[AG-TECH] Video cam advice for XP/linux laptop

Christoph Willing chris at vislab.usyd.edu.au
Tue Nov 12 17:03:44 CST 2002


On Wed, 2002-11-13 at 02:52, Michael Daw wrote:
> Dear all,
> 
> I'm about to configure a laptop to be a PIG-like machine and I need to buy a
> camera. I'm going to make the laptop dual boot WinXP and Linux.
> 
> I liked the look of those Kritter cams, but it seems they don't work under
> Linux
> (http://www-unix.mcs.anl.gov/web-mail-archive/lists/ag-tech/2002/06/msg00125
> .html). Has anyone got any recommendation for a similar thing that has good
> quality video and works under both OS's? The e-mail at the link above lists
> quite a few cameras, but I'd be interested in personal
> recommendations/advice on models.
> 
> --Mike
> 

Mike,

I've been trying out a Logitech Quickcam Pro 4000 via usb on our single
machine node under Linux. It uses the pwc philips module and requires a
pre-install of usb-uhci module. For full picture size (640x480) you'll
also need to post-install the pwcx-i386 module (separately supplied, as
described in above email).

It comes with installation CDs for Windows so I guess it works that way,
but I haven't tried it.

Its downsides for me are

1. doesn't work with "normal" vic. It _does_ work with openMash vic
(which I quite like for other reasons) however openMash vic uses a lot
of cpu whenever there are active video streams i.e. you've clicked on a
thumbnail to open that streams window

2. the size of 640x480; when that is halved to fit into a H261 frame it
leaves a fairly wide border around the image i.e. 320x240 image in
352x288 window

3. I can't achieve frame rate better than 10fps under openMash vic. UCL
vic achieves 30fps but no picture.

Maybe someone is interested in fixing either of the vic programs?

chris


-- 
Chris Willing                      Telephone   (61-2) 9351 3005
VisLab, A28                        Facsimile   (61-2) 9351 1880
University of Sydney
NSW 2006 Australia                http://www.vislab.usyd.edu.au





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