C920 is good enough for meetings. I solved the focus problem using the traditional Linux method of writing of udev rule which launches a timer when it’s plugged in, which periodically launches a systemd service, which runs a bash script to make sure it self-corrects at least every 5 minutes.

❯ cat /etc/udev/rules.d/90-video4linux-webcam-config.rules
KERNEL=="video[0-9]*", SUBSYSTEM=="video4linux", ATTRS{idVendor}=="046d", ATTRS{idProduct}=="0892", TAG+="systemd", RUN{program}="/bin/systemctl start video4linux-webcam-config@$env{MINOR}.timer" ENV{SYSTEMD_WANTS}="video4linux-webcam-config@$env{MINOR}.timer"

❯ cat /etc/systemd/system/video4linux-webcam-config@.timer
# This file is managed by ansible-video4linux-webcam-config
[Unit]
Description=Periodically restart webcam config service

[Timer]
# Unit= defaults to service matching .timer name
OnActiveSec=30

[Install]
WantedBy=timers.target

❯ cat /etc/systemd/system/video4linux-webcam-config@.service
[Unit]
Description=Set webcam configs

[Service]
Type=oneshot
ExecStart=/bin/bash -c "/usr/local/bin/video4linux-webcam-config.sh %I"

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

❯ cat /usr/local/bin/video4linux-webcam-config.sh
#!/bin/bash

if [[ $# -ne 1 ]]; then
  echo "Expected minor device number as sole argument" 1>&2
  exit 1
fi

   v4l2-ctl -d $1 --set-ctrl focus_automatic_continuous=0
  v4l2-ctl -d $1 --set-ctrl focus_absolute=0

My c920 now glitches out and refuses to stream video after about 10 minutes of use (mic still works tho). After some unknown long period of time, it resets and works for another 10 minutes

I have a c920 and it’s complete poop. Random hiccups and stutter and the auto focus fails.

I recently found out about Anker and I bought a wired ergonomic vertical mouse as I had been experiencing wrist pain recently. High quality for a very low price point, and from the looks of it most of their products are like that. Also helped with the wrist pain!

I as well use a Anker powerconf camera and it’s fantastic… But you will need a windows machine if you want to modify firmware settings on it as their control app runs in windows. It does seem that once you modify those settings they are persistent within the hardware itself though and once you move it back to the Linux machine it should all be preserved.

Of course it’s possible someone has already closed that gap out already or maybe the app runs in wine.

Yes. One thing that motivated me was comparing side-by-side the C920’s result with my iPhone’s webcam. My test subject is a black cat in a black cat bed. With the C920, it’s just one black blob. With the iPhone camera, you can at least see the distinction between the bed and the cat.

Well, Apple is, Apple.

Maybe a Logitech StreamCam will deliver better results for you? I don’t have complaints about my C920 but I don’t push it so far like you seem to do.

Looks nice and gets good reviews!

I’ve been searching for a way to control my Kiyo X on Fedora. This is great. Thank you.

How?

I’ve been using droidcamx to utilise any android phone as a webcam for a couple of years and it’s working great. Phones tend to have way better cameras compared to webcams so the video quality will be top notch in must most cases.

It’s cool they included this into android 14, though.

Damn I actually have one, oldie but still has a better camera then my current phone. Just needs a new screen.

Looks great!