Video Codec Processing Workflow

Video Codec Processing Workflow

Purpose

Guide low-level Apple video encode, decode, and pixel-buffer work while keeping ordinary reader/writer/export pipelines with AVFoundation and exact compressed sample timing with Core Media.

When To Use

• Use for VTCompressionSession, VTDecompressionSession, codec properties, hardware selection, compressed callbacks, pixel-buffer pools, color/HDR attachments, multipass, latency, or codec OSStatus repair.
• Recommend avfoundation-media-pipeline-workflow when AVAssetReader, AVAssetWriter, export, or general transcode behavior expresses the requirement.
• Recommend coremedia-timing-samplebuffer-workflow when timestamps, format descriptions, sample dependencies, or synchronization are the primary bug.

Single-Path Workflow

1. Classify the request:
   • compression or decompression
   • real-time or offline encode
   • hardware encoder/decoder selection
   • bitrate, keyframes, reordering, latency, profile, or entropy policy
   • multipass encoding
   • pixel-buffer allocation, pool, planes, or Metal/IOSurface interop
   • compressed sample, parameter-set, color/HDR, or attachment repair
   • lifecycle, callback, OSStatus, or performance diagnosis
2. Apply the Apple docs gate:
   • read current VideoToolbox, Core Video, and Core Media documentation for the codec and platform
   • state the documented behavior relied on
   • apply ../../shared/references/apple-media-type-ownership.md
   • prefer AVFoundation unless the requirement needs low-level codec selection, latency, per-frame control, hardware policy, or callback access
3. Establish the media contract:
   • codec, dimensions, profile/level, frame rate, timescale, pixel format, color primaries, transfer function, YCbCr matrix, dynamic range, alpha, bitrate, latency, and destination
   • input/output CMVideoFormatDescription, parameter sets, CMSampleBuffer, CVPixelBuffer, attachments, and timing ownership
4. Configure and prepare one session owner:
   • inspect encoder/decoder availability and supported property dictionaries
   • create the session with explicit specifications and image-buffer attributes
   • set only supported properties and check every OSStatus
   • prepare the compression session when appropriate
5. Submit and drain:
   • preserve frame identity, presentation timestamp, duration, and source lifetime
   • handle asynchronous callback status, info flags, delayed frames, dropped frames, dependencies, and output format changes
   • complete/finish delayed frames, end passes, wait for asynchronous work where required, then invalidate exactly once
6. Return the documented behavior, AVFoundation-versus-VideoToolbox decision, capability evidence, session and buffer contract, color/timing policy, diagnostics, profiling evidence, and handoffs.

Inputs

• request: codec, buffer, or compressed-sample task.
• codec_goal: encode, decode, hardware, realtime, multipass, pixel-buffer, color, hdr, interop, or repair.
• media_context: codec, dimensions, pixel formats, frame rate/timing, latency, color/HDR, and destination requirements.
• platform_context: Apple platform, deployment target, intended devices, and GPU/media consumers.

Outputs

• status: success, handoff, or blocked.
• path_type: primary for low-level codec work, fallback for AVFoundation, Core Media timing, Core Image, Metal, or execution.
• output: documented behavior, framework decision, capability/session/buffer contract, lifecycle, diagnostics, performance evidence, and handoffs.

Guards and Stop Conditions

• Do not use VideoToolbox merely because the pipeline handles video; prefer AVFoundation when it expresses the real reader/writer/export requirement.
• Do not set codec properties without checking supported-property and codec/session availability.
• Do not claim hardware acceleration from a requested specification; inspect the actual session property and measure runtime behavior.
• Do not call a Core Video/Metal/IOSurface path zero-copy without proving compatible storage, formats, synchronization, and absence of hidden conversion or readback.
• Do not lose CMTime, CMVideoFormatDescription, parameter sets, sample attachments, dependency flags, color/HDR attachments, alpha, or pixel-buffer pool provenance.
• Do not read/write pixel-buffer base addresses outside balanced lock/unlock calls or assume contiguous memory for planar formats.
• Do not collapse an OSStatus into a vague codec failure; report operation, codec, property/frame, status value, likely cause, and next probe.
• Stop when codec support, format descriptions, pixel format/color contract, source lifetime, or representative-device evidence is unavailable.

Fallbacks and Handoffs

• Recommend avfoundation-media-pipeline-workflow for readers, writers, export, asset loading, playback, and general transcode pipelines.
• Recommend coremedia-timing-samplebuffer-workflow for sample timing, format descriptions, attachments, dependency flags, synchronization, and display layers.
• Recommend core-image-processing-workflow for image processing/rendering and Metal only for advanced custom GPU compute or rendering.
• Recommend camera-capture-depth-workflow for camera devices, capture formats, photo/video controls, and depth.
• Recommend xcode-build-run-workflow for build, run, hardware/device logs, VideoToolbox availability probes, or Instruments.
• Recommend xcode-testing-workflow for encoded fixtures, round trips, corruption tests, color/HDR checks, and performance baselines.
• Recommend explore-apple-swift-docs for current codec or media-buffer research.

References

• references/compression-decompression-and-session-lifecycle.md
• references/pixel-buffers-metal-color-and-hdr.md
• references/compressed-samples-diagnostics-and-performance.md
• ../../shared/references/apple-media-type-ownership.md
• Recommend references/snippets/apple-xcode-project-core.md for reusable Xcode-project policy.

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