Decode Four HD Videos Simultaneously

This page outlines how to decode four HD (1920x1080) videos simultaneously. This feature is currently only supported on XC4055, XTx45, XTx44, and XTx43 models and requires BOS 7.0.x or newer.

Decoding on Series 5 Players

While both Series 4 and 5 players use hardware to decode video, you don’t have to preallocate resources on Series 5 players. To play four videos, for example, just open four video players.

GetDecoderMode() will always return 1 on a Series 5 player, even though the player can play back multiple videos, so it’s not useful for Series 5 players. The player will decode slowly rather than failing if you request too many resources.

Decoding on Series 4 Players

Decoder Setting

To achieve quad-HD decode, you will need to allocate video players to decoders manually using the SetDecoderMode() method, which is available on the roVideoMode BrightScript object or BSVideoMode JavaScript object. If all the decoders are set to decode HD, there will be enough HD-capable video players available for quad-HD.

Video Requirements

The video-encoding requirements for video files on all decoders are H.265 or H.264 at 1920x1080 resolution and any frame rate up to 60p.

XT3/4 Decoder Configuration Example (JavaScript)

The following JavaScript example uses the BSVideoMode.SetDecoderMode() method to allocate resources for quad-HD decode. This method allows the video decoders to decode multiple HD files, and when the HTML plays, it will use whichever decoder is free.

function setDecoders()
{
    var videomode = new BSVideoMode();
    videomode.SetDecoderMode(videomode.decoderModeList[0].decoderName, "HD", 1, "Decoder1", false);
    videomode.SetDecoderMode(videomode.decoderModeList[1].decoderName, "HD", 1, "Decoder2", false);
}

The decoder name is allocated automatically and does not need to be specified, so the HTML is simple:

<body>
  
<div class="top-left">
    <video width="1920" height="1080">
        <source src="top-left_quadrant.mp4" type="video/mp4" >
    </video>
</div>
  
<div class="top-right">
    <video width="1920" height="1080">
        <source src="top-right_quadrant.mp4" type="video/mp4" >
    </video>
</div>
  
<div class="bottom-left">
    <video width="1920" height="1080">
        <source src="bottom-left_quadrant.mp4" type="video/mp4" >
    </video>
</div>
  
<div class="bottom-right">
    <video width="1920" height="1080">
        <source src="bottom-right_quadrant.mp4" type="video/mp4" >
    </video>
</div>
  
</body>