| .. -*- coding: utf-8; mode: rst -*- |
| |
| .. _overlay: |
| |
| *********************** |
| Video Overlay Interface |
| *********************** |
| |
| |
| **Also known as Framebuffer Overlay or Previewing** |
| Video overlay devices have the ability to genlock (TV-)video into the |
| (VGA-)video signal of a graphics card, or to store captured images |
| directly in video memory of a graphics card, typically with clipping. |
| This can be considerable more efficient than capturing images and |
| displaying them by other means. In the old days when only nuclear power |
| plants needed cooling towers this used to be the only way to put live |
| video into a window. |
| |
| Video overlay devices are accessed through the same character special |
| files as :ref:`video capture <capture>` devices. Note the default |
| function of a ``/dev/video`` device is video capturing. The overlay |
| function is only available after calling the |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FMT <vidioc-g-fmt>` ioctl. |
| |
| The driver may support simultaneous overlay and capturing using the |
| read/write and streaming I/O methods. If so, operation at the nominal |
| frame rate of the video standard is not guaranteed. Frames may be |
| directed away from overlay to capture, or one field may be used for |
| overlay and the other for capture if the capture parameters permit this. |
| |
| Applications should use different file descriptors for capturing and |
| overlay. This must be supported by all drivers capable of simultaneous |
| capturing and overlay. Optionally these drivers may also permit |
| capturing and overlay with a single file descriptor for compatibility |
| with V4L and earlier versions of V4L2. [1]_ |
| |
| |
| Querying Capabilities |
| ===================== |
| |
| Devices supporting the video overlay interface set the |
| ``V4L2_CAP_VIDEO_OVERLAY`` flag in the ``capabilities`` field of struct |
| :ref:`v4l2_capability <v4l2-capability>` returned by the |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_QUERYCAP <vidioc-querycap>` ioctl. The overlay I/O |
| method specified below must be supported. Tuners and audio inputs are |
| optional. |
| |
| |
| Supplemental Functions |
| ====================== |
| |
| Video overlay devices shall support :ref:`audio input <audio>`, |
| :ref:`tuner <tuner>`, :ref:`controls <control>`, |
| :ref:`cropping and scaling <crop>` and |
| :ref:`streaming parameter <streaming-par>` ioctls as needed. The |
| :ref:`video input <video>` and :ref:`video standard <standard>` |
| ioctls must be supported by all video overlay devices. |
| |
| |
| Setup |
| ===== |
| |
| Before overlay can commence applications must program the driver with |
| frame buffer parameters, namely the address and size of the frame buffer |
| and the image format, for example RGB 5:6:5. The |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_G_FBUF <vidioc-g-fbuf>` and |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FBUF <vidioc-g-fbuf>` ioctls are available to get and |
| set these parameters, respectively. The ``VIDIOC_S_FBUF`` ioctl is |
| privileged because it allows to set up DMA into physical memory, |
| bypassing the memory protection mechanisms of the kernel. Only the |
| superuser can change the frame buffer address and size. Users are not |
| supposed to run TV applications as root or with SUID bit set. A small |
| helper application with suitable privileges should query the graphics |
| system and program the V4L2 driver at the appropriate time. |
| |
| Some devices add the video overlay to the output signal of the graphics |
| card. In this case the frame buffer is not modified by the video device, |
| and the frame buffer address and pixel format are not needed by the |
| driver. The ``VIDIOC_S_FBUF`` ioctl is not privileged. An application |
| can check for this type of device by calling the ``VIDIOC_G_FBUF`` |
| ioctl. |
| |
| A driver may support any (or none) of five clipping/blending methods: |
| |
| 1. Chroma-keying displays the overlaid image only where pixels in the |
| primary graphics surface assume a certain color. |
| |
| 2. A bitmap can be specified where each bit corresponds to a pixel in |
| the overlaid image. When the bit is set, the corresponding video |
| pixel is displayed, otherwise a pixel of the graphics surface. |
| |
| 3. A list of clipping rectangles can be specified. In these regions *no* |
| video is displayed, so the graphics surface can be seen here. |
| |
| 4. The framebuffer has an alpha channel that can be used to clip or |
| blend the framebuffer with the video. |
| |
| 5. A global alpha value can be specified to blend the framebuffer |
| contents with video images. |
| |
| When simultaneous capturing and overlay is supported and the hardware |
| prohibits different image and frame buffer formats, the format requested |
| first takes precedence. The attempt to capture |
| (:ref:`VIDIOC_S_FMT <vidioc-g-fmt>`) or overlay |
