Easycap

Many USB video capture devices are sold as EasyCAP, but EasyCAP is not a companys or brand name.

This name is used for some completly hardware different cheap clones of this USB analogue audio- and videocapturedevice which are vastly sold in onlineshops.

This article describes, how to identify the chipset of the known EasyCAP devices and if they are supported/ working on Linux.

Common technical features of all EasyCAP devices

• All the EasyCAP devices and clones need a USB 2.0 connection (USB 1.1 is too slow).
• They can capture analogue video up to 720x576 px (PAL) or 720x480 px (NTSC) and
• stereosound up to 48000 Hz sampling rate (or only 8000 Hz mono on some models where the ac97 chip is missing)
• Most of them have input cables labelled CVBS, S-VIDEO, AUDIO(L), AUDIO(R).
• Some models do have 4 yellow input cables (CVBS) labelled 1, 2, 3, 4 and one white unlabelled audio cable.

Indentify your device before buying

It is hard to identify the chipset of any EasyCAP device before buying because most onlineshops do not mention in the provided technical data the chipset of the device. Example from logilik.de where the chipset is declared

Installationinstructions for Windows

If the chipset is not mentioned in device specifications on the website, one way to figure out the chipset inside the EaysCAP is to read through the installationinstructions for Windows (if provided for download).

Screenshots of the windowsinstaller often reveal the devicename.

• STK1160 EasyCAP is in Windows: (Syntek) STK1160 or STK1150
• Empia EasyCAP is in Windows: USB 2861 Device or EMP
• Somagic EasyCAP is in Windows: SM-USB 007 or SMI Grabber Device

Known EasyCAP devices

STK1160 EasyCAP

For the stk1160 based EasyCAPs exists another article on this wiki with further information!

It is assumed that the stk1160 based "EasyCAP DC60" ist the "originally" EasyCAP device. This device is sold in different varieties (models) and even under different names like: EzCap, LogiLink, Mumbi, Weltbild, and some more.

Indentify after buying

USB ID 05e1:0408

lsusb reports:

 Bus 001 Device 002: ID  Syntek Semiconductor Co., Ltd STK1160 Video Capture Device

Linux support

STK1160 based devices are supported (video and audio) on Linux (kernel 2.6.38 and later). More information on this wiki: stk1160

Empia EasyCAP

The Empia EasyCAP is based on the EM2860 chip from empia.

Indentify after buying

USB ID eb1a:2861

lsusb reports:

Bus XXX Device XXX: ID eb1a:2861 eMPIA Technology, Inc.

Linux support

EM2860 based devices are supported on Linux. More information on this wiki: Em28xx_devices

Somagic EasyCAP

The Somagic EasyCAP is based on the SMI-2021 chip from somagic. It needs a firmware for operation.

Indentify after buying

USB ID 1c88:0007 (before loading the firmware)

USB ID 1c88:003c (after loading the firmware)

lsusb reports:

Bus XXX Device XXX: ID 1c88:0007 Somagic, Inc. 
and after loading the firmware
Bus XXX Device XXX: ID 1c88:003c Somagic, Inc. or Bus XXX Device XXX: ID 1c88:003f Somagic, Inc.

Linux support

For SMI-2021 based devices exists a proceeding Linux-driver project:

easycap-somagic-linux

More information on this wiki: somagic

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Links

Jashi's ROOM User information about the three different EasyCAPs with hardware pictures (Japanese site translated with Google)

www.usbeasycap.info Site of a chinese EasyCAP manufacturer/ retailer.