0
votes

I know that it is possible to save RTP h264 streams using Wireshark and VLC. But in order to learn more about video streaming I am trying to do it myself. There are several related questions that make for good reading on this topic:

How to process raw UDP packets so that they can be decoded by a decoder filter in a directshow source filter

Problem to Decode H264 video over RTP with ffmpeg (libavcodec)

How to convert H.264 UDP packets to playable media stream or file (defragmentation)

With those as background, this is where I am currently:

  • I can receive RTP packets over UTP.
  • I parse packets as discussed in the questions above.
  • I write the packets to a file, separated by \x000001 and add the NAL byte again according to the above guides.
  • At the beginning of the file I put the SPS and PPS which I got from my code's RTSP conversation with the server (again seperated by the correct bytes).

I end up with a file of supposedly a lot of NAL frames. I then try to run ffmpeg on the .264 file to create a .mp4. This brings up several errors:

[h264 @ 0x15257a0] decode_slice_header error

[h264 @ 0x15257a0] no frame!

[h264 @ 0x15257a0] non-existing PPS referenced

[h264 @ 0x15257a0] non-existing PPS 0 referenced

[buffer @ 0x15e16a0] Invalid pixel format string '-1'

I am essentially at a standstill until I can figure out this problem. I have thouroughly read the questions I linked to above, and the stream is definitely viewable because I can connect and watch it via VLC and the incoming packets are definitely H264 RTP packets according to wireshark. If VLC can do it why can't I! I would greatly appreciate any insight into my errors and possible a summary of the three linked questions that resolves the disagreements between them.

1

1 Answers

0
votes

See How to process raw UDP packets so that they can be decoded by a decoder filter in a directshow source filter

It has the answer you require but the process is something like this:

//Determine if the forbidden bit is set and the type of nal from the first byte
            byte firstByte = packetData[offset];

            //bool forbiddenZeroBit = ((firstByte & 0x80) >> 7) != 0;

            byte nalUnitType = (byte)(firstByte & Common.Binary.FiveBitMaxValue);

            //o  The F bit MUST be cleared if all F bits of the aggregated NAL units are zero; otherwise, it MUST be set.
            //if (forbiddenZeroBit && nalUnitType <= 23 && nalUnitType > 29) throw new InvalidOperationException("Forbidden Zero Bit is Set.");

            //Determine what to do
            switch (nalUnitType)
            {
                //Reserved - Ignore
                case 0:
                case 30:
                case 31:
                    {
                        return;
                    }
                case 24: //STAP - A
                case 25: //STAP - B
                case 26: //MTAP - 16
                case 27: //MTAP - 24
                    {
                        //Move to Nal Data
                        ++offset;

                        //Todo Determine if need to Order by DON first.
                        //EAT DON for ALL BUT STAP - A
                        if (nalUnitType != 24) offset += 2;

                        //Consume the rest of the data from the packet
                        while (offset < count)
                        {
                            //Determine the nal unit size which does not include the nal header
                            int tmp_nal_size = Common.Binary.Read16(packetData, offset, BitConverter.IsLittleEndian);
                            offset += 2;

                            //If the nal had data then write it
                            if (tmp_nal_size > 0)
                            {
                                //For DOND and TSOFFSET
                                switch (nalUnitType)
                                {
                                    case 25:// MTAP - 16
                                        {
                                            //SKIP DOND and TSOFFSET
                                            offset += 3;
                                            goto default;
                                        }
                                    case 26:// MTAP - 24
                                        {
                                            //SKIP DOND and TSOFFSET
                                            offset += 4;
                                            goto default;
                                        }
                                    default:
                                        {
                                            //Read the nal header but don't move the offset
                                            byte nalHeader = (byte)(packetData[offset] & Common.Binary.FiveBitMaxValue);

