Using mp4parser to Handle Videos from URI and ContentResolver

Understanding mp4parser

mp4parser is a Java library that allows you to parse, modify, and create MP4 files. It’s a powerful tool for working with video and audio files. This article focuses on how to handle videos retrieved from URIs and ContentResolver using mp4parser.

Retrieving Video Data

URI

URIs (Uniform Resource Identifiers) are a standard way to represent resources like files and web pages. To access videos via URIs, you can use:

  • **File URI:** For local files (e.g., `file:///storage/emulated/0/Movies/myvideo.mp4`).
  • **Content URI:** Used for accessing media files from the device’s content provider (e.g., `content://media/external/video/media/123`).
  • **HTTP URI:** For fetching videos from the internet (e.g., `https://example.com/video.mp4`).

ContentResolver

ContentResolver is a system component used to access data managed by content providers. You can use it to retrieve media information like video files.

Processing Video Files with mp4parser

Once you have a URI or ContentResolver reference pointing to your video, you can use mp4parser to access and manipulate its contents:

1. Creating an MP4 Parser

import com.coremedia.iso.IsoFile;

IsoFile isoFile = new IsoFile(uri);

2. Accessing Video Information

import com.googlecode.mp4parser.boxes.apple.MovieHeaderBox;

MovieHeaderBox movieHeader = isoFile.getMovieHeaderBox();
System.out.println("Movie Title: " + movieHeader.getMovieName());
System.out.println("Duration: " + movieHeader.getDuration());
Movie Title: My Video
Duration: 120.0

3. Extracting Audio and Video Tracks

import com.googlecode.mp4parser.boxes.iso.ISOBiasesBox;
import com.googlecode.mp4parser.boxes.iso.ISOPreferencesBox;
import com.googlecode.mp4parser.boxes.iso.ISOTrackBox;
import java.util.List;

List tracks = isoFile.getTracks();
for (ISOTrackBox track : tracks) {
  if (track.getHandler().equals("vide")) {
    System.out.println("Found Video Track");
    // Access video metadata
  } else if (track.getHandler().equals("soun")) {
    System.out.println("Found Audio Track");
    // Access audio metadata
  }
}

4. Modifying Video Metadata

// Set a new title
movieHeader.setMovieName("My Updated Video");

// Save changes
isoFile.write(new FileOutputStream("output.mp4"));

Comparing URI and ContentResolver

Here’s a table highlighting key differences:

Feature URI ContentResolver
Access Method Directly via string representation Through a system service
Data Source Local files, internet, etc. Content providers managed by the device
Flexibility Wide range of resources Limited to data exposed by content providers
Permissions May require file access permissions Requires read permissions for specific content providers

Conclusion

By using mp4parser, you can efficiently handle videos obtained from URIs and ContentResolver, accessing metadata, extracting tracks, and even modifying video properties. This enables you to build robust applications for video processing, analysis, and editing.

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