android libvlc multiple surface problems

Question

I would like to know if is possible to use two Surface views in the same layout and view the content of both of them at the same time. In future, I would make use of a Grid-view of video-view, where each video-view uses VLC.

I modified this sample (android-vlc-sample) using a Fragment.

The result is that I see only one video. How can I solve this?

From log-cat I do not see any major error, but I think there are rendering problems for android UIThread

Java Coding

public class MultipleVideoPlayFragmentActivity extends FragmentActivity {

public final static String LOCATION = "com.compdigitec.libvlcandroidsample.MultipleVideoPlayFragmentActivity.location";
private static final String TAG = "MediaPlayer";
public String mFilePatha;

@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle icicle) {
    super.onCreate(icicle);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_multiple_video_play_fragment);
    Intent intent = getIntent();
    mFilePatha = intent.getExtras().getString(LOCATION);
}

public static class VideoFragment extends Fragment implements
        SurfaceHolder.Callback, IVideoPlayer {
    public final static String TAG = "LibVLCAndroidSample/VideoActivity";

    public final static String LOCATION = "com.compdigitec.libvlcandroidsample.VideoFragment.location";

    private String mFilePath;

    // display surface
    private SurfaceView mSurface;
    private SurfaceHolder holder;

    // media player
    private LibVLC libvlc;
    private int mVideoWidth;
    private int mVideoHeight;
    private final static int VideoSizeChanged = -1;

    /*************
     * Activity
     *************/

    @Override
    public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container,
            Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        return inflater.inflate(R.layout.sample, container, false);
    }

    @Override
    public void onActivityCreated(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onActivityCreated(savedInstanceState);
        // Receive path to play from intent

        Log.d(TAG, "Playing back " + mFilePath);
        mFilePath = ((MultipleVideoPlayFragmentActivity) getActivity()).mFilePatha;
        // mFilePath="rtsp://192.168.4.125:554/0";
        // mFilePath="android.resource://it.nexera.visiamobile/raw/sample_mpeg4";
        mSurface = (SurfaceView) getView().findViewById(R.id.surface);
        holder = mSurface.getHolder();
        holder.addCallback(this);
    }

    @Override
    public void onConfigurationChanged(Configuration newConfig) {
        super.onConfigurationChanged(newConfig);
        setSize(mVideoWidth, mVideoHeight);
    }

    @Override
    public void onResume() {
        super.onResume();
        createPlayer(mFilePath);
    }

    @Override
    public void onPause() {
        super.onPause();
        releasePlayer();
    }

    @Override
    public void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        releasePlayer();
    }

    /*************
     * Surface
     *************/

    public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
    }

    public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder surfaceholder, int format,
            int width, int height) {
        if (libvlc != null)
            libvlc.attachSurface(holder.getSurface(), this);
    }

    public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder surfaceholder) {
    }

    private void setSize(int width, int height) {
        mVideoWidth = width;
        mVideoHeight = height;
        if (mVideoWidth * mVideoHeight <= 1)
            return;

        // get screen size
        int w = getActivity().getWindow().getDecorView().getWidth();
        int h = getActivity().getWindow().getDecorView().getHeight();

        // getWindow().getDecorView() doesn't always take orientation into
        // account, we have to correct the values
        boolean isPortrait = getResources().getConfiguration().orientation == Configuration.ORIENTATION_PORTRAIT;
        if (w > h && isPortrait || w < h && !isPortrait) {
            int i = w;
            w = h;
            h = i;
        }

        float videoAR = (float) mVideoWidth / (float) mVideoHeight;
        float screenAR = (float) w / (float) h;

        if (screenAR < videoAR)
            h = (int) (w / videoAR);
        else
            w = (int) (h * videoAR);

        // force surface buffer size
        holder.setFixedSize(mVideoWidth, mVideoHeight);

        // set display size
        LayoutParams lp = mSurface.getLayoutParams();
        lp.width = w;
        lp.height = h;
        mSurface.setLayoutParams(lp);
        mSurface.invalidate();
    }

    @Override
    public void setSurfaceSize(int width, int height, int visible_width,
            int visible_height, int sar_num, int sar_den) {
        Message msg = Message.obtain(mHandler, VideoSizeChanged, width,
                height);
        msg.sendToTarget();
    }

    /*************
     * Player
     *************/

    private void createPlayer(String media) {
        releasePlayer();
        try {
            if (media.length() > 0) {
                Toast toast = Toast.makeText(this.getActivity(), media,
                        Toast.LENGTH_LONG);
                toast.setGravity(
                        Gravity.BOTTOM | Gravity.CENTER_HORIZONTAL, 0, 0);
                toast.show();
            }

