How to Encode Bitmaps into a Video Using Mediacodec

How to encode Bitmaps into a video using MediaCodec?

I have modified the code provided by abalta to accept bitmaps in realtime (ie you don't already need to have the bitmaps saved to disc). It also has a performance improvement since you don't need to write then read the bitmaps from disc. I also increased the TIMEOUT_USEC from the original example which fixed some timeout related errorsng I was having.

Hopefully this helps someone. I spent a long time trying to do this without having to pack a large third party library into my app (ex ffmpeg), so I really appreciate abalta's answer.

I am using rxjava, so you will need this in your app's build.gradle dependencies:

implementation 'io.reactivex.rxjava2:rxandroid:2.0.2'

If you are trying to write to external storage you will need the external storage permission defined in your manifest:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

and either manually toggle the permission on in the system Settings app for your app, or add permission request handling for it to your activity.

And here is the class:

import android.graphics.Bitmap;
import android.media.MediaCodec;
import android.media.MediaCodecInfo;
import android.media.MediaCodecList;
import android.media.MediaFormat;
import android.media.MediaMuxer;
import android.util.Log;

import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.ByteBuffer;
import java.util.Queue;
import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentLinkedQueue;
import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;

import io.reactivex.Completable;
import io.reactivex.android.schedulers.AndroidSchedulers;
import io.reactivex.schedulers.Schedulers;

public class BitmapToVideoEncoder {
    private static final String TAG = BitmapToVideoEncoder.class.getSimpleName();

    private IBitmapToVideoEncoderCallback mCallback;
    private File mOutputFile;
    private Queue<Bitmap> mEncodeQueue = new ConcurrentLinkedQueue();
    private MediaCodec mediaCodec;
    private MediaMuxer mediaMuxer;

    private Object mFrameSync = new Object();
    private CountDownLatch mNewFrameLatch;

    private static final String MIME_TYPE = "video/avc"; // H.264 Advanced Video Coding
    private static int mWidth;
    private static int mHeight;
    private static final int BIT_RATE = 16000000;
    private static final int FRAME_RATE = 30; // Frames per second

    private static final int I_FRAME_INTERVAL = 1;

    private int mGenerateIndex = 0;
    private int mTrackIndex;
    private boolean mNoMoreFrames = false;
    private boolean mAbort = false;

    public interface IBitmapToVideoEncoderCallback {
        void onEncodingComplete(File outputFile);
    }

    public BitmapToVideoEncoder(IBitmapToVideoEncoderCallback callback) {
        mCallback = callback;
    }

    public boolean isEncodingStarted() {
        return (mediaCodec != null) && (mediaMuxer != null) && !mNoMoreFrames && !mAbort;
    }

    public int getActiveBitmaps() {
        return mEncodeQueue.size();
    }

    public void startEncoding(int width, int height, File outputFile) {
        mWidth = width;
        mHeight = height;
        mOutputFile = outputFile;

        String outputFileString;
        try {
            outputFileString = outputFile.getCanonicalPath();
        } catch (IOException e) {
            Log.e(TAG, "Unable to get path for " + outputFile);
            return;
        }

        MediaCodecInfo codecInfo = selectCodec(MIME_TYPE);
        if (codecInfo == null) {
            Log.e(TAG, "Unable to find an appropriate codec for " + MIME_TYPE);
            return;
        }
        Log.d(TAG, "found codec: " + codecInfo.getName());
        int colorFormat;
        try {
            colorFormat = selectColorFormat(codecInfo, MIME_TYPE);
        } catch (Exception e) {
            colorFormat = MediaCodecInfo.CodecCapabilities.COLOR_FormatYUV420SemiPlanar;
        }

        try {
            mediaCodec = MediaCodec.createByCodecName(codecInfo.getName());
        } catch (IOException e) {
            Log.e(TAG, "Unable to create MediaCodec " + e.getMessage());
            return;
        }

        MediaFormat mediaFormat = MediaFormat.createVideoFormat(MIME_TYPE, mWidth, mHeight);
        mediaFormat.setInteger(MediaFormat.KEY_BIT_RATE, BIT_RATE);
        mediaFormat.setInteger(MediaFormat.KEY_FRAME_RATE, FRAME_RATE);
        mediaFormat.setInteger(MediaFormat.KEY_COLOR_FORMAT, colorFormat);
        mediaFormat.setInteger(MediaFormat.KEY_I_FRAME_INTERVAL, I_FRAME_INTERVAL);
        mediaCodec.configure(mediaFormat, null, null, MediaCodec.CONFIGURE_FLAG_ENCODE);
        mediaCodec.start();
        try {
            mediaMuxer = new MediaMuxer(outputFileString, MediaMuxer.OutputFormat.MUXER_OUTPUT_MPEG_4);
        } catch (IOException e) {
            Log.e(TAG,"MediaMuxer creation failed. " + e.getMessage());
            return;
        }