| (:ref:`VIDIOC_S_FBUF <vidioc-g-fbuf>`) may fail with an EBUSY error |
| code or return accordingly modified parameters.. |
| |
| |
| Overlay Window |
| ============== |
| |
| The overlaid image is determined by cropping and overlay window |
| parameters. The former select an area of the video picture to capture, |
| the latter how images are overlaid and clipped. Cropping initialization |
| at minimum requires to reset the parameters to defaults. An example is |
| given in :ref:`crop`. |
| |
| The overlay window is described by a struct |
| :ref:`v4l2_window <v4l2-window>`. It defines the size of the image, |
| its position over the graphics surface and the clipping to be applied. |
| To get the current parameters applications set the ``type`` field of a |
| struct :ref:`v4l2_format <v4l2-format>` to |
| ``V4L2_BUF_TYPE_VIDEO_OVERLAY`` and call the |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_G_FMT <vidioc-g-fmt>` ioctl. The driver fills the |
| :c:type:`struct v4l2_window` substructure named ``win``. It is not |
| possible to retrieve a previously programmed clipping list or bitmap. |
| |
| To program the overlay window applications set the ``type`` field of a |
| struct :ref:`v4l2_format <v4l2-format>` to |
| ``V4L2_BUF_TYPE_VIDEO_OVERLAY``, initialize the ``win`` substructure and |
| call the :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FMT <vidioc-g-fmt>` ioctl. The driver |
| adjusts the parameters against hardware limits and returns the actual |
| parameters as ``VIDIOC_G_FMT`` does. Like ``VIDIOC_S_FMT``, the |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_TRY_FMT <vidioc-g-fmt>` ioctl can be used to learn |
| about driver capabilities without actually changing driver state. Unlike |
| ``VIDIOC_S_FMT`` this also works after the overlay has been enabled. |
| |
| The scaling factor of the overlaid image is implied by the width and |
| height given in struct :ref:`v4l2_window <v4l2-window>` and the size |
| of the cropping rectangle. For more information see :ref:`crop`. |
| |
| When simultaneous capturing and overlay is supported and the hardware |
| prohibits different image and window sizes, the size requested first |
| takes precedence. The attempt to capture or overlay as well |
| (:ref:`VIDIOC_S_FMT <vidioc-g-fmt>`) may fail with an EBUSY error |
| code or return accordingly modified parameters. |
| |
| |
| .. _v4l2-window: |
| |
| struct v4l2_window |
| ------------------ |
| |
| ``struct v4l2_rect w`` |
| Size and position of the window relative to the top, left corner of |
| the frame buffer defined with |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FBUF <vidioc-g-fbuf>`. The window can extend the |
| frame buffer width and height, the ``x`` and ``y`` coordinates can |
| be negative, and it can lie completely outside the frame buffer. The |
| driver clips the window accordingly, or if that is not possible, |
| modifies its size and/or position. |
| |
| ``enum v4l2_field field`` |
| Applications set this field to determine which video field shall be |
| overlaid, typically one of ``V4L2_FIELD_ANY`` (0), |
| ``V4L2_FIELD_TOP``, ``V4L2_FIELD_BOTTOM`` or |
| ``V4L2_FIELD_INTERLACED``. Drivers may have to choose a different |
| field order and return the actual setting here. |
| |
| ``__u32 chromakey`` |
| When chroma-keying has been negotiated with |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FBUF <vidioc-g-fbuf>` applications set this field |
| to the desired pixel value for the chroma key. The format is the |
| same as the pixel format of the framebuffer (struct |
| :ref:`v4l2_framebuffer <v4l2-framebuffer>` ``fmt.pixelformat`` |
| field), with bytes in host order. E. g. for |
| :ref:`V4L2_PIX_FMT_BGR24 <V4L2-PIX-FMT-BGR32>` the value should |
| be 0xRRGGBB on a little endian, 0xBBGGRR on a big endian host. |
| |
| ``struct v4l2_clip * clips`` |
| When chroma-keying has *not* been negotiated and |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_G_FBUF <vidioc-g-fbuf>` indicated this capability, |
| applications can set this field to point to an array of clipping |
| rectangles. |
| |
| Like the window coordinates |
| w |
| , clipping rectangles are defined relative to the top, left corner of |
| the frame buffer. However clipping rectangles must not extend the frame |
| buffer width and height, and they must not overlap. If possible |
| applications should merge adjacent rectangles. Whether this must create |
| x-y or y-x bands, or the order of rectangles, is not defined. When clip |
| lists are not supported the driver ignores this field. Its contents |
| after calling |
| !ri!:ref:`VIDIOC_S_FMT <vidioc-g-fmt>` |
| are undefined. |
| |
| ``__u32 clipcount`` |
| When the application set the ``clips`` field, this field must |
| contain the number of clipping rectangles in the list. When clip |
| lists are not supported the driver ignores this field, its contents |
| after calling ``VIDIOC_S_FMT`` are undefined. When clip lists are |