                                            if (nalHeader > 5)
                                            {
                                                if (nalHeader == 6)
                                                {
                                                    Buffer.WriteByte(0);
                                                    containsSei = true;
                                                }
                                                else if (nalHeader == 7)
                                                {
                                                    Buffer.WriteByte(0);
                                                    containsPps = true;
                                                }
                                                else if (nalHeader == 8)
                                                {
                                                    Buffer.WriteByte(0);
                                                    containsSps = true;
                                                }
                                            }

                                            if (nalHeader == 1) containsSlice = true;

                                            if (nalHeader == 5) isIdr = true;

                                            //Done reading
                                            break;
                                        }
                                }

                                //Write the start code
                                Buffer.Write(NalStart, 0, 3);

                                //Write the nal header and data
                                Buffer.Write(packetData, offset, tmp_nal_size);

                                //Move the offset past the nal
                                offset += tmp_nal_size;
                            }
                        }

                        return;
                    }
                case 28: //FU - A
                case 29: //FU - B
                    {
                        /*
                         Informative note: When an FU-A occurs in interleaved mode, it
                         always follows an FU-B, which sets its DON.
                         * Informative note: If a transmitter wants to encapsulate a single
                          NAL unit per packet and transmit packets out of their decoding
                          order, STAP-B packet type can be used.
                         */
                        //Need 2 bytes
                        if (count > 2)
                        {
                            //Read the Header
                            byte FUHeader = packetData[++offset];

                            bool Start = ((FUHeader & 0x80) >> 7) > 0;

                            //bool End = ((FUHeader & 0x40) >> 6) > 0;

                            //bool Receiver = (FUHeader & 0x20) != 0;

                            //if (Receiver) throw new InvalidOperationException("Receiver Bit Set");

                            //Move to data
                            ++offset;

                            //Todo Determine if need to Order by DON first.
                            //DON Present in FU - B
                            if (nalUnitType == 29) offset += 2;

                            //Determine the fragment size
                            int fragment_size = count - offset;

                            //If the size was valid
                            if (fragment_size > 0)
                            {
                                //If the start bit was set
                                if (Start)
                                {
                                    //Reconstruct the nal header
                                    //Use the first 3 bits of the first byte and last 5 bites of the FU Header
                                    byte nalHeader = (byte)((firstByte & 0xE0) | (FUHeader & Common.Binary.FiveBitMaxValue));

                                    //Could have been SPS / PPS / SEI
                                    if (nalHeader > 5)
                                    {
                                        if (nalHeader == 6)
                                        {
                                            Buffer.WriteByte(0);
                                            containsSei = true;
                                        }
                                        else if (nalHeader == 7)
                                        {
                                            Buffer.WriteByte(0);
                                            containsPps = true;
                                        }
                                        else if (nalHeader == 8)
                                        {
                                            Buffer.WriteByte(0);
                                            containsSps = true;
                                        }
                                    }

                                    if (nalHeader == 1) containsSlice = true;

                                    if (nalHeader == 5) isIdr = true;

                                    //Write the start code
                                    Buffer.Write(NalStart, 0, 3);

                                    //Write the re-construced header
                                    Buffer.WriteByte(nalHeader);
                                }

                                //Write the data of the fragment.
                                Buffer.Write(packetData, offset, fragment_size);
                            }
                        }
                        return;
                    }
                default:
                    {
                        // 6 SEI, 7 and 8 are SPS and PPS
                        if (nalUnitType > 5)
                        {
                            if (nalUnitType == 6)
                            {
                                Buffer.WriteByte(0);
                                containsSei = true;
                            }
                            else if (nalUnitType == 7)
                            {
                                Buffer.WriteByte(0);
                                containsPps = true;
                            }
                            else if (nalUnitType == 8)
                            {
                                Buffer.WriteByte(0);
                                containsSps = true;
                            }
                        }

                        if (nalUnitType == 1) containsSlice = true;

                        if (nalUnitType == 5) isIdr = true;

                        //Write the start code
                        Buffer.Write(NalStart, 0, 3);

                        //Write the nal heaer and data data
                        Buffer.Write(packetData, offset, count - offset);

                        return;
                    }