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/* ** ** $VER: mpegvideo_datatype.guide 1.8 (27.5.97) ** mpegvideo.datatype 1.8 ** ** documentation ** ** (C) Copyright 1996/1997 by Roland 'Gizzy' Mainz ** All Rights Reserved ** */ =================== mpegvideo.datatype documentation ================== =========================================================================== DataTypes class for mpeg video stream animations. Based on the CBM datatypes example source/ documents written by David Junod. =================== Changes since last version (V1.7) ================== =========================================================================== - Added time into to the gauge. Note that the "time-to-go" info will only be useable after 5% upto 10% of the decoded data - Added partial support for mpeg-2 (MPEG-2 does NOT work yet !), both encoder+decoder. - Added my own WritePixelArray8 replacement, which operates directly on the fast-mem bitmaps. This saves some internal copies, chipmem buffer for WPA8 etc. - Added my own scaling routine, replacing graphics.library/BitMapScale (which needs chipmem as temp. buffer). Does not work properly yet. - Fixed the gauge, which didn't work correctly with large streams (>= 8MB). Fixed. - The gauge ha now a text info, which shows the remaining time to decode. - Added experimental stack swapping code. The "Need more stack"- requester has been removed for this reason. This also fixes a possible deadlock of "input.device" because the GM_LAYOUT method was running with low stack. Fixed. - Color table setup now retries color table build with an increased COLORERROR if table (set by LUM_RANGE * CR_RANGE * CB_RANGE) does not fit. This allows any #?_RANGE value. - Fixed different problems within color setup. Now this should work with a higher quality, and a little bit faster. - Fixed the descriptor, which din't match all mpeg video streams. Fixed. - Added floating-point dct and a matching QUALITY option. Systems with __much__ FPU-performace recommened. =================== Changes since last version (V1.6) ================== =========================================================================== - Now includes a mc68060 version. - Now supports palette-per-frame-output. If you're using a custom animation player like DBufDTAnim (V1.2 included), you can use this option. The PALETTEPERFRAME option used with COLOR or ORDERED dithering creates a new palette for __EACH__ frame, which gives a much better quality. Example: DITHER=8 DITHER=COLOR PALETTEPERFRAME LUM_RANGE=32 CR_RANGE=16 CB_RANGE=16 or DITHER=8 DITHER=OREDERED PALETTEPERFRAME LUM_RANGE=32 CR_RANGE=16 CB_RANGE=16 If you're using the PALETTEPERFRAME option, the limit of 2**depth colors (2**8 == 256; 2**4 == 16 etc.) for the (LUM_RANGE * CR_RANGE * CB_RANGE) cube does not exists (limitted up to 65536 cube). - Support for saving (last-minute-note: has been disabled because the distribution size was too large; will only be enabled in the public version again upon request by someone). - The DICECOLOR output has been mixed into the COLOR dithering and is now obsolete (DICECOLOR was a non-working palette-per-frame-output). - Implemented random access to frames (e.g you need not to load the whole animation, decodung is done on the fly). (Will be enabled in the public versions ONLY upon request; code is currently under construction, the matching LOADALL switch is currently set everytimes). =============================== FAQ ======================================= =========================================================================== > Does the datatype supports saving in the local class format > (MPEG-1 Video Stream) ? Yes, it does. But the code has been disabled. It will be enabled in the public versions only on request. > I'm using "Executive" and the animation.datatype's display only jumps > (no smooth scolling). What should I do ? Try it without "Executive", or mark the following tasks to be not touched by "Executive": AnimationObjectHandler_Load AnimationObjectHandler_Display SoundObjectHandler > I found a special version for the mc68040 CPU. Is there any 060' special > version available ? This release now contains a special mc68060-Version, located in the 060881/ directory. > I have a mc68030 processor with 68882 math proccessor. Your distribution > contains only a mc68000 vers. using IEEE shared library, > a mc68020 vers. using IEEE shared library, > a mc68020 vers. using a 6888x FPU, > a mc68040 and a mc68060 version. > There is not version for me, isn't it ? The Version in the 020881/ directory is the right one for you. The mc68030-CPU is backward-compatible to the mc68020/mc68010/mc68000, the FPU is backward-compatible to the 68881 FPU. I didn't include a mc68030-Version because the differences between these combination and the 020881-Version are too small (takes no effect, only wastes the distribution). The 000ieee/ and the 020ieee/ version should work on you computer, too, but they're slower than the 68020/68881-Version. The 68040-Version should fail on your computer (silently) without a crash (I've included a safety-check which checks the CPU/FPU-combination). > Where can I get animation.datatype ? The animation.datatype is shipped with the V3.1 OS Release. Maybe, a CD (which includes WB 3.1) contains it. I'm working on a replacement of animation.datatype (my animation.datatype V41), which would be FREEWARE (support for palette-per-frame and more than 8 bit planes). But you need not only the "animation.datatype". The animation.datatype requires itself some resources. See "Requirements"-section. > Could it be possible for the mpeg video datatype to spool from HD > dynamically ? Yes and no. I wrote the code for this, but in this version I didn't enable it. This code will only be enabled upon REQUEST by someone. Therefore, the LOADALL swicth in the prefs-file is set everytimes. Today, use AMIPEG instead. > I only get black and white output/gray output ) Is this OK ? Or > are some prefs to set/edit ? Yes, there is a prefs-file, located in "ENV:Classes/DataTypes/mpegvideo.prefs". For a complete description, see "Usage"-section below, and the "mpegvideo.datatype.doc/preferences" section. > How can I get 256 color or HAM output ? For 256 color output: You need to write an prefs file which contains the following lines: DITHER=ORDERED DEPTH=8 LUM_RANGE=7 CR_RANGE=6 CB_RANGE=6 HAM output isn't implemnted yet, but palette-per-frame output. If you're using "DBufDTAnim" or "animation.datatype" V41 for playback, you can use this option. The prefs-file looks like this DITHER=ORDERED DEPTH=8 PALETTEPERFRAME LUM_RANGE=32 CR_RANGE=16 CB_RANGE=16 > How can I get 24 bit output ? I wrote the code for this, but in this version I didn't enable it (because the animation.datatype display can't handle it, but custom players like DBufDTAnim does). This code will only be enabled upon REQUEST by someone. > Even though VT has the capability of using datatypes it doesn't recognize > the mpegs and use the mpeg datatype. It does for gifs and jpegs VT does (currently) only support picture datatypes (e.g. subclasses of picture.datatype). DataTypes defines different types of input data: - SYSTEM: System file, such as; directories, binaries, executables etc. - TEXT: Formatted or unformatted text, such as; ascii, IFF FTXT - DOCUMENT: Formatted text with graphics or other DataTypes; like AmigaGuide, HTML, SGML - SOUND: Sound, such as; IFF 8SVX, IFF AIFF, MPEG Audio - INSTRUMENT: Musical instruments used for musical scores; liek Sonix #?.ss - MUSIC: Musical score, such as; like IFF SMUS, IFF CMUS or mods - PICTURE: Still picture, such as; IFF ILBM, GIF, jifi (jpeg), PNG, PBM - ANIMATION: Animated picture (Animations) such; as IFF ANIM, MPEG Video - MOVIE: Animation with audio track (Movies) such as; IFF FILM, CDXL, MPEG System, AVI ============================ Requirements ================================= =========================================================================== - You need at least Kick/WB 3.0. | Many people wrote me that they cannot find an "animation.datatype" class. | Only the 3.1 release contains it. (Subclasses of) animation.datatype | can run under 3.0. - "datatypes/animation.datatype", >= V39. "animation.datatype 40.7 (28.09.93)" requires itself some libraries/boopsi classes: - "realtime.library", >= V39 - for timing - "gadgets/tapedeck.gadget" (any version) - for the controls - Much memory (at least 2MB (I think... (test report recommned)) (or the "vmm.library" V3.0 from Martin Apel's VMM package. Using the USEVMM switch in the prefs file, bitmaps can be in virtual memory. See autodoc for details. VMM can be found on aminet (aminet/util/misc/vmm_#?.lha), the current version is VMM_V3_3A.LHA on Aminet14-CD. Note: VMM is Shareware !). - The IEEE versions (#?ieee directories) requires the "mathieeedoubbas.library" (V38 or higher) library in your LIBS: (or something equal) directory. =============================== Misc ====================================== =========================================================================== mpegvideo.datatype