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USB Video Class driver on Solaris

Last Updated: July 27, 2007

Introduction

There are kinds of USB webcams or camcorders compliant to USB video class spec (see www.usb.org) available in the market. And the trend is clear that these devices will be more and more popular in the near future. Users like these devices because they are useful for video capture, video conference and entertainment; and at the same time they are cheap and easy to use. Linux and MS windows already have a solution (including class drivers, API, libraries and applications). Solaris users also want such a solution.

In the present video device market, although 1394 based devices are also popular, they are much less popular than USB ones if we are talking about webcams. For camcorders, 1394 based devices are more popular than USB ones, but we can see that more and more new style camcorders come with USB interface.

Although there are many different kinds of USB video devices in the market, it's possible to use one driver to support some kinds of popular devices because of USB video class spec.

This project makes a solution for USB webcams first.

Goal

• Develop a solution for video capture on Solaris, USB video class driver first.
  

Status

• The USB video class driver (usbvc(7D)) is integrated into opensolaris since build 56.
• The video plugin for video conference application (Ekiga) is integrated to build 63. So there is a whole solution for video conferencing in OpenSolaris after build 63.

How to participate

• Subscribe to driver dash discuss at opensolaris dot org mail list by sending an empty email to driver dash discuss dash subscribe at opensolaris dot org
• Send emails to driver dash discuss at opensolaris dot org, please don't forget include "usb" as a keyword in the email's subject.
  
• You also can go to this address to post / reply / review all the discussions happened in driver dash discuss at opensolaris dot org mail list.
  

Documents

• The usb webcam driver manpage is usbvc(7D)
• Heads-up for usb webcam driver is here
  
• Colin Zou's blog about webcam & Ekiga is here
  

Source code, binary, and package

• Source code
• The usb webcam driver (usbvc) code refer to here
  
• binary or package
• The usb webcam driver (usbvc) binary can be found in opensolaris build 56 or later
• Package name: SUNWusbvc
• Binary name:
• x86 system, 32 bits: /kernel/drv/usbvc
• x86 system, 64 bits: /kernel/drv/amd64/usbvc
• sparc system: /kernel/drv/sparcv9/usbvc

How to Use

• After plug the usb webcam, the device node will be /dev/videoN
• Run ekiga application to see the video
• The tested usb webcams:

 Logitech Quickcam Ultra Vision
 Logitech Quickcam Pro 5000
 Logitech Quickcam Fusion
 Logitech Quickcam Orbit MP
 Logitech Quickcam Pro for Notebooks

Known Problems 

• bug category: solaris/driver/usbvc

•  Compliance problems are found with Creative Labs Live! Cam Optia camera 

Discussion

There are a lot of discussions in driver underline discuss at opensolaris dot org mail list. You also can go to this address to post / reply / review all the discussions happened in the mail list. Please don't forget include "usb" as a keyword in the email's subject.

References (N/A)

• Related projects
• Sharable Hardware Documents