# Install somagic with Homebrew

Linux capture program for the Somagic variants of EasyCAP. Version 1.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:somagic
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install somagic
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:somagic
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 1.1
- **Source summary:** Linux capture program for the Somagic variants of EasyCAP
- **Homepage:** <https://code.google.com/archive/p/easycap-somagic-linux/>
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- somagic-capture (alias)
- somagic-init (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 1.1
## Project history and usage

somagic is the Linux capture package for Somagic variants of EasyCAP USB video capture devices. It provides `somagic-init` to upload firmware and reconnect the device, and `somagic-capture` to initialize registers and stream video.

### Project history

The somagic-easycap 1.0 changelog records an initial release on 24 February 2012. Version 1.1 followed on 10 March 2013 with support for the 1c88:003f EasyCAP002 variant, a skip-check option in `somagic-init`, input-selection options in `somagic-capture`, and support for the 1c88:003d EzCAP USB 2.0 capture path.

The README and manual pages present the project as a small C/libusb toolchain rather than a desktop video app: upload firmware, initialize hardware, then write captured video data for another program to consume.

### Adoption history

The upstream project is archived on Google Code, but the Homebrew formula still packages version 1.1 with libusb, libgcrypt, and `somagic-tools` dependencies. Formula analytics show very small but continuing usage, typical for old hardware support packages.

### How it is used

Before using `somagic-capture`, users must extract the official firmware from the device CD with `somagic-tools`. The man pages note that `somagic-init` and `somagic-capture` usually need root access because they interact directly with the USB capture device.

### Why package nerds care

somagic matters because package managers often become the last clean distribution path for obscure but useful hardware utilities. The split between firmware extraction and capture also shows a common packaging pattern: ship the open tool, require the user to supply vendor firmware.

### Timeline

- 2012: somagic-easycap 1.0 initial release.
- 2013: somagic-easycap 1.1 adds EasyCAP002 and EzCAP USB 2.0 support.
- Current: Homebrew packages version 1.1 as `somagic` with a dependency on `somagic-tools`.

### Related projects

- `somagic-tools` extracts firmware for use by `somagic-init`.
- libusb provides USB device access.
- libgcrypt is listed as a build/runtime dependency in the upstream README and Homebrew formula.

### Sources

- <https://code.google.com/archive/p/easycap-somagic-linux>
- <https://formulae.brew.sh/api/formula/somagic.json>
- <https://storage.googleapis.com/google-code-archive-downloads/v2/code.google.com/easycap-somagic-linux/somagic-easycap_1.1.tar.gz>


## Security Notes

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

- **Geiger risk:** green / low
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals


## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/somagic.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/somagic.yml)


## Sources

- pkg.so package database
- Geiger risk classifier
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph