1 .. -*- coding: utf-8; mode: rst -*-
5 **********************************
6 ioctl VIDIOC_G_FBUF, VIDIOC_S_FBUF
7 **********************************
12 VIDIOC_G_FBUF - VIDIOC_S_FBUF - Get or set frame buffer overlay parameters
18 .. c:function:: int ioctl( int fd, VIDIOC_G_FBUF, struct v4l2_framebuffer *argp )
21 .. c:function:: int ioctl( int fd, VIDIOC_S_FBUF, const struct v4l2_framebuffer *argp )
29 File descriptor returned by :ref:`open() <func-open>`.
32 Pointer to struct :c:type:`v4l2_framebuffer`.
38 Applications can use the :ref:`VIDIOC_G_FBUF <VIDIOC_G_FBUF>` and :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FBUF <VIDIOC_G_FBUF>` ioctl
39 to get and set the framebuffer parameters for a
40 :ref:`Video Overlay <overlay>` or :ref:`Video Output Overlay <osd>`
41 (OSD). The type of overlay is implied by the device type (capture or
42 output device) and can be determined with the
43 :ref:`VIDIOC_QUERYCAP` ioctl. One ``/dev/videoN``
44 device must not support both kinds of overlay.
46 The V4L2 API distinguishes destructive and non-destructive overlays. A
47 destructive overlay copies captured video images into the video memory
48 of a graphics card. A non-destructive overlay blends video images into a
49 VGA signal or graphics into a video signal. *Video Output Overlays* are
50 always non-destructive.
52 To get the current parameters applications call the :ref:`VIDIOC_G_FBUF <VIDIOC_G_FBUF>`
53 ioctl with a pointer to a struct :c:type:`v4l2_framebuffer`
54 structure. The driver fills all fields of the structure or returns an
55 EINVAL error code when overlays are not supported.
57 To set the parameters for a *Video Output Overlay*, applications must
58 initialize the ``flags`` field of a struct
59 struct :c:type:`v4l2_framebuffer`. Since the framebuffer is
60 implemented on the TV card all other parameters are determined by the
61 driver. When an application calls :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FBUF <VIDIOC_G_FBUF>` with a pointer to
62 this structure, the driver prepares for the overlay and returns the
63 framebuffer parameters as :ref:`VIDIOC_G_FBUF <VIDIOC_G_FBUF>` does, or it returns an error
66 To set the parameters for a *non-destructive Video Overlay*,
67 applications must initialize the ``flags`` field, the ``fmt``
68 substructure, and call :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FBUF <VIDIOC_G_FBUF>`. Again the driver prepares for
69 the overlay and returns the framebuffer parameters as :ref:`VIDIOC_G_FBUF <VIDIOC_G_FBUF>`
70 does, or it returns an error code.
72 For a *destructive Video Overlay* applications must additionally provide
73 a ``base`` address. Setting up a DMA to a random memory location can
74 jeopardize the system security, its stability or even damage the
75 hardware, therefore only the superuser can set the parameters for a
76 destructive video overlay.
79 .. tabularcolumns:: |p{3.5cm}|p{3.5cm}|p{3.5cm}|p{7.0cm}|
81 .. c:type:: v4l2_framebuffer
83 .. cssclass:: longtable
85 .. flat-table:: struct v4l2_framebuffer
93 - Overlay capability flags set by the driver, see
94 :ref:`framebuffer-cap`.
98 - Overlay control flags set by application and driver, see
99 :ref:`framebuffer-flags`
103 - Physical base address of the framebuffer, that is the address of
104 the pixel in the top left corner of the framebuffer. [#f1]_
108 - This field is irrelevant to *non-destructive Video Overlays*. For
109 *destructive Video Overlays* applications must provide a base
110 address. The driver may accept only base addresses which are a
111 multiple of two, four or eight bytes. For *Video Output Overlays*
112 the driver must return a valid base address, so applications can
113 find the corresponding Linux framebuffer device (see
118 - Layout of the frame buffer.
122 - Width of the frame buffer in pixels.
126 - Height of the frame buffer in pixels.
130 - The pixel format of the framebuffer.
