usb_camera_plugin #

A Flutter plugin for accessing and controlling USB cameras on Android devices. This plugin enables you to connect external USB cameras (UVC - USB Video Class) to your Flutter apps and access professional camera features.

Features #

✅ USB Camera Support - Connect and control external USB cameras (UVC compatible)
✅ Real-time Preview - Display live camera feed in your Flutter app
✅ Video Recording - Record videos in MP4 format with H.264 encoding
✅ Image Capture - Take high-quality photos
✅ Audio Support - Record audio with AAC encoding
✅ Visual Effects - Apply effects like black & white, soul, zoom
✅ Multiple Camera Types - Supports Camera1, Camera2, and UVC cameras
✅ Professional Features - Resolution control, encoding options, and more

Platform Support #

Requirements #

• Flutter SDK: >=3.3.0
• Dart SDK: ^3.8.1
• Android minSdkVersion: 24 (Android 7.0)
• Android compileSdkVersion: 34
• USB OTG support on your Android device
• UVC compatible USB camera

Installation #

Add this to your package's pubspec.yaml file:

dependencies:
  usb_camera_plugin: ^0.0.1

Then run:

flutter pub get

Android Setup #

Add the following permissions to your AndroidManifest.xml:

<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.usb.host" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

Usage #

Basic Example #

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:usb_camera_plugin/usb_camera_plugin.dart';

class CameraScreen extends StatelessWidget {
  final _usbCameraPlugin = UsbCameraPlugin();

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Scaffold(
      appBar: AppBar(
        title: Text('USB Camera'),
      ),
      body: Center(
        child: ElevatedButton(
          onPressed: () async {
            try {
              await _usbCameraPlugin.openCamera();
            } catch (e) {
              print('Error opening camera: $e');
            }
          },
          child: Text('Open USB Camera'),
        ),
      ),
    );
  }
}

Get Platform Version #

final plugin = UsbCameraPlugin();
String? version = await plugin.getPlatformVersion();
print('Platform version: $version');

API Reference #

UsbCameraPlugin #

Main class for interacting with USB cameras.

Methods

• openCamera() - Opens the USB camera interface

  Future<void> openCamera()
  

• getPlatformVersion() - Returns the Android platform version

  Future<String?> getPlatformVersion()
  

Compatible Devices #

This plugin works with UVC (USB Video Class) compatible cameras, including:

• External USB webcams
• USB endoscope cameras
• USB microscope cameras
• Industrial USB cameras
• Medical USB cameras
• Most USB cameras that follow the UVC standard

Use Cases #

• 🏥 Medical Applications - Endoscope and microscope integration
• 🏭 Industrial Inspection - Quality control and monitoring
• 🔬 Scientific Research - Laboratory equipment integration
• 📹 Video Production - Professional camera integration
• 🎮 Streaming Apps - External camera support
• 🔐 Security Systems - Surveillance camera integration

Known Limitations #

• Currently supports Android only
• Requires USB OTG support on the device
• Some camera-specific features may not be available on all devices
• iOS support is not available (iOS has restrictions on USB camera access)

Example App #

Check out the example directory for a complete working app that demonstrates all features.

Troubleshooting #

Camera not detected #

• Ensure your device supports USB OTG
• Check that the USB camera is UVC compatible
• Verify USB permissions are granted
• Try reconnecting the camera

Permission errors #

• Make sure all required permissions are added to AndroidManifest.xml
• Request runtime permissions for Android 6.0+

Build errors #

• Ensure minSdkVersion is at least 24
• Run flutter clean and rebuild

Contributing #

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

Credits #

This plugin uses the following open-source libraries:

• AndroidUSBCamera by jiangdg
• libUVC - USB Video Class library
• libjpeg-turbo - JPEG encoding/decoding
• libusb - USB device access

License #

This project is licensed under the Apache License 2.0 - see the LICENSE file for details.

Author #

Developed with ❤️ for the Flutter community.

Changelog #

See CHANGELOG.md for a list of changes.

Support #

If you find this plugin helpful, please give it a ⭐️ on GitHub!

For bugs and feature requests, please file an issue on the GitHub repository.