            // Create a new media player
            libvlc = LibVLC.getInstance();
            libvlc.setHardwareAcceleration(LibVLC.HW_ACCELERATION_DISABLED);
            libvlc.setSubtitlesEncoding("");
            libvlc.setAout(LibVLC.AOUT_OPENSLES);
            libvlc.setTimeStretching(true);
            libvlc.setChroma("RV32");
            libvlc.setVerboseMode(true);
            // LibVLC.restart(this.getActivity());
            EventHandler.getInstance().addHandler(mHandler);
            holder.setFormat(PixelFormat.RGBX_8888);
            holder.setKeepScreenOn(true);
            MediaList list = libvlc.getMediaList();
            list.clear();
            list.add(new Media(libvlc, LibVLC.PathToURI(media)), false);
            libvlc.playIndex(0);
        } catch (Exception e) {
            Toast.makeText(this.getActivity(), "Error creating player!",
                    Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
        }
    }

    private void releasePlayer() {
        if (libvlc == null)
            return;
        EventHandler.getInstance().removeHandler(mHandler);
        libvlc.stop();
        libvlc.detachSurface();
        holder = null;
        libvlc.closeAout();
        libvlc.destroy();
        libvlc = null;

        mVideoWidth = 0;
        mVideoHeight = 0;
    }

    /*************
     * Events
     *************/

    private Handler mHandler = new MyHandler(this);

    private static class MyHandler extends Handler {
        private WeakReference<VideoFragment> mOwner;

        public MyHandler(VideoFragment owner) {
            mOwner = new WeakReference<VideoFragment>(owner);
        }

        @Override
        public void handleMessage(Message msg) {
            VideoFragment player = mOwner.get();

            // SamplePlayer events
            if (msg.what == VideoSizeChanged) {
                player.setSize(msg.arg1, msg.arg2);
                return;
            }

            // Libvlc events
            Bundle b = msg.getData();
            switch (b.getInt("event")) {
            case EventHandler.MediaPlayerEndReached:
                player.releasePlayer();
                break;
            case EventHandler.MediaPlayerPlaying:
            case EventHandler.MediaPlayerPaused:
            case EventHandler.MediaPlayerStopped:
            default:
                break;
            }
        }
    }
}

}

XML Coding

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical" >

    <fragment
        android:id="@+id/video_1_fragment"
        android:layout_width="100dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_weight="1"
        class="com.compdigitec.libvlcandroidsample.MultipleVideoPlayFragmentActivity$VideoFragment" />

    <fragment
        android:id="@+id/video_2_fragment"
        android:layout_width="100dp"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_weight="1"
        class="com.compdigitec.libvlcandroidsample.MultipleVideoPlayFragmentActivity$VideoFragment" />

</LinearLayout>

**Single Fragment Layout**

    <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:baselineAligned="false"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    tools:context=".SampleActivity" >

    <FrameLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent" >

        <SurfaceView
            android:id="@+id/surface"
            android:layout_width="fill_parent"
            android:layout_height="fill_parent"
            android:layout_gravity="center" />
    </FrameLayout>

Soporific

I have a same problem in a background service, I tried run multiple instances of LibVLC but this not work, only played the last streaming. You resolved your problem with multiple fragments? – Sprinkle

no, Vlc for android did not support multiple instance, but I know that vlc staff were working on this. Check official vlc developer forum. – Soporific

Hi @tulkas85:-I am facing same issue.i am trying with this link -Android VLC player with multiple instance it works fine with android 5.0 but for 6.0 there is rendering issue.means stream not get properly.some flicker over there. – Spirogyra

Answer 1

Please try this one:

--- libvlc = LibVLC.getInstance();
+++ libvlc = new LibVLC();

P.S. What version of LibVLC-android you are using?

P.P.S. example

Cinquecento

Answer 2

I had same problem. What I did was to follow VLC's own example (https://code.videolan.org/videolan/libvlc-android-samples) and make same build.gradle etc.

