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.

11 Responses to “Microdia (0c45:624f) webcam on Linux”

  1. Tor Arne Thune Says:

    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.

  2. Chris Lasher Says:

    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?

  3. Zero_Dogg Says:

    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.

  4. help_me Says:

    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.

  5. Ian Abbott Says:

    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.

  6. Zero_Dogg’s blog » Blog Archive » Proprietary webcam driver wonders Says:

    [...] Update, see: http://blog.zerodogg.org/2008/04/27/microdia-0c45624f-webcam-on-linux/ [...]

  7. Adam Williamson Says:

    Did you think to submit a bug report to our kernel team to have it included in the MDV kernel?

  8. carotapacioccia Says:

    hi, i really need some help!
    My sister is working for ONU in Santo Domingo and my only chance to see her is using skipe, up to now I need to use Windows only cause of my problem with web cam…and is very frustrating

    as I try to install these drivers I get this error:

    make -C /lib/modules/2.6.24-16-generic/build SUBDIRS=/home/carota/microdia modules
    make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-16-generic’
    CC [M] /home/carota/microdia/microdia-usb.o
    CC [M] /home/carota/microdia/microdia-v4l.o
    CC [M] /home/carota/microdia/microdia-sysfs.o
    CC [M] /home/carota/microdia/microdia-dev.o
    CC [M] /home/carota/microdia/microdia-decoder.o
    CC [M] /home/carota/microdia/microdia-queue.o
    CC [M] /home/carota/microdia/sn9c20x.o
    CC [M] /home/carota/microdia/mt9vx11.o
    CC [M] /home/carota/microdia/ov7670.o
    CC [M] /home/carota/microdia/ov965x.o
    CC [M] /home/carota/microdia/ov7660.o
    CC [M] /home/carota/microdia/microdia-debugfs.o
    LD [M] /home/carota/microdia/microdia.o

    Building modules, stage 2.
    MODPOST 1 modules
    CC /home/carota/microdia/microdia.mod.o
    LD [M] /home/carota/microdia/microdia.ko
    make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-16-generic’
    make: ctags: Command not found
    make: *** [ctags] Error 127

    I tryied both with ubuntu and ultimate edition (i think is the same as ubuntu…)

    pls help me!

  9. Zero_Dogg Says:

    carotapacioccia,
    you need a package that contains ctags.
    Just:
    sudo apt-get install exuberant-ctags
    or
    sudo apt-get install elvis-tools

    And it should just start working.

  10. carotapacioccia Says:

    thank you so much…
    the image isn’t clear as under windows , by the way I got the same error as Chris, and to solve it I just needed to depmod videodev

    again thank you very much.

    Un abbraccio dall’Italia :)

  11. carotapacioccia Says:

    Hi , it’s me again…
    I destroyed my Ultimate edition by trying to update to new ubuntu repo and I decided to install Sabayon to try it…

    as I try to install microdia I get the same error I posted before…

    BUT…in sabayon I can’t find any of the packages you suggested me, by talking with a guy he told me that exuberant ctags are already inside ctags in sabayon…

    …any Idea?…

    Thanks in advice.

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