Unload webcam Linux?

[lordporkbone]

I switched to linux recently and a feature i use a lot is the one that unloads (turns off) my web cam when i hide the source. but this option isn't in the same place as the windows version. has it been removed or is it just not available in the linux version? i feel like linux is more limited than it needs to be in these situations, i can see why people give up and just go back to windows lol...

 

[stephematician]

Welcome!

You're right, this feature doesn't exist on Linux. You're not the only one to have noticed: https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/deactivate-device-when-not-in-use.187700/

To explain a little why there's no progress... A lot is change going on with Linux outside of OBS. The big one is the migration away from X11 (which displays windows) towards Wayland. Along with this, PipeWire is becoming a big player in how audio and video data is passed from one application to another - this includes webcams.

The end result - is that a lot of the OBS development is geared towards having these up and running; and its not going into adding features to the "old" V4L2 libraries for using webcams.

I actually did make some progress on an underlying issue that would prevent the stopping + starting of an asynchronous source; but it hasn't been merged: https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio/pull/12431

If you stick with Linux, you'll get used to being in the minority of the users for lots of software: that can have its downsides. On the upside though, my system (running Ubuntu MATE) is so much snappier, more stable, and less glitchy than Windows 11 - and I would never ever go back.

 

[lordporkbone]

Welcome!

You're right, this feature doesn't exist on Linux. You're not the only one to have noticed: https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/deactivate-device-when-not-in-use.187700/

To explain a little why there's no progress... A lot is change going on with Linux outside of OBS. The big one is the migration away from X11 (which displays windows) towards Wayland. Along with this, PipeWire is becoming a big player in how audio and video data is passed from one application to another - this includes webcams.

The end result - is that a lot of the OBS development is geared towards having these up and running; and its not going into adding features to the "old" V4L2 libraries for using webcams.

I actually did make some progress on an underlying issue that would prevent the stopping + starting of an asynchronous source; but it hasn't been merged: https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio/pull/12431

If you stick with Linux, you'll get used to being in the minority of the users for lots of software: that can have its downsides. On the upside though, my system (running Ubuntu MATE) is so much snappier, more stable, and less glitchy than Windows 11 - and I would never ever go back.

i appreciate your reply. thank you for the detailed explanation. i want to stick with linux because i dont want AI to be the core of my system as Microsoft is clearly making copilot for its Windows OS. i like AI but, i want to keep it at arm's length and with linux, Debian Sid in my case, I can restrict copilot to the Edge browser and this is a satisfactory compromise. Once again thank you :)