everything on hard disk)
Alt + SysRq + U: Unmount all harddisks
Alt + SysRq + B: Reboot system immediately
Press Ctrl+C to quit, Enter to continue --->

Now I finally will try to load the module.
If you're unlucky, your computer might crash right now!!!!
Consider long if you really want to continue.
Press Ctrl+C to quit, Enter to continue --->

You decided to do it, here we go...
=== Leaving root mode ===
The driver detected the following supported cameras:
quickcam [28.191358]: ----------LOADING QUICKCAM MODULE------------
quickcam [28.191368]: struct quickcam size: 4492
usbcore: registered new interface driver quickcam
I will be using , if there are more cameras I'll not test them.
Press Ctrl+C to quit, Enter to continue --->

Testing if is correct.
ls: : No such file or directory
[!] You don't have read/write access to .
On many distributions, you should add yourself into the
"video" group by giving command
adduser root video
and then log in again to be able to access the video.
A quick alternative is just to do
chmod a+rw
WARNING: If you press Enter, I'll try to continue anyway,
but this probably will fail. You SHOULD press Ctrl+C now.
Press Ctrl+C to quit, Enter to continue --->

ls: : No such file or directory
ls: : No such file or directory
[!] major number is .
Usually it should be 81, so there are problems ahead.
WARNING: If you press Enter, I'll try to continue anyway,
but this probably will fail. You SHOULD press Ctrl+C now.
Press Ctrl+C to quit, Enter to continue --->


Right now driver is loaded and should be ready to run.
Let's test if user applications can see it, starting with qcset.
Press Ctrl+C to quit, Enter to continue --->

./qcset: invalid configuration request type
[!] qcset did not found the QuickCam camera
WARNING: If you press Enter, I'll try to continue anyway,
but this probably will fail. You SHOULD press Ctrl+C now.
Press Ctrl+C to quit, Enter to continue --->
....
Any suggestions?

[bleeter]

No need. There is a repository dedicated to webcam module called drpixel. It is done by one of Fedora contributor from fedora-fr.org. That repository is compatible with Livna repository.

Thanks for the Dr Pixel info. One thing that concerns me, is that there's *NO* SRPM repository at that site.

What's even more annoying is the URL given for the source in the installed RPM points to a site that then points to ATrpms for the FC RPM version. AARGH.

/me rolls own from the tarball @ http://mxhaard.free.fr/download.html

[tsorvoja]

Now it seems that kernel supports this webcam. **Case solved**

[kuifje00]

Yes it is confusing. I thought I had the answer but its not.
The dr-pixel version is the same as from home-cx-mag and does perform not good.
I had done changes to it, but with no good results. only the flicker level changed.
But under some condition it still starts flickering. As far I could detect around the upper / lower limits of the light condition, But is is some time back I changed / tested.
I had used the old driver for a longer time with almost no problems, but now it is on another location and will not work as I want it to do. More light or contrast ?


Now the driver is also a kernel buildin. I hoped for the best. But, also that one is not good.
It is white to black, and no regulation.
Also changed the source a bit and could get a picture under certain conditions. But the main problem is the " static void qcm_adjust_picture(struct uvd *uvd) " is only called once. while the other routines are called repeatedly in a certain / fixed way, as might be expected.
Who is responsible for calling that routine. I thought the driver should.
I think the qcm_adjust_picture should be called every, lets say 5 or 10 frames ? maby even slower.
But unfortionatle, I cannot fix it. ( I only hangup my system ) More specific, where can I call the routine in de driver, by the driver itself ! no external calling.
Did anyone any research to fix it Anyone want to think about it ?

[kuifje00]

I found that usbvideo.c is calling quickcam_messenger.c
Then I created a counter / loop - around the calling function and the adjustpicture was called more then once, as I expected. Why is the adjust picture flag not reset in the first place, where should it be done. But, now I get a white line hopping throug the image. Still no regulation takes place.
Is someone else busy with this driver? I think this one could be of more value then "dr-pixels" one. We could discuss things and try together. It takes so much time to do things on your own. ( And I have not much time to spend )

[kuifje00]

Can it be I am not good informed, and the buildin quickcam_messenger has no automatic light control build in? ( not in the hardware! I know ) If I use xawtv and push the sliders, the picture is adjusted. Simple and not for use in background procs. Now, how to make it automatic. ? Could someone confirm it is not automatic indeed.