The USB video device class (also USB video class or UVC) is a USB device class that describes devices capable of streaming video like webcams, digital camcorders, transcoders, analog video converters and still-image cameras.
The latest revision of the USB video class specification carries the version number 1.5 and was defined by the USB Implementers Forum in a set of documents describing both the basic protocol and the different payload formats.
See also the List of USB video class devices
Devices
Webcams
Webcams were among the first devices to support the UVC standard and they are currently the most popular UVC devices.
TV receivers and video recorders
UVC v1.1 support transmission of compressed video streams, including MPEG-2 TS, H.264, MPEG-4 SL SMPTE VC1 and MJPEG.
Formats
- Uncompressed YUV formats YUY2, NV12
- DV formats SD-DV, SDL-DV, and HD-DV (525-60, 625-50, 1125â€"60, 1250-50)
- Frame-based
- Video stream formats like MPEG-2 TS, H.264, MPEG-4 SL, SMPTE VC1, and MJPEG
Revision history
For detailed history on releases, see the revision history section of the published USB UVC documents, available from the USB.org/developers/docs page.
Operating system support
- Linux
- USB video class support for Linux is provided by the Linux UVC driver, although as of May 2012 support for still-image capture is not yet implemented. Since Linux 2.6.26 the driver is included in kernel source distribution.
- Mac OS X
- Mac OS X ships with a UVC driver included since version 10.4.3, updated in 10.4.9 to work with iChat.
- Microsoft WindowsÂ
- Windows XP has a class driver for USB video class 1.0 devices since Service Pack 2, as does Windows Vista and Windows CE 6.0. A post-service pack 2 update that adds more capabilities is also available. Windows 7 added UVC 1.1 support. Support for UVC 1.5 is currently only available in Windows 8. Most device manufacturers do, however, provide their own drivers tailored to the capabilities of the product in question.
- FreeBSDÂ
- FreeBSD added the uvc driver for UVC devices in Jan 18, 2011; added in the 9.0 release.
- NetBSDÂ
- NetBSD added the uvideo driver for UVC devices in September 2008; added in the 5.0 release.
- OpenBSDÂ
- OpenBSD added the uvideo driver for UVC devices in April 2008; it appears in the 4.4 release.
- PlayStation 3Â
- The PlayStation 3 added support for UVC compatible webcams in firmware version 1.54 (only works for video chat, not games.)
- SolarisÂ
- Solaris includes support for UVC webcams in the form of the usbvc driver for OpenSolaris. The driver ships with Solaris Express build 56 and later.
References
- ^ a b c d e f USB Device Class Definition for Video Devices, Revision 1.5, June 2012
- ^ "Linux UVC driver and tools, Status".Â
- ^ Mac OS X 10.4.9 update "Includes iChat support for USB Video Class webcams." Apple Inc. April 8, 2008. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
- ^ The updated USB Video Class (UVC) driver for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 is available
- ^ USB Video Class Driver Overview. Microsoft. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
- ^ "UVC(4) FreeBSD Kernel Interfaces Manual". 2012-08-06. Retrieved 2013-09-10.Â
- ^ http://netbsd.gw.com/cgi-bin/man-cgi?uvideo++NetBSD-current
- ^ http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?query=uvideo&sektion=4
- ^ http://www.opensolaris.org/os/community/device_drivers/projects/usb/uvc/