Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC VCU TRD 2020.2 - Quad Sensor MIPI CSI Video Capture and HDMI Display

Owned by Ronak Shah (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Nov 26, 2020
17 min read

This page provides all the information related to Design Module 11 - VCU Quad Sensor MIPI CSI Video Capture and HDMI Display design.

Table of Contents

1 Overview

This module enables video capture from the quad sensor connected through MIPI CSI-2 Rx implemented in the PL. The Avnet Multi-Camera FMC module is used to capture four video streams through a MIPI CSI-2 interface. The video can be displayed using HDMI Tx through the PL, and can be recorded in SD cards or USB/SATA drives. The module can stream-in or stream-out encoded data through an Ethernet interface. This module supports four video streams using AXI switch at capture side and mixer at display side for NV12 pixel format.

This design supports the following video interfaces:

Sources:

  • MIPI CSI-2 Rx capture pipeline implemented in the PL

  • File source (SD card, USB storage, SATA hard disk)

  • Stream-In from network or internet

Sinks:

  • HDMI-Tx display pipeline implemented in the PL

VCU Codec:

  • Video Encode/Decode capability using VCU hard block in PL

    • AVC/HEVC encoding

    • Encoder/decoder parameter configuration

Streaming Interfaces:

  • 1G Ethernet PS GEM 

Video format:

  • NV12

Supported Resolution:

The table below provides the supported resolution from the command-line app in this design.

Resolution

Command Line

Single Stream

Multi-stream

1080p30

NA

√ (4-1080p30)

√- Supported
x - Not supported
NA - Not applicable

The below table gives information about the features supported in this design. 

Pipeline

Input Source

Output Type

Resolution

VCU Codec

Pipeline

Input Source

Output Type

Resolution

VCU Codec

Multi-Stream Pass-through Pipeline

Capture → Display

4 MIPI CSI-2 Rx

HDMI-Tx

4-1080p30

None

Multi-Stream Serial Pipeline

Capture → Encode → Decode → Display

4 MIPI CSI-2 Rx

HDMI-Tx

4-1080p30

HEVC / AVC

Multi-Stream Record / Stream-Out pipeline

4 MIPI CSI-2 Rx

File Sink / Stream-Out

4-1080p30

HEVC / AVC

File Playback Pipeline

File Source

HDMI-Tx

1080p30

HEVC / AVC

Streaming Pipeline

Stream-In

HDMI-Tx

4-1080p30

HEVC / AVC

The below figure shows the VCU Quad Sensor MIPI CSI Multi Stream design hardware block diagram.

 

The below figure shows the VCU Quad Sensor MIPI CSI Multi Stream design software block diagram.

1.1 Board Setup

Refer below link for Board Setup

1.2 Run Flow

The TRD package is released with the source code, Vivado project, Petalinux BSP, and SD card image that enables the user to run the demonstration. It also includes the binaries necessary to configure and boot the ZCU106 board. Prior to running the steps mentioned in this wiki page, download the TRD package and extract its contents to a directory referred to as TRD_HOME which is the home directory.

Refer below link to download all TRD contents.

TRD package contents are placed in the following directory structure. The user needs to copy all the files from the $TRD_HOME/images/vcu_quad_sensor/ to FAT32 formatted SD card directory.

rdf0428-zcu106-vcu-trd-2020-2 ├── apu │ └── vcu_petalinux_bsp ├── images │ ├── vcu_10g │ ├── vcu_audio │ ├── vcu_hdr10_hdmi │ ├── vcu_llp2_hdmi_nv12 │ ├── vcu_llp2_hdmi_nv16 │ ├── vcu_llp2_hdmi_xv20 │ ├── vcu_llp2_sdi_xv20 │ ├── vcu_multistream_nv12 │ ├── vcu_pcie │ ├── vcu_quad_sensor │ └── vcu_sdi_xv20 ├── pcie_host_package │ ├── COPYING │ ├── include │ ├── LICENSE │ ├── readme.txt │ ├── RELEASE │ ├── tests │ ├── tools │ └── xdma ├── pl │ ├── constrs │ ├── designs │ ├── prebuild │ ├── README.md │ └── srcs └── README.txt

TRD package contents specific to VCU Quad Sensor MIPI CSI Multi Stream design are placed in the following directory structure.

rdf0428-zcu106-vcu-trd-2020-2 ├── apu │ └── vcu_petalinux_bsp │ └── xilinx-vcu-zcu106-v2020.2-final.bsp ├── images │ ├── vcu_quad_sensor │ │ ├── autostart.sh │ │ ├── BOOT.BIN │ │ ├── boot.scr │ │ ├── config │ │ ├── image.ub │ │ ├── quad_sensor_isp_tuning.sh │ │ ├── quad_sensor_media_graph_setting.sh │ │ ├── system.dtb │ │ └── vcu ├── pcie_host_package ├── pl │ ├── constrs │ ├── designs │ │ ├── zcu106_Quad_Sensor │ ├── prebuild │ │ ├── zcu106_Quad_Sensor │ ├── README.md │ └── srcs │ ├── hdl │ └── ip └── README.txt

