Webcam is not working on skype with Ubuntu 12.04

After the upgrade, you may have to re-set Skype in Skype the options menu to use the camera. Use the test feature in the Skype video options tab to do the test.

I've already done it and the problem remains.

thank you, Barry, anyway.

Have you tried completely removing Skype and re-installing? I have to say it is working OK for me on two different machines.

I'll try that and I'll be back soon with good news, I hope.

Not working yet.
I complettely removed skype with synaptic and made a new install with synaptic and the problem is still on.
Any new ideas?

My version of Skype is 2.2 Beta which I downloaded from the Skype website as Skype does not appear in the 10.04 repos. If you are using the version of Skype that comes with 10.04 or any other Ubuntu repo, this may be the problem. Using Synaptic, you most likely simply re-installed the old version if you didn't download anything. Does this fit the case?

Can you give the output of:

lsusb; lsb_release -a; uname -a

Thanks

@Barry Drake:
I've done that too and it doesn't work still.

@actionparsnip:
The output of what you've typed is:
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
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
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 002: ID 0471:0328 Philips (or NXP) SPC 700NC PC Camera
Bus 005 Device 003: ID 03f0:6004 Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 5550
LSB Version: core-2.0-ia32:core-2.0-noarch:core-3.0-ia32:core-3.0-noarch:core-3.1-ia32:core-3.1-noarch:core-3.2-ia32:core-3.2-noarch:core-4.0-ia32:core-4.0-noarch:cxx-3.0-ia32:cxx-3.0-noarch:cxx-3.1-ia32:cxx-3.1-noarch:cxx-3.2-ia32:cxx-3.2-noarch:cxx-4.0-ia32:cxx-4.0-noarch:desktop-3.1-ia32:desktop-3.1-noarch:desktop-3.2-ia32:desktop-3.2-noarch:desktop-4.0-ia32:desktop-4.0-noarch:graphics-2.0-ia32:graphics-2.0-noarch:graphics-3.0-ia32:graphics-3.0-noarch:graphics-3.1-ia32:graphics-3.1-noarch:graphics-3.2-ia32:graphics-3.2-noarch:graphics-4.0-ia32:graphics-4.0-noarch:printing-3.2-ia32:printing-3.2-noarch:printing-4.0-ia32:printing-4.0-noarch:qt4-3.1-ia32:qt4-3.1-noarch
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
Release: 12.04
Codename: precise
Linux jleite1 3.2.0-24-generic-pae #37-Ubuntu SMP Wed Apr 25 10:47:59 UTC 2012 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

Try:

LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype

Does skype work ok now? If you get an error, let me know

@actionparsnip:
I've opened a terminal window, typed "LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype" and the result was:
         ERROR: ld.so: object '/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded: ignored.
I've also tried: "LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype" and the result was:
         ERROR: ld.so: object '/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded: ignored
In both situations skype started I could make a test call but the webcam doesn't work.
Any new ideas?
Thank you.

sudo apt-get install libv4l-0
LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype

@actionparsnip:
Done that and still not working.
After enter the result is:
ERROR: ld.so: object '/usr/lib/libv4l/v4l1compat.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded: ignored.
but skype starts and i can make a test call, but video doesn't work. When I press the Test button on video devices tab the small screen gets all black.
I also changed the usb port where the webcam is connected but the result is the same.
Any sugestions? This is getting a bit tricky.

ok what is the output of:

sudo pdatedb; locate v4l1compat.so

Thanks

Greetings actionparsnip.
The output of: sudo pdatedb; locate v4l1compat.so
is:
sudo: pdatedb: command not found
/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so
Best regards

LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype

Did you try that?

try following method! that works perfact on my pc.

1. open terminal
2. gedit ~/.local/share/applications/skype.desktop
3. find Exec=skype
4. replace with Exec=bash -c 'LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype'

Yes, please read entry #11

@owelet:
Greetings
Please write the full path for skype.desktop.
thanks

Or run:

gksudo gedit /usr/share/applications/skype.desktop

That will give the file

This is the contents of my skype.desktop.

