Incompatible webcam?

[brunsa2]

I bought an inexpensive webcam to start testing with on an RPi 5. v4l2-ctl --list-devices and v4l2-ctl --list-formats both show the camera and a few video formats.

Excerpt of the logs:

[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [WebServer - DataChangeService] [DEBUG] Added subscriber - Sources: DCS_WEBSOCKET, DCS_HTTP, DCS_NETWORKTABLES, DCS_VISIONMODULE, DCS_OTHER, Destinations: DCD_WEBSERVER
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [WebServer - DataChangeService] [DEBUG] Added subscriber - Sources: DCS_WEBSOCKET, DCS_HTTP, DCS_NETWORKTABLES, DCS_VISIONMODULE, DCS_OTHER, Destinations: DCD_UI
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [INFO] Setting video mode to FPS: 30 Width: 640 Height: 320 Pixel Format: kYUYV
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [DEBUG] Failed to set video mode!
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [WARN] Expected at least one of the following properties to be available: [raw_exposure_absolute, raw_exposure_time_absolute, exposure, raw_Exposure]
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [WARN] Expected at least one of the following properties to be available: [exposure_auto, auto_exposure]
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [WARN] Expected at least one of the following properties to be available: [white_balance_temperature, WhiteBalance]
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [DEBUG] No property image_stabilization for HD_Web_Camera , skipping.
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [DEBUG] No property power_line_frequency for HD_Web_Camera , skipping.
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [DEBUG] No property scene_mode for HD_Web_Camera , skipping.
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [DEBUG] No property exposure_metering_mode for HD_Web_Camera , skipping.
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [DEBUG] No property exposure_dynamic_framerate for HD_Web_Camera , skipping.
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [DEBUG] No property focus_auto for HD_Web_Camera , skipping.
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [DEBUG] No property focus_absolute for HD_Web_Camera , skipping.
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - PipelineManager] [DEBUG] Creating AprilTag pipeline
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [WebServer - DataChangeService] [DEBUG] Added subscriber - Sources: DCS_WEBSOCKET, DCS_HTTP, DCS_NETWORKTABLES, DCS_VISIONMODULE, DCS_OTHER, Destinations: DCD_ACTIVEMODULE, DCD_ACTIVEPIPELINESETTINGS, DCD_GENSETTINGS, DCD_UI, DCD_WEBSERVER, DCD_OTHER
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionModule - HD_Web_Camera] [INFO] Setting pipeline to 0
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionModule - HD_Web_Camera] [INFO] Pipeline name: New Pipeline
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [INFO] Setting video mode to FPS: 30 Width: 640 Height: 320 Pixel Format: kYUYV
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [VisionModule - VisionSourceSettables] [DEBUG] Failed to set video mode!
[20:29:33] [2025-01-07 01:29:32] [General - TimedTaskManager] [ERROR] java.lang.NullPointerException: Cannot invoke "edu.wpi.first.cscore.VideoProperty.getName()" because "this.exposureAbsProp" is null at org.photonvision.vision.camera.USBCameras.GenericUSBCameraSettables.setExposureRaw(GenericUSBCameraSettables.java:213) at org.photonvision.vision.processes.VisionModule.setPipeline(VisionModule.java:430) at org.photonvision.vision.processes.VisionModule.<init>(VisionModule.java:160) at org.photonvision.vision.processes.VisionModuleManager.addSources(VisionModuleManager.java:63) at org.photonvision.vision.processes.VisionSourceManager.tryMatchCams(VisionSourceManager.java:121) at org.photonvision.common.util.TimedTaskManager$CaughtScheduledThreadPoolExecutor.lambda$wrap$0(TimedTaskManager.java:56) at java.base/java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Executors.java:539) at java.base/java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.runAndReset(FutureTask.java:305) at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor$ScheduledFutureTask.run(ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor.java:305) at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1136) at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:635) at java.base/java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:840)

Nothing else in camera troubleshooting seemed to help. Might it be that the camera is a bit too inexpensive and doesn't support some required features (such as setting exposure)?

[brunsa2]

$ v4l2-ctl --list-devices
pispbe (platform:1000880000.pisp_be):
	/dev/video20
	/dev/video21
	/dev/video22
	/dev/video23
	/dev/video24
	/dev/video25
	/dev/video26
	/dev/video27
	/dev/video28
	/dev/video29
	/dev/video30
	/dev/video31
	/dev/video32
	/dev/video33
	/dev/video34
	/dev/video35
	/dev/video36
	/dev/video37
	/dev/media1
	/dev/media2

rpivid (platform:rpivid):
	/dev/video19
	/dev/media0

HD Web Camera: HD Web Camera (usb-xhci-hcd.1-2):
	/dev/video0
	/dev/video1
	/dev/media3

$ v4l2-ctl --list-formats
ioctl: VIDIOC_ENUM_FMT
	Type: Video Capture

	[0]: 'MJPG' (Motion-JPEG, compressed)
	[1]: 'YUYV' (YUYV 4:2:2)
	[2]: 'H264' (H.264, compressed)

[Sam948-byte]

Is the camera showing up in the Camera Matching tab, but you're not able to activate it? Or is it already activated, and the picture isn't good? If you could also include a screenshot of the Camera Matching tab, that would be great.

[brunsa2]

No evidence of a camera shows up in the web UI. I only see "Placeholder Camera".

[Sam948-byte]

Are you in the Camera Matching tab? Can you send a screenshot of what you're seeing in that tab specifically?

[brunsa2]

[mcm001]

If you list controls with v4l2-ctl --list-ctrls (iirc) what do you see? It might also be worth trying the latest dev

[brunsa2]

I can likely get a new cam to try before I can get that output. I’ll still get the output, but given the current symptoms, might I want to get that different webcam?

[mcm001]

You could try a newer version of PhotonVision, which may or may not more gracefully handle weird cameras. but it might be easier to grab a lifecam or something.

[brunsa2]

Different camera worked. I'm going to return the first cameras.

Any information you would like me to gather from either model?

[mcm001]

If you know the usb VID/PID/Product string (probably present in your logs), we can add the Completely Broken Quirk to this camera in QuirkyCamera.java I suppose