webcam setup

Setting up a webcam on Linux is easy.

In most cases, the device should be detected without any extra steps needed.

Check it:

v4l2-ctl --list-devices

_{needs v4l-utils installed}

Per default you have at minimum two apps installed you can use to check how the webcam is working basically: v4l2-view ( a simple viewer) and v4l2-test-bench a qt-based config tool:

In most cases setting done here will get used if you use the cam in other applications like Jitsi or even zoom skype or other crap you have to use 😉

B.T.W if you need to use zoom Jitsi or skype… Before you go through all the hassle of installing it, try using the web app, it’s usually easier and takes less effort.

https://meet.jit.si/

https://www.skype.com/en/features/skype-web/

https://web.whatsapp.com/

_{Only to show some examples…}

There are a bunch of webcam clients/apps you can use on Linux on my testing a lot of them do not work properly, but I find GUVCView working smooth and without issues right out of the box.

And the app has both GTK and QT versions to choose from for installation:

community/guvcview Simple GTK+ interface for capturing and viewing video from v4l2 devices

community/guvcview-qt Simple Qt interface for capturing and viewing video from v4l2 devices