Identifying 'Identical' USB devices in Windows...

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenges of identifying and using multiple identical USB webcams on a Windows system. Participants explore the limitations of the operating system in distinguishing these devices for applications such as stereo or 3D capture, and consider alternative solutions including hardware options and different types of cameras.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that Windows struggles to distinguish between identical USB webcams beyond the second device, raising the question of how to disambiguate them for multiple camera angles.
  • Another participant inquires whether the distinction issue is from a hardware or programmatic standpoint and suggests checking the USB serial numbers in Device Manager.
  • A participant expresses frustration that, despite finding serial numbers, Windows software cannot utilize this information effectively to differentiate more than two cameras.
  • Suggestions are made to consider cameras with Ethernet connectivity as an alternative to USB, which may offer better identification capabilities.
  • One participant discusses the limitations of USB bandwidth when connecting multiple cameras, suggesting that the available bandwidth may restrict the number of devices that can be effectively used simultaneously.
  • There is a mention of dedicated hardware solutions, such as video mixer boxes, which could potentially facilitate the use of multiple cameras.
  • A later reply introduces the idea of using software on Android devices to turn old phones into wireless webcams, though this is noted as an overkill solution.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on a specific solution for distinguishing identical USB webcams. Multiple competing views and suggestions are presented, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the potential for USB bandwidth constraints affecting the ability to use multiple cameras simultaneously, as well as the lack of clear methods for uniquely identifying identical devices within the Windows operating system.

Nik_2213
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I'm sorry, my research has drawn blank, I may just be asking question the wrong way...

If you connect several identical USB webcams to Windows as-is, directly to PC or via USB multi-port whatsit, the OS seems unable to distinguish them beyond the second.
Is there a practicable way to readily disambiguate such identical USB devices, allowing convenient access to multiple camera angles for stereo or 3D capture ??
eg using budget in-line dongles ??

FWIW, I do not have the facilities or skills to 'hack' such cameras and change their firmware...
 
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Do you mean distinguish from a hardware standpoint, or from a programmatic standpoint? If programmatic, what programming language are you using?

From a hardware standpoint, do you know how to use the Windows Device Manager to find each device's USB serial number? (I'm assuming they must be different if Windows is able to distinguish them)
 
Sorry, I no longer program. I tried using the usual Windows suite. Although I dug deep enough to find serial numbers, Windows software seems unable to use this information to select from more than two. Some utility programs could only 'see' the first one. Alas, there seems no obvious way to allocate a unique 'Windows name' to each, akin to naming drives...

Perhaps due to webcams' comparative simplicity, as many USB devices can be 'told apart'...

I was a tad disappointed as eg IPCAMs are more readily disambiguated...

FWIW, I've contacted several USB camera suppliers, the Semi-Pro 'Box with Lens-mount' type, used for anything from astronomy to robots, and they've all had the same surprise when trying to connect more than two the same: If you cannot identify a specific camera, you cannot command its neat facilities such as iris, speed/FPS, ring-light etc etc..

Regret text a tad terse as being aggressively sub-edited by 'Duty Cat'...
 
Can you find any similar cameras with Ethernet connectivity instead of USB?
 
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berkeman said:
Can you find any similar cameras with Ethernet connectivity instead of USB?
or a piece of dedicated hardware; a video mixer box? Those things must be available (typical security camera system) and may not be too expensive. Windows is a general purpose platform and it's not surprising it can't do everything.
 
sophiecentaur said:
or a piece of dedicated hardware; a video mixer box? Those things must be available (typical security camera system) and may not be too expensive. Windows is a general purpose platform and it's not surprising it can't do everything.
Linux too.

A USB controller has only so much bandwidth available to it.
What you see on the outside of the machine is the USB port connection, of which 2 or three could be connected to one USB controller.

Connect 2 video cams and you might be OK.
Connect 3 and the bandwidth could become compromised, depending upon frame rate and resolution.
If device 1 takes 40% bandwidth, device 2 another 40%, there is no room for a third.
The USB could shut down, or do what the OS tells it to do in such situation.
( Mouses, keyboards in contrast are low bandwidth devices. )

What does a mixer port do?
berkeman said:
Can you find any similar cameras with Ethernet connectivity instead of USB?
Right.
There they use the device MAC, and not the other generic information of device manufacturer, model, ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_address
The IEEE 802 MAC address originally comes from the Xerox Network Systems Ethernet addressing scheme.[1] This 48-bit address space contains potentially 248 (over 281 trillion) possible MAC addresses.
 
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It's an overkill, and brings a different kind of 'can of worms' into the issue, but there are various software available on android about turning a phone (SIM is not necessary: works on old phones too: even at insane resolutions) into a wireless webcam or photo cam.
 
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