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Arup

Enthusiast

From: India

Registered: 2012-02-15

Posts: 130

Microdia webcam problems after latest update

Hi,

I updated to the latest Chakra including kernel 3.2. Everything runs fine except for my microdia SN9C201 webcam which shows distorted image at 640x480, the only resolution it works is on 160x120 in v4l2 test bench utility. This means videos in Skype and Google Talk are shown distorted with only top portion of screen showing and the bottom half has distorted green mess. This cam was working fine before this upgrade and I suspect its the upgraded kernel issue. This cam works fine under Ubuntu 10.04 LTS as well as 11.10

Here is my lsusb output.

lsusb
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0c45:6270 Microdia PC Camera (SN9C201 + MI0360/MT9V011 or MI0360SOC/MT9V111) U-CAM PC Camera NE878, Whitcom WHC017, ...
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 04e8:5f05 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd 
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 04f3:0212 Elan Microelectronics Corp. Laser Mouse
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

abveritas

Core-Team Admin

From: GA, USA

Registered: 2010-01-11

Posts: 6,051

Re: Microdia webcam problems after latest update

To make sure it is a kernel issue only, can you install the lts kernel?
http://chakra-project.org/bbs/viewtopic.php?id=5689

Arup

Enthusiast

From: India

Registered: 2012-02-15

Posts: 130

Re: Microdia webcam problems after latest update

Hi, thanks for your prompt response, I wouldn't mind installing another kernel but in case I wish to revert back to the latest, how difficult would that be. Would I have to reinstall or is there an easy way?

abveritas

Core-Team Admin

From: GA, USA

Registered: 2010-01-11

Posts: 6,051

Re: Microdia webcam problems after latest update

LTS kernel does not replace the current kernel.  When you install it you can choose at boot time which one to run.  So when the current kernel gets updated, you can just boot into that one again, see if the issue is fixed, and if not, go back and boot into LTS again.

philm

Manjaro Linux Developer

From: Germany, Garching

Registered: 2009-04-16

Posts: 4,508

Website

Re: Microdia webcam problems after latest update

Chakra is a semi-rolling release. Sometimes there are regressions in newer kernels. Your problem might be already fixed in a newer kernel version which is currently available in our [staging] repository which needs [testing] enabled. The linux-lts kernel is known to work best on such cases you have atm.

Going back to your older kernel from the 3.1-series is possible if you have those packages still
stored in your pacman-cache /var/cache/pacman/pkgs.

If that is not true anymore you have another option: Our spain mirror is mostly outdated and still holds linux 3.1 atm. Enable it and install packages from that one:

#Server = http://ftp.caliu.cat/pub/distribucions/chakra/repo/$repo/@carch@

change @arch@ to i686 or x86_64 - depends on what arch you're running.
We only update all extra-modules like graphic drivers for newer kernels or linux-lts pkg.

Search the net if somebody else already reported the regression you have currently or even if it is fixed and we just missed to add that patch to our kernel.

Hope that helps

kind regards

Phil

Arup

Enthusiast

From: India

Registered: 2012-02-15

Posts: 130

Re: Microdia webcam problems after latest update

Thanks all for your prompt response, I will buy a better webcam with UVA so that it works right out of the box. Would rather stay with Chakra than tinker with its kernel, keep up the good work guys. Now that Canonical has ditched Kubuntu, Chakra Linux will be the number one KDE based distro out there and it will be a good alternate for those who don't prefer today's Gnome 3 or Unity.