H.264 HP encoder problem

Hi Andrey,

We have tried same configuration file you have used in unit test application, with input frames as all 0s. We are not observing any issue everything looks fine.

It looks like with little different call order you were able to encode stream properly, there were no syntax errors with the file you shared. Can we know what is the change between two trials?

Also we have used mplayer version "r31743-4.2.5" we were able to play without any error...

Hello,

Modified call order with which I managed to get bytes is:

algNumAlloc
algAlloc
algInit

algActivate
control XDM_GETVERSION
algDeactivate

algActivate
control XDM_GETBUFINFO
algDeactivate

algActivate
RMAN_assignResources
RMAN_activateAllResources
algDeactivate

algActivate

loop {
  control XDM_SETPARAMS
 
  process
 
  control XDM_GETSTATUS
}

In previous message I attached CCS project of my test. I debugged it and I do not see any problem.

But encoder produces wrong stream (or doesn't produce any). Since I have no source code of encoder I can not debug deeper into encoder and find the reason why is it so.

Can you help me find the reason by running and debugging my very simple test project?

Hi Andrey,

Looks like cache issue are present in the application provided by you. 

1) By default on power on Cache is enabled. So to disable cache we need to disable with cache APIs.

2) Assuming that cache is enabled, shared memory sync, allocation APIs are not implemented. Though app is for single core, Codec uses EDMA to update shared buffers, since sync is not implemented, codec will not work.

Just as a work around to make the app working please call  "Cache_wbInvAll();" in function "shmmap_sync_test" it will work. we are able to see proper output with work around without any syntax errors.

Rama Mohana Reddy

Thanks Rama,

You are right - by default L1P and L1D caches are enabled. "Cache_wbInvAll();" in function "shmmap_sync_test" solves the issue.

Andrey Lisnevich

Hi Rama,

This workaround works perfectly but only for core0:

[C66xx_0] main() on CORE=0
Initialize RMAN
Start SYS/BIOS
test_task
Create encoder
WARNING: Not supported parent functions
space=17 pointer=80000180 size=d900
space=0 pointer=00800000 size=32000
space=17 pointer=8000da80 size=300000
space=17 pointer=8030da80 size=a1b80
space=17 pointer=803af600 size=a1b80
space=17 pointer=80451180 size=32000
space=17 pointer=80483180 size=518c
space=0 pointer=00832000 size=1800
space=17 pointer=80488380 size=2580
space=17 pointer=8048a900 size=10000
space=17 pointer=8049a900 size=5e00
space=0 pointer=00833800 size=800
space=0 pointer=00834000 size=300
space=17 pointer=804a0700 size=1300
space=17 pointer=804a1a00 size=5000
space=0 pointer=00834300 size=2000
space=17 pointer=804a6a00 size=500
space=17 pointer=804a6f00 size=500
space=17 pointer=804a7400 size=500
space=17 pointer=804a7900 size=2a80
space=17 pointer=804aa380 size=1300
shmmap 0 15048 2
shmmap 1 176 2
shmmap 2 11104 2
shmmap 3 760 2
shmmap 4 2921240 0
shmmap 5 5576 2
shmmap 6 960 0
shmmap 7 3145728 0
Version: DEV.100.V.H264HP.E.C66X.01.00.00.00
Configure encoder2 buffers
minNumInBufs 3
minNumOutBufs 1
minInBufSize[0] 101376 0
minInBufSize[1] 25344 0
minInBufSize[2] 25344 0
minOutBufSize[0] 3145728 0
Input buffers size (bytes in YUV frame) = 152064
Output buffers size = 3145728
Configure encoder resources
Encoder created and configured
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: -1 Bytes generated 0
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: -1 Bytes generated 0
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 3 Bytes generated 111
Output 111 bytes from 0 buffer
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 1 Bytes generated 16
Output 16 bytes from 0 buffer
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 2 Bytes generated 14
Output 14 bytes from 0 buffer
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 2 Bytes generated 14
Output 14 bytes from 0 buffer
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 1 Bytes generated 16

When I run it on other cores result is the same:

[C66xx_1] main() on CORE=1
Initialize RMAN
Start SYS/BIOS
test_task
Create encoder
WARNING: Not supported parent functions
space=17 pointer=80000180 size=d900
space=0 pointer=00800000 size=32000
space=17 pointer=8000da80 size=300000
space=17 pointer=8030da80 size=a1b80
space=17 pointer=803af600 size=a1b80
space=17 pointer=80451180 size=32000
space=17 pointer=80483180 size=518c
space=0 pointer=00832000 size=1800
space=17 pointer=80488380 size=2580
space=17 pointer=8048a900 size=10000
space=17 pointer=8049a900 size=5e00
space=0 pointer=00833800 size=800
space=0 pointer=00834000 size=300
space=17 pointer=804a0700 size=1300
space=17 pointer=804a1a00 size=5000
space=0 pointer=00834300 size=2000
space=17 pointer=804a6a00 size=500
space=17 pointer=804a6f00 size=500
space=17 pointer=804a7400 size=500
space=17 pointer=804a7900 size=2a80
space=17 pointer=804aa380 size=1300
shmmap 0 15048 2
shmmap 1 176 2
shmmap 2 11104 2
shmmap 3 760 2
shmmap 4 2921240 0
shmmap 5 5576 2
shmmap 6 960 0
shmmap 7 3145728 0
Version: DEV.100.V.H264HP.E.C66X.01.00.00.00
Configure encoder2 buffers
minNumInBufs 3
minNumOutBufs 1
minInBufSize[0] 101376 0
minInBufSize[1] 25344 0
minInBufSize[2] 25344 0
minOutBufSize[0] 3145728 0
Input buffers size (bytes in YUV frame) = 152064
Output buffers size = 3145728
Configure encoder resources
Encoder created and configured
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: -1 Bytes generated 0
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: -1 Bytes generated 0
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 3 Bytes generated 0
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 1 Bytes generated 0
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 2 Bytes generated 0
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 2 Bytes generated 0
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 1 Bytes generated 0
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 2 Bytes generated 0
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 2 Bytes generated 0
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 1 Bytes generated 0
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 2 Bytes generated 0
Allocating input and output buffers
Encoding frame
Frame type: 2 Bytes generated 0

As you see frame type is correctly changing as before, but encoder generates 0 bytes. To reproduce the issue just run single instance of the same program on core other then core0.

Can you please help to resolve the issue?

Regards,

Andrey Lisnevich

Do you have an idea why is it so?

Hi Rama,

In ividimc.h, part of HP encoder distribution, you can read opposite information:

 *  @param  core_task_ID : Core Task Name,can be master or slave core
 *
 *  @param  coreID : Core number of the active core,given by DNUM

And the same according to documentation: core_task_ID is responsible for core's task identification. It can be set to:

IVIDMC_TASK_MASTER = 0 - The master core task ID.
IVIDMC_TASK_SLAVE = 1 - Slave Task ID. This is non specific to any particular task.
IVIDMC_TASK_SLAVE_1 = 2 - Specific slave task ID 1.
IVIDMC_TASK_SLAVE_2 = 3 - Specific slave task ID 2.

etc.

Documentation says that CoreID is just current core identification number. It should not be mandatory to set CoreID = 0 for master core.

Most likely problem is in H.264 HP encoder implementation.

Can you please confirm this?

Andrey Lisnevich

Hi Andrey,

The information specified in ividmc.h file is correct. But codec algorithm use "CoreID" parameter to distribute number of rows encoding in multicore scenario. Same will is mapped to in single core also. 

Codec uses "core_task_ID" as expected, but slice division logic, sync APIs are called based on coreID where it mandates coreID to start from zero.

Regards

Rama

Hi Rama,

I got your point. With coreID  = 0 transcoding works on all cores.

But then the description in header file is untrue:

@param  coreID : Core number of the active core,given by DNUM

Also documentation never says that coreID should be == 0 for core with master task. I hope you will describe this point more detailed with HP encoder release.

Thanks!

Hi Andrey,

We will mention these points in users guide in upcoming releases for H264 HP encoder.

Best Regards

Rama

Hi Rama,

Can you please also look at another problem: http://e2e.ti.com/support/embedded/multimedia_software_codecs/f/356/t/239791.aspx

It uses almost same test project from this thread. Memory "disappears" when initializing encoder with 176x144 resolution.

Thanks

Hi Rama,

I havn't found detailed description of coreID in H.264 HP encoder release so I have the question that should help me understand it better:

I want to run multicore encoding on 2 cores: core DNUM=3 master and core DNUM=4 slave. What values should I specify in  IVIDMC_t coreID and core_task_ID for each core?

Regards,

Andrey Lisnevich

Hi Andrey,

In the drop we provided, we have not updated documentation, it is meant for fixing memory leakage when aspect ratio is changed dynamically. We would like to hear from you whether issue got fixed or not. Once issue is fixed we will do formal release with documentation update.

You can set below values to encode using 2 cores.

DNUM = 3:

coreID = 0; core_task_ID = Master;

DNUM = 4:

coreID = 1; core_task_ID = Slave;

ncores = 2;

Regards

Rama