# Can't open UVC compliant camera with DSHOW backend

**URL:** <https://forum.opencv.org/t/cant-open-uvc-compliant-camera-with-dshow-backend/10708>\
**Category:** Python\
**Tags:** windows, videoio\
**Created:** [October 27, 2022, 8:20am UTC](https://forum.opencv.org/t/cant-open-uvc-compliant-camera-with-dshow-backend/10708 "2022-10-27T08:20:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![racone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/439d5e/32.png) [@racone](https://forum.opencv.org/u/racone)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2022, 8:20am UTC](https://forum.opencv.org/t/cant-open-uvc-compliant-camera-with-dshow-backend/10708/1 "2022-10-27T08:20:52Z")

</div>

Hi,  
I would like to capture images from the See3cam CU20 by using OpenCV. According to the manufacturer, the camera is UVC compliant and that’s why I thought I could use it with the DSHOW backend of the videoio module but it’s not working:  
cap = cv2.VideoCapture(0, cv2.CAP\_DSHOW)  
cap.isOpened() → False

I suspect that it is related to the supported pixel formats of the camera (Y8, Y16).  
I can open the camera with the MSMF backend but I get an error message:  
[WARN:0@1.375] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap\_msmf.cpp (923) CvCapture\_MSMF::initStream Failed to set mediaType (stream 1, (640x480 @ 1) MFVideoFormat\_RGB32(codec not found)

From the source code of cap\_msmf.cpp I can see that it does not support Y8.

Does anyone have any idea what the problem is with the DSHOW backend?  
The camera works with a tool named AmCap. It’s a DirectShow sample application of the Windows SDK.

Camera specs:

> **[2MP WDR HDR USB3 Camera](https://www.e-consystems.com/wide-temperature-range-hdr-usb-cameraboard.asp)**
>
> See3CAM\_CU20 is a 2.0 MP HDR USB camera board with ultra-Lowlight performance. It has an ability to stream seamlessly at wide temperature range (-40°C to 85°C).