134 - For *non-destructive Video Overlays* this field only defines a
135 format for the struct :c:type:`v4l2_window`
140 - For *destructive Video Overlays* applications must initialize this
141 field. For *Video Output Overlays* the driver must return a valid
146 - Usually this is an RGB format (for example
147 :ref:`V4L2_PIX_FMT_RGB565 <V4L2-PIX-FMT-RGB565>`) but YUV
148 formats (only packed YUV formats when chroma keying is used, not
149 including ``V4L2_PIX_FMT_YUYV`` and ``V4L2_PIX_FMT_UYVY``) and the
150 ``V4L2_PIX_FMT_PAL8`` format are also permitted. The behavior of
151 the driver when an application requests a compressed format is
152 undefined. See :ref:`pixfmt` for information on pixel formats.
154 - enum :c:type:`v4l2_field`
156 - Drivers and applications shall ignore this field. If applicable,
157 the field order is selected with the
158 :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FMT <VIDIOC_G_FMT>` ioctl, using the ``field``
159 field of struct :c:type:`v4l2_window`.
163 - Distance in bytes between the leftmost pixels in two adjacent
167 This field is irrelevant to *non-destructive Video Overlays*.
169 For *destructive Video Overlays* both applications and drivers can
170 set this field to request padding bytes at the end of each line.
171 Drivers however may ignore the requested value, returning
172 ``width`` times bytes-per-pixel or a larger value required by the
173 hardware. That implies applications can just set this field to
174 zero to get a reasonable default.
176 For *Video Output Overlays* the driver must return a valid value.
178 Video hardware may access padding bytes, therefore they must
179 reside in accessible memory. Consider for example the case where
180 padding bytes after the last line of an image cross a system page
181 boundary. Capture devices may write padding bytes, the value is
182 undefined. Output devices ignore the contents of padding bytes.
184 When the image format is planar the ``bytesperline`` value applies
185 to the first plane and is divided by the same factor as the
186 ``width`` field for the other planes. For example the Cb and Cr
187 planes of a YUV 4:2:0 image have half as many padding bytes
188 following each line as the Y plane. To avoid ambiguities drivers
189 must return a ``bytesperline`` value rounded up to a multiple of
194 - This field is irrelevant to *non-destructive Video Overlays*. For
195 *destructive Video Overlays* applications must initialize this
196 field. For *Video Output Overlays* the driver must return a valid
199 Together with ``base`` it defines the framebuffer memory
200 accessible by the driver.
202 - enum :c:type:`v4l2_colorspace`
204 - This information supplements the ``pixelformat`` and must be set
205 by the driver, see :ref:`colorspaces`.
209 - Reserved. Drivers and applications must set this field to zero.
212 .. tabularcolumns:: |p{6.6cm}|p{2.2cm}|p{8.7cm}|
216 .. flat-table:: Frame Buffer Capability Flags
221 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_CAP_EXTERNOVERLAY``
223 - The device is capable of non-destructive overlays. When the driver
224 clears this flag, only destructive overlays are supported. There
225 are no drivers yet which support both destructive and
226 non-destructive overlays. Video Output Overlays are in practice
227 always non-destructive.
228 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_CAP_CHROMAKEY``
230 - The device supports clipping by chroma-keying the images. That is,
231 image pixels replace pixels in the VGA or video signal only where
232 the latter assume a certain color. Chroma-keying makes no sense
233 for destructive overlays.
234 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_CAP_LIST_CLIPPING``
236 - The device supports clipping using a list of clip rectangles.
237 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_CAP_BITMAP_CLIPPING``
239 - The device supports clipping using a bit mask.
240 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_CAP_LOCAL_ALPHA``
242 - The device supports clipping/blending using the alpha channel of
243 the framebuffer or VGA signal. Alpha blending makes no sense for
244 destructive overlays.
245 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_CAP_GLOBAL_ALPHA``
247 - The device supports alpha blending using a global alpha value.
248 Alpha blending makes no sense for destructive overlays.
249 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_CAP_LOCAL_INV_ALPHA``
251 - The device supports clipping/blending using the inverted alpha
252 channel of the framebuffer or VGA signal. Alpha blending makes no
253 sense for destructive overlays.