The below snippet shows the configuration files (input.cfg) for running various multistream Display, Record, and Streaming use cases. All these configurations files are placed in the images folder mentioned above. The directory structure in /media/card.

config ├── 4-1080p30 │ ├── Display │ ├── Record │ ├── Stream-out │ └── Stream-in └── input.cfg

1.2.1 GStreamer Application (vcu_gst_app)

The vcu_gst_app is a command-line multi-threaded Linux application. The command-line application requires an input configuration file (input.cfg) to be provided in the plain text.

Run below modetest command to set CRTC configurations for 4Kp30:

Execution of the application is shown below:

Example:

4-1080p30 HEVC_HIGH Display Pipeline Execution

4-1080p30 HEVC_HIGH Record Pipeline Execution

4-1080p30 HEVC_HIGH Stream-out Pipeline Execution

4-1080p30 HEVC_HIGH Stream-in Pipeline Execution

Latency Measurement: To measure the latency of the pipeline, run the below command. The latency data is huge, so dump it to a file.

Refer below link for detailed run flow steps

1.3 Build Flow

Refer below link for detailed build flow steps

2 Other Information

2.1 Known Issues

2.2 Limitations

2.3 Optimum VCU Encoder parameters for use-cases:

Video streaming:

  • Video streaming use-case requires a very stable bitrate graph for all pictures

  • It is good to avoid periodic large Intra pictures during the encoding session

  • Low-latency rate control (hardware RC) is the preferred control-rate for video streaming; as it tries to maintain equal amount frame sizes for all pictures.

  • Good to avoid periodic Intra frames instead use low-delay-p (IPPPPP…)

  • VBR is not a preferred mode of streaming

Performance: AVC Encoder settings:

  • It is preferred to use 8 or higher slices for better AVC encoder performance

  • AVC standard does not support Tile mode processing, which results in the processing of MB rows sequentially for entropy coding.

Quality: Low bitrate AVC encoding:

  • Enable profile=high and use qp-mode=auto for low-bitrate encoding use-cases

  • The high profile enables 8x8 transform which results in better video quality at low bitrates

3 Appendix A - Input Configuration File (input.cfg)

The example configuration files are stored at /media/card/config/ folder.

Configuration Type

Configuration Name

Description

Available Options

Configuration Type

Configuration Name

Description

Available Options

Common

 

Common Configuration

It is the starting point of common configuration

 

Num of Input

Provide the number of inputs.

4

Output

Select the video interface.

HDMI

Out Type

Type of output

display, record, and stream

Display Rate

Pipeline frame rate

30

Exit

It indicates to the application that the configuration is over

 

 

Input

Input Configuration

It is the starting point of the input configuration

 

Input Num

Starting Nth input configuration

1, 2, 3, 4

Input Type

Input source type

CSI, CSI_2, CSI_3, CSI_4, File, Stream

Uri

File path or Network URL. Applicable for file playback and stream-in pipeline only. Supported file formats for playback are ts, mp4, and mkv

See Mount Location for additional file paths

file:///run/media/sda/abc.ts (for file path), udp://192.168.25.89:5004/ (for Network streaming, Here 192.168.25.89 is Client's IP address and 5004 is port number)

Raw

To tell the pipeline is processed or pass-through

True, False

Width

The width of the live source

Avnet Quad Sensor FMC supports upto 1928x1208 resolution

1920

Height

The height of the live source

Avnet Quad Sensor FMC supports upto 1928x1208 resolution

1080

Format

The format of input data

NV12

Exit

It indicates to the application that the configuration is over

 

Encoder

 

Encoder Configuration

It is the starting point of encoder configuration

 

Encoder Num

Starting Nth encoder configuration

1,2,3,4

Encoder Name

Name of the encoder

AVC, HEVC

Profile

Name of the profile

high for AVC,
main for HEVC.

Rate Control

Rate control options

CBR, VBR, and low-latency

Filler Data

Filler Data NAL units for CBR rate control

True, False

QP

QP control mode used by the VCU encoder

Uniform, Auto

L2 Cache

Enable or Disable L2Cache buffer in encoding process.

True, False

Latency Mode

Encoder latency mode.

Normal, sub_frame

Low Bandwidth

If enabled, decrease the vertical search range used for P-frame motion estimation to reduce the bandwidth.

True, False

Gop Mode

Group of Pictures mode.

