Can you use an external webcam with Android smartphones? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Ben321
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2019, 10:16:35 am
content: I am considering buying this adapterhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GGKYXVE/which will let me connect any normal external PC USB device (not ones designed specifically for smartphones) to a smartphone with a USB-C port. My intent is to use my generic UVC (USB-video-class) USB webcam on my smartphone (does not require dedicated drivers, and on my Windows PC it works as soon as plugged in), but I don't know how Android handles webcams. I know it normally detects the two that are hardwired into the phone (the front and rear facing cameras). And most camera apps have a way of switching between these 2 cameras. However, what happens if a 3rd camera is present, such as one connected via the USB port? Does the camera automatically override one of the two built-in ones, so that when switching between the cameras in an app, one of the two cameras is now your USB webcam (and thus ignores one of the two internal ones)? Or does it add a 3rd camera to the device, such that you can cycle through all 3 cameras in the app when you tap the button to switch cameras? Or does it just not work at all, never recognizing the external camera?If anybody has ever tried this (using a USB-C or micro-USB adapter to connect a generic webcam to their Android phone), please let me know how well that worked. I don't want to waste my money on this adapter if an Android phone will not recognize a webcam when it's plugged in.

author: Ed.Kloonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 04, 2019, 10:39:32 am
content: Gee. I doubt it.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 08:55:57 am
content: Quote from: Ben321 on November 04, 2019, 10:16:35 amThat "adapter" is purely mechanical/electrical. It is like a plug adapter that lets you plug in a plug with flat pins into a socket with round pins. It does not change the voltage.USB devices are either hosts or peripherals with a master/slave protocol. A phone is a peripheral that can be connected to a host. A camera is a peripheral that can be connected to a host. You cannot connect a peripheral to a peripheral or a host to a host.That USB adapter is not going to make your phone into a host.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 09:13:22 am
content: Quote from: soldar on November 05, 2019, 08:55:57 amThe phone is probably already an OTG host or 'better', it just needs the adapter, I know my phone (an earlier one) will support HID and memory devices as an OTG host but I've never plugged in a webcam though there is some discussion that suggests it will work if the camera is Linux compatible using the Linux USB webcam framework.$8 seems rather expensive, they're just a pair of connectors and a bit of cable, if you were in the UK I'd stick one in the post for you.

author: mengfei
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 09:22:32 am
content: OR you could just use thesehttps://yushida.aliexpress.com/store/group/External-Camera-For-Android-Phone-or-PC/2692026_511866836.html?_escaped_fragment_=https://www.aliexpress.com/popular/camera-pipe-inspection.html

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 10:26:39 am
content: Quote from: CJay on November 05, 2019, 09:13:22 amOh, OK then. in that case you just need the right app.

author: GeorgeOfTheJungle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 10:29:00 am
content: 1) For that you need an OTG cable:https://www.amazon.com/s?k=usb-c+otg+cablebecause by default the phone acts as a USB device, the OTG cable makes it be a USB host.2) Not all phones support a camera, many do, but not all. You've got to google the specs of your phone, or just try it out.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 10:40:46 am
content: I was not aware of this. Interesting.Quote

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 11:13:03 am
content: Quote from: soldar on November 05, 2019, 10:40:46 amYeah, it's really useful but quite odd to control a smartphone with an external mouse and keyboard.

author: GeorgeOfTheJungle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 11:31:43 am
content: Quote from: CJay on November 05, 2019, 11:13:03 amThat's not the idea. It's for printers, cameras, ethernet, and all sorts of gadget-ish devices.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 12:56:13 pm
content: That may not be what you use it for, it's what I've used it for, when you're configuring 10 a day it makes life *REALLY* easy

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 01:18:25 pm
content: Quote from: CJay on November 05, 2019, 12:56:13 pmHeck, it sounds like a great idea! I hate typing in the stupid touch screen. Half the time the touch doesn't register and the other half it registers something else than what I intended.I have only begun using an Android phone but I might look into this in the future.My concern though is that the USB connector looks flimsy and not something I want to be connecting and disconnecting a lot. Maybe this can be done over Bluetooth?

author: GeorgeOfTheJungle
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 01:34:36 pm
content: Yes the micro connector is flimsy, but type C isn't. Get one with type C.

author: Black Phoenix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 01:51:57 pm
content: Quote from: soldar on November 05, 2019, 01:18:25 pmYes it can.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 02:04:55 pm
content: Quote from: Black Phoenix on November 05, 2019, 01:51:57 pmIt can indeed, but it's faster and simpler to plug in the cable and we don't have to remember to delete the bluetooth profile on every phone, we just unplug the cable.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2019, 02:06:30 pm
content: Quote from: Black Phoenix on November 05, 2019, 01:51:57 pmThanks. I will be looking into this.I already have a wireless charging pad so I can avoid using the USB port for charging.

author: Ben321
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2019, 10:15:44 am
content: I ended up buying that adapter cable I posted a link to in this thread's opening post. It worked as I expected. I am able to use my webcam with my Android phone now. Also can use my mouse and keyboard with my phone, when I plug my the wireless mouse/keyboard receiver into this USB adapter. Definitely something I'd recommend for somebody with a smartphone that has as USB-C connector.