7.7. ioctl VIDIOC_DECODER_CMD, VIDIOC_TRY_DECODER_CMD

7.7.1. Name

VIDIOC_DECODER_CMD - VIDIOC_TRY_DECODER_CMD - Execute an decoder command

7.7.2. Synopsis

int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_DECODER_CMD, struct v4l2_decoder_cmd *argp)

int ioctl(int fd, VIDIOC_TRY_DECODER_CMD, struct v4l2_decoder_cmd *argp)

7.7.3. Arguments

fd

File descriptor returned by open().

argp

pointer to struct v4l2_decoder_cmd.

7.7.4. Description

These ioctls control an audio/video (usually MPEG-) decoder. VIDIOC_DECODER_CMD sends a command to the decoder, VIDIOC_TRY_DECODER_CMD can be used to try a command without actually executing it. To send a command applications must initialize all fields of a struct v4l2_decoder_cmd and call VIDIOC_DECODER_CMD or VIDIOC_TRY_DECODER_CMD with a pointer to this structure.

The cmd field must contain the command code. Some commands use the flags field for additional information.

A write() or ioctl VIDIOC_STREAMON, VIDIOC_STREAMOFF call sends an implicit START command to the decoder if it has not been started yet. Applies to both queues of mem2mem decoders.

A close() or VIDIOC_STREAMOFF call of a streaming file descriptor sends an implicit immediate STOP command to the decoder, and all buffered data is discarded. Applies to both queues of mem2mem decoders.

In principle, these ioctls are optional, not all drivers may support them. They were introduced in Linux 3.3. They are, however, mandatory for stateful mem2mem decoders (as further documented in Memory-to-Memory Stateful Video Decoder Interface).

v4l2_decoder_cmd

struct v4l2_decoder_cmd

__u32	cmd			The decoder command, see Decoder Commands.
__u32	flags			Flags to go with the command. If no flags are defined for this command, drivers and applications must set this field to zero.
union	(anonymous)
	struct	start		Structure containing additional data for the V4L2_DEC_CMD_START command.
		__s32	speed	Playback speed and direction. The playback speed is defined as speed/1000 of the normal speed. So 1000 is normal playback. Negative numbers denote reverse playback, so -1000 does reverse playback at normal speed. Speeds -1, 0 and 1 have special meanings: speed 0 is shorthand for 1000 (normal playback). A speed of 1 steps just one frame forward, a speed of -1 steps just one frame back.
		__u32	format	Format restrictions. This field is set by the driver, not the application. Possible values are V4L2_DEC_START_FMT_NONE if there are no format restrictions or V4L2_DEC_START_FMT_GOP if the decoder operates on full GOPs (Group Of Pictures). This is usually the case for reverse playback: the decoder needs full GOPs, which it can then play in reverse order. So to implement reverse playback the application must feed the decoder the last GOP in the video file, then the GOP before that, etc. etc.
	struct	stop		Structure containing additional data for the V4L2_DEC_CMD_STOP command.
		__u64	pts	Stop playback at this pts or immediately if the playback is already past that timestamp. Leave to 0 if you want to stop after the last frame was decoded.
	struct	raw
		__u32	data[16]	Reserved for future extensions. Drivers and applications must set the array to zero.

Decoder Commands

V4L2_DEC_CMD_START	0	Start the decoder. When the decoder is already running or paused, this command will just change the playback speed. That means that calling V4L2_DEC_CMD_START when the decoder was paused will not resume the decoder. You have to explicitly call V4L2_DEC_CMD_RESUME for that. This command has one flag: V4L2_DEC_CMD_START_MUTE_AUDIO. If set, then audio will be muted when playing back at a non-standard speed. For a device implementing the Memory-to-Memory Stateful Video Decoder Interface, once the drain sequence is initiated with the V4L2_DEC_CMD_STOP command, it must be driven to completion before this command can be invoked. Any attempt to invoke the command while the drain sequence is in progress will trigger an EBUSY error code. The command may be also used to restart the decoder in case of an implicit stop initiated by the decoder itself, without the V4L2_DEC_CMD_STOP being called explicitly. See Memory-to-Memory Stateful Video Decoder Interface for more details.
V4L2_DEC_CMD_STOP	1	Stop the decoder. When the decoder is already stopped, this command does nothing. This command has two flags: if V4L2_DEC_CMD_STOP_TO_BLACK is set, then the decoder will set the picture to black after it stopped decoding. Otherwise the last image will repeat. If V4L2_DEC_CMD_STOP_IMMEDIATELY is set, then the decoder stops immediately (ignoring the pts value), otherwise it will keep decoding until timestamp >= pts or until the last of the pending data from its internal buffers was decoded. For a device implementing the Memory-to-Memory Stateful Video Decoder Interface, the command will initiate the drain sequence as documented in Memory-to-Memory Stateful Video Decoder Interface. No flags or other arguments are accepted in this case. Any attempt to invoke the command again before the sequence completes will trigger an EBUSY error code.
V4L2_DEC_CMD_PAUSE	2	Pause the decoder. When the decoder has not been started yet, the driver will return an EPERM error code. When the decoder is already paused, this command does nothing. This command has one flag: if V4L2_DEC_CMD_PAUSE_TO_BLACK is set, then set the decoder output to black when paused.
V4L2_DEC_CMD_RESUME	3	Resume decoding after a PAUSE command. When the decoder has not been started yet, the driver will return an EPERM error code. When the decoder is already running, this command does nothing. No flags are defined for this command.

7.7.5. Return Value

On success 0 is returned, on error -1 and the errno variable is set appropriately. The generic error codes are described at the Generic Error Codes chapter.

EBUSY

A drain sequence of a device implementing the Memory-to-Memory Stateful Video Decoder Interface is still in progress. It is not allowed to issue another decoder command until it completes.

EINVAL

The cmd field is invalid.

EPERM

The application sent a PAUSE or RESUME command when the decoder was not running.