OpenCV limits video capture to low resolution

Autonomous Machines Jetson & Embedded Systems Jetson TK1
#1

Hello, I have a Logitech c310 webcam connected to a Jetson TK1 with OpenCV 2.4.10.1 installed (built from source). This camera can capture 1280x960 video at 30fps. v4l2-ctl --list-formats-ext verifies this:

ubuntu@tegra-ubuntu:~$ v4l2-ctl --list-formats-ext
ioctl: VIDIOC_ENUM_FMT
	Index       : 0
	Type        : Video Capture
	Pixel Format: 'YUYV'
	Name        : YUV 4:2:2 (YUYV)
		Size: Discrete 640x480
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 160x120
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 176x144
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 320x176
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 320x240
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 352x288
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 432x240
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 544x288
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 640x360
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 752x416
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 800x448
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 800x600
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 864x480
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 960x544
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 960x720
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 1024x576
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 1184x656
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 1280x720
			Interval: Discrete 0.133s (7.500 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 1280x960
			Interval: Discrete 0.133s (7.500 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)

	Index       : 1
	Type        : Video Capture
	Pixel Format: 'MJPG' (compressed)
	Name        : MJPEG
		Size: Discrete 640x480
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 160x120
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 176x144
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 320x176
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 320x240
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 352x288
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 432x240
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 544x288
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 640x360
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 752x416
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 800x448
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 800x600
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 864x480
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 960x544
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 960x720
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 1024x576
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 1184x656
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 1280x720
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)
		Size: Discrete 1280x960
			Interval: Discrete 0.033s (30.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.040s (25.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.050s (20.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.067s (15.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.100s (10.000 fps)
			Interval: Discrete 0.200s (5.000 fps)

This output shows that the camera can capture in both YUYV and MJPG.
In Cheese I can capture a perfect 1280x960 video from the camera. After doing that,

v4l2-ctl -V

shows that the camera is set to MJPG format:

ubuntu@tegra-ubuntu:~$ v4l2-ctl -V
Format Video Capture:
	Width/Height  : 1280/960
	Pixel Format  : 'MJPG'
	Field         : None
	Bytes per Line: 0
	Size Image    : 816000
	Colorspace    : SRGB

But when I try to capture a frame in OpenCV from Python, the output changes to:

ubuntu@tegra-ubuntu:~$ v4l2-ctl -V
Format Video Capture:
	Width/Height  : 640/480
	Pixel Format  : 'YUYV'
	Field         : None
	Bytes per Line: 1280
	Size Image    : 614400
	Colorspace    : SRGB

Now the format is YUYV, and OpenCV will only capture 640x480 images from the camera. Trying to set the width and height properties of the capture to 1280x960 works, but then the program hangs next time a frame is captured.

This seems to me like a problem with OpenCV, not the webcam, since Cheese works perfectly.
Any help would be appreciated!

#2

Fixed! The solution is to use OpenCV-3.0.0-beta instead of 2.4.10.1.

#3

I’ve read elsewhere that while OpenCV 3.x will work on TK1, it won’t have the build-in optimizations. Is there any fix for this yet? This kind of blows my mind that the TK1 is known as this powerhosue for computer vision, yet out-of-the-box, any USB camera is limited to 640x480. What is the fix?