Hello. This is a placeholder page for a site that will be dedicated to my Logitech Quickcam Messenger, a fun little USB camera. Unfortunately, there is no Linux driver for the device, though there are drivers available for several other Logitech cameras. It turns out that even though it is easy to get the data stream, nobody really knows what the data means.

I am trying to use the QCM on a microcontroller, and thus intend to change that.

It looks like there is now a driver!

If you send me the white papers for the Quickcam Messenger -- specifically the USB command protocol and video codec -- I will write a Linux drive for you, thus increasing the value of your product and making a large number of geeks happy.

How much would it cost to buy the rights to look at the specifications (under an NDA) so that I could write a [binary only] driver for the Quickcam Messenger? I want to use your product in a research project, but the embedded controller we use can't run Windows.

Dear Derrick,
 
Thank you for your recent inquiry about your QuickCam Messenger. I am forwarding you information to contact our Developer Relations dept. Please refer any further correspondence to this department as the representatives of this department will have the resources to adequately respond to your inquiries.
 
Logitech, Inc.
Attn: Developer Relations
6505 Kaiser Drive
Fremont, CA 94555
 
Fax: 510-505-0978
 
Your letter should include the specific information you are requesting as well as daytime or appropriate contact information. Thank you for your interest in Logitech.

Hello Derrick,
 
Thank you for your interest in our Logitech products.
 
Unfortunately, we are unable to release the information you are looking for pertaining to our Logitech webcams. The information you are looking for is proprietary information and can not be released to the public. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your cooperation regarding this matter.
 
Technical Support.

Dear Derrick Pallas,
 
Thank you for your submission to the Logitech New Business Evaluation Team. We have reviewed your submission and, unfortunately, have decided not to pursue your proposal at this time. There are many reasons why Logitech chooses not pursue particular products, features or technology -- most often, it is because an idea is outside our current area of focus, or because market conditions are not right for introducing a particular product. Other times, it may be because Logitech is already familiar with the ideas proposed in a submission, and may already be independently developing similar concepts for future use. However, due to the large volume of submissions that we receive, we regret that we are unable to provide you with specific feedback on the reasons for not pursuing your submission. Logitech sincerely appreciates your interest in our company and wishes you well in your future endeavors.
 
Regards,
Logitech New Business Evaluation Team

Derrick,
 
Your request for a NDA was forwarded to me. Unfortunately, the System-On-Chip used in QuickCam Messenger is proprietary and therefore a driver can not be made public. On the technical side, our Messenger is a "SW webcam", which means that all the color processing is done in the driver. Therefore, such driver could not be embedded in a simple micro-controller.
 
If I may suggest, our QuickCam Zoom and Pro use a Philips video processor, which means that you would not have to worry about image porcessing. You could also find a Linux driver on the web for this platform. Let me know if I can be of any assistance.
 
Best Regards,
Jean-Michel Chardon
System Engineering Manager, Video Division

Hello, thanks for your quick reply. I should clarify that I'm not proposing an open-source driver. I'm proposing a closed-source driver that can be used with open-source software.
 
It seems like "a driver can not be made public" is a rather weak statement in light of the fact that a driver is public, namely the Windows WDM driver. I'm not suggesting that source be publicly available -- just a binary version of the driver with a client side, post-processing interface. Other drivers that have successfully used this technique, for example, are the Atheros madwifi driver; which uses a HAL supplied by Atheros (closed-source) to a developer who wrote an adapter to the Linux wireless interface. This approach protects both the intellectual property of the company (and ensures that FCC regulations are met, as the Atheros is software based) but also allows end-users more freedom in using the hardware they have purchased.
 
The microcontroller I am using is from Rabbit semiconductors; with it's large memory core and vector processing instructions, it has been used for this kind of processing before.
 
I've noticed the Zoom and Pro, and their driver. Unfortunately, I have several Messengers and no Zooms or Pros. Please take no offense, but it seems that since Logitech is primarily a hardware company, having a freely developed closed-source binary-only driver would only benefit the company. I myself have gotten a number of letters asking me how my attempt at an NDA have faired, always with an expressed interest in a driver. It is my hope that your company pursues this, through some means, in the future. If the company ever comes around, I'm still interested. Until then, my Quickcams are still dark.
 
With regards,
Derrick.