avblocks-net

AVBlocks - Audio SDK - Video SDK - .NET SDK - CLI Samples

Docs

API Docs — Online API reference for the AVBlocks .NET SDK
Wiki — Documentation and guides
Blog — News and updates

Installation

Download and extract the AVBlocks .NET demo version and the demo assets for your platform. The SDK files will be placed under the sdk/ directory and the demo assets under the assets/ directory of this repository.

For the available versions check the AVBlocks .NET Core releases.

Linux

# select version and platform
tag="v3.4.0-demo.1"
platform="linux"

# download
mkdir -p ./sdk/net10.0
cd ./sdk/net10.0

# sdk
curl \
  --location \
  --output ./avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.tar.gz \
  https://github.com/avblocks/avblocks-net-core/releases/download/$tag/avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.tar.gz

# sha256 checksum
curl \
  --location \
  --output ./avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.tar.gz.sha256 \
  https://github.com/avblocks/avblocks-net-core/releases/download/$tag/avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.tar.gz.sha256

# verify sha256 checksum
shasum --check ./avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.tar.gz.sha256

# extract
tar -xvf avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.tar.gz

cd ../..

macOS

# select version and platform
tag="v3.4.0-demo.1"
platform="darwin"

# download
mkdir -p ./sdk/net10.0
cd ./sdk/net10.0

# sdk
curl \
  --location \
  --output ./avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.zip \
  https://github.com/avblocks/avblocks-net-core/releases/download/$tag/avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.zip

# sha256 checksum
curl \
  --location \
  --output ./avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.zip.sha256 \
  https://github.com/avblocks/avblocks-net-core/releases/download/$tag/avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.zip.sha256

# verify sha256 checksum
shasum --check ./avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.zip.sha256

# unzip
unzip avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.zip

cd ../..

Windows

Scripts are PowerShell

# select version and platform
$tag='v3.4.0-demo.1'
$platform='windows'

# download
new-item -Force -ItemType Directory ./sdk/net10.0
cd ./sdk/net10.0

# sdk
curl.exe `
  --location `
  --output ./avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.zip `
  https://github.com/avblocks/avblocks-net-core/releases/download/$tag/avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.zip

# sha256 checksum
curl.exe `
  --location `
  --output ./avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.zip.sha256 `
  https://github.com/avblocks/avblocks-net-core/releases/download/$tag/avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.zip.sha256

# verify checksum
$downloadedHash = (Get-FileHash -Algorithm SHA256 ./avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.zip).Hash.ToLower()
$expectedHash = (Get-Content ./avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.zip.sha256).Split(' ')[0].ToLower()
if ($downloadedHash -eq $expectedHash) { Write-Host "Checksum OK!"; } else { Write-Host "Checksum failed!"; }

# unzip
expand-archive -Force -Path avblocks-net10.0-$tag-$platform.zip -DestinationPath .

cd ../..

On Windows you can also download the .NET Framework 4.8 build (avblocks-net48-$tag-$platform.zip) into sdk/net48.

Assets

These demo audio and video assets are used as input for the AVBlocks samples.

mkdir -p ./assets
cd ./assets

curl \
  --location \
  --output ./avblocks_assets_v5.zip \
  https://github.com/avblocks/avblocks-assets/releases/download/v5/avblocks_assets_v5.zip

# unzip
unzip avblocks_assets_v5.zip

cd ..

For more details, see the platform-specific setup guides in docs/.

