How to get a list of video capture devices (web cameras) on linux ( ubuntu )? (C/C++)

c++ c linux webcam device
Rella picture Rella · Nov 27, 2010 · Viewed 67.9k times · Source

So all I need is simple - a list of currently avaliable video capture devices (web cameras). I need it in simple C or C++ console app. By list I mean something like such console output:

1) Asus Web Camera
2) Sony Web Camera

So It seems simple but I have one requirement - use of native OS apis as much as possible - no external libs - after all - all we want is to print out a a list - not to fly onto the moon!)

How to do such thing?

also from this series:

Answer

Denio Mariz picture Denio Mariz · Aug 8, 2014

You can use the following bash command:

v4l2-ctl --list-devices

In order to use the above command, you must install package v4l-utils before. In Ubuntu/Debian you can use the command:

sudo apt-get install v4l-utils

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