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ForeverAgo

Member

Registered: 2013-02-07

Posts: 13

[SOLVED] Checking if a USB webcam is V4L1 or V4L2 from CLI without GUI

Hi,

I'm trying to setup zoneminder.
I have the whole thing running, only I can't get my webcams to work with zoneminder.

I tried this

lgp300 ~ $ zmu -d /dev/video1 -q -v
Error, failed to enumerate standard 0: Success
lgp300 ~ :( $ zmu -d /dev/video2 -q -v
Error, failed to enumerate standard 0: Success

So I wanted to check if the webcams were compatible with V4L2 as it seems to be needed by zoneminder.

I saw suggested on forums to use gstreamer-properties
However, this requires a GUI.

I tried for the past 2 hours to install and run LXDE to no avail and I don't feel like trying anymore. Especially considering I am doing that ONLY to run gstreamer-properties and will remove it just after because I want to keep the system lean.

Can anyone suggest an easier method to find out whether these webcams use V4L1 or V4L2?

Thanks,

Last edited by ForeverAgo (2013-02-10 14:50:48)

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,384

Re: [SOLVED] Checking if a USB webcam is V4L1 or V4L2 from CLI without GUI

You might look through the output of mplayer tv:// to see if it tells you.

For real fun, try mplayer tv:// -vo aa -monitorpixelaspect 0.5 -quiet

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The shortest way to ruin a country is to give power to demagogues.— Dionysius of Halicarnassus
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ForeverAgo

Member

Registered: 2013-02-07

Posts: 13

Re: [SOLVED] Checking if a USB webcam is V4L1 or V4L2 from CLI without GUI

Thanks, but this uses /dev/video0 which is the built in cam (that works with zoneminder but that I can't use with zoneminder)

How can I try /dev/video1 and /dev/video2?

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,384

Re: [SOLVED] Checking if a USB webcam is V4L1 or V4L2 from CLI without GUI

How about v4l2-ctl --list-devices  ??

---

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
The shortest way to ruin a country is to give power to demagogues.— Dionysius of Halicarnassus
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

ForeverAgo

Member

Registered: 2013-02-07

Posts: 13

Re: [SOLVED] Checking if a USB webcam is V4L1 or V4L2 from CLI without GUI

How about v4l2-ctl --list-devices  ??

Exactly what I needed, thanks