Usage

Getting Started

Library Initialization

Before using any AVBlocks functionality, initialize the library:

using PrimoSoftware.AVBlocks;

Library.Initialize();

// Set license information. To run AVBlocks in demo mode, comment the next line out
// Library.SetLicense("<license-string>");

// Your code here

Library.Shutdown();

Core Concepts

MediaSocket

A MediaSocket represents an input or output media endpoint. It describes:

The media file location (File property)
The stream type (StreamType property)
One or more media pins (Pins collection)

MediaSocket socket = new MediaSocket();
socket.File = "input.mp4";
socket.StreamType = StreamType.UncompressedVideo;

MediaPin

A MediaPin represents a single media stream (audio or video) within a MediaSocket. Each pin contains:

Stream information (StreamInfo property) - describes the format and characteristics of the stream
Stream configuration for encoding/decoding

Key Properties:

StreamInfo - Contains detailed format information (VideoStreamInfo or AudioStreamInfo)

Example for video input:

MediaPin pin = new MediaPin();
VideoStreamInfo vsi = new VideoStreamInfo();
pin.StreamInfo = vsi;

vsi.StreamType = StreamType.UncompressedVideo;
vsi.FrameWidth = 176;
vsi.FrameHeight = 144;
vsi.ColorFormat = ColorFormat.YUV420;
vsi.FrameRate = 30.0;
vsi.ScanType = ScanType.Progressive;

socket.Pins.Add(pin);

MediaInfo

MediaInfo is used to extract metadata and stream information from media files without processing the content.

Key Features:

Extract audio/video stream details
Read file metadata (title, artist, album, etc.)
No transcoding required

using (MediaInfo info = new MediaInfo())
{
    info.Inputs[0].File = "input.mp4";
    
    if (info.Open())
    {
        // Access stream information
        foreach (StreamInfo streamInfo in info.Outputs[0].Pins)
        {
            // Process stream info
        }
        
        // Access metadata
        foreach (var attr in info.Outputs[0].Metadata)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"{attr.Name}: {attr.Value}");
        }
        
        info.Close();
    }
    else
    {
        // Handle error
        ErrorInfo error = info.Error;
    }
}

Common Operations

Media Information Extraction

Stream Information

using (MediaInfo info = new MediaInfo())
{
    info.Inputs[0].File = inputFile;
    
    if (info.Open())
    {
        // Iterate through streams
        for (int streamIndex = 0; streamIndex < info.Outputs[0].Pins.Count; streamIndex++)
        {
            StreamInfo si = info.Outputs[0].Pins[streamIndex].StreamInfo;
            
            if (si.MediaType == MediaType.Video)
            {
                VideoStreamInfo vsi = (VideoStreamInfo)si;
                Console.WriteLine($"Video: {vsi.FrameWidth}x{vsi.FrameHeight}");
            }
            else if (si.MediaType == MediaType.Audio)
            {
                AudioStreamInfo asi = (AudioStreamInfo)si;
                Console.WriteLine($"Audio: {asi.SampleRate}Hz, {asi.Channels} channels");
            }
        }
        
        info.Close();
    }
}

Metadata Extraction

using (MediaInfo info = new MediaInfo())
{
    info.Inputs[0].File = inputFile;
    
    if (info.Open())
    {
        foreach (var attr in info.Outputs[0].Metadata)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"{attr.Name}: {attr.Value}");
        }
        info.Close();
    }
}

Video Encoding

Encode Raw YUV to H.264/AVC

// Create input socket for raw YUV
MediaSocket inSocket = new MediaSocket();
inSocket.StreamType = StreamType.UncompressedVideo;
inSocket.File = "input.yuv";

MediaPin inPin = new MediaPin();
VideoStreamInfo inVsi = new VideoStreamInfo();
inPin.StreamInfo = inVsi;

inVsi.StreamType = StreamType.UncompressedVideo;
inVsi.ScanType = ScanType.Progressive;
inVsi.FrameWidth = 176;
inVsi.FrameHeight = 144;
inVsi.ColorFormat = ColorFormat.YUV420;
inVsi.FrameRate = 30.0;

inSocket.Pins.Add(inPin);

// Create output socket for H.264
MediaSocket outSocket = new MediaSocket();
outSocket.File = "output.h264";
outSocket.StreamType = StreamType.H264;

