How can I list the available video modes for a USB webcam in Linux?

21

9

I faintly recall that once upon a time, I found a command-line tool (something involving "UVC") to list the supported resolutions & modes of a USB webcam camera (e.g. PAL, 640x480) in Linux, but alas, I've lost it. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? I want something that will give something like,

> list-uvc-modes /dev/video1
PAL, YUYV, 640x480, 30 FPS
NTSC, MJPEG, ...

Thanks!

gatoatigrado

Posted 2013-09-02T03:44:26.590

Reputation: 1 075

1http://askubuntu.com/questions/214977/how-can-i-find-out-the-supported-webcam-resolutions – Ciro Santilli 新疆改造中心法轮功六四事件 – 2016-02-21T10:12:34.950

Answers

33

If you have v4l (video 4 linux 2) installed you can do:

v4l2-ctl --list-formats

nerdwaller

Posted 2013-09-02T03:44:26.590

Reputation: 13 366

12Even more details with v4l2-ctl --list-formats-ext – NinjaFart – 2014-08-23T12:42:54.527

5Cool, I did v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video2 --list-formats and then v4l2-ctl -d /dev/video2 --list-framesizes=YUYV. It seems v4l2-ctl has a lot more options too. Thanks very much! – gatoatigrado – 2013-09-02T19:31:39.520

3

If you use uvc controls for a webcam, another method is :

uvcdynctrl -f

You can also do :

uvcdynctrl -l

to list all the devices.

ptonelli

Posted 2013-09-02T03:44:26.590

Reputation: 31

1

The accepted answer (v4l2-ctl --list-formats) seems to show only the first available format, e.g.:

$ v4l2-ctl --list-formats
ioctl: VIDIOC_ENUM_FMT
        Index       : 0
        Type        : Video Capture
        Pixel Format: ''
        Name        : 2036315a-0000-0010-8000-00aa003

        Index       : 1
        Type        : Video Capture
        Pixel Format: ''
        Name        : 00000050-0000-0010-8000-00aa003

To see all available formats, you may want to use a script along similar to the following:

$ for d in /dev/video* ; do echo $d ; v4l2-ctl --device=$d -D --list-formats  ; echo '===============' ; done
/dev/video0
Driver Info (not using libv4l2):
        Driver name   : uvcvideo
        Card type     : Intel(R) RealSense(TM) 410
        Bus info      : usb-0000:00:14.0-1
        Driver version: 4.4.13
        Capabilities  : 0x84200001
                Video Capture
                Streaming
                Extended Pix Format
                Device Capabilities
        Device Caps   : 0x04200001
                Video Capture
                Streaming
                Extended Pix Format
ioctl: VIDIOC_ENUM_FMT
        Index       : 0
        Type        : Video Capture
        Pixel Format: 'Z16 '
        Name        : Depth data 16-bit (Z16)

        Index       : 1
        Type        : Video Capture
        Pixel Format: ''
        Name        : 00000050-0000-0010-8000-00aa003

===============
/dev/video1
Driver Info (not using libv4l2):
        Driver name   : uvcvideo
        Card type     : Intel(R) RealSense(TM) 410
        Bus info      : usb-0000:00:14.0-1
        Driver version: 4.4.13
        Capabilities  : 0x84200001
                Video Capture
                Streaming
                Extended Pix Format
                Device Capabilities
        Device Caps   : 0x04200001
                Video Capture
                Streaming
                Extended Pix Format
ioctl: VIDIOC_ENUM_FMT
        Index       : 0
        Type        : Video Capture
        Pixel Format: ''
        Name        : 00000032-0000-0010-8000-00aa003

        Index       : 1
        Type        : Video Capture
        Pixel Format: 'UYVY'
        Name        : UYVY 4:2:2

        Index       : 2
        Type        : Video Capture
        Pixel Format: 'Y8I '
        Name        : Greyscale 8 L/R (Y8I)

        Index       : 3
        Type        : Video Capture
        Pixel Format: 'Y12I'
        Name        : Greyscale 12 L/R (Y12I)

===============
$ v4l2-ctl -D -d /dev/video1 --list-formats-ext
Driver Info (not using libv4l2):
        Driver name   : uvcvideo
        Card type     : Intel(R) RealSense(TM) 410
        Bus info      : usb-0000:00:14.0-1
        Driver version: 4.4.13
        Capabilities  : 0x84200001
                Video Capture
                Streaming
                Extended Pix Format
                Device Capabilities
        Device Caps   : 0x04200001
                Video Capture
                Streaming
                Extended Pix Format
ioctl: VIDIOC_ENUM_FMT
        Index       : 0
        Type        : Video Capture
        Pixel Format: ''
        Name        : 00000032-0000-0010-8000-00aa003
                Size: Discrete 424x240
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 480x270
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 640x360
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 640x480
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 848x480
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 1280x720
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)

        Index       : 1
        Type        : Video Capture
        Pixel Format: 'UYVY'
        Name        : UYVY 4:2:2
                Size: Discrete 424x240
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 480x270
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 640x360
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 640x480
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 848x480
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 1280x720
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)

        Index       : 2
        Type        : Video Capture
        Pixel Format: 'Y8I '
        Name        : Greyscale 8 L/R (Y8I)
                Size: Discrete 424x240
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 480x270
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 640x360
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 640x480
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 848x480
                        Interval: Discrete 0.011s (90.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.017s (60.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 1280x720
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.167s (6.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 1920x1080
                        Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)

        Index       : 3
        Type        : Video Capture
        Pixel Format: 'Y12I'
        Name        : Greyscale 12 L/R (Y12I)
                Size: Discrete 960x540
                        Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
                Size: Discrete 1920x1080
                        Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
                        Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)

boardrider

Posted 2013-09-02T03:44:26.590

Reputation: 615

5--list-formats-ext seems easier than a script – Jon Watte – 2017-11-25T19:08:24.693

Asked: 2013-09-02T03:44:26.590

Viewed: 57 819 times

Active: 2017-02-19T14:32:15.437