is a datatype to view mpeg system streams. It's a subclass of animation.datatype. The datatype is very slow during loading. The main idea behind this datatype was to create a "realtime" player for mpegs, even on systems with small cpus. Because the mpeg fromat needs much cpu power (even a SUN SPARC 10 isn't able to decode a mpeg video in realtime), I decided to load all frames into memory and then starts to play. This needs much memory but allows a "realtime" playback (be carefull with your resulting plane depth (DEPTH option is the prefs file), this slows down playback speed). If you want to see the mpeg in the full length, there are two ways: 1. You can use the vmm support. VMM means "Virtual Memory Manager" (requires a working MMU in your CPU). Using Martin Apel's VMM, you can load big mpegs (in VMM's virtual memory). VMM can be found on the Aminet in the util/misc directory. Note: VMM is Shareware !! 2. You can use "amipeg", which is able to play mpeg video streams from disk. amipeg can be found on the Aminet in the gfx/show directory. This release was set up for various reasons: - First at all, to show that subclasses of animation.datatype aren't magic, hacks or something else. This datatype has been developed conforming to the "animation_dtc.doc" autodoc. The people who said that it's not possible to write a new subclass (except the CBM's IFF ANIM-5 and CDXL ones) are WRONG. - The people who said that animation.datatype is buggy are WRONG. There are only two non-serious and one serios bug (fixed by my "paranimdtcpatch"). The two non-serious bugs can simply surrounded. All other crashes, hangs etc. are triggered by the CBM subclass ANIM (CDXL not tested yet) and stack overrun problems. INCREASE your stack size!! - To turn off the bug reports for my internal (and inofficial, non-public) testing releases which are travelling through the networks (delete them NOW !). All bug reports should be related to this (and the following) AMINET- Releases (except you are a BETA-tester). - To allow mc68000/mc68010 based AMIGA users the taste of real time video, if they have the required memory :-) (assumed, not tested). - To introduce the series of new animation.datatype subclasses like mpegvideo.datatype - mpeg video streams mpegsystem.datatype - mpeg system strams (video + audio) picmovie.datatype - build animations/movies from single pictures and sounds anim.datatype - iff anim-3/-5/-7/-8 datatype film.datatype - iff LIST FILM anims (interleaved ILBMs/8SVXs) moviesetter.datatype - GoldDisk moviesetter.datatype ssa.datatype - if any interest... - To test how much response such a datatype will produce. ====================== Request for comments/help ========================== =========================================================================== 1. Who owns the rights on the animation.datatype (source-)code ? 2. dito. amigaguide.(datatype|library) ? 3. email address (or something equal) of David N. Junod, who wrote the animation.datatype... For my address, email etc. see below... Wanted: Test files: These files __MUST__ be packed into a LhA archive (for compression and for checksumming. I won't like to search for "phantom" errors caused by corrupt files.) 1. Valid IFF LIST FILM files (ILBM's with interleaved 8SVX's) (for film.datatype testing). 2. CDXL files except "CALLNOW.XL" and "Walk.cdxl". 3. Small mpeg system streams (mpeg video + audio) (<= 1MB) Thanks !! =============================== Usage ===================================== =========================================================================== If the datatypes descriptor file was activated, any attempt to load an mpeg file using MultiView, AmigaGuide or SwitchWindow will load the entire animation. NOTE: This may be a long time. Each picture is loaded into memory. (I've tested a mpeg video stream from the german news "Tagesschau".) You may modify the prefs file to get better results in your requested screenmode. The preferences file is currently a plane ASCII file with one line. The prefs file format is described in the mpegvideo.datatype.doc. 1. Example (for A2024/Vikking grayscale monitors): MODEID=266240 LUM_RANGE=4 CR_RANGE=1 CB_RANGE=1 DEPTH=2 DITHER=ORDERED FPS=15 This means: MODEID=266240 ; Screen mode of A2024 monitor LUM_RANGE=4 CR_RANGE=1 CB_RANGE=1 ; Use only luminance (4 gray scales) DEPTH=2 ; 4 colors (max. on A2024 display) DITHER=ORDERED ; Use ordered dithering FPS=15 ; 15 frames per sec (should be the ; maximum on A2024 displays) BAD: The A2024 monitor isn't very good for fast animations (because of it's panelled display). Use the FPS option to reduce the speed. GOOD: Large anims (e.g. a 720x480 video) fits on the screen without any problem. 2. Examples (for color monitors): LUM_RANGE=4 CR_RANGE=4 CB_RANGE=4 DITHER=DICECOLOR DICESKIP=40 COLORERROR=25 This means: LUM_RANGE=4 CR_RANGE=4 CB_RANGE=4 ; Set luminance, red and blue components ; to the same wheight DITHER=DICECOLOR ; Use dicecolor dithering DICESKIP=40 ; Accept only the 40-th attempt ; to allocate a new color COLORERROR=25 ; Set match error to a value which ; means medium high quality 3. Example (for color monitors and a player which supports per-frame-palette changes (like "DBufDTAnim" or animation.datatype V41)): VERBOSE DITHER=COLOR DEPTH=8 PALETTEPERFRAME LUM_RANGE=32 CR_RANGE=16 CB_RANGE=16 This means: DITHER=COLOR ; color output DEPTH=8 ; 256 colors PALETTEPERFRAME ; Build a new palette for each frame LUM_RANGE=32 CR_RANGE=16 CB_RANGE=16 ; defines a color cube =========================== Installation ================================== =========================================================================== After unpacking this archive: Because this version does not include an Installer script, you have to do the installation manually through the shell: (There are now special compiled versions for "mpegvideo.datatype". Use the directory which matches your configuration, e.g. 000ieee/ -- mc68000 with IEEE library 020ieee/ -- mc68020 with IEEE library 020881/ -- mc68020 with mc68881 fpu 040881/ -- mc68040 with 881 code set (emulation code ?? -- not tested...).) 060881/ -- mc68060 with 881 code set (emulation code ?? -- not tested...).) - Unpack this archive and copy the "mpegvideo.datatype" to SYS:Classes/DataTypes: Copy CLONE FROM mpegvideo.datatype TO SYS:Classes/DataTypes/mpegvideo.datatype Then copy the datatypes descriptor into the DEVS:DataTypes directory Copy CLONE FROM "MPEG Video(%|.info)" TO DEVS:Datatypes/ ================================ BUGS ===================================== =========================================================================== - Some mpeg streams crashes the system. I cannot say much about this bug because I've only one file which causes this: "AMINET14:AMINET/PIX/ANIM/ID4.MPG" - Linking to an animation in an amigaguide.datatype object is currently not possible due a bug in amigaguide.datatype (not all required methods are passed to the animation). ->IF THERE IS A REQUEST, I will write a patch for amigaguide.datatype to fix this bug !!! - The datatype descriptor file is not the recommned way to identify a mpeg video stream. It should be replaced by code which do this work. - "Workbench emulation" sortware like cybergfx etc. is not tested. Reports are __very__ welcome. Note that possible problems belongs to the emulation software, not animation.datatype (which does the rendering and destination remapping). animation.datatype is very well written. - Please report your working/non-working configuration (very welcome: mc68060 users). - The new special compiled versions make a test if their code requirements match the system's cpu/fpu. This means: The 040/881 version should fail silently (without a crash) on a 68030. The 020/ieee version should fail on a plane 68000 and so on. This checking code has not been tested yet, but when you cannot open mpegvideo.datatype, you may have the wrong version installed. Use the systems "CPU" or "ShowConfig" tools to check which cpu is installed in your system. Then select the matching datatype and try again. See mpegvideo.datatype.doc for a complete list of all (removed/fixed etc.) bugs. BUG REPORTS should contain your machine (type, CPU, FPU etc.), additional hardware (graphics card and the emulation software) and your used software (KICK/WB3.0/3.1, cybergfx etc.) =============================== TODO ====================================== =========================================================================== Following will be implemented in one of the later versions: - Fix some inconsistensies - More time to rework this and other public projects - To write a "real" #?.guide file (and clean up the docs...) - A STARTFRAME/K/N and STOPFRAME/K/N to load, decode and play only a part of the video. - Support for mpegsystem.datatype. I decided to rebuild mpegsystem.datatype from scratch. Instead of using an inbuild video and audio decoder, mpegsystem.datatype will be a subclass of mpegvideo.datatype and use the mpegaudio.datatype for the audio decoding. ============================== SOURCE ===================================== =========================================================================== Sorry, I've removed the source. I've working on a releaseable form. See mpegvideo.datatype.doc for additional information. ============================= Copyright =================================== =========================================================================== Sorry, but in the V1.1 release, I've forgotten the COPYRIGHT notice. Here it is: (Because I don't have the original ones (my code was a mergin of mpeg_play 1.X, 2.0, I've taken them from the mpeg_play 2.0 distribution).) The main work (the mpeg decoder etc.) is based upon mpeg_play 1.xx and 2.0, which is... Copyright (c) 1992 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its documentation for any purpose, without fee, and without written agreement is hereby granted, provided that the above copyright notice and the following two paragraphs appear in all copies of this software. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BE LIABLE TO ANY PARTY FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE AND ITS DOCUMENTATION, EVEN IF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE SOFTWARE PROVIDED HEREUNDER IS ON AN "AS IS" BASIS, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA HAS NO OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE, SUPPORT, UPDATES, ENHANCEMENTS, OR MODIFICATIONS. ... and the idct algorithm is based on jrevdct.c (also found in the mpeg_play package), which is... Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, Thomas G. Lane. This file is part of the Independent JPEG Group's software. For conditions of distribution and use, see the accompanying README file. This implementation is based on an algorithm described in C. Loeffler, A. Ligtenberg and G. Moschytz, "Practical Fast 1-D DCT Algorithms with 11 Multiplications", Proc. Int'l. Conf. on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing 1989 (ICASSP '89), pp. 988-991. ... and (at least) all modifications are (C) by Roland Mainz (see below for details). =========================== Future ======================================== =========================================================================== I decided to contact the current owners of the animation.datatype code (AmigaTech., VisCorp etc.) because I want to do the official future development of animation.datatype (and picture.datatype, if possible). If there are any comments/ideas, bug reports etc., send them to me. I'm going to write an article to explain how a subclass of animation.datatype, the common pitfalls etc. Don't try this without my article. This text will also explain future improvements. | Warning: The __current__ behaviour of ADTM_UNLOADFRAME will be slightly | changed (in a compatible way for the existing CBM datatypes). Don't use | this method for now unless I or CBM says something else. W A N T E D: BUG reports During meetings, phone calls and newsgroup readings I found out that many people are using this datatype (and directory.datatype, mpegsystem.datatype etc.), having email access and did NOT report the bugs they found. >One possible result of the current behaviour would be that I drop this >project. -- No response, no future. The same belongs to "directory.datatype". I don't like to collect the bug reports from %x(/á%$/$ or something elsewhere. The reason is: Writing good, stable datatypes and their support is a TIME-INTENSIVE work and I don't like to work for the black hole. If there is enough response, I want to made a new BETA-tester group for my projects. (May be start in the middle of January 1997...) Who has a replacement for the WritePixelArray function LONG WritePixelArray8( struct RastPort *rp, ULONG xstart, ULONG ystart, ULONG xstop, ULONG ystop, UBYTE *array, struct RastPort *temprp ); written in PORTABLE ansi-C, which can operate on standard amiga-bitmaps in fast-ram ? (the temprp parameter and the return value may or may not be present in your implementation). Thanks... =========================== My projects =================================== =========================================================================== For those people which like to know on which projects I'm working on, here is a cut down of my projects... (A ... at the beginning of a line means that I've removed some lines, e.g. projects). Software projects ENVOY related projects NetInfo... NetInfo ENVOY network information ... RemoteNetShell... RemoteNetShell Shell commands across ENVOY network RemoteRequest... RemoteRequest Messages across ENVOY network Ping... Ping ENVOY ping NetPIPE... NetPIPE ENVOY PIPE filesystem ParMake... ParMake Parallel make (local or accoss ENVOY network) RemoteSCSI.DEVICE RemoteSCSI.DEVICE scsi.device export over envoy networks RemoteSerial.device RemoteSerial.device serial.device export over envoy networs RemoteRequester.service remoterequester.service Import/Export system requesters using envoy. Usefull with rlogin.service ... clipboard.service clipboard.service Clipboard import/export using envoy ... disk related projects NoClick... NoClick Turns trackdisk clicking off Eject... Eject Sends trackdisk EJECT command ... MakeLink... MakeLink Create filesystem links (soft && hard) ... misc projects MultiMinClock... MultiMinClock Little multiproject clock Reboot... Reboot Reboot utility ... ThrowMouse... ThrowMouse Startup icon starter FileChanged... FileChanged Wait for DOS notification WriteClipboard... WriteClipboard Write string to clipboard ... WBInfo... WBInfo Prompt the Workbench Information Requester mpeg related projects ... mpeg2decode... mpeg2decode mpeg2decode ... splitmpeg... splitmpeg splitmpeg amiga port (mpeg system stream demuxer) VideoCD-FS... VideoCD-FS filesystem, which reads video-cd's (old, "while book"), represented in different files (system, video, audio, frames etc.) ... datatypes related projects DTMethod... DTMethod Debug datatypes method communication ... markabletextdtclass... markabletextdtclass Adds a class to text.datatype to support DTM_SELECT (mark mode) paranimdtcpatch... paranimdtcpatch Patch animation.library to allow parallel animations dumpdtanim... dumpdtanim Creates single pictures and sounds from animation.datatype (anim/movies) objects ... picmovie_datatype... picmovie_datatype Create movies using single pictures and samples (movie type) directory_datatype... directory_datatype View directories (document type) ... list.datatype... list_datatype Datatype for IFF LIST files (document type) prop.datatype... prop_datatype Datatype for IFF PROP files (document type) iff.datatype iff_datatype Datatype for unknown IFF files. (document type) ... mpegvideo_datatype... mpegvideo_datatype View mpeg video streams (animation type) mpegaudio_datatype... mpegaudio_datatype Hear mpeg audio streams (sound type) mpegsystem_datatype... mpegsystem_datatype Play mpeg movies (movie type) ... film.datatype film_datatype Datatype for FILM anims (movie type) moviesetter.datatype... moviesetter.datatypeDatatype for Gold-Disk moviesetter anims (subclass of animation.datatype) ... development related projects ... NoTraps... NoTraps Disable all trap crashes ... big projects ... SwitchWindow... SWP OOP Environment The anim.datatype and film.datatype will be released in December 96, the ssa.datatype (Thanks to proDAD) will follow. =========================== Author's Request ============================== =========================================================================== By releasing this program I do not place any obligations on you, feel free to share this program with your friends (and enemies). If you want to blame me, report any bugs, or wants a new version send your letter to: Roland Mainz Hohenstaufenstraße 8 52388 Nörvenich GERMANY Phone: (+49)(0)2426/901568 EMAIL is also available: GISBURN@w-specht.rhein-ruhr.de If you want to send me attachments larger than 1MB (up to 5MB, more with my permission): Up to March 1997 I'm reachable using this email address, too: Reinhold.A.Mainz@KBV.DE | Please put your name and address in your mails ! | German mailers should add their phone numbers. | See BUGS section above when submitting bug reports. Sorry, but I can only look once a week for mails. If you don't hear something from me within three weeks, please send your mail again (but watch about new releases) (problems with this email port are caused by reconfigurations, hackers, network problems etc.). The entire "mpegvideo.datatype" package may be noncommercially redistributed, provided that the package is always distributed in it's complete form (including it's documentation). A small copy fee for media costs is okay but any kind of commercial distribution is strictly forbidden! Comments and suggestions how to improve this program are generally appreciated! Thanks to David Junod, who wrote animation.datatype and the datatypes example code, Matt Dillon for his DICE, Olaf 'Olsen' Barthel for his help, ideas and some text clips from his documentations, Martin Apel for his VMM package (shareware !) and his help.