# Open Webcam through OpenCV - Python **URL:** \ **Category:** Python\ **Tags:** windows, videoio\ **Created:** [May 28, 2022, 8:15am UTC](https://forum.opencv.org/t/open-webcam-through-opencv-python/8945 "2022-05-28T08:15:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PANKAJ\_YADAV](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.opencv.org/pankaj_yadav/32/5330_2.png) [@PANKAJ\_YADAV](https://forum.opencv.org/u/PANKAJ_YADAV)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2022, 8:15am UTC](https://forum.opencv.org/t/open-webcam-through-opencv-python/8945/1 "2022-05-28T08:15:39Z")
I a using following code to activate camera, however i am getting following massage. Please guide me. ```auto import cv2 **CODE** cap = cv2.VideoCapture(0) # Check if the webcam is opened correctly if not cap.isOpened(): raise IOError("Cannot open webcam") while True: ret, frame = cap.read() cv2.imshow('input', frame) c = cv2.waitKey(1) if c == 27: break cap.release() cv2.destroyAllWindows() **ERROR** runfile('C:/Users/ABVRC/.spyder-py3/Camera Activate.py', wdir='C:/Users/ABVRC/.spyder-py3') Traceback (most recent call last): File "C:\Users\ABVRC\.spyder-py3\Camera Activate.py", line 11, in cv2.imshow('input', frame) error: OpenCV(4.5.5) D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\imgproc\src\color.cpp:182: error: (-215:Assertion failed) !_src.empty() in function 'cv::cvtColor' [WARN:0@1.190] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (464) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::OnReadSample videoio(MSMF): OnReadSample() is called with error status: -2147024809 [WARN:0@1.190] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (476) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::OnReadSample videoio(MSMF): async ReadSample() call is failed with error status: -2147024809 [WARN:1@1.190] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (1752) CvCapture_MSMF::grabFrame videoio(MSMF): can't grab frame. Error: -2147024809 [WARN:2@66.668] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (464) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::OnReadSample videoio(MSMF): OnReadSample() is called with error status: -2147024809 [WARN:2@66.668] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (476) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::OnReadSample videoio(MSMF): async ReadSample() call is failed with error status: -2147024809 [WARN:1@66.668] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (1752) CvCapture_MSMF::grabFrame videoio(MSMF): can't grab frame. Error: -2147024809 [WARN:1@66.673] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (539) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::~SourceReaderCB terminating async callback [WARN:3@170.954] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (464) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::OnReadSample videoio(MSMF): OnReadSample() is called with error status: -2147024809 [WARN:3@170.954] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (476) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::OnReadSample videoio(MSMF): async ReadSample() call is failed with error status: -2147024809 [WARN:1@170.954] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (1752) CvCapture_MSMF::grabFrame videoio(MSMF): can't grab frame. Error: -2147024809 [WARN:1@170.958] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (539) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::~SourceReaderCB terminating async callback [WARN:4@797.984] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (464) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::OnReadSample videoio(MSMF): OnReadSample() is called with error status: -2147024809 [WARN:4@797.984] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (476) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::OnReadSample videoio(MSMF): async ReadSample() call is failed with error status: -2147024809 [WARN:1@797.984] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (1752) CvCapture_MSMF::grabFrame videoio(MSMF): can't grab frame. Error: -2147024809 [WARN:1@797.988] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (539) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::~SourceReaderCB terminating async callback [WARN:5@852.142] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (464) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::OnReadSample videoio(MSMF): OnReadSample() is called with error status: -2147024809 [WARN:5@852.142] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (476) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::OnReadSample videoio(MSMF): async ReadSample() call is failed with error status: -2147024809 [WARN:1@852.142] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (1752) CvCapture_MSMF::grabFrame videoio(MSMF): can't grab frame. Error: -2147024809 [WARN:1@852.159] global D:\a\opencv-python\opencv-python\opencv\modules\videoio\src\cap_msmf.cpp (539) `anonymous-namespace'::SourceReaderCB::~SourceReaderCB terminating async callback ``` ---
**Author:** ![berak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@berak](https://forum.opencv.org/u/berak)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2022, 8:27am UTC](https://forum.opencv.org/t/open-webcam-through-opencv-python/8945/2 "2022-05-28T08:27:40Z")
> [@PANKAJ\_YADAV](#): > > ```auto > cap = cv2.VideoCapture(0) > > ``` can you try, if the directshow backend works for you ? ``` cap = cv2.VideoCapture(0, cv2.CAP_DSHOW) ``` also, what kind of webcam are you using ? any chance, you can update drivers ?