Attaching a MediaRecorder instance to the Microphone breaks HDMI Output Audio

[scottmatheson]

If a MediaRecorder instance attempts to attach to the HDMI Input via the MIC, the HDMI Output audio gets stuck repeating the same audio frame over and over from the moment the mMediaRecorder.start(); is executed. The full chipset release and start procedure must be performed to get HDMI Output working properly again.

Add/replace the code in RecordActivity for a demonstration:

    private boolean			isRecording			= false;
    private static final String TAG = "RecordActivity";
    private MediaRecorder mMediaRecorder = null;

    public boolean startRecorder(int format) {
		mMediaRecorder=new MediaRecorder();
		if (mMediaRecorder != null) {
			mMediaRecorder.setOnErrorListener(this);
			mMediaRecorder.setOnInfoListener(this);

			mMediaRecorder.setAudioSource(MediaRecorder.AudioSource.DEFAULT);
			mMediaRecorder.setOutputFormat(MediaRecorder.OutputFormat.DEFAULT);
			mMediaRecorder.setAudioEncoder(MediaRecorder.AudioEncoder.DEFAULT);
			String p = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().getAbsolutePath() + "/recodedemo/" + System.currentTimeMillis() + (format == ZidooHdmiDisPlay.RECORD_FORMAT_TS ? ".ts" : ".mp4");
			//String p = Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().getAbsolutePath() + "/out.mp4" ;
			mMediaRecorder.setOutputFile(p);
			try {
				mMediaRecorder.prepare();
				mMediaRecorder.start();
			}
			catch (Exception e) {
				Log.e(TAG, "Exception in preparing recorder", e);
				//Toast.makeText(this, e.getMessage(), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
			}
		}
		isRecording = true;
		return true;
	}

	public void stopRecorder() {
		try {
			if (mMediaRecorder != null) {
				mMediaRecorder.stop();
				mMediaRecorder.reset();
				mMediaRecorder.release();
				mMediaRecorder=null;
			}
		}
		catch (Exception e) {
			Log.w(TAG, "Exception in stopping recorder", e);
			// can fail if start() failed for some reason
		}

		isRecording = false;
	}

	private void record() {
		if (isRecording) {
			stopRecorder();
			mRecordView.setText("Start recorde");
		} else {
			if (startRecorder(ZidooHdmiDisPlay.RECORD_FORMAT_MP4)) {
				mRecordView.setText("Stop recorde");
			}
		}
	}

	@Override
	public void onError(MediaRecorder mr, int what, int extra) {
		String msg = "Media Recorder Error";//getString(R.string.strange);
		switch (what) {
			case MediaRecorder.MEDIA_RECORDER_ERROR_UNKNOWN:
				msg="Media Recorder Error Unknown";//getString(R.string.unknown_error);
				break;

			case MediaRecorder.MEDIA_ERROR_SERVER_DIED:
				msg="Media Recorder Server Died";//getString(R.string.server_died);
				break;
		}
		Log.w(TAG, msg);
	}

	@Override
	public void onInfo(MediaRecorder mr, int what, int extra) {
		// Is not usually called, supposedly
		String msg="Media Recorder Info";//getString(R.string.strange);
		switch (what) {
			case MediaRecorder.MEDIA_RECORDER_INFO_MAX_DURATION_REACHED:
				msg="Media Recorder Max Duration Reached";//getString(R.string.max_duration);
				break;

			case MediaRecorder.MEDIA_RECORDER_INFO_MAX_FILESIZE_REACHED:
				msg="Media Recorder Max File Size Reached";//getString(R.string.max_size);
				break;
		}
		Log.d(TAG, msg);
	}

[scottmatheson]

I have attached 2 files. The 1502144521520.mp4 file is the audio output captured by the MediaRecorder instance. The IMG_1527.m4v is a video recording of the interaction with the UI and the corresponding output. Ouch!

IMG_1527.m4v.zip
1502144521520.mp4.zip

[scottmatheson]

1. Zidoo will not let you record copyrighted content using their interface/API.
2. Zidoo will let you record non-copyrighted content using their interface/API.
3. Attaching to the MIC while copyrighted content is playing causes the chipset to get stuck/repeat the same audio frame over and over. You must reset the chipset to recover.
4. Attaching to the MIC while non-copyrighted content is playing causes the chipset to get stuck/repeat the same audio frame over and over. You must reset the chipset to recover.

The MIC is broken in all cases.