        Log.d(TAG, "Initialization complete. Starting encoder...");

        Completable.fromAction(() -> encode())
                .subscribeOn(Schedulers.io())
                .observeOn(AndroidSchedulers.mainThread())
                .subscribe();
    }

    public void stopEncoding() {
        if (mediaCodec == null || mediaMuxer == null) {
            Log.d(TAG, "Failed to stop encoding since it never started");
            return;
        }
        Log.d(TAG, "Stopping encoding");

        mNoMoreFrames = true;

        synchronized (mFrameSync) {
            if ((mNewFrameLatch != null) && (mNewFrameLatch.getCount() > 0)) {
                mNewFrameLatch.countDown();
            }
        }
    }

    public void abortEncoding() {
        if (mediaCodec == null || mediaMuxer == null) {
            Log.d(TAG, "Failed to abort encoding since it never started");
            return;
        }
        Log.d(TAG, "Aborting encoding");

        mNoMoreFrames = true;
        mAbort = true;
        mEncodeQueue = new ConcurrentLinkedQueue(); // Drop all frames

        synchronized (mFrameSync) {
            if ((mNewFrameLatch != null) && (mNewFrameLatch.getCount() > 0)) {
                mNewFrameLatch.countDown();
            }
        }
    }

    public void queueFrame(Bitmap bitmap) {
        if (mediaCodec == null || mediaMuxer == null) {
            Log.d(TAG, "Failed to queue frame. Encoding not started");
            return;
        }

        Log.d(TAG, "Queueing frame");
        mEncodeQueue.add(bitmap);

        synchronized (mFrameSync) {
            if ((mNewFrameLatch != null) && (mNewFrameLatch.getCount() > 0)) {
                mNewFrameLatch.countDown();
            }
        }
    }

    private void encode() {

        Log.d(TAG, "Encoder started");

        while(true) {
            if (mNoMoreFrames && (mEncodeQueue.size() ==  0)) break;

            Bitmap bitmap = mEncodeQueue.poll();
            if (bitmap ==  null) {
                synchronized (mFrameSync) {
                    mNewFrameLatch = new CountDownLatch(1);
                }

                try {
                    mNewFrameLatch.await();
                } catch (InterruptedException e) {}

                bitmap = mEncodeQueue.poll();
            }

            if (bitmap == null) continue;

            byte[] byteConvertFrame = getNV21(bitmap.getWidth(), bitmap.getHeight(), bitmap);

            long TIMEOUT_USEC = 500000;
            int inputBufIndex = mediaCodec.dequeueInputBuffer(TIMEOUT_USEC);
            long ptsUsec = computePresentationTime(mGenerateIndex, FRAME_RATE);
            if (inputBufIndex >= 0) {
                final ByteBuffer inputBuffer = mediaCodec.getInputBuffer(inputBufIndex);
                inputBuffer.clear();
                inputBuffer.put(byteConvertFrame);
                mediaCodec.queueInputBuffer(inputBufIndex, 0, byteConvertFrame.length, ptsUsec, 0);
                mGenerateIndex++;
            }
            MediaCodec.BufferInfo mBufferInfo = new MediaCodec.BufferInfo();
            int encoderStatus = mediaCodec.dequeueOutputBuffer(mBufferInfo, TIMEOUT_USEC);
            if (encoderStatus == MediaCodec.INFO_TRY_AGAIN_LATER) {
                // no output available yet
                Log.e(TAG, "No output from encoder available");
            } else if (encoderStatus == MediaCodec.INFO_OUTPUT_FORMAT_CHANGED) {
                // not expected for an encoder
                MediaFormat newFormat = mediaCodec.getOutputFormat();
                mTrackIndex = mediaMuxer.addTrack(newFormat);
                mediaMuxer.start();
            } else if (encoderStatus < 0) {
                Log.e(TAG, "unexpected result from encoder.dequeueOutputBuffer: " + encoderStatus);
            } else if (mBufferInfo.size != 0) {
                ByteBuffer encodedData = mediaCodec.getOutputBuffer(encoderStatus);
                if (encodedData == null) {
                    Log.e(TAG, "encoderOutputBuffer " + encoderStatus + " was null");
                } else {
                    encodedData.position(mBufferInfo.offset);
                    encodedData.limit(mBufferInfo.offset + mBufferInfo.size);
                    mediaMuxer.writeSampleData(mTrackIndex, encodedData, mBufferInfo);
                    mediaCodec.releaseOutputBuffer(encoderStatus, false);
                }
            }
        }

