Is this a supported EZCap device please?

Discussion about this major DATV Project. See https://wiki.batc.org.uk/The_Portsdown_Transmitter
Basil
Posts: 291
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 7:28 pm

Is this a supported EZCap device please?

Post by Basil » Thu Nov 11, 2021 12:55 pm

I have an EasyCap device plugged into one of the USB ports on the Pi within my Portsdown 4. I am hopeless with Linux but believe I have used the correct command to view the info on the EasyCap device. Using v4l2-ctl -d 1 --all shows no supported devices. My fear is its seeing the internal camera in the Portsdown and not the esyCap (I did say I was hopeless with Linux... ;)) The screen shows this on my Windows 7 PC connecting with Putty to the Portsdown 4 with the EasyCap plugged in:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ v4l2-ctl -d 0 --all
Driver Info:
Driver name : bm2835 mmal
Card type : mmal service 16.1
Bus info : platform:bcm2835-v4l2-0
Driver version : 5.10.63
Capabilities : 0x85200005
Video Capture
Video Overlay
Read/Write
Streaming
Extended Pix Format
Device Capabilities
Device Caps : 0x05200005
Video Capture
Video Overlay
Read/Write
Streaming
Extended Pix Format
Priority: 2
Video input : 0 (Camera 0: ok)
Format Video Capture:
Width/Height : 640/480
Pixel Format : 'YV12' (Planar YVU 4:2:0)
Field : None
Bytes per Line : 640
Size Image : 460800
Colorspace : SMPTE 170M
Transfer Function : Default (maps to Rec. 709)
YCbCr/HSV Encoding: Default (maps to ITU-R 601)
Quantization : Default (maps to Limited Range)
Flags :
Format Video Overlay:
Left/Top : 150/50
Width/Height: 1024/768
Field : None
Chroma Key : 0x00000000
Global Alpha: 0xff
Clip Count : 0
Clip Bitmap : No
Framebuffer Format:
Capability : Extern Overlay
Global Alpha
Flags : Overlay Matches Capture/Output Size
Width : 640
Height : 480
Pixel Format : 'YU12'
Streaming Parameters Video Capture:
Capabilities : timeperframe
Frames per second: 30.000 (30000/1000)
Read buffers : 1

User Controls

brightness 0x00980900 (int) : min=0 max=100 step=1 defau lt=50 value=50 flags=slider
contrast 0x00980901 (int) : min=-100 max=100 step=1 de fault=0 value=0 flags=slider
saturation 0x00980902 (int) : min=-100 max=100 step=1 de fault=0 value=0 flags=slider
red_balance 0x0098090e (int) : min=1 max=7999 step=1 defa ult=1000 value=1000 flags=slider
blue_balance 0x0098090f (int) : min=1 max=7999 step=1 defa ult=1000 value=1000 flags=slider
horizontal_flip 0x00980914 (bool) : default=0 value=0
vertical_flip 0x00980915 (bool) : default=0 value=0
power_line_frequency 0x00980918 (menu) : min=0 max=3 default=1 valu e=1
sharpness 0x0098091b (int) : min=-100 max=100 step=1 de fault=0 value=0 flags=slider
color_effects 0x0098091f (menu) : min=0 max=15 default=0 val ue=0
rotate 0x00980922 (int) : min=0 max=360 step=90 defa ult=0 value=0 flags=modify-layout
color_effects_cbcr 0x0098092a (int) : min=0 max=65535 step=1 def ault=32896 value=32896

Codec Controls

video_bitrate_mode 0x009909ce (menu) : min=0 max=1 default=0 valu e=0 flags=update
video_bitrate 0x009909cf (int) : min=25000 max=25000000 ste p=25000 default=10000000 value=10000000
repeat_sequence_header 0x009909e2 (bool) : default=0 value=0
h264_i_frame_period 0x00990a66 (int) : min=0 max=2147483647 step= 1 default=60 value=60
h264_level 0x00990a67 (menu) : min=0 max=13 default=11 va lue=11
h264_profile 0x00990a6b (menu) : min=0 max=4 default=4 valu e=4

Camera Controls

auto_exposure 0x009a0901 (menu) : min=0 max=3 default=0 valu e=0
exposure_time_absolute 0x009a0902 (int) : min=1 max=10000 step=1 def ault=1000 value=1000
exposure_dynamic_framerate 0x009a0903 (bool) : default=0 value=0
auto_exposure_bias 0x009a0913 (intmenu): min=0 max=24 default=12 va lue=12
white_balance_auto_preset 0x009a0914 (menu) : min=0 max=10 default=1 val ue=1
image_stabilization 0x009a0916 (bool) : default=0 value=0
iso_sensitivity 0x009a0917 (intmenu): min=0 max=4 default=0 valu e=0
iso_sensitivity_auto 0x009a0918 (menu) : min=0 max=1 default=1 valu e=1
exposure_metering_mode 0x009a0919 (menu) : min=0 max=3 default=0 valu e=0
scene_mode 0x009a091a (menu) : min=0 max=13 default=0 val ue=0

JPEG Compression Controls

compression_quality 0x009d0903 (int) : min=1 max=100 step=1 defau lt=30 value=30
pi@raspberrypi:~ $


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Inputting the other command:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ v4l2-ctl -d1 --all
Cannot open device /dev/video1, exiting.
pi@raspberrypi:~ $





Is this a supported device please or the internal camera?? Thanks

G8GKQ
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Posts: 2794
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:21 pm

Re: Is this a supported EZCap device please?

Post by G8GKQ » Thu Nov 11, 2021 1:52 pm

That rather looks like the internal camera, although it's not responding the same as mine.

The command that you need to use, and the response that you should see is here:

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ v4l2-ctl --list-devices
bcm2835-codec-decode (platform:bcm2835-codec):
        /dev/video10
        /dev/video11
        /dev/video12

bcm2835-isp (platform:bcm2835-isp):
        /dev/video13
        /dev/video14
        /dev/video15
        /dev/video16

mmal service 16.1 (platform:bcm2835-v4l2):
        /dev/video0

usbtv (usb-0000:01:00.0-1.2):
        /dev/video1
bcm2835 and mmal both relate to the Raspberry Pi Camera. The correct EasyCap shows as "usbtv" and you can see that it is /dev/video1 here.

The correct full response from the compatible EasyCap is:

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ v4l2-ctl -d 1 --all
Driver Info:
        Driver name      : usbtv
        Card type        : usbtv
        Bus info         : usb-0000:01:00.0-1.2
        Driver version   : 5.4.72
        Capabilities     : 0x85200001
                Video Capture
                Read/Write
                Streaming
                Extended Pix Format
                Device Capabilities
        Device Caps      : 0x05200001
                Video Capture
                Read/Write
                Streaming
                Extended Pix Format
Priority: 2
Video input : 0 (Composite: ok)
Video Standard = 0x00000007
        PAL-B/B1/G
Format Video Capture:
        Width/Height      : 720/576
        Pixel Format      : 'YUYV' (YUYV 4:2:2)
        Field             : Interlaced
        Bytes per Line    : 1440
        Size Image        : 829440
        Colorspace        : SMPTE 170M
        Transfer Function : Default (maps to Rec. 709)
        YCbCr/HSV Encoding: Default (maps to ITU-R 601)
        Quantization      : Default (maps to Limited Range)
        Flags             :
Streaming Parameters Video Capture:
        Frames per second: 25.000 (25/1)
        Read buffers     : 2

User Controls

                     brightness 0x00980900 (int)    : min=0 max=1023 step=1 default=448 value=448 flags=slider
                       contrast 0x00980901 (int)    : min=0 max=1023 step=1 default=464 value=464 flags=slider
                     saturation 0x00980902 (int)    : min=0 max=1023 step=1 default=512 value=512 flags=slider
                            hue 0x00980903 (int)    : min=-3583 max=3583 step=1 default=0 value=0 flags=slider
                      sharpness 0x0098091b (int)    : min=0 max=255 step=1 default=96 value=96 flags=slider
So I am fairly sure that either your EasyCap is not connected, not working correctly, or simply the wrong one.

Another way to identify it (the simplest) is:

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0458:0007 KYE Systems Corp. (Mouse Systems)
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 1b3f:2008 Generalplus Technology Inc.
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 1b71:3002 Fushicai USBTV007 Video Grabber [EasyCAP]
Bus 001 Device 006: ID 0456:b673 Analog Devices, Inc.
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 2109:3431 VIA Labs, Inc. Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
The correct response here is "1b71:3002 Fushicai USBTV007 Video Grabber [EasyCAP]". If you don't have exactly that, something is wrong.

Dave, G8GKQ

Basil
Posts: 291
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 7:28 pm

Re: Is this a supported EZCap device please?

Post by Basil » Thu Nov 11, 2021 3:13 pm

OK, thanks for the fast replies, I can't try it again until tonight or tomorrow, but will report back.

Basil
Posts: 291
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2013 7:28 pm

Re: Is this a supported EZCap device please?

Post by Basil » Thu Nov 11, 2021 6:58 pm

Response to lsusb is:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 1c88:0007 Somagic, Inc. SMI Grabber (EasyCAP DC60+ clone) (no firmware) [SMI-2021CBE]
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 2109:3431 VIA Labs, Inc. Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub


Looks like it works but is the wrong chipset. Oh well... Thanks all.

Could really do with some advice re a decent camcorder purchase as per another thread. In particular what recording formats and outputs would be most useful or indeed essential for either live streaming to the Portdown and onwards to the Pluto, or for transfer to my Windows PC for sending via OBS? I admit I don't have much of a clue here, but if I indulge myself with a decent used camcorder I would want it to be useful for DATV as well as general messing about recording stuff for nostalgia later.

VK3MN
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2021 2:49 am

Re: Is this a supported EZCap device please?

Post by VK3MN » Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:10 pm

Hello, this is very good information.
I have just tried the commands for a EZcap device that I bought, but looking at the response from the commands it is a dud for the portsdown.
I bought it from Amazon, I opened it up and has a Macro Silicon MS2100E chip

Is there a link to the correct EZcap we can buy ?

Do you think this will work, it shows pictures of a UTV007 chip ?
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002 ... 3b4fc56820

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i2NDT
Posts: 160
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2015 9:26 pm

Re: Is this a supported EZCap device please?

Post by i2NDT » Tue Feb 08, 2022 12:07 pm

which of the 2 chips inside the dongle is "responsible" for this response?
ID 1b71:3002 Fushicai USBTV007 Video Grabber
the USB interface or the video processor?

is there any way we can try to adapt another dongle?

i2NDT Claudio
i2NDT Claudio
Dalmine, Italia

G8GKQ
Site Admin
Posts: 2794
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:21 pm

Re: Is this a supported EZCap device please?

Post by G8GKQ » Tue Feb 08, 2022 12:32 pm

Hi Claudio

It is the USB interface that is responsible for that response, but what really matters is the format of the video from the video processor. If we could find another EasyCap dongle with the same video processor, I could make the Portsdown work with a different USB ID.

I'll revisit this issue in the next month or so, as I have learnt more about video capture recently and may have a partial solution to enable the use of other EasyCaps.

73

Dave

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i2NDT
Posts: 160
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2015 9:26 pm

Re: Is this a supported EZCap device please?

Post by i2NDT » Tue Feb 08, 2022 1:12 pm

GREAT!
thanks Dave.

Claudio
i2NDT Claudio
Dalmine, Italia

G8GKQ
Site Admin
Posts: 2794
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Re: Is this a supported EZCap device please?

Post by G8GKQ » Wed Feb 16, 2022 12:29 pm

Nick G4IMO had posted (now deleted at his request) that he had managed to buy an Easycap of the correct type for the Portsdown, which was marked "Video DVR". Whilst some "Video DVR" devices do work with Portsdown, others do not. The only way to tell for sure is to connect the device to a Linux computer and run the command lsusb. One line will be returned for each connected USB device, but the correct response for a compatible EasyCap is shown below.

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 1b71:3002 Fushicai USBTV007 Video Grabber [EasyCAP]
If anybody knows where these (exact) devices can be reliably purchased in bulk, please let us know and we'll buy some for the BATC Shop.

Thanks to Nick for trying to help!

Dave, G8GKQ

G4IMO-TV
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:51 am

Re: Is this a supported EZCap device please?

Post by G4IMO-TV » Wed Feb 16, 2022 4:19 pm

Ok Dave. It worked for me guess I'm Lucky! Post Deleted, so as not to give out false information.
Nick
G4IMO

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