# Usb-camera node shows "Not available"
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usb-camera-node-shows-not-available/45324
**Category:** General
**Created:** [7 May 2021 09:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usb-camera-node-shows-not-available/45324 "2021-05-07T09:30:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@abhilash-ingale](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/abhilash-ingale)
#### Post date: [7 May 2021 09:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usb-camera-node-shows-not-available/45324/1 "2021-05-07T09:30:14Z")
Hi, I am new to Node-Red and building my first project to stream USB-camera video to node-red dashboard. The camera is attached to RaspPi and I am running node-red on Rasp-Pi. I am logging in to the RaspPi using Putty from a computer. I have installed the fswebcam library (and tested it) and prescient-devices/node-red-contrib-usb-camera on the RaspPi but in the block diagram it shows me a "not available" error (refer snapshot).
Could anybody point out what the error could be?
(Apologies if this is a very basic question)
[Update-1 : Rephrased the description for clarity]
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### Author:  [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)
#### Post date: [7 May 2021 12:32 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usb-camera-node-shows-not-available/45324/2 "2021-05-07T12:32:57Z")
I’m confused, are you saying that you used the usb-camera-node and it worked but the node you are showing doesn’t’ the? If that is true, what node is that?
Is nose-red installed on the pi that the usb camera is attached to?
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### Author:  [@abhilash-ingale](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/abhilash-ingale)
#### Post date: [7 May 2021 17:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usb-camera-node-shows-not-available/45324/3 "2021-05-07T17:55:42Z")
Hi @zenofmud , sorry for the earlier description, it was indeed confusing. I have updated it now, any further suggestions are welcome.
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### Author:  [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)
#### Post date: [7 May 2021 19:15 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usb-camera-node-shows-not-available/45324/4 "2021-05-07T19:15:03Z")
When you installed fswebcam, what GD library did you install or did you install fswebcam using the guide fromn the raspiberry foundations website??
What version of raspbian are you using?
Have you tried [node-red-contrib-usbcamera](https://flows.nodered.org/node/node-red-contrib-usbcamera)?
While I've gotten fswebcam installed and when I run it I see the light flash on my usbcamera, I get a black image.
Update: I have gotten fswebcam to work from the command line but I had to add extra options. Seems it takes a bit for my usb camera to adjust the brightness. The node doesn't seem to address this.
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### Author:  [@abhilash-ingale](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/abhilash-ingale)
#### Post date: [11 May 2021 07:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usb-camera-node-shows-not-available/45324/5 "2021-05-11T07:26:08Z")
@zenofmud, sorry for the late reply. I work from an office only once or twice a week.
Yes, I have installed fswebcam on the Pi using the [guide](https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/usage/webcams/) from RaspPi website
And yes, the [node-red-contrib-usbcamera](https://flows.nodered.org/node/node-red-contrib-usbcamera) node worked for me! I was able to display my image in the dashboard using this node.
And for the prescient-devices/node-red-contrib-usb-camera , I was able to get it in "connected" status in the node editor on my PC. I think there might be some dependency issues on the RaspPi as you have pointed out. I will check the raspbian version and other information and get back to you.
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### Author:  [@abhilash-ingale](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/abhilash-ingale)
#### Post date: [19 May 2021 10:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usb-camera-node-shows-not-available/45324/6 "2021-05-19T10:17:06Z")
@zenofmud Here's an update on my raspbian version:
PRETTY\_NAME="Raspbian GNU/Linux 10 (buster)"
NAME="Raspbian GNU/Linux"
VERSION\_ID="10"
VERSION="10 (buster)"
VERSION\_CODENAME=buster
ID=raspbian
ID\_LIKE=debian
HOME\_URL="[http://www.raspbian.org/](http://www.raspbian.org/)"
SUPPORT\_URL="[RaspbianForums - Raspbian](http://www.raspbian.org/RaspbianForums)"
BUG\_REPORT\_URL="[RaspbianBugs - Raspbian](http://www.raspbian.org/RaspbianBugs)"
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### Author:  [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)
#### Post date: [19 May 2021 11:18 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usb-camera-node-shows-not-available/45324/7 "2021-05-19T11:18:41Z")
If you still want to use node-red-contrib-usb-camera I suggest you open an issue of the [node's GitHub page](https://github.com/prescient-devices/PD-Nodes/issues) so the author will know about it.
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### Author:  [@abhilash-ingale](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/abhilash-ingale)
#### Post date: [19 May 2021 11:20 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usb-camera-node-shows-not-available/45324/8 "2021-05-19T11:20:16Z")
@zenofmud sure, I will do that.
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [18 July 2021 11:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/usb-camera-node-shows-not-available/45324/9 "2021-07-18T11:21:05Z")
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