MediaPin outPin = new MediaPin();
VideoStreamInfo outVsi = new VideoStreamInfo();
outPin.StreamInfo = outVsi;

outVsi.StreamType = StreamType.H264;
outVsi.FrameWidth = 176;
outVsi.FrameHeight = 144;
outVsi.FrameRate = 30.0;

outSocket.Pins.Add(outPin);

// Encode
using (Transcoder transcoder = new Transcoder())
{
    transcoder.Inputs.Add(inSocket);
    transcoder.Outputs.Add(outSocket);
    
    if (transcoder.Open())
    {
        if (transcoder.Run())
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Encoding successful");
        }
        transcoder.Close();
    }
}

Encode with Preset

MediaSocket inSocket = new MediaSocket();
inSocket.File = "input.yuv";
// ... configure input

MediaSocket outSocket = new MediaSocket();
outSocket.File = "output.mp4";
outSocket.Preset = Preset.Video.Generic.MP4.Base_H264_AAC;

using (Transcoder transcoder = new Transcoder())
{
    transcoder.Inputs.Add(inSocket);
    transcoder.Outputs.Add(outSocket);
    
    if (transcoder.Open())
    {
        transcoder.Run();
        transcoder.Close();
    }
}

Video Decoding

Decode H.264 to Raw YUV

// Create input socket for H.264
MediaSocket inSocket = new MediaSocket();
inSocket.File = "input.h264";
inSocket.StreamType = StreamType.H264;

// Create output socket for raw YUV
MediaSocket outSocket = new MediaSocket();
outSocket.File = "output.yuv";
outSocket.StreamType = StreamType.UncompressedVideo;

MediaPin outPin = new MediaPin();
VideoStreamInfo outVsi = new VideoStreamInfo();
outPin.StreamInfo = outVsi;

outVsi.StreamType = StreamType.UncompressedVideo;
outVsi.ColorFormat = ColorFormat.YUV420;

outSocket.Pins.Add(outPin);

// Decode
using (Transcoder transcoder = new Transcoder())
{
    transcoder.Inputs.Add(inSocket);
    transcoder.Outputs.Add(outSocket);
    
    if (transcoder.Open())
    {
        transcoder.Run();
        transcoder.Close();
    }
}

Audio Encoding

Encode WAV to AAC (ADTS)

MediaSocket inSocket = new MediaSocket();
inSocket.File = "input.wav";

MediaSocket outSocket = new MediaSocket();
outSocket.File = "output.aac";
outSocket.StreamType = StreamType.Aac;
outSocket.StreamSubType = StreamSubType.AacAdts;

using (Transcoder transcoder = new Transcoder())
{
    transcoder.Inputs.Add(inSocket);
    transcoder.Outputs.Add(outSocket);
    
    if (transcoder.Open())
    {
        transcoder.Run();
        transcoder.Close();
    }
}

Encode WAV to MP3

MediaSocket inSocket = new MediaSocket();
inSocket.File = "input.wav";

MediaSocket outSocket = new MediaSocket();
outSocket.File = "output.mp3";
outSocket.StreamType = StreamType.Mp3;

using (Transcoder transcoder = new Transcoder())
{
    transcoder.Inputs.Add(inSocket);
    transcoder.Outputs.Add(outSocket);
    
    if (transcoder.Open())
    {
        transcoder.Run();
        transcoder.Close();
    }
}

Container Operations

Demux MP4 File

// Extract video and audio streams from MP4
using (Transcoder transcoder = new Transcoder())
{
    // Input
    MediaSocket inSocket = new MediaSocket();
    inSocket.File = "input.mp4";
    transcoder.Inputs.Add(inSocket);
    
    // Output for video stream
    MediaSocket videoOut = new MediaSocket();
    videoOut.File = "video.mp4";
    videoOut.StreamType = StreamType.H264;
    transcoder.Outputs.Add(videoOut);
    
