What webcam can I buy that works out of the box with Ubuntu?

I need to set up a video conference, yet I have no webcam. I'm looking to buy something that works out of the box with Ubuntu 10.04, and as many possible conferencing apps as possible. Can anyone recommend me something I might be able to find at a local store?

Solution 1:

According to the webcam page on the wiki, there is a list on the Linux UVC page that keeps track of compatible cameras.

Personally I've had great support with Logitech cameras. They have a page that shows which models work with Linux out of the box.

Solution 2:

You might want to have a look at the Hardware Compatibility List from Ubuntu, especially the section about webcams.

Solution 3:

You can take a look here.

Many webcams will "just work" in Ubuntu. There is a USB standard that defines USB streaming video called UVC. This stands for Universal Video Class, and it does for webcams what UMS does for USB memory sticks and hard drives. This allows one driver to work with many webcams. When looking to purchase a webcam for use with Ubuntu, you should look for a UVC compatible camera. The Linux-UVC project has a good list of UVC compatible webcams as well as The Quickcam Team for Logitech cameras.

What you can do is test the webcam at the store with a LiveCD or your laptop. If you have a desktop you can test it at home and if it doesn't work you return it. This last thing is what I did when I bought my webcam (Genius iSlim 330 - works out of the box).

Solution 4:

Most will just work. Getting a definitive list is somewhat harder because the list varies from kernel (and its UVC version) to kernel.

In my experience, the cheaper, the better. As soon as you start getting into software-controlled things like tracking and flashes, you tend to need drivers that just aren't available. Dirt-cheap webcams seem to all share common hardware.

If in doubt, buy something that isn't in a sealed box so you can return it if it doesn't work.