-----

#!/usr/bin/env xdg-open

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Skype
Comment=Skype Internet Telephony
Icon=skype.png
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Encoding=UTF-8
Categories=Network;Application;
X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=;

Exec=bash -c 'LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype'
Icon[zh_TW]=skype

[Skype Webcam Shortcut Group]
Name=Skype Webcam
Exec=LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype
TargetEnvironment=Unity

[webcam Shortcut Group]
Name=webcam
Exec=bash -c 'LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype'
TargetEnvironment=Unity

---END---

Do you mean this??

@actionparsnip:
Thank you, that gave me the file as you said.
@owelet:
Right now the contents of my skype.desktop is:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Skype
Comment=Skype Internet Telephony
Exec=bash -c 'LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype'
Icon=skype.png
Terminal=0
Type=Application
Encoding=UTF-8
Categories=Network;Application;

Can anyone help me with this problem?
Thanks

Hi everybody,
 I have the same problem than Joaquin on a laptop Asus F5 with a builtin Syntek webcam. I tried everything I saw on the forums but nothing works to make Skype read properly its video stream, although gstreamer-properties, guvcview or vlc show that the webcam is well recognize by linux. Is there a way to do so ?

As I run Skype in a shell:

$ LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so /usr/bin/skype

I can read the following error messages

/usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/menuproxies/libappmenu.so: mauvaise classe ELF : ELFCLASS64
(skype:6979): Gtk-WARNING **: Failed to load type module: /usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/menuproxies/libappmenu.so
/usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/menuproxies/libappmenu.so: mauvaise classe ELF : ELFCLASS64
(skype:6979): Gtk-WARNING **: Failed to load type module: /usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/menuproxies/libappmenu.so
/usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/menuproxies/libappmenu.so: mauvaise classe ELF : ELFCLASS64
(skype:6979): Gtk-WARNING **: Failed to load type module: /usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/menuproxies/libappmenu.so
/usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/menuproxies/libappmenu.so: mauvaise classe ELF : ELFCLASS64
(skype:6979): Gtk-WARNING **: Failed to load type module: /usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/menuproxies/libappmenu.so

here skype runs, and it is possible to have audio chat.Now, if in skype i do: "main menu → options → video", then push the "test button", my webcam's LED switchs on 3 s and the test window stay black. A double click on the test window make the webcam's LED switchs on 3s and I get a white screen.

if I put the command

$ locate libappmenu.so

in the shell , the result is

/usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/menuproxies/libappmenu.so
/usr/lib/gtk-3.0/3.0.0/menuproxies/libappmenu.so
/usr/lib/indicators3/7/libappmenu.so

and $ locate v4l1compat.so gives

/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so

and

$ lsusb; lsb_release -a; uname -a
[...]
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 174f:6a31 Syntek Web Cam - Asus A8J, F3S, F5R, VX2S, V1S
[...]
LSB Version: core-2.0-amd64:core-2.0-noarch:core-3.0-amd64:core-3.0-noarch:core-3.1-amd64:core-3.1-noarch:core-3.2-amd64:core-3.2-noarch:core-4.0-amd64:core-4.0-noarch
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
Release: 12.04
Codename: precise
Linux Cetamoa 3.2.0-24-generic #37-Ubuntu SMP Wed Apr 25 08:43:22 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Do you have any idea how to fix this problem ?
Thanks
L.

I have the solution.
Instead of:
LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so skype

The solution is:
LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so /usr/bin/skype

Now my webcam is ok.

You can add:

alias skype='LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so /usr/bin/skype'

to ~/.bashrc

and it will make it default used.

See how much headache skype is....

@actionparsnip
Greetings.
You mean that i can edit ~/.bashrc and add a line at the end of the file with:
alias skype='LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so /usr/bin/skype'
and after that to run Skype i'll just need to double click Skype's icon?
Is that it?

Yes, should do the trick

Hi Thanks for your answer despite I did'nt succeded to solve the problem. Gtalk works very well, so I'will take use this software instead Skype.

have same problem. at askubuntu.com there was an answer that says there should be a video0 at /dev/ or video1. http://askubuntu.com/questions/145859/ubuntu-12-04-syntek-in-built-webcam-not-detected
But I have no "video" any thing in /dev/ yet lsusb gives the fallowing.

Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
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
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0c45:6310 Microdia Sonix USB 2.0 Camera
Bus 006 Device 002: ID 0a5c:2151 Broadcom Corp. Bluetooth

Does the cam work in cheese?

no. Chees says no cam.

