Version: (using KDE KDE 3.5.7) The system have to video devices - it is a TV tuner and a webcam. video0 and video1 respectively. When kopete starts, it trying to use both the devices. I can configure it to webcam. But next time kopete starts, it's trying to use TV tuner again.
Kopete does in fact try to detect the devices, and it's done probing them. It's by design in the 3.5.* branch, and this option doesn't disrupt other programs who may be using the device at the same time.