Re: [tlug] ov511 under Gentoo?

[Jake Morrison <jake_morrison@example.com>]

David,

--- David Oftedal <david@example.com> wrote:
> Has anyone used an ov511-based webcam under Gentoo before?

I have used webcams happily under Gentoo, mostly Logitech 
QuickCam Zoom (very nice, recommended) and Logitech QuickCam 
Express (picture not as good). If you get a QuickCam Zoom, 
make sure you get the latest drivers from the website; the 
drivers in the kernel source tree for 2.4.20 are not the latest.

> 
> I used to do this under other distros... I would load usb-ohci as a 
> kernel module, and subsequently ov511. I've always enabled V4L 
> information in the /proc directory, but I don't know if it's any use.
> 
> Anyway, loading usb-ohci and ov511 should make the camera light up
> and start sending video to /dev/video0. But it doesn't do 
> either. Both usb-ohci and ov511 are listed as loaded, but 
> unused. At least the camera was turned on when I had 
> usb-ohci compiled into the kernel.
>
I assume that usb-ohci is right for your motherboard; some use
usb-uhci. 

I bet you need to change the definition of char-major-81 from
bttv to videodev in /etc/modules.d/aliases. 
Mine looks like this:
 
#alias char-major-81    bttv
alias char-major-81     videodev
alias char-major-81-0   pwc
#options        pwc size=vga leds=250,250 fps=25 mbufs=3 compression=0
# Load the pwc binary module for compression
#post-install pwc /sbin/insmod --force -k /lib/modules/usb/pwcx-i386.o
>/dev/null 2>&1  || :
post-install pwc /sbin/insmod --force -k /lib/modules/usb/pwcx-gcc32.o
>/dev/null 2>&1  || :

For your reference, my /etc/modules.autoload looks like this:
ne2k-pci
8390
ext3
es1371
ac_97_codec
soundcore
r128
agpgart
hid
uhci
usbcore
mousedev
usbmouse
input
ide-scsi
apm
snd-pcm-oss
ide-scsi\nsg\nsr_mod
ip_tables
v4l1-compat
v4l2-common
usb-storage
printer
audio
pwc

You might also need to add this to /etc/devfsd.conf
# Video4Linux devices
REGISTER       v4l/.*       PERMISSIONS root.video 660

> Also, even after I used ./MAKEDEV, /dev/video0 can't be opened. 
> I even use devfs.

You should not need to use MAKEDEV if you are using devfs.

> 
> Anyone know how I could get it to work?
> 
> I hate Linux.

I know what you mean :-)
But I had just as much trouble getting the camera running 
on Windows 98...

Jake