Trying to get an old PixArt Imaging webcam to function

[smeasitevrws]

Hello, I was recently given an old webcam - a PixArt Imaging PC Camera EZ-388 PAC207.

Code: Select all

Bus 001 Device 004: ID 093a:2468 Pixart Imaging, Inc. SoC PC-Camera

is the lsusb output for the device.

I have enabled the Video4Linux options, Cameras and video grabbers. Media USB Adapters and V4L platform devices under Multimedia Support in my 5.15.5-gentoo menuconfig. Nevertheless, running

Code: Select all

v4l2-ctl --list-formats-ext

with the v4l-utils package, it gave me the error

Code: Select all

Unable to detect what device /dev/video0 is, exiting.

, and it seems there is no /dev/video0 or any video devices. After searching the device online, I found very little documentation, so I thought it might help to see if anyone here had any ideas on how to get this webcam functioning. Here is the Media Drivers section of my kernel .config for reference, thanks.

Code: Select all

# Media drivers
#

#
# Drivers filtered as selected at 'Filter media drivers'
#
CONFIG_MEDIA_USB_SUPPORT=y

#
# Webcam devices
#
CONFIG_USB_VIDEO_CLASS=y
CONFIG_USB_VIDEO_CLASS_INPUT_EVDEV=y
CONFIG_USB_GSPCA=y
# CONFIG_USB_M5602 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_STV06XX is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GL860 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_BENQ is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_CONEX is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_CPIA1 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_DTCS033 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_ETOMS is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_FINEPIX is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_JEILINJ is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_JL2005BCD is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_KINECT is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_KONICA is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_MARS is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_MR97310A is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_NW80X is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_OV519 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_OV534 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_OV534_9 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_PAC207 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_PAC7302 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_PAC7311 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SE401 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SN9C2028 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SN9C20X is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SONIXB is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SONIXJ is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SPCA500 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SPCA501 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SPCA505 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SPCA506 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SPCA508 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SPCA561 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SPCA1528 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SQ905 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SQ905C is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SQ930X is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_STK014 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_STK1135 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_STV0680 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_SUNPLUS is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_T613 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_TOPRO is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_TOUPTEK is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_TV8532 is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_VC032X is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_VICAM is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_XIRLINK_CIT is not set
# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_ZC3XX is not set
CONFIG_USB_PWC=y
# CONFIG_USB_PWC_DEBUG is not set
CONFIG_USB_PWC_INPUT_EVDEV=y
CONFIG_VIDEO_CPIA2=y
CONFIG_USB_ZR364XX=y
CONFIG_USB_STKWEBCAM=y
CONFIG_USB_S2255=y
CONFIG_VIDEO_USBTV=y

[eccerr0r]

Might be worth to marking 'y' or 'm' for every camera driver option if you're not sure -- but do other distributions work with this camera?
Could be helpful to collect data from other distros.

However I've had poor luck with older non-standardized USB webcams in the past, not to discourage you, but just my experience...

[grknight]

Hello, I was recently given an old webcam - a PixArt Imaging PC Camera EZ-388 PAC207.

Code: Select all

Bus 001 Device 004: ID 093a:2468 Pixart Imaging, Inc. SoC PC-Camera

is the lsusb output for the device.

Code: Select all

# CONFIG_USB_GSPCA_PAC207 is not set

Set that one by my search of the code

/usr/src/linux/drivers/media/usb/gspca/pac207.c
443: {USB_DEVICE(0x093a, 0x2468)},

[smeasitevrws]

Ah, thank you for the point out. I will set the kernel parameter, compile and boot from it, then come back here and report.

[smeasitevrws]

Setting the kernel parameter worked in terms of getting an output from

Code: Select all

v4l2-ctl --list-devices

Here's the command output

Code: Select all

Droidcam (platform:v4l2loopback_dc-000):
        /dev/video8

vimc (platform:vimc):
        /dev/video0
        /dev/video1
        /dev/video2
        /dev/media0

vivid (platform:vivid-000):
        /dev/video3
        /dev/video4
        /dev/video5
        /dev/video6
        /dev/radio0
        /dev/radio1
        /dev/vbi0
        /dev/vbi1
        /dev/swradio6
        /dev/v4l-touch7
        /dev/media1

CIF Single Chip      (usb-0000:00:14.0-4):
        /dev/video7

CIF Single Chip appears to be the Webcam in question, as that was the name given to it by my spare laptop (Running Artix Linux) when I was trying to get it working with that machine. I just tested it with the discord-im package, but was only getting a black screen.