Basic, low_delay_p, low_delay_b

Bitrate

Target bitrate in Kbps

15000

B Frames

Number of B-frames between two consecutive P-frames

0

Slice

The number of slices produced for each frame. Each slice contains one or more complete macroblock/CTU row(s). Slices are distributed over the frame as regularly as possible. If slice-size is defined as well more slices may be produced to fit the slice-size requirement.

  • 4-22 4K resolution with HEVC codec

  • 4-32 4K resolution with AVC codec

  • 4-32 1080p resolution with HEVC codec

  • 4-32 1080p resolution with AVC codec

GoP Length

The distance between two consecutive I frames

1-1000

GDR Mode

It specifies which Gradual Decoder Refresh(GDR) scheme should be used when gop-mode = low_delay_p

Horizontal/Vertical/Disabled

Entropy Mode

It specifies the entropy mode for H.264 (AVC) encoding process

CAVLC/CABAC/Default

Max Picture Size

It is used to curtail instantaneous peak in the bit-stream using this parameter. It works in CBR/VBR rate-control only. When it is enabled, max-picture-size value is calculated and set with 10% of AllowedPeakMargin. i.e. max-picture-size =  (TargetBitrate / FrameRate) * 1.1

TRUE/FALSE

Preset

Based on provided six presets, predefined configuration will be set for encoder parameters. Select custom to provide user-specific options for encoder parameters.

HEVC_HIGH, HEVC_MEDIUM, HEVC_LOW, AVC_HIGH, AVC_MEDIUM, AVC_LOW, Custom

Exit

It indicates to the application that the configuration is over

 

Record

Record Configuration

It is the starting point of record configuration.

 

Record Num

Starting Nth record configuration

1, 2, 3, 4

Out-File Name

Record file path

e.g. /run/media/sda/abc.ts

Duration

Duration in minutes

1-3

Exit

It indicates to the application that the configuration is over.

 

Streaming

Streaming Configuration

It is the starting point of streaming configuration.

 

Streaming Num

Starting Nth Streaming configuration

1, 2, 3, 4

Host IP

The host to send the packets to

192.168.25.89 or Windows PC IP

Port:

The port to send the packets to

5004, 5008, 5012, 5016

Exit

It indicates to the application that the configuration is over.

 

Trace

Trace Configuration

It is the starting point of trace configuration.

 

FPS Info

To display fps info on the console.

True, False

APM Info

To display APM counter number on the console.

True, False

Pipeline Info

To display pipeline info on console.

True, False

Exit

It indicates to the application that the configuration is over.

 

Mount Locations

The mount locations for various devices can be found in the below table.
The mount locations can vary.  Users can use lsblk or mount to find the location of the mounted devices.

Below are some example mount points

Device

Mount Location

Device

Mount Location

SD Card

/media/card

Sata Drive

/run/media/sda

USB Drive

/media/usb

RAM Disk

/run/media

4 Appendix B - CSI-2 Rx/HDMI-Tx Link-up and GStreamer Commands

This section covers configuration of CSI-2 Rx using media-ctl utility and HDMI-Tx using modetest utility, along with demonstrating CSI-2 Rx/HDMI-Tx link-up issues. It also contains sample GStreamer MIPI CSI Video pipelines for Display, Record & Playback, Stream-in and Stream-out use-cases.

  • Run the below command for media node to print media device topology where "media0" represents media node.

  • When MIPI CSI-2 Rx source is connected, it shows as below:

Notes for gst-launch-1.0 commands:

  • Video node for MIPI CSI-2 Rx source can be checked using media-ctl command. Run below media-ctl command to check video node for MIPI CSI-2 Rx source where "media0" indicates media node for MIPI CSI input source.

  • Make sure MIPI CSI-2 Rx media pipeline is configured for 1080p resolution and source/sink have the same color format. Run below script to set resolution and format of MIPI CSI-2 Rx media pipeline nodes where "media0" indicates media node for MIPI CSI-2 Rx input source.

If HDMI-Tx link-up issue is observed after Linux booting, use the following command:

  • Display RAW use case: Run the following gst-launch-1.0 command to display pass-through pipeline.

  • Display serial use case: Run the following gst-launch-1.0 command to display processed pipeline (capture → encode → decode → display) on HDMI-Tx.

  • Record use case: Run the following gst-launch-1.0 command to record video using GStreamer pipeline.

  • File Playback use case: Run the following gst-launch-1.0 command to play the recorded file on HDMI-Tx using the GStreamer pipeline.

  • Stream-out use case: Run the following gst-launch-1.0 command for cbr stream-out pipeline.

  • Stream-in use case: Run the following gst-launch-1.0 command to display cbr stream-in on HDMI-Tx video using Gstreamer pipeline where 5004, 5008, 5012 and 5016 are port numbers.

 

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