Webcam support- Options that are permanent.

[Maximo7274]

I have a HP mini 1000, and it has Ubuntu on it. Unfourtunatly, its webcam is VERY dark, but I did some research and I figured out that all I have to do is get windows movie maker and change the settings for the webcam so that it is much brighter.

Is there a way to get windows movie maker working with wine? Or does anyone know of a program that would make the webcam brighter for all the applications that use it??

Thanks,

[spiderbatdad]

you might be able to edit /etc/modprobe.d/options appropriately for the driver your webcam uses. an example with the gspca driver here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=651075

[Maximo7274]

That seems like it would do the trick, except I have no idea how to do it, as I have only had Ubuntu on my laptop for a month.... So any help on exactly what to do would be helpful!, thanks

[spiderbatdad]

Open terminal. Enter command: lsmod (that's a small L)
copy/paste the output back here. Paste between code tags by clicking the # symbol of the editor at the top of this window.

[Maximo7274]

byron@byron-laptop:~$ lsmod
Module Size Used by
ipv6 263972 10
michael_mic 10496 4
arc4 9984 4
ecb 10880 4
crypto_blkcipher 25476 1 ecb
af_packet 25728 4
i915 38144 2
drm 86056 3 i915
binfmt_misc 16904 1
bridge 56980 0
stp 10628 1 bridge
bnep 20480 2
rfcomm 44432 0
sco 18308 2
l2cap 30464 6 bnep,rfcomm
bluetooth 61924 6 bnep,rfcomm,sco,l2cap
ppdev 15620 0
acpi_cpufreq 15500 0
cpufreq_userspace 11396 0
cpufreq_stats 13188 0
cpufreq_conservative 14600 0
cpufreq_powersave 9856 0
cpufreq_ondemand 14988 2
freq_table 12672 3 acpi_cpufreq,cpufreq_stats,cpufreq_ondemand
sbs 19464 0
container 11520 0
sbshc 13440 1 sbs
pci_slot 12552 0
iptable_filter 10752 0
ip_tables 19600 1 iptable_filter
x_tables 22916 1 ip_tables
parport_pc 39204 0
lp 17156 0
parport 42604 3 ppdev,parport_pc,lp
joydev 18368 0
snd_hda_intel 381488 3
snd_pcm_oss 46848 0
snd_mixer_oss 22784 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 83204 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss
evdev 17696 12
uvcvideo 62728 0
compat_ioctl32 9344 1 uvcvideo
videodev 41344 1 uvcvideo
v4l1_compat 22404 2 uvcvideo,videodev
snd_seq_dummy 10884 0
serio_raw 13444 0
psmouse 45200 0
video 25104 0
output 11008 1 video
battery 18436 0
ac 12292 0
snd_seq_oss 38528 0
snd_seq_midi 14336 0
snd_rawmidi 29824 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event 15232 2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
ieee80211_crypt_tkip 17024 0
wmi 14504 0
wl 1076372 0
ieee80211_crypt 13572 2 ieee80211_crypt_tkip,wl
snd_seq 57776 6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_mid i_event
button 14224 0
snd_timer 29960 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 15116 5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi ,snd_seq
pcspkr 10624 0
iTCO_wdt 18596 0
iTCO_vendor_support 11652 1 iTCO_wdt
snd 63268 15 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,sn d_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_de vice
intel_agp 33724 1
agpgart 42184 3 drm,intel_agp
soundcore 15328 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 16136 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
shpchp 37908 0
pci_hotplug 35236 1 shpchp
ext3 133384 2
jbd 55444 1 ext3
mbcache 16004 1 ext3
usb_storage 81728 1
libusual 27156 1 usb_storage
sd_mod 42264 5
crc_t10dif 9984 1 sd_mod
sg 39732 0
pata_acpi 12160 0
ata_piix 24580 2
usbhid 35840 0
hid 50560 1 usbhid
ata_generic 12932 0
libata 177312 3 pata_acpi,ata_piix,ata_generic
ehci_hcd 43276 0
uhci_hcd 30736 0
scsi_mod 155212 4 usb_storage,sd_mod,sg,libata
dock 16656 1 libata
usbcore 148848 7 uvcvideo,usb_storage,libusual,usbhid,ehci_hcd,uhci _hcd
thermal 23708 0
processor 42156 4 acpi_cpufreq,thermal
fan 12548 0
fbcon 47648 0
tileblit 10880 1 fbcon
font 16512 1 fbcon
bitblit 13824 1 fbcon
softcursor 9984 1 bitblit
fuse 60828 3


Thats what it gave me, what exactly does it mean???

THanks

[spiderbatdad]

This is a list of modules that are in use on your system...similar to "drivers."
I have just tried the following, and honestly noticed no difference, but I do not have the issue you have, so this may work for you. You may have to experiment with the values if you see some improvement, but not just what you want.
In my case, after editing the file, I unplug and re-plug my cam. I don't believe you have that option...you're cam is built-in?
So I believe you can unload and reload the module...and it will find your cam...we can test this...if it doesn't you will need to reboot. Ok here we go. Everything in code tags, you will enter into your terminal.

Edit the file /etc/modprobe.d/options.

sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/options
Use arrow key and go to end of file. At the end of the file type in or paste the following block of text.

options v4l2 gamma=4
options v4l2 GRed=290
options v4l2 GGreen=310
options v4l2 GBlue=315

Hit ctrl+o to save, and then hit enter to confirm writing to the file. Then ctrl+x to exit.
Now unload and reload the module...first one command, then the second.

sudo modprobe -r uvcvideo
sudo modprobe uvcvideo

Now look at the end of the dmesg log to see if you cam was redetected:

dmesg | tail

Launch your webcam application and look for improvement. Good luck.

[Maximo7274]

I think it got a tiny bit better.... I am not possitive, but it seems like it, as I can see the outlines of my face now :-D. I will try to make it brighter by changing the gamma....

I will see if it actually is doing something, once I test out making the gamma 6.

[Edit] DOes this mean it detects my webcam-
byron@byron-laptop:~$ dmesg | tail
[ 1014.768146] usb 2-2: new low speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 3
[ 1014.949896] usb 2-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 1014.974512] input: Microsoft Microsoft 3-Button Mouse with IntelliEye? as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-2/2-2:1.0/input/input12
[ 1015.017744] input,hidraw0: USB HID v1.00 Mouse [Microsoft Microsoft 3-Button Mouse with IntelliEye?] on usb-0000:00:1d.0-2
[ 1237.074989] usbcore: deregistering interface driver uvcvideo
[ 1245.386342] Linux video capture interface: v2.00
[ 1245.420842] uvcvideo: Found UVC 1.00 device Webcam-101 (10f1:1a08)
[ 1245.439423] input: Webcam-101 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.7/usb1/1-4/1-4:1.0/input/input13
[ 1245.448713] usbcore: registered new interface driver uvcvideo
[ 1245.448763] USB Video Class driver (v0.1.0)


I think it does, but I have no idea :-P

[spiderbatdad]

yup.

[ 1245.420842] uvcvideo: Found UVC 1.00 device Webcam-101 (10f1:1a0
[ 1245.439423] input: Webcam-101 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.7/usb1/1-4/1-4:1.0/input/input13

[Maximo7274]

I think it is working, but I am not positive, so I have a couple of questions.
1.) what is the highest I can put the gamma setting to?
2.) how would I amp up the contrast, so that it is at max?

Thanks so much for helping me so far :-D

[Edit] YES!!! I amped up the gamma to 50, and guess what? I CAN SEE MYSELF!!! You rule! Thanks so much for all the help- this is awesome!!!!