        release();

        if (mAbort) {
            mOutputFile.delete();
        } else {
            mCallback.onEncodingComplete(mOutputFile);
        }
    }

    private void release() {
        if (mediaCodec != null) {
            mediaCodec.stop();
            mediaCodec.release();
            mediaCodec = null;
            Log.d(TAG,"RELEASE CODEC");
        }
        if (mediaMuxer != null) {
            mediaMuxer.stop();
            mediaMuxer.release();
            mediaMuxer = null;
            Log.d(TAG,"RELEASE MUXER");
        }
    }

    private static MediaCodecInfo selectCodec(String mimeType) {
        int numCodecs = MediaCodecList.getCodecCount();
        for (int i = 0; i < numCodecs; i++) {
            MediaCodecInfo codecInfo = MediaCodecList.getCodecInfoAt(i);
            if (!codecInfo.isEncoder()) {
                continue;
            }
            String[] types = codecInfo.getSupportedTypes();
            for (int j = 0; j < types.length; j++) {
                if (types[j].equalsIgnoreCase(mimeType)) {
                    return codecInfo;
                }
            }
        }
        return null;
    }

    private static int selectColorFormat(MediaCodecInfo codecInfo,
                                         String mimeType) {
        MediaCodecInfo.CodecCapabilities capabilities = codecInfo
                .getCapabilitiesForType(mimeType);
        for (int i = 0; i < capabilities.colorFormats.length; i++) {
            int colorFormat = capabilities.colorFormats[i];
            if (isRecognizedFormat(colorFormat)) {
                return colorFormat;
            }
        }
        return 0; // not reached
    }

    private static boolean isRecognizedFormat(int colorFormat) {
        switch (colorFormat) {
            // these are the formats we know how to handle for
            case MediaCodecInfo.CodecCapabilities.COLOR_FormatYUV420Planar:
            case MediaCodecInfo.CodecCapabilities.COLOR_FormatYUV420PackedPlanar:
            case MediaCodecInfo.CodecCapabilities.COLOR_FormatYUV420SemiPlanar:
            case MediaCodecInfo.CodecCapabilities.COLOR_FormatYUV420PackedSemiPlanar:
            case MediaCodecInfo.CodecCapabilities.COLOR_TI_FormatYUV420PackedSemiPlanar:
                return true;
            default:
                return false;
        }
    }

    private byte[] getNV21(int inputWidth, int inputHeight, Bitmap scaled) {

        int[] argb = new int[inputWidth * inputHeight];

        scaled.getPixels(argb, 0, inputWidth, 0, 0, inputWidth, inputHeight);

        byte[] yuv = new byte[inputWidth * inputHeight * 3 / 2];
        encodeYUV420SP(yuv, argb, inputWidth, inputHeight);

        scaled.recycle();

        return yuv;
    }

    private void encodeYUV420SP(byte[] yuv420sp, int[] argb, int width, int height) {
        final int frameSize = width * height;

        int yIndex = 0;
        int uvIndex = frameSize;

        int a, R, G, B, Y, U, V;
        int index = 0;
        for (int j = 0; j < height; j++) {
            for (int i = 0; i < width; i++) {

                a = (argb[index] & 0xff000000) >> 24; // a is not used obviously
                R = (argb[index] & 0xff0000) >> 16;
                G = (argb[index] & 0xff00) >> 8;
                B = (argb[index] & 0xff) >> 0;

                Y = ((66 * R + 129 * G + 25 * B + 128) >> 8) + 16;
                U = ((-38 * R - 74 * G + 112 * B + 128) >> 8) + 128;
                V = ((112 * R - 94 * G - 18 * B + 128) >> 8) + 128;

                yuv420sp[yIndex++] = (byte) ((Y < 0) ? 0 : ((Y > 255) ? 255 : Y));
                if (j % 2 == 0 && index % 2 == 0) {
                    yuv420sp[uvIndex++] = (byte) ((U < 0) ? 0 : ((U > 255) ? 255 : U));
                    yuv420sp[uvIndex++] = (byte) ((V < 0) ? 0 : ((V > 255) ? 255 : V));

                }

                index++;
            }
        }
    }

    private long computePresentationTime(long frameIndex, int framerate) {
        return 132 + frameIndex * 1000000 / framerate;
    }
}

Usage is something like:

BitmapToVideoEncoder bitmapToVideoEncoder = new BitmapToVideoEncoder(new IBitmapToVideoEncoderCallback() {
    @Override
    public void onEncodingComplete(File outputFile) {
        Toast.makeText(this,  "Encoding complete!", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
    }
});

bitmapToVideoEncoder.startEncoding(getWidth(), getHeight(), new File("some_path"));
bitmapToVideoEncoder.queueFrame(bitmap1);
bitmapToVideoEncoder.queueFrame(bitmap2);
bitmapToVideoEncoder.queueFrame(bitmap3);
bitmapToVideoEncoder.queueFrame(bitmap4);
bitmapToVideoEncoder.queueFrame(bitmap5);
bitmapToVideoEncoder.stopEncoding();

And if your recording is interrupted (ex Activity is pausing) you can abort and it will delete the file (since it would be corrupt anyway). Alternatively just call stopEncoding and it will properly close the file so it is not corrupt:

bitmapToVideoEncoder.abortEncoding();

There is also a getActiveBitmaps() function to see how big the queue is (if the queue gets to big you can run out of memory). Also here is some code to efficiently create a bitmap from a view so you can queue it up (my app takes periodic screenshots and encodes them into a video):

View view = some_view;
final Bitmap bitmap = Bitmap.createBitmap(view.getWidth(), view.getHeight(),
        Bitmap.Config.ARGB_8888);

// Create a handler thread to offload the processing of the image.
final HandlerThread handlerThread = new HandlerThread("PixelCopier");
handlerThread.start();

PixelCopy.request(view, bitmap, (copyResult) -> {
    bitmapToVideoEncoder.queueFrame(bitmap);
}, new Handler(handlerThread.getLooper()));

Greenish video encoded using Android's MediaCodec class

You don't need to guess blindly what format the encoder wants - you actually choose it yourself in your application code. From your MainActivity.java:

    MediaCodecInfo codecInfo = selectCodec(OUTPUT_VIDEO_MIME_TYPE);
    int colorFormat = selectColorFormat(codecInfo, OUTPUT_VIDEO_MIME_TYPE);

    MediaFormat outputVideoFormat =
            MediaFormat.createVideoFormat(OUTPUT_VIDEO_MIME_TYPE, TEX_WIDTH, TEX_HEIGHT);
    outputVideoFormat.setInteger(MediaFormat.KEY_COLOR_FORMAT, colorFormat);

The selectColorFormat method probably returned some YUV 420 color format. All the common YUV 420 color formats (e.g. MediaCodecInfo.CodecCapabilities.COLOR_FormatYUV420Planar) are 12 bit. Or more precisely, you have a 8 bit luminance plane in full resolution, followed by two chrominance planes with 8 bit components, but subsampled 2x both horizontally and vertically.

When you draw this using Bitmap.Config.ALPHA_8, you only set the luminance plane, while the chrominance planes are left uninitialized, probably set to zero, giving the greenish color. If you'd set the rest of the bytes of the input buffer to 128 instead of 0, you'd get a grayscale image.

Since Bitmap doesn't support YUV pixel formats, you either need to do manual conversion of the pixel data, or use the new Surface input method available since Android 4.3. Then you can use whatever can draw into a Surface to produce the input - you can at least use OpenGL ES, not sure about Canvas though.

MediaCodec: Convert image to video

Efficiency wise, this drawing of the input frame probably is as efficient as it will get. Each time you submit a frame to the encoder, you can't really assume anything about the input surface buffer content (I think), so you need to copy the content to be encoded into it somehow, and this does pretty much it.

If you skip drawing, you need to keep in mind that the surface you're drawing into isn't just a single buffer, but a set of a number of buffers (usually 4-10 buffers or so). When using the direct buffer access mode of the encoder, the encoder will tell you exactly which one of the buffers out of the pool it gave you to fill, and in such cases, you might have better luck with skipping drawing in the case if you've already filled the buffer before (and hoping that the encoder hasn't invalidated the contents).

With surface input, you don't get to know which buffer you got to write into. In that case, you could e.g. try just doing the drawing the first N times. I don't think you can get the actual number of buffers though - you could try calling the deprecated getInputBuffers() method, but I don't think it's possible to use it in combination with surface input.

However, about performance, the absolutely biggest issue and reason for your (lack of) performance is that you're doing everything synchronously. You said

At the start of the processing, and then every time I successfully mux a frame thereafter, I call

Hardware encoders generally have a bit of latency, and the time it takes to encode a single frame from start to finish is longer than the average time per frame, if you start encoding more than one at a time.

Assuming you're using MediaCodec in async mode, I would suggest to just serially do the encoding of all the 90 frames in one thread, and write output packets to the muxer when you get them in the callback. That should keep the encoder pipeline busy. (Once the input buffers to the encoder are exhausted, the inputSurface methods will block until the encoder has completed a frame and freed up another one of the input buffers.) You might also want to buffer the output packets in a queue and write them asynchronously to the muxer (I remember reading about cases where MediaMuxer occasionally can block longer than you'd like).

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