    // Output for audio stream
    MediaSocket audioOut = new MediaSocket();
    audioOut.File = "audio.mp4";
    audioOut.StreamType = StreamType.Aac;
    transcoder.Outputs.Add(audioOut);
    
    if (transcoder.Open())
    {
        transcoder.Run();
        transcoder.Close();
    }
}

Mux MP4 File

// Combine separate audio and video files into MP4 container
using (Transcoder transcoder = new Transcoder())
{
    // Video input
    MediaSocket videoIn = new MediaSocket();
    videoIn.File = "video.h264.mp4";
    transcoder.Inputs.Add(videoIn);
    
    // Audio input
    MediaSocket audioIn = new MediaSocket();
    audioIn.File = "audio.aac.mp4";
    transcoder.Inputs.Add(audioIn);
    
    // Combined output
    MediaSocket outSocket = new MediaSocket();
    outSocket.File = "output.mp4";
    transcoder.Outputs.Add(outSocket);
    
    if (transcoder.Open())
    {
        transcoder.Run();
        transcoder.Close();
    }
}

Error Handling

using (Transcoder transcoder = new Transcoder())
{
    transcoder.Inputs.Add(inSocket);
    transcoder.Outputs.Add(outSocket);
    
    if (!transcoder.Open())
    {
        PrintError("Open Transcoder", transcoder.Error);
        return false;
    }
    
    if (!transcoder.Run())
    {
        PrintError("Run Transcoder", transcoder.Error);
        transcoder.Close();
        return false;
    }
    
    transcoder.Close();
}

static void PrintError(string action, ErrorInfo error)
{
    if (error != null)
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"Error: {action}");
        Console.WriteLine($"  Code: {error.Code}");
        Console.WriteLine($"  Message: {error.Message}");
        Console.WriteLine($"  Hint: {error.Hint}");
    }
}

Examples

Complete working examples are available in the samples directory.

Getting Started

simple_converter — Transcode a media file from H.264/AVC to H.265/HEVC using a Transcoder with hardcoded input and output file paths

Media Info

info_metadata_file — Extract metadata information from a media file
info_stream_file — Extract the audio/video stream information from a media file

Decoding Audio

dec_aac_adts_file — Decode AAC file in ADTS format and save output to WAV file
dec_aac_adts_pull — Decode AAC file in ADTS format using Transcoder.Pull and save output to WAV file
dec_g711_alaw_file — Decode G.711 A-law WAV file to PCM WAV file
dec_g711_ulaw_file — Decode G.711 μ-law WAV file to PCM WAV file
dec_mp3_file — Decode MP3 file and save output to WAV file
dec_opus_file — Decode Opus OGG file and save output to WAV file
dec_vorbis_file — Decode Vorbis OGG file and save output to WAV file

Decoding Video

dec_avc_au — Decode an H.264 stream using a sequence of files to simulate a stream of H.264 Access Units
dec_avc_file — Decode AVC/H.264 compressed file to raw uncompressed YUV file
dec_avc_pull — Decode AVC/H.264 file to YUV file using Transcoder.Pull
dec_hevc_au — Decode an H.265 stream using a sequence of files to simulate a stream of H.265 Access Units
dec_hevc_file — Decode HEVC/H.265 compressed file to raw uncompressed YUV file
dec_vp8_file — Decode VP8 video in IVF container to raw uncompressed YUV file
dec_vp9_file — Decode VP9 video in IVF container to raw uncompressed YUV file

Encoding Audio

enc_aac_adts_file — Encode WAV file to AAC file in ADTS format
enc_aac_adts_pull — Encode WAV file to AAC file in ADTS format using Transcoder.Pull
enc_aac_adts_push — Encode WAV file to AAC file in ADTS format using Transcoder.Push
enc_g711_alaw_file — Encode WAV file to G.711 A-law WAV file
enc_g711_ulaw_file — Encode WAV file to G.711 μ-law WAV file
enc_mp3_file — Encode WAV file to MP3 file
enc_mp3_pull — Encode WAV file to MP3 file using Transcoder.Pull
enc_mp3_push — Encode WAV file to MP3 file using Transcoder.Push
enc_opus_file — Encode WAV file to Opus OGG file
enc_vorbis_file — Encode WAV file to Vorbis OGG file

Encoding Video

enc_avc_file — Encode raw YUV video file to AVC/H.264 video file using Transcoder.Run
enc_avc_pull — Encode raw YUV video file to AVC/H.264 video file using Transcoder.Pull
enc_hevc_file — Encode raw YUV video file to HEVC/H.265 video file using Transcoder.Run
enc_hevc_pull — Encode raw YUV video file to HEVC/H.265 video file using Transcoder.Pull
enc_preset_file — Convert a raw YUV video file to a compressed video file using an AVBlocks preset
enc_vp8_file — Encode raw YUV video file to VP8 video in IVF container
enc_vp9_file — Encode raw YUV video file to VP9 video in IVF container

Muxing / Demuxing

demux_mp4_file — Extract the first audio and video elementary stream from an MP4 container into separate MP4 files
demux_webm_file — Extract the audio and video elementary streams from a WebM container into separate files
dump_avc_au — Split an H.264 (AVC) elementary stream into Access Units, writing each to a separate file
dump_hevc_au — Split an H.265 (HEVC) elementary stream into Access Units, writing each to a separate file
mux_mp4_file — Multiplex two single-stream MP4 files (AAC audio + H.264 video) into an MP4 container
mux_webm_file — Multiplex Vorbis/OGG audio and VP8/IVF video files into a WebM container

Advanced

re-encode — Re-encode the audio and video streams of an MP4 file back into an MP4 output
slideshow — Create a video clip from a sequence of images

Audio Processing

audio_upsample — Upsample audio from 44.1 KHz to 48 KHz

Video Processing

video_crop — Crop a video by removing pixels from the edges
video_framerate — Change the frame rate of a video from 24 fps to 30 fps
video_pad — Add black border padding around a video
video_upscale — Upscale a video to Full HD (1920×1080) using bicubic interpolation

Development

macOS

Run

See README in the samples subdirectory.

Linux

Download AVBlocks .NET Core and Assets

See Download .NET Core and Assets on Linux

Setup

See Setup for Linux

Build

See Build on Linux

Run

See README in the samples subdirectory.

Windows

Download AVBlocks .NET Core and Assets

See Download .NET Core and Assets on Windows

Setup

See Setup for Windows

Build

See Build on Windows

Run

See README in the samples subdirectory.

How to obtain Commercial License

See License Options for details.

We offer discounts for:

Competitive product
Startup
Educational institution
Open source project

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
.vscode		.vscode
docs		docs
samples		samples
.gitattributes		.gitattributes
.gitignore		.gitignore
LICENSE		LICENSE
README.md		README.md
configure.ps1		configure.ps1
configure.sh		configure.sh
samples.sln		samples.sln

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avblocks-net

Docs

Installation

Linux

macOS

Windows

Assets

Usage

Getting Started

Library Initialization

Core Concepts

MediaSocket

MediaPin

MediaInfo

Common Operations

Media Information Extraction

Stream Information

Metadata Extraction

Video Encoding

Encode Raw YUV to H.264/AVC

Encode with Preset

Video Decoding

Decode H.264 to Raw YUV

Audio Encoding

Encode WAV to AAC (ADTS)

Encode WAV to MP3

Container Operations

Demux MP4 File

Mux MP4 File

Error Handling

Examples

Development

macOS

Download AVBlocks .NET Core and Assets

Setup

Build

Run

Linux

Download AVBlocks .NET Core and Assets

Setup

Build

Run

Windows

Download AVBlocks .NET Core and Assets

Setup

Build

Run

How to obtain Commercial License

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