| supported but no clipping is desired this field must be set to zero. |
| |
| ``void * bitmap`` |
| When chroma-keying has *not* been negotiated and |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_G_FBUF <vidioc-g-fbuf>` indicated this capability, |
| applications can set this field to point to a clipping bit mask. |
| |
| It must be of the same size as the window, ``w.width`` and ``w.height``. |
| Each bit corresponds to a pixel in the overlaid image, which is |
| displayed only when the bit is *set*. Pixel coordinates translate to |
| bits like: |
| |
| |
| .. code-block:: c |
| |
| ((__u8 *) bitmap)[w.width * y + x / 8] & (1 << (x & 7)) |
| |
| where ``0`` ≤ x < ``w.width`` and ``0`` ≤ y <``w.height``. [2]_ |
| |
| When a clipping bit mask is not supported the driver ignores this field, |
| its contents after calling :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FMT <vidioc-g-fmt>` are |
| undefined. When a bit mask is supported but no clipping is desired this |
| field must be set to ``NULL``. |
| |
| Applications need not create a clip list or bit mask. When they pass |
| both, or despite negotiating chroma-keying, the results are undefined. |
| Regardless of the chosen method, the clipping abilities of the hardware |
| may be limited in quantity or quality. The results when these limits are |
| exceeded are undefined. [3]_ |
| |
| ``__u8 global_alpha`` |
| The global alpha value used to blend the framebuffer with video |
| images, if global alpha blending has been negotiated |
| (``V4L2_FBUF_FLAG_GLOBAL_ALPHA``, see |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FBUF <vidioc-g-fbuf>`, |
| :ref:`framebuffer-flags`). |
| |
| Note this field was added in Linux 2.6.23, extending the structure. |
| However the |
| !ri!:ref:`VIDIOC_G/S/TRY_FMT <vidioc-g-fmt>` |
| ioctls, which take a pointer to a |
| !ri!:ref:`v4l2_format <v4l2-format>` |
| parent structure with padding bytes at the end, are not affected. |
| |
| |
| .. _v4l2-clip: |
| |
| struct v4l2_clip |
| ---------------- |
| |
| The X Window system defines "regions" which are vectors of struct BoxRec |
| { short x1, y1, x2, y2; } with width = x2 - x1 and height = y2 - y1, so |
| one cannot pass X11 clip lists directly. |
| |
| ``struct v4l2_rect c`` |
| Coordinates of the clipping rectangle, relative to the top, left |
| corner of the frame buffer. Only window pixels *outside* all |
| clipping rectangles are displayed. |
| |
| ``struct v4l2_clip * next`` |
| Pointer to the next clipping rectangle, NULL when this is the last |
| rectangle. Drivers ignore this field, it cannot be used to pass a |
| linked list of clipping rectangles. |
| |
| |
| .. _v4l2-rect: |
| |
| struct v4l2_rect |
| ---------------- |
| |
| ``__s32 left`` |
| Horizontal offset of the top, left corner of the rectangle, in |
| pixels. |
| |
| ``__s32 top`` |
| Vertical offset of the top, left corner of the rectangle, in pixels. |
| Offsets increase to the right and down. |
| |
| ``__u32 width`` |
| Width of the rectangle, in pixels. |
| |
| ``__u32 height`` |
| Height of the rectangle, in pixels. |
| |
| |
| Enabling Overlay |
| ================ |
| |
| To start or stop the frame buffer overlay applications call the |
| :ref:`VIDIOC_OVERLAY <vidioc-overlay>` ioctl. |
| |
| .. [1] |
| A common application of two file descriptors is the XFree86 |
| :ref:`Xv/V4L <xvideo>` interface driver and a V4L2 application. |
| While the X server controls video overlay, the application can take |
| advantage of memory mapping and DMA. |
| |
| In the opinion of the designers of this API, no driver writer taking |
| the efforts to support simultaneous capturing and overlay will |
| restrict this ability by requiring a single file descriptor, as in |
| V4L and earlier versions of V4L2. Making this optional means |
| applications depending on two file descriptors need backup routines |
| to be compatible with all drivers, which is considerable more work |
| than using two fds in applications which do not. Also two fd's fit |
| the general concept of one file descriptor for each logical stream. |
| Hence as a complexity trade-off drivers *must* support two file |
| descriptors and *may* support single fd operation. |
| |
| .. [2] |
| Should we require ``w.width`` to be a multiple of eight? |
| |
| .. [3] |
| When the image is written into frame buffer memory it will be |
| undesirable if the driver clips out less pixels than expected, |
| because the application and graphics system are not aware these |
| regions need to be refreshed. The driver should clip out more pixels |
| or not write the image at all. |
| |
| |
| .. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| .. This file was automatically converted from DocBook-XML with the dbxml |
| .. library (https://github.com/return42/sphkerneldoc). The origin XML comes |
| .. from the linux kernel, refer to: |
| .. |
| .. * https://github.com/torvalds/linux/tree/master/Documentation/DocBook |
| .. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |