Multimedia

This document provides a brief introduction to the Tizen HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) APIs for various multimedia components. These APIs serve as an interface between the higher-level software frameworks and the underlying hardware drivers, facilitating hardware interaction in an abstracted manner.

Figure: Multimedia HAL hierarchy

Audio

Purpose: The hal-audio.h file defines the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) API for audio functionalities on the Tizen platform. It provides a standardized interface for controlling audio hardware, including operations like initialization, deinitialization, volume control, stream management, and PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) device handling.

Key Functionalities:

Initialization & Deinitialization
Volume Control
Audio Routing
Stream Management
PCM Device Operations
Ducking
Message Callbacks

This API is essential for any application or system service that needs to interact directly with audio hardware on Tizen devices.

Camera

Purpose: The hal-camera.h and hal-camera-interface.h files define the HAL API for camera functionalities on the Tizen platform. They provide an interface for applications to control camera hardware, including device management, preview, capture, recording, and various camera settings.

Key Functionalities:

Capabilities
HAL Initialization
Message Callbacks
Preview Control
Auto Focus
Image Capture
Video Recording
Camera Commands

This API is fundamental for camera applications, providing the necessary tools to leverage the full capabilities of the device’s camera hardware.

Codec

Purpose: The hal-codec.h and hal-codec-interface.h files define the HAL API for multimedia codec functionalities on the Tizen platform. They provide an interface for encoding and decoding audio/video data, abstracting the underlying hardware or software codec implementations.

Key Functionalities:

Capabilities
HAL Initialization
Configuration
Message Callbacks
Processing Control
Encoding & Decoding
Buffer Management
Codec Commands

This API is crucial for multimedia playback, streaming, and recording applications, enabling them to perform efficient media encoding and decoding.

DRM

Purpose: The hal-drm.h file defines the HAL API for DRM(Digital Rights Management) on the Tizen platform. It provides an interface for handling protected content, including license acquisition, and decryption of media streams, interacting with a CDM(Content Decryption Module).

Key Functionalities:

HAL Initialization & State Management
Message Callbacks
CDM Information
Session based license management
Provisioning & Service Certificates
Decryption
DRM Commands

These APIs are essential for applications that need to play DRM content, ensuring secure handling of licenses.

HDCP

Purpose: The hal-hdcp.h file defines the HAL API for HDCP(High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) on the Tizen platform. HDCP is a form of digital copy protection used to prevent copying of digital audio and video content as it travels across connections. This API provides an interface for managing HDCP sessions, including encryption, and decryption for protected content transmission.

Key Functionalities:

HAL Initialization & State Management
HDCP Session Management
Receiver Operations
Transmitter Operations
Encryption & Decryption
HDCP Commands

These APIs are essential for applications that need to prevent copying of digital audio and video content as it travels across connections.

Radio

Purpose: The hal-radio.h file defines the HAL API for FM radio functionalities on the Tizen platform. It provides an interface for controlling the FM radio hardware, allowing applications to tune into frequencies, control playback, and retrieve signal information.

Key Functionalities:

HAL Initialization & Backend Management
Device Preparation
Device Control
Tuning & Seeking
Signal Information

This API provides the necessary functions for developing FM radio applications on Tizen, enabling users to listen to FM radio broadcasts on their devices.