My code is below:

MainActivity.java

import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.EditText;

import tools.nubicam.com.rtsptest.R;


public class MainActivity extends Activity {

    public final static String TAG = "MainActivity";

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {


        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        Button startButton = (Button)findViewById(R.id.buttonStart);
        startButton.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View v) {

                Intent intent = new Intent(MainActivity.this, VideoActivity.class);
                EditText textRTSP = (EditText)findViewById(R.id.textRTSPUrl);
                intent.putExtra(VideoActivity.RTSP_URL, textRTSP.getText().toString());
                startActivity(intent);
            }
        });

    }

}

VideoActivity.java

import android.app.Activity;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.graphics.Color;
import android.net.Uri;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.Gravity;
import android.view.SurfaceHolder;
import android.view.SurfaceView;
import android.widget.Toast;

import org.videolan.libvlc.IVLCVout;
import org.videolan.libvlc.LibVLC;
import org.videolan.libvlc.Media;
import org.videolan.libvlc.MediaPlayer;
import org.videolan.libvlc.media.VideoView;


import java.lang.ref.WeakReference;
import java.util.ArrayList;

import tools.nubicam.com.rtsptest.R;

public class VideoActivity<USE_TEXTURE_VIEW, ENABLE_SUBTITLES, False> extends Activity implements IVLCVout.Callback    {
    public final static String TAG = "VideoActivity";

    public static final String RTSP_URL = "rtspurl";

    // display surface
    private SurfaceView mSurface;
    private SurfaceHolder holder;

    // media player
    private LibVLC libvlc;
    private MediaPlayer mMediaPlayer = null;
    private int mVideoWidth;
    private int mVideoHeight;
    private final static int VideoSizeChanged = -1;


    private final MediaPlayer.EventListener mPlayerListener = new MyPlayerListener(this);

    private String rtspUrl;

    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.sample);

        // Get URL
        Intent intent = getIntent();
        rtspUrl = intent.getExtras().getString(RTSP_URL);
        Log.d(TAG, "Playing back " + rtspUrl);

        mSurface = (SurfaceView) findViewById(R.id.surface);
        holder = mSurface.getHolder();
        //holder.addCallback(this);

    }


    @Override
    protected void onResume() {
        super.onResume();
        createPlayer(rtspUrl);
    }

    private void createPlayer(String rtspUrl) {
        releasePlayer();
        try {
            if (rtspUrl.length() > 0) {
                Toast toast = Toast.makeText(this, rtspUrl, Toast.LENGTH_LONG);
                toast.setGravity( Gravity.BOTTOM | Gravity.CENTER_HORIZONTAL, 0, 0);
                toast.show();
            }

            ArrayList<String> options = new ArrayList<String>();
            options.add("-vvv"); // verbosity
            //options.add("--aout=opensles");
            //options.add("--audio-time-stretch"); // time stretching
            //options.add("--avcodec-codec=h264");
            //options.add("--file-logging");
            //options.add("--logfile=vlc-log.txt");

            options.add("--network-caching=150");
            options.add("--clock-jitter=0");
            options.add("--clock-synchro=0");

            //options.add("--http-reconnect");
            //options.add("--network-caching="+6*1000);

            libvlc = new LibVLC(this, options);
            ///holder.setKeepScreenOn(true);

            // Create media player
            mMediaPlayer = new MediaPlayer(libvlc);
            mMediaPlayer.setEventListener(mPlayerListener);

            // Set up video output
            final IVLCVout vout = mMediaPlayer.getVLCVout();
            vout.setVideoView(mSurface);
            //vout.setSubtitlesView(mSurfaceSubtitles);
            vout.addCallback(this);
            vout.attachViews();

            Media m = new Media(libvlc, Uri.parse(rtspUrl));

            mMediaPlayer.setMedia(m);
            mMediaPlayer.play();

//            m.setHWDecoderEnabled(true, false);
//            m.addOption(":network-caching=150");
//            m.addOption(":clock-jitter=0");
//            m.addOption(":clock-synchro=0");


        } catch (Exception e) {
            Toast.makeText(this, "Error creating player!", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
        }

    }

    @Override
    protected void onStart() {
        super.onStart();
        int cnt = 0;
        cnt += 1;
        Toast.makeText(this, cnt + "", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }

    @Override
    protected void onPause() {
        super.onPause();
        releasePlayer();
    }

    @Override
    protected void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        releasePlayer();
    }


    @Override
    public void onSurfacesCreated(IVLCVout vlcVout) {
        int cnt = 30;
        cnt += 1;
        Toast.makeText(this, cnt + "", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }

    @Override
    public void onSurfacesDestroyed(IVLCVout vlcVout) {
        int cnt = 20;
        cnt += 1;
        Toast.makeText(this, cnt + "", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }


    @Override
    public void onPointerCaptureChanged(boolean hasCapture) {
        int cnt = 10;
        cnt += 1;
        Toast.makeText(this, cnt + "", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }


    public void releasePlayer() {
        if (libvlc == null)
            return;
        mMediaPlayer.stop();
        final IVLCVout vout = mMediaPlayer.getVLCVout();
        vout.removeCallback(this);
        vout.detachViews();
        holder = null;
        libvlc.release();
        libvlc = null;

        mVideoWidth = 0;
        mVideoHeight = 0;
    }

    private static class MyPlayerListener implements MediaPlayer.EventListener {
        private WeakReference<VideoActivity> mOwner;

        public MyPlayerListener(VideoActivity owner) {
            mOwner = new WeakReference<VideoActivity>(owner);
        }

        @Override
        public void onEvent(org.videolan.libvlc.MediaPlayer.Event event) {
            VideoActivity player = mOwner.get();

            switch(event.type) {
                case MediaPlayer.Event.EndReached:
                    Log.d(TAG, "MediaPlayerEndReached");
                    Toast.makeText(player.getApplicationContext(), "Event EndReached", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                    player.releasePlayer();
                    break;
                case MediaPlayer.Event.Opening:
                    Toast.makeText(player.getApplicationContext(), "Event Opening", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                    break;
                case MediaPlayer.Event.Buffering:
                    Toast.makeText(player.getApplicationContext(), "Event Buffering", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                    break;
                case MediaPlayer.Event.Playing:
                    Toast.makeText(player.getApplicationContext(), "Event Playing", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                    break;
                case MediaPlayer.Event.Paused:
                    Toast.makeText(player.getApplicationContext(), "Event Paused", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                    break;
                case MediaPlayer.Event.Stopped:
                    Toast.makeText(player.getApplicationContext(), "Event Stopped", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
                    break;
                default:
                    break;
            }
        }
    }

}

activity_main.xml

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context="com.nubicam.tools.rtsptest.MainActivity">

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:orientation="vertical">

        <TextView
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="RTSPTest"
            android:textStyle="bold"
            android:visibility="visible" />

        <EditText
            android:id="@+id/textRTSPUrl"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:ems="10"
            android:hint="rtsp://{user}:{pass}@host:554/{videosource}"
            android:inputType="textPersonName"
            android:text="rtsp://admin:[email protected]:554/1" />

        <Button
            android:id="@+id/buttonStart"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
            android:text="Play stream!"
            tools:layout_editor_absoluteX="151dp"
            tools:layout_editor_absoluteY="120dp" />

    </LinearLayout>

</RelativeLayout>

sample.xml

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<FrameLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:background="@android:color/background_dark"
    android:keepScreenOn="true"
    tools:context="com.nubicam.tools.rtsptest.VideoActivity" >

    <SurfaceView
        android:id="@+id/surface"
        android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="365dp" />


    <org.videolan.libvlc.util.VLCVideoLayout
        android:id="@+id/video_layout"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent"
        android:layout_marginTop="365dp"
        android:fitsSystemWindows="false" />



</FrameLayout>

build.gradle(:app)

    apply plugin: 'com.android.application'

android {
    compileSdkVersion 28
    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "tools.nubicam.com.rtsptest"
        minSdkVersion 23
        targetSdkVersion 28
        versionCode 1
        versionName "1.0"
        testInstrumentationRunner "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
    }
    buildTypes {
        release {
            minifyEnabled false
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    implementation fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])

    implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.0.2'
    implementation 'androidx.legacy:legacy-support-v4:1.0.0'
    implementation 'org.videolan.android:libvlc-all:3.1.12'


}

build.gradle(vlc..)

    // Top-level build file where you can add configuration options common to all sub-projects/modules.

buildscript {
    
    repositories {
        google()
        jcenter()
    }
    dependencies {
        classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:4.1.1'
        //classpath 'com.android.tools.build:gradle:3.4.2'
        

        // NOTE: Do not place your application dependencies here; they belong
        // in the individual module build.gradle files
    }
}

allprojects {
    repositories {
        google()
        jcenter()
        //maven {
        //    url 'https://jitpack.io'
        //}

        ///maven {
        ///   url "https://dl.bintray.com/videolan/Android"
        ///}
    }
}

task clean(type: Delete) {
    delete rootProject.buildDir
}

gradle.properties

org.gradle.jvmargs=-Xmx1536m
android.useAndroidX=true
android.enableJetifier=true

gradle-wrapper.properties

distributionBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
distributionPath=wrapper/dists
zipStoreBase=GRADLE_USER_HOME
zipStorePath=wrapper/dists
distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-6.5-all.zip

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