Access Integrated Webcam in VM?

[JDlugosz]

My laptop has a built-in camera above the display. I want to use this in a virtual machine, to keep various messaging and conferencing software (to match the peers in the conference) without installing lothsome, mutually incompatible, or Vista-incompatible software on my host.

The device manager shows the camera as a USB device, at Port_#0007.Hub_#0006. I'm familiar with USB devices in virtual machines. Specifically, plug it in when the desired VM is in the foreground. But, I can't physically unplug this camera, as it is built-in to the laptop case.

Is there a command, utility program, or whatever to cause this USB device to move from the host to a guest?

--John

[JDlugosz]

ANYBODY, PLEASE?

[grossag]

I don't have a working 6.0 build in front of me, but I just wanted to say that IIRC you can go into the VM menu and select Removable Devices and there should be a menu for USB devices. I may be remembering incorrectly though.

[ClayMon]

I don't have a working 6.0 build in front of me, but I just wanted to say that IIRC you can go into the VM menu and select Removable Devices and there should be a menu for USB devices. I may be remembering incorrectly though.

You are correct. I just tested this in 6.0.

[JDlugosz]

I tried that. Besides the dialog box telling me that the host may report "safe to unplug", nothing happened. There was no error message of any kind. Rather, it just didn't do anything. Looking at the submenu again, there was no checkmark by that item. I picked it again, and still nothing.

Under the Vista host operating system, the webcam shows up under "Imaging devices". General properties shows a manufacturer of "Chicony, (Sonix213)".

In the XP guest, I use the VM menu, Removable Devices, USB devices, and pick the entry for "Chicony USB device". Nothing happens. It still shows up in the Device Manager of the host.

I would consider the lack of any error message or feedback to be a bug. How can I find out more information about the problem? What should I try next?

--John

[samhengon]

Hello..

I want to solve this problem too.. I am running Vista and installed the VMware server to emulate Ubuntu. However, the VMWare seems never recognized my webcam (mine is a USB 2.0 webcam, I can see that in the device manager under Vista..).. I never get it seen by the VMWare... do you know why?

Thank you very much!