[HowTo] Install an OBS Studio Virtual Camera

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Difficulty ★★☆☆☆

This was tested on:

  • XFCE
  • 5.10 LTS

  1. Install headers for your Linux kernel:

    open Terminal

    sudo pacman -S linux510-headers

  2. Install v4l2loopback-dkms:

    git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/v4l2loopback-dkms.git

    then:

    cd v4l2loopback-dkms

    then:

    makepkg -scCi

  3. Create a fake/virtual video capture device:

    sudo modprobe v4l2loopback devices=1 video_nr=10 card_label="OBS Cam" exclusive_caps=1

  4. Set up a virtual audio device to help stop latency

    sudo modprobe snd-aloop index=10 id="OBS Mic"

    then type:

    pacmd 'update-source-proplist alsa_input.platform-snd_aloop.0.analog-stereo device.description="OBS Mic"'

Done! OBS Studio should now display a functioning virtual camera option

-DTA

3 Likes
2

For me it was actually even easier.
Tested on:

  • 5.12
  • Plasma
  • OBS Studio 26.1.2
  1. Install headers for linux kernel:
    sudo pacman -S linux512-headers
  2. Install v4l2loopback-dkms:
    sudo pacman -S v4l2loopback-dkms

And that’s it. After (re)starting OBS Studio you should see a “Start Virtual Camera”-Button under “Controls” (default location: bottom right):
image

2 Likes
3

thats quite interesting, although some of the steps in mine are for reduced latency