VMware Horizon Community
IGetSoVmotional
Contributor
Contributor

VMware View Webcam Support

Hello,

I have some questions about webcam support in VMware View 5.1.  Ideally, I'd like to get a Logitech Pro 9000 physically connected to a laptop with the VMware View client installed working inside a Windows 7 x64 View desktop so that I can use it with Microsoft Lync 2010.

There seems to be some conflicting information about webcam support.

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003777 states quite clearly that webcams are not supported in any version of VMware View.

Seemingly to the contrary, I found this whitepaper (see link below) from September 2011 entitled "Validating Adobe Connect Client on VMware® View Desktops." The whitepaper discusses validating webcams for use with with Adobe Connect - the webcams being plugged into thin and zero clients connecting to VMware View 4.6 desktops.  There is even a section titled "End User Experience Matrix for Webcam Video."  The Logitech Pro 9000 is one of the cameras that was validated.

http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/techpaper/vmw-validating-adobe-connect-client-vmware-view-desktops.p...

This has left me somewhat confused about webcam support for VMware View and regardless of the official support stance, I am wondering if anyone knows any tips or tricks to get a Logitech Pro 9000 attached to a laptop with the VMware View client installed working inside a Windows 7 x64 View desktop.

Presently, the camera is recognized inside the View desktop but doesn't work.  I have the Logitech webcam software (version 2.5.1) installed on both the endpoint (which is also Windows 7 x64) and in the View desktop.  If I try to use quick capture for photo or video in the Logitech webcam software inside the View desktop, I just see a black screen.  Inside Microsoft Lync (also running in the View desktop), the camera is also recognized but displays an empty gray box in the video configuration area of Lync along with a message that says "Cannot connect to this webcam.  Close any active conversations or other programs that are using your webcam, and then try again."

Does anyone have any tips or tricks to get this camera working with my particular setup and does anyone have an explanation for the seemingly contradictory information I've found regarding webcam support with VMware View?

11 Replies
marcdrinkwater
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

i've yet to see anything suggestng that Webcams are supported.

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IGetSoVmotional
Contributor
Contributor

I got a bit further but still don't have it working.  I reviewed the VMware-issued whitepaper (the one I linked in my original post) again and the following was in the "Recommendations" section:

When connecting a webcam in a thin or thick client, make sure that both the thin/thick client and the VMware View desktop use the same USB generic video driver "usbvideo.sys".

Having read that, I uninstalled the Logitech camera software and drivers and now have the webcam using Microsoft's generic USB video driver on both the Windows 7 install on my laptop and in the View desktop.  But in the video configuration area inside of Lync (which is running inside the View desktop), I see an empty black screen where you would normally see the output from your video camera.  In the whitepaper, it mentioned that this exact symtpom might be experienced with webcams connected to zero clients running firmware older than version 3.3.  I'm running a thick client though.  This whitepaper has given me hope that what I'm trying to accomplish should be feasible, but so far I've not had success.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

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peterbrown05
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hello,

I am delighted to inform you that as of Horizon View 5.2 with Feature Pack 2 - View now supports webcams when using Windows clients.

Please check out my blog post here that gives more information about this: http://blogs.vmware.com/euc/2013/07/3370.html

Previously we didn't support webcams because the bandwidth needed to run a webcam is huge and typically this does not scale over a real VDI environment. However the Real-Time Audio-Video functionality as described above works around this limitation.

Let me know how you get on!

cheers

peterB

gwebb6
Contributor
Contributor

I know this is a year old, but wanted to bump this to get some help.  We are running a Logitech B990 HD and Lync 2010.  The camera works find on a physical box.  On a PCoIP thin client, however, it does not.  The camera on-light flickers as if it is trying to connect but fails to do so.  Under Lync, it sees a VMware camera.  We are running Horizon View 5.3 with the Feature Pack 5.3 installed.  Any troubleshooting advice?  Thanks!

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peterbrown05
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

unfortunately the PCoIP Zero clients do not support the real-time audio-Video functionality.  RTAV is supported on windows, Linux and OS X clients. (Linux based thin clients are supported, but requires the thin client vendor to supply the updated binaries)

The only solution here for you with a zero client would be to try and redirect the device using usb redirection. However, usb redirection of webcams is highly problematic due to the bandwidth they consume (often 60Mbps+ and the latency sensitive nature of video. Typically we see that usb webcams just dont work when redirected by usb traffic. It was for this reason that we never officially supported webcams via usb in Horizon View, and for that very reason why we developed the RTAV functionality.

If you are having problems, and need to stick with the zero client - then the best I can suggest is to talk to Teradici and have them investigate. You might find another webcam works better (eg uses a lower bandwidth) - but I dont have any information to support that - Teradici might have some information to help.

sorry I cant be more help, but hopefully the above is useful,

cheers

peterB

gwebb6
Contributor
Contributor

Peter - thanks for the information.  I have worked with Teradici before and will reach out to them.  If anything comes out of it I will post it here.

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peterbrown05
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

cool - if you do get a solution please share back here.

cheers

peterB

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gwebb6
Contributor
Contributor

In short, it doesn't work on zero clients.  It will not work with TERA1 PCoIP zero clients.  With TERA2 PCoIP zero clients still pictures can be made to work, but video is VERY choppy and eventually crashes.  Sound works just fine.

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ryanarogers
Contributor
Contributor

Exactly one year later.... Any more info on vmware View supporting cameras? :smileyconfused:

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IT_Sup
Contributor
Contributor

Hello,

Is there any update on webcam support on Vmware View (we are using 7.4) for thin clients? Either on blast or PCoIP?

Thanks

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pchapman
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

As mentioned years ago in this thread, RTAV (Real Time audio video) support from Windows/Linux/OSX Horizon clients will support webcams properly.  It is still there in the latest Horizon versions.  I don't ever see the RTAV functionality coming to Teradici zero clients.  I'd suggest looking at a different type of client if it's a requirement of yours.

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