Easycap
Many USB video capture devices are sold as EasyCAP.
It seems that EasyCAP is not a companys or brand name, but some chinese manufacturers use this label for at least four completly hardware different clones of equally looking audio and video capture devices. EasyCAP devices and clones are vastly sold in onlineshops at low prices.
This article describes, how to identify the chipset of the known EasyCAP devices and if they are supported/ working under Linux.
Overview/Features
- All the EasyCAP devices and clones need a USB 2.0 connection (USB 1.1 is too slow).
- They are tunerless but can capture analogue video up to 720x576 px (PAL) or 720x480 px (NTSC) and
- stereosound up to 48000 Hz sampling rate (or only 8000 Hz mono on some models where the AC'97 chip is missing).
- Most of them have input cables labelled CVBS, S-VIDEO, AUDIO(L), AUDIO(R).
- Some models do have 4 yellow input cables (CVBS) labelled 1, 2, 3, 4 and one white unlabelled audio cable.
- Capturing is possible from only one input at a time!
Components Used
The components of the different EasyCAP labeled devices are mentioned in the "Known Easycap devices" section below.
Other Images
Easycap labeled devices
Easycap clones with different components
Identification
Indentify the device before buying
It is hard to identify the chipset of any EasyCAP device before buying because most onlineshops (ebay, amazon) do not mention in the provided technical data the chipset of the device. Example from logilik.de where the chipset is declared
Identify device using installation instructions for Windows
If the chipset is not mentioned in device specifications on the website, one way to figure out the chipset inside the EaysCAP is to read through the installation instructions for Windows (if provided for download).
Screenshots of the windowsinstaller often reveal the devicename.
- STK1160 EasyCAP is in Windows: (Syntek) STK1160 or STK1150
- Empia EasyCAP is in Windows: USB 2861 Device or EMP
- Somagic EasyCAP is in Windows: SM-USB 007 or SMI Grabber Device
- UTV007 based EasyCAP is in Windows: USBTV007
Known Easycap devices
STK1160 EasyCAP
For the stk1160 based EasyCAPs exists another article on this wiki with further information.
It is assumed that the stk1160 based "EasyCAP DC60" ist the "originally" EasyCAP device. This device is sold in different varieties (models) and even under different names like: EzCap, LogiLink, Mumbi, Weltbild, and some more.
Components Used
- Syntek STK1160 (USB video bridge)
- Silan SC8113 or GM7113 (Philips SAA7113 compatible video decoder)
- AC'97 audio processor (In the 4 inputs model this chip is missing. Audio capturing is done by the STK1160 chips built-in ADC for mono microphone audio recording.)
Indentification
# lsusb Bus 001 Device 003: ID 05e1:0408 Syntek Semiconductor Co., Ltd STK1160 Video Capture Device
Making it work
STK1160 based devices are supported (video and audio) under Linux by the easycap kernel module (kernel 2.6.38 and later) and further on by the stk1160 kernel module (kernel 3.7). More information on this wiki: Stk1160
Audio support
More information on this wiki: Stk1160#Drivers
Empia EasyCAP
The Empia EasyCAP is based on the EM2860 chip from Empia.
Components Used
- Empia EM2860 (EM2861 ?) (USB video bridge)
- Silan SC8113 (Philips SAA7113 compatible video decoder)
- AC'97 audio processor
Indentification
# lsusb Bus XXX Device XXX: ID eb1a:2861 eMPIA Technology, Inc.
Making it work
EM2860 (EM2861) based devices are supported in Linux by the em28xx kernle module. More information on this wiki: Em28xx_devices
Audio support
The em28xx kernel module should create a Em28xx Audio ALSA soundcard which can be used for sound capturing.
Somagic EasyCAP
The Somagic EasyCAP is based on the SMI-2021 chip from Somagic. It needs a firmware for operation.
Components Used
- Somagic SMI-2021CBE (USB video bridge)
- SAA7113 compatible video decoder
- Cirrus Logic 5340-CZZ audio processor
Indentification
# lsusb Bus XXX Device XXX: ID 1c88:0007 Somagic, Inc. and after loading the firmware # lsusb Bus XXX Device XXX: ID 1c88:003c Somagic, Inc. or Bus XXX Device XXX: ID 1c88:003f Somagic, Inc.
Making it work
For SMI-2021 based devices exists a proceeding Linux-driver project: easycap-somagic-linux
More information on this wiki: Somagic
Audio support
Audio support is provided by the easycap-somagic-linux driver at an unknown stage.
USBTV007 EasyCAP
This EasyCAP is based on a single UTV007 labeled chip.
This device is sold as "USB video capture QS702" from SHENZHEN FUSHICAI ELECTRONIC CO.,LTD
lsusb reports
- Manufacturer: Fushicai
- Product: usbtv007
Components Used
- Single chip: UTV007 A614231.1 1136L1BK
- Inscriptions on the board: FSC VIDEO DVR
Indentification
# lsusb Bus XXX Device XXX: ID 1b71:3002
Making it work
Audio support
As of kernel version 3.19-rc1, the usbtv kernel module should create a USB Audio ALSA soundcard which can be used for sound capturing.
Kernel modules
Kernel 3.19-rc1 and above now include the usbtv kernel module that supports both video and audio.
- Patch ID: 63ddf68de52efaac40a9287e44266ac30e71dd36
- Audio is 48Khz, 2ch, 16bit.
Kernels between version 3.13-rc5 and 3.19 support video only.
If you are below kernel version 3.19 and want audio support, you can build the module yourself.
- Git: https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/tree/drivers/media/usb/usbtv
- Enable CONFIG_VIDEO_USBTV
Userspace drivers
- Git: https://github.com/memeruiz/usbtv007
- Very experimental
- Currently doesn't do anything beyond what kernel driver does but is resource hungry
- Written using Python libusb1 and v4l2 bindings (you will need their packages from pypi.python.org)
- Requires v4l2loopback: http://github.com/umlaeute/v4l2loopback
- Could be useful for easy protocol testing, prototyping
Work needed
- Testing and fixing of eventual bugs is very welcome!
- Audio is currently not supported on the last Linux kernel. Audio is working with the Windows driver (tested on Windows 2000 with the XP driver not on a virtualized computer with a playstation PSX for the video and audio inputs with the software "honestech HD DVR 2.5").
The Windows driver shipped with the device was for another model. Here's the correct one: http://v3.sk/~lkundrak/usbtv/usbtv-wxp32.zip
Slides from talk describing setup for reverse-engineering what does the hardware do are available: http://www.slideshare.net/LubomirRintel/usb-reversing
External Links
Jashi's ROOM User information about the four different EasyCAPs with hardware pictures (Japanese site translated with Google)
www.usbeasycap.info Site of a chinese EasyCAP manufacturer/ retailer where at some Easycap products the chipset is declared and at some it is not declared.