MediaCodec ceased working in new Android for JVM cause

[bubbleguuum]

I cannot get MediaCodec hardware encoders/decoders to work on my Pixel 8 Pro (Android 15), while it works perfectly on my Pixel 4a (Android 13)

At the end of this report is the logs of a failure to decode a simple mp4 file with h264_mediacodec, using a custom build of ffmpeg for Android from the snapshot from Dec 19th.
It fails and get stuck on "No output buffer available, try again later", repeated indefinitely. Speaking of which, exiting with the 'q' key does not work, I have to force kill it with 3 CTRL-C.
The h264 hardware encoder does not work as well, stuck in the same way.

I have tested that hw encoders/decoders work properly with an external tool making use of the MediaCodec API directly: ​https://github.com/JohanBlome/encapp/

Any hint how I could further troubleshoot this issue ?

---

130|husky:/data/local/tmp $ ./ffmpeg -v debug  -hwaccel mediacodec -i /sdcard/Movies/oceans.mp4 -f null -                                                                                                                                     
ffmpeg version N-118091-gb38f6f9990-bubblesoftapps.com Copyright (c) 2000-2024 the FFmpeg developers
  built with Android (6875598, based on r399163b) clang version 11.0.5 (https://android.googlesource.com/toolchain/llvm-project 87f1315dfbea7c137aa2e6d362dbb457e388158d)
  configuration: --target-os=android --cross-prefix=/home/bobbie/ffmpeg-android/toolchain-android/bin/aarch64-linux-android- --arch=aarch64 --cpu=armv8-a --sysroot=/home/bobbie/ffmpeg-android/toolchain-android/sysroot --pkg-config=/home/bobbie/ffmpeg-android/ffmpeg-pkg-config --prefix=/home/bobbie/ffmpeg-android/build/arm64-v8a --extra-cflags='-I/home/bobbie/ffmpeg-android/toolchain-android/include -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -fno-strict-overflow -fstack-protector-all -fPIE -fPIC' --extra-ldflags='-Wl,-z,max-page-size=16384 -fuse-ld=gold -L/home/bobbie/ffmpeg-android/toolchain-android/lib64 -L/home/bobbie/ffmpeg-android/toolchain-android/lib -Wl,-z,relro -Wl,-z,now -pie -Wl,--fix-cortex-a8 -Wl,-z,max-page-size=16384' --extra-libs='-lhogweed -lnettle -lgmp -lvorbis -logg -lm -lz' --extra-cxxflags= --extra-version=bubblesoftapps.com --disable-shared --disable-debug --disable-programs --disable-doc --disable-avdevice --disable-postproc --disable-protocols --disable-protocol='rtp,udp' --disable-encoders --disable-filters --disable-libv4l2 --enable-gpl --enable-version3 --enable-pic --enable-static --enable-ffmpeg --enable-libxml2 --enable-gnutls --enable-protocol='http,https,pipe,crypto,file' --enable-encoder='aac,libmp3lame,libopus,ac3,eac3,pcm_s16le,pcm_s16be,pcm_s24le,pcm_s24be,flac,libvorbis,mjpeg,libx264,srt,wrapped_avframe,h264_mediacodec,png' --enable-filter='aresample,volume,afir,replaygain,scale,setsar,setdar' --enable-demuxer=dash --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopus --enable-libsoxr --enable-libvorbis --enable-libx264 --enable-jni --enable-mediacodec --enable-hwaccels
  libavutil      59. 51.100 / 59. 51.100
  libavcodec     61. 27.101 / 61. 27.101
  libavformat    61.  9.101 / 61.  9.101
  libavfilter    10.  6.101 / 10.  6.101
  libswscale      8. 12.100 /  8. 12.100
  libswresample   5.  4.100 /  5.  4.100
Splitting the commandline.
Reading option '-v' ... matched as option 'v' (set logging level) with argument 'debug'.
Reading option '-hwaccel' ... matched as option 'hwaccel' (use HW accelerated decoding) with argument 'mediacodec'.
Reading option '-i' ... matched as input url with argument '/sdcard/Movies/oceans.mp4'.
Reading option '-f' ... matched as option 'f' (force container format (auto-detected otherwise)) with argument 'null'.
Reading option '-' ... matched as output url.
Finished splitting the commandline.
Parsing a group of options: global .
Applying option v (set logging level) with argument debug.
Successfully parsed a group of options.
Parsing a group of options: input url /sdcard/Movies/oceans.mp4.
Applying option hwaccel (use HW accelerated decoding) with argument mediacodec.
Successfully parsed a group of options.
Opening an input file: /sdcard/Movies/oceans.mp4.
[AVFormatContext @ 0xb400007c69094bd0] Opening '/sdcard/Movies/oceans.mp4' for reading
[file @ 0xb400007bb9099050] Setting default whitelist 'file,crypto,data'
[mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 @ 0xb400007c69094bd0] Format mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 probed with size=2048 and score=100
[mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 @ 0xb400007c69094bd0] ISO: File Type Major Brand: isom
[mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 @ 0xb400007c69094bd0] Unknown dref type 0x206c7275 size 12
    Last message repeated 1 times
[mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 @ 0xb400007c69094bd0] Before avformat_find_stream_info() pos: 17427 bytes read:32768 seeks:0 nb_streams:2
[h264 @ 0xb400007cd9097790] nal_unit_type: 7(SPS), nal_ref_idc: 3
[h264 @ 0xb400007cd9097790] Decoding VUI
[h264 @ 0xb400007cd9097790] nal_unit_type: 8(PPS), nal_ref_idc: 3
Transform tree:
    mdct_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 64, factors[2]: [2, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft32_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 32, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 64, factors[2]: [2, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft32_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 32, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_pfa_3xM_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 96, factors[2]: [3, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft16_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 16, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_pfa_15xM_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 120, factors[2]: [15, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft4_fwd_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 4, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 128, factors[2]: [2, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft_sr_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 64, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_pfa_15xM_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 480, factors[2]: [15, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft16_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 16, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 512, factors[2]: [2, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft_sr_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 256, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_pfa_3xM_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 768, factors[2]: [3, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft_sr_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 128, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_pfa_15xM_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 960, factors[2]: [15, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft32_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 32, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 1024, factors[2]: [2, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft_sr_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 512, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_fwd_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 1024, factors[2]: [2, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, fwd_only]
        fft_sr_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 512, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
[h264 @ 0xb400007cd9097790] nal_unit_type: 7(SPS), nal_ref_idc: 3
[h264 @ 0xb400007cd9097790] Decoding VUI
[h264 @ 0xb400007cd9097790] nal_unit_type: 8(PPS), nal_ref_idc: 3
[h264 @ 0xb400007cd9097790] nal_unit_type: 6(SEI), nal_ref_idc: 0
[h264 @ 0xb400007cd9097790] nal_unit_type: 5(IDR), nal_ref_idc: 3
[h264 @ 0xb400007cd9097790] Format yuv420p chosen by get_format().
[h264 @ 0xb400007cd9097790] Reinit context to 960x400, pix_fmt: yuv420p
[h264 @ 0xb400007cd9097790] nal_unit_type: 1(Coded slice of a non-IDR picture), nal_ref_idc: 2
    Last message repeated 5 times
[mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 @ 0xb400007c69094bd0] All info found
[mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 @ 0xb400007c69094bd0] After avformat_find_stream_info() pos: 22976 bytes read:32768 seeks:0 frames:13
[vist#0:0/h264 @ 0xb400007b8908f490] Selecting decoder 'h264_mediacodec' because of requested hwaccel method mediacodec
Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from '/sdcard/Movies/oceans.mp4':
  Metadata:
    major_brand     : isom
    minor_version   : 1
    compatible_brands: isomavc1
    track           : 0
    artist          : This is a test
    album           : 
    comment         : 
    date            : 0
    genre           : 
    title           : oceans2.mp4
    creation_time   : 2013-05-03T22:51:07.000000Z
  Duration: 00:00:46.61, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 3950 kb/s
  Stream #0:0[0x1](und), 12, 1/24000: Video: h264 (Constrained Baseline), 1 reference frame (avc1 / 0x31637661), yuv420p(progressive, left), 960x400 [SAR 1:1 DAR 12:5], 0/1, 3859 kb/s, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 24k tbn (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2013-05-03T22:50:47.000000Z
      handler_name    : GPAC ISO Video Handler
      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]
  Stream #0:1[0x2](und), 1, 1/48000: Audio: aac (LC) (mp4a / 0x6134706D), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 92 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      creation_time   : 2013-05-03T22:51:07.000000Z
      handler_name    : GPAC ISO Audio Handler
      vendor_id       : [0][0][0][0]
Successfully opened the file.
Parsing a group of options: output url -.
Applying option f (force container format (auto-detected otherwise)) with argument null.
Successfully parsed a group of options.
Opening an output file: -.
[out#0/null @ 0xb400007be9097c50] No explicit maps, mapping streams automatically...
[vost#0:0/wrapped_avframe @ 0xb400007c69098730] Created video stream from input stream 0:0
[AVHWDeviceContext @ 0xb400007af909f710] Disable createPersistentInputSurface
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] nal_unit_type: 7(SPS), nal_ref_idc: 3
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] Decoding VUI
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] nal_unit_type: 8(PPS), nal_ref_idc: 3
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] Format mediacodec chosen by get_format().
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] Both surface and native_window are NULL
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] Using surface 0x0
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] No Java virtual machine has been registered
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] Failed to getCodecNameByType
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] Parsing MediaFormat android._color-format: int32(2135033992), android._video-scaling: int32(1), rotation-degrees: int32(0), color-standard: int32(0), color-range: int32(0), color-transfer: int32(0), cta861.max-cll: float(0.000000), cta861.max-fall: float(0.000000), sar-height: int32(1), sar-width: int32(1), crop: Rect(0, 0, 959, 399), width: int32(960), height: int32(400), max-height: int32(400), max-width: int32(960), mime: string(video/raw), priority: int32(0), android._dataspace: int32(0), color-format: int32(21)}
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] Output crop parameters top=0 bottom=399 left=0 right=959, resulting dimensions width=960 height=400
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] MediaCodec 0xb400007cc9098a30 started successfully
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] MediaCodec started successfully: codec = c2.exynos.h264.decoder, ret = 0
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] No Java virtual machine has been registered
[aost#0:1/pcm_s16le @ 0xb400007c69092650] Created audio stream from input stream 0:1
Transform tree:
    mdct_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 64, factors[2]: [2, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft32_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 32, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 64, factors[2]: [2, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft32_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 32, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_pfa_3xM_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 96, factors[2]: [3, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft16_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 16, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_pfa_15xM_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 120, factors[2]: [15, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft4_fwd_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 4, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 128, factors[2]: [2, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft_sr_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 64, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_pfa_15xM_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 480, factors[2]: [15, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft16_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 16, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 512, factors[2]: [2, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft_sr_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 256, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_pfa_3xM_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 768, factors[2]: [3, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft_sr_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 128, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_pfa_15xM_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 960, factors[2]: [15, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft32_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 32, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_inv_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 1024, factors[2]: [2, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, inv_only]
        fft_sr_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 512, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Transform tree:
    mdct_fwd_float_c - type: mdct_float, len: 1024, factors[2]: [2, any], flags: [unaligned, out_of_place, fwd_only]
        fft_sr_ns_float_neon - type: fft_float, len: 512, factor: 2, flags: [aligned, inplace, out_of_place, preshuf]
Successfully opened the file.
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (h264 (h264_mediacodec) -> wrapped_avframe (native))
  Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (aac (native) -> pcm_s16le (native))
[vost#0:0/wrapped_avframe @ 0xb400007c69098730] Starting thread...
[aost#0:1/pcm_s16le @ 0xb400007c69092650] Starting thread...
[vf#0:0 @ 0xb400007c790afb00] Starting thread...
[af#0:1 @ 0xb400007c790ae3a0] Starting thread...
[vist#0:0/h264 @ 0xb400007b8908f490] [dec:h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cc9099110] Starting thread...
[aist#0:1/aac @ 0xb400007b8908d890] [dec:aac @ 0xb400007cc909b370] Starting thread...
[in#0/mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 @ 0xb400007c19096f90] Starting thread...
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007cd9094c70] No output buffer available, try again later
^CReceived > 3 system signals, hard exiting

[bubbleguuum]

A bit more info with trace logging of the end:

[in#0/mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 @ 0xb400007742ea0530] Starting thread...
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007772ea2340] No output buffer available, try again later
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007772ea2340] Queued input buffer 2 size=1246 ts=0
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007772ea2340] No output buffer available, try again later
    Last message repeated 1 times
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007772ea2340] Queued input buffer 3 size=12 ts=41708
[h264_mediacodec @ 0xb400007772ea2340] No output buffer available, try again later

2 input buffers are queued with queueInputBuffer() but still not output buffer available, and no more input buffers are queued.

[bubbleguuum]

I tried various thing to no avail.

In ff_mediacodec_dec_send(), the first packet is sent sucessfully in 2 input buffers returned by ff_AMediaCodec_dequeueInputBuffer().
After that, ff_AMediaCodec_dequeueOutputBuffer() (in ff_mediacodec_dec_receive()) always return -1 ("try again later").
Then ff_AMediaCodec_dequeueInputBuffer() always fail making sending more packets impossible, resulting in an infinite loop waiting for an input queue buffer in mediacodec_receive_frame() (that's why the only wait to kill ffmpeg is via repeated CTRL-C).

I attached the logcat output corresponding to the ffmpeg log trace of the first post, if that can help.

[quinkblack]

I can confirm that Android 15 break hardware decoding and encoding without JVM, that is, although NDK mediacodec API doesn't have any relationship with JVM, the mediacodec framework just doesn't work without JVM in the program process.

Use FFmpeg via libavcodec API from an App (with activity and JVM) works as before.

It's like the NDK Camera API, and FFmpeg has a wrapper for it (libavdevice/android_camera.c). There is no hint about JVM in the API, it just doesn't work on cmdline.

I thought it's a bug in early release of Android 15, now it looks more like on purpose. I guess Google doesn't care about run cmdline tools, everything must be run inside JVM.

Please report bug to Google to let them know there are alot of usecases without JVM.

[bubbleguuum]

Thank you for your reply.

So it is an Android 15 specific issue after all, and not a Pixel 8 specific issue or a codec specific issue with c2.exynos.* encoders/decoders.
I suppose you also noticed this issue on an Android device running Android 15 that is not a Pixel ?

I doubt this was deliberately broken by Google as all native MediaCodec APIs seems to work fine, up to the point of dequeueOutputBuffer() always failing with -1 ("Try again later").
I will create an issue for it on the Android issue tracker (if there is not one already, which I doubt) and post it here.

My app invokes the ffmpeg command-line program, which is more practical for my purpose than using libavcodec via JNI. I guess I will have to disable hw decoding/encoding on Android 15+ for the time being.

[quinkblack]

All devices I can find or ask people to test have failed with Android 15, and success before Android 15. So this is a common issue of Android 15.

[bubbleguuum]

In case anyone is wondering, unsurprisingly it does not work on Android 16 Beta 2 either.

[MasterQuestionable]

͏    Broken OS not only in this single aspect...
͏    But currently there seems to be good options at all.
͏    Of all contemporary OS.

͏    Eventually for the lack of a good programming architecture:
͏    Both programming language, and hardware.

͏    Further background:
͏    ​https://github.com/MasterInQuestion/talk/discussions/24

͏    And everything now is like castle built on air...
͏    "眼看他起高楼, 眼看他宴宾客, ..."
+    "Seeing whom rising high belvedere, seeing whom banqueting guests, ..."

[Leo Izen]

Please do not sabotage ticket titles, thank you.

[MasterQuestionable]

͏    Please read before sabotage. Thanks.

[MasterQuestionable]

͏    See also:
͏    ​https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/11508 ("No Java virtual machine has been registered")
͏    ​https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/11489#comment:2

[RandomPerson]

Termux doesn't emulate a Java Virtual machine, it worked for a while, but it broke even for me on Android 13.

[MasterQuestionable]

͏    Likely another instance:
͏    "NOTICE: Termux may be unstable on Android 12+"
͏    ​https://github.com/termux/termux-app#readme

͏    Fundamentally for the broken OS design.

[bubbleguuum]

Still broken in Android 16 Beta 4.1.

[Artim]

It seems Google switched ​some backend of the MediaCodec API and that might have broken this. But this change allegedly only applies to the Pixel 9, while OP of this thread reports it's not working on their Pixel 8 either. Also, I own a Pixel Tablet, showing the same behavior. Lets see if Google at some point figures this one out and fixes it. I'd prefer not having to spin up a whole Debian VM (as in the new Terminal app), somehow set up enough of a GUI to be able to use VA-API, and maybe have that work because just maybe Google is actually passing through hardware acceleration as a VA-API capable device.

[Dmitrii Okunev]

It seems I found a workaround: ​https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/382831999#comment22

[bubbleguuum]

I confirm that the workaround is working.

Would be great if it was included directly in FFmpeg, doing this binder thread pool init on Android 15+

[Dmitrii Okunev]

I've published the PR here: ​https://code.ffmpeg.org/FFmpeg/FFmpeg/pulls/20886

Let's hope there is an ffmpeg developer with a bit of time to review it :)

[Dmitrii Okunev]

Replying to quinkblack:

Resolution: → wontfix

Maybe it makes sense to reopen this ticket? There seems to be a somewhat legit issue to fix on the ffmpeg side :)

[Balling]

Fixed in eccbbd528ef63f17575f11a644d549da80bf4b30.