Try:

sudo rmmod uvcvideo && sudo modpprobe uvcvideo trace=0xfff

Does it now work in cheese?

gives the fallowing error

sudo rmmod uvcvideo && sudo modprobe uvcvideo trace=0xfff
ERROR: Module uvcvideo does not exist in /proc/modules

My webcam works with cheese.
But with Skype, when I try to see if my webcam works with the options, I see the light of the webcam, but the screen remains black.

That's because Skype is a mess

Hello,

I have a Syntek webcam embeded in a Asus F5 laptop (

Bus 001 Device 005: ID 174f:6a31 Syntek Web Cam - Asus A8J, F3S, F5R, VX2S, V1S

) it worked until a recent update of Ubuntu. It worked well with the kernel Linux 3.2.0-25-generic, but since the Linux 3.2.0-29-generic kernel update I can not make it work properly. My current kernel is:

 Linux 3.2.0-29-generic #46-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jul 27 17:03:23 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

As I attempt to load manually the module, the command " insmod" answers " error inserting 'stk11xx.ko': -1 Invalid module format". I tryed to compile again the driver from the sources (stk11xx-2.1.0.tar.gz) from this way :
$ sudo make -f Makefile.standalone
But compilation fails:

make -C /lib/modules/3.2.0-29-generic/build SUBDIRS= modules make[1]: entrant dans le répertoire « /usr/src/linux-headers-3.2.0-29-generic » make[2]: *** Pas de règle pour fabriquer la cible « arch/x86/tools/relocs.c », nécessaire pour « arch/x86/tools/relocs ». Arrêt. make[1]: *** [archscripts] Erreur 2 make[1]: quittant le répertoire « /usr/src/linux-headers-3.2.0-29-generic » make: *** [driver] Erreur 2

the translation is:
make -C /lib/modules/3.2.0-29-generic/build SUBDIRS= modules make[1]: while entering in the directory « /usr/src/linux-headers-3.2.0-29-generic » make[2]: *** No rule to make the target « arch/x86/tools/relocs.c », required for « arch/x86/tools/relocs ». Stop. make[1]: *** [archscripts] Error 2 make[1]: while exiting from directory « /usr/src/linux-headers-3.2.0-29-generic »
make: *** [driver] Error 2

Could somebody help me, thanks in advance.
L.

Same problem here, more or less. I get the webcam image in Skype but it's upside down. I had this in pre-12.04 Kubuntu but solved it with the same command I'm using now. Here's what I get in 12.04:

pwa@pwa-K60IJ:~/Documents$ ls /dev/vid*
/dev/video0
pwa@pwa-K60IJ:~/Documents$ skype
ERROR: ld.so: object '/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded: ignored.
^Cpwa@pwa-K60IJ:~/Documents$ ll /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 5904 May 18 04:04 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libv4l/v4l1compat.so

I'm pretty sure that the preload is attempting to load the correct file. So why can't v4l1compat.so be preloaded? Is there a way to find out?

Found the problem!! I was looking in x86_64-linux-gnu but should have been looking in i386-linux-gnu. (I do have a 64-bit system.)

Same problem here,
Ubuntu 12.04 32bit
Skype V.4.1.0.20 from official website.
Asus F9, Syntek camera, stk11xx.ko module.
Cheese ok (after changing camera resolution in options, otherwise black).
Device /dev/video0 EXISTS, Skype founds the camera (showed in video devices options), leds 3s but black screen.
DMESG shows nothing.
In other sw cam is ok.
Either preload and normal (preload can actually preload the v4l1compat, no errors on that).
libv4l-0 version 0.8.6-1ubuntu2 (from repos).

@lanagram: that compilation problem is probably solved elsewhere in the net, is not related to this topic.
@Paul Abrahams: is it is still upside down some drivers have an option to flip the image when loaded.

Ideas?

To answer the question about the status of my webcam: I only encountered the problem on my Asus laptop, which I'm not now actively using. I did solve the problem in that context, as I reported in my earlier contribution here. My impression when I was dealing with this problem was that Asus miswired the built-in webcam and then tried to compensate for their error with software. Their fix was invisible to Windows users but didn't help Linux users, which is why we've needed to use that particular driver.