Microdia (0c45:624f) webcam on Linux
(Re: Proprietary Webcam driver wonders).
I recently discovered a free driver for my GF’s builtin Microdia webcam. It works very nicely (better than the crappy proprietary one did when I tested the “trial”). So if you’ve got a Microdia webcam, at least the 0c45:624f one, now you can have it working properly, with good quality without paying a load of money for a one-time one-kernel one-arch license for a proprietary one.
git clone http://repo.or.cz/r/microdia.git
cd microdia
make
sudo insmod ./microdia.ko
Then just launch Cheese or your favourite webcam program and off you go.
Thanks a lot to those that took the time to develop a proper driver. If you’ve got a paypal account, I’ll donate some money for your hard work.
May 1st, 2008 at 13:34
Great stuff. Just what I was looking for. I checked some months ago for the drivers, and only found the proprietary ones that you mentioned. Much appreciated for the heads-up.
May 14th, 2008 at 18:46
I found this page from some Google searching. I found I was not so lucky in that I can’t get the module to actually install. Followed the commands verbatim but wound up with this:
[chris]─[@feathers]─[13:42]──────[~/downloads/microdia]
$ make
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.24-16-generic/build SUBDIRS=/home/chris/downloads/microdia modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-16-generic’
CC [M] /home/chris/downloads/microdia/microdia-usb.o
CC [M] /home/chris/downloads/microdia/microdia-v4l.o
CC [M] /home/chris/downloads/microdia/microdia-sysfs.o
CC [M] /home/chris/downloads/microdia/microdia-dev.o
CC [M] /home/chris/downloads/microdia/microdia-buf.o
CC [M] /home/chris/downloads/microdia/microdia-bayer.o
CC [M] /home/chris/downloads/microdia/sn9c20x.o
CC [M] /home/chris/downloads/microdia/mt9vx11.o
LD [M] /home/chris/downloads/microdia/microdia.o
Building modules, stage 2.
MODPOST 1 modules
CC /home/chris/downloads/microdia/microdia.mod.o
LD [M] /home/chris/downloads/microdia/microdia.ko
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-16-generic’
[chris]─[@feathers]─[13:42]──────[~/downloads/microdia]
$ sudo insmod ./microdia.ko
insmod: error inserting ‘./microdia.ko’: -1 Unknown symbol in module
Any ideas?
May 14th, 2008 at 22:42
Chris,
two ideas, first check that you’re running the same kernel you’re building for (check uname -a).
Second, dmesg|tail right after the insmod will give you an idea about *why* insmod whines.
May 16th, 2008 at 19:11
It would be helpful, if you linked to the actual group website
https://groups.google.com/group/microdia/
they have documentation of how to install the driver,
also they will probably support you in installing the driver as well.
May 31st, 2008 at 07:53
On my x86_64 Ubuntu 8.04 system I had to do the following:
$ sudo modprobe videodev
$ sudo modprobe compat_ioctl32
$ sudo insmod ./microdia.ko
The compat_ioctl32 module is not needed on a 32-bit system.
An alternative is to install the microdia module into the kernel module path “manually” (because there is no “make install” yet) as follows:
$ sudo install -d /lib/modules/`uname -r`/misc
$ sudo install microdia.ko /lib/modules/`uname -r`/misc
$ sudo depmod -a
Then to load the module all you need to do is:
$ sudo modprobe microdia
In fact the module should then be autoloaded when the webcam is plugged in, or if the webcam is built-in, following a reboot.
June 20th, 2008 at 19:25
[...] Update, see: http://blog.zerodogg.org/2008/04/27/microdia-0c45624f-webcam-on-linux/ [...]