Specifications

$ ls −R /lib/modules/`uname −r`/kernel
Where `uname −r`, surrounded by forward tick marks, is your kernel version number. The following output is
an example of what you might find in a Bttv−ready kernel, where everything is loaded as a module (edited for
brevity):
/lib/modules/2.6.8/kernel/drivers/media/video:
btcx−risc.ko ir−kbd−i2c.ko tda9875.ko tvaudio.ko video−buf.ko
bttv.ko msp3400.ko tda9887.ko v4l1−compat.ko videodev.ko
ir−kbd−gpio.ko tda7432.ko tuner.ko v4l2−common.ko
Again, your output may vary by the currently running kernel capabilities.
Once you know which module your hardware needs you can find out if it is already loaded by typing at the
command line or in a terminal window:
# lsmod
As shown by the prompt above, you will need to have root privileges to do this. You should get output similar
to, but not necessarily limited to the following:
snd_bt87x 11400 0
tuner 18832 0
tvaudio 20428 0
msp3400 22100 0
bttv 145804 0
video_buf 17476 1 bttv
i2c_algo_bit 8904 1 bttv
v4l2_common 4928 1 bttv
videodev 7232 2 quickcam,bttv
Most stock kernels are compiled with kmod, which enables automatic loading of necessary modules when the
appropriate hardware is detected. It may not always do so, however, so if you don't have the particular module
you're seeking loaded and you think the module may be available, try loading it manually with modprobe, as
in the following example (using the bttv module):
# modprobe −v bttv
3.2. No Bttv module or in−kernel support found?
If your running kernel or precompiled distribution kernel inexplicably doesn't have Bt8x8 support enabled or
available, your can always acquire new kernel source code from the Linux kernel.org source code repository.
If you are unfamiliar with the prerequisites and procedure of compiling your own kernel, I direct you to the
Kernel HOWTO for more information.
If you do recompile, the Bttv driver itself will obviously need to be enabled, and is found in the heading
entitled "Multimedia Devices" −> "Video for Linux" in the 2.4 and earlier kernels in menuconfig or xconfig,
or alternatively in "Device Drivers" −> "Multimedia Devices" −> "Video for Linux" −> "BT848 Video For
Linux" in the 2.6+ series.
You will need i2c subsystem support enabled as well as i2c−algo−bit.
Device support (i2c−dev) is not required for Bt8x8 support. Earlier than kernel version 2.3.34 i2c is not
present in the kernel source and a patch must be fetched and applied to your source, found at the lm_sensors
homepage.
The BTTV HOWTO
3. Enabling Support for Your Bt8x8 Hardware in Linux 6