254 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_CAP_SRC_CHROMAKEY``
256 - The device supports Source Chroma-keying. Video pixels with the
257 chroma-key colors are replaced by framebuffer pixels, which is
258 exactly opposite of ``V4L2_FBUF_CAP_CHROMAKEY``
261 .. tabularcolumns:: |p{6.6cm}|p{2.2cm}|p{8.7cm}|
263 .. _framebuffer-flags:
265 .. cssclass:: longtable
267 .. flat-table:: Frame Buffer Flags
272 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_FLAG_PRIMARY``
274 - The framebuffer is the primary graphics surface. In other words,
275 the overlay is destructive. This flag is typically set by any
276 driver that doesn't have the ``V4L2_FBUF_CAP_EXTERNOVERLAY``
277 capability and it is cleared otherwise.
278 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_FLAG_OVERLAY``
280 - If this flag is set for a video capture device, then the driver
281 will set the initial overlay size to cover the full framebuffer
282 size, otherwise the existing overlay size (as set by
283 :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FMT <VIDIOC_G_FMT>`) will be used. Only one
284 video capture driver (bttv) supports this flag. The use of this
285 flag for capture devices is deprecated. There is no way to detect
286 which drivers support this flag, so the only reliable method of
287 setting the overlay size is through
288 :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FMT <VIDIOC_G_FMT>`. If this flag is set for a
289 video output device, then the video output overlay window is
290 relative to the top-left corner of the framebuffer and restricted
291 to the size of the framebuffer. If it is cleared, then the video
292 output overlay window is relative to the video output display.
293 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_FLAG_CHROMAKEY``
295 - Use chroma-keying. The chroma-key color is determined by the
296 ``chromakey`` field of struct :c:type:`v4l2_window`
297 and negotiated with the :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FMT <VIDIOC_G_FMT>`
298 ioctl, see :ref:`overlay` and :ref:`osd`.
299 * - :cspan:`2` There are no flags to enable clipping using a list of
300 clip rectangles or a bitmap. These methods are negotiated with the
301 :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FMT <VIDIOC_G_FMT>` ioctl, see :ref:`overlay`
303 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_FLAG_LOCAL_ALPHA``
305 - Use the alpha channel of the framebuffer to clip or blend
306 framebuffer pixels with video images. The blend function is:
307 output = framebuffer pixel * alpha + video pixel * (1 - alpha).
308 The actual alpha depth depends on the framebuffer pixel format.
309 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_FLAG_GLOBAL_ALPHA``
311 - Use a global alpha value to blend the framebuffer with video
312 images. The blend function is: output = (framebuffer pixel * alpha
313 + video pixel * (255 - alpha)) / 255. The alpha value is
314 determined by the ``global_alpha`` field of struct
315 :c:type:`v4l2_window` and negotiated with the
316 :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FMT <VIDIOC_G_FMT>` ioctl, see :ref:`overlay`
318 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_FLAG_LOCAL_INV_ALPHA``
320 - Like ``V4L2_FBUF_FLAG_LOCAL_ALPHA``, use the alpha channel of the
321 framebuffer to clip or blend framebuffer pixels with video images,
322 but with an inverted alpha value. The blend function is: output =
323 framebuffer pixel * (1 - alpha) + video pixel * alpha. The actual
324 alpha depth depends on the framebuffer pixel format.
325 * - ``V4L2_FBUF_FLAG_SRC_CHROMAKEY``
327 - Use source chroma-keying. The source chroma-key color is
328 determined by the ``chromakey`` field of struct
329 :c:type:`v4l2_window` and negotiated with the
330 :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FMT <VIDIOC_G_FMT>` ioctl, see :ref:`overlay`
331 and :ref:`osd`. Both chroma-keying are mutual exclusive to each
332 other, so same ``chromakey`` field of struct
333 :c:type:`v4l2_window` is being used.
339 On success 0 is returned, on error -1 and the ``errno`` variable is set
340 appropriately. The generic error codes are described at the
341 :ref:`Generic Error Codes <gen-errors>` chapter.
344 :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FBUF <VIDIOC_G_FBUF>` can only be called by a privileged user to
345 negotiate the parameters for a destructive overlay.
348 The :ref:`VIDIOC_S_FBUF <VIDIOC_G_FBUF>` parameters are unsuitable.
351 A physical base address may not suit all platforms. GK notes in
352 theory we should pass something like PCI device + memory region +
353 offset instead. If you encounter problems please discuss on the
354 linux-media mailing list:
355 `https://linuxtv.org/lists.php <https://linuxtv.org/lists.php>`__.