The surface has been released when I try to setDisplay to MediaPlayer

Question

My xml file:

Answer 1

Make use of SurfaceHolder.Callback as below

SurfaceView mSurfaceView = (SurfaceView) findViewById(R.id.surfaceView);
SurfaceHolder holder = mSurfaceView.getHolder();
final MediaPlayer player = new MediaPlayer();

holder.addCallback(new SurfaceHolder.Callback() {
    @Override
    public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
        player.setDisplay(holder);
    }

    @Override
    public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder holder, int format, int width, 
    int height) {

    }

    @Override
    public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {

    }
});

String UrlPath="android.resource://"+getActivity().getPackageName()+"/"+R.raw.your_file_name_without_extension;
try {
    player.setDataSource(getActivity(),Uri.parse(UrlPath));
    player.prepareAsync();
} catch (IOException e) {
    e.printStackTrace();
}
player.setOnPreparedListener(new MediaPlayer.OnPreparedListener() {

    @Override
    public void onPrepared(MediaPlayer mp) {
        mp.start();
    }
});

Answer 2

We can look at VideoView source code:

SurfaceHolder.Callback mSHCallback = new SurfaceHolder.Callback(){
...
    public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder)
    {
        mSurfaceHolder = holder;
        openVideo();
    }
    private void openVideo() {
        ...
        mMediaPlayer = new MediaPlayer();
        mMediaPlayer.setDisplay(mSurfaceHolder);
    }
}

So we can learn that we should use mediaplayer.setDisplay() in surfaceCreate method be called.

Answer 3

It's something related to the sequence of executing, as the surface has to be created first before setting display for the MediaPlayer, so you have to override the callback method surfaceCreated to the following:

@Override
public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
    mp.setDisplay(sh); // now "mp" is defined as a class variable
}

and now there is no need to setDisplay inside your play method:

private MediaPlayer mp; // to use it inside surfaceCreated callback method
public void playVideo() {
    mp = new MediaPlayer();
    SurfaceView sv = (SurfaceView) this.findViewById(R.id.surfaceView);
    try {
        mp.setDataSource("sdcard/test/a.3gp");
        SurfaceHolder sh = sv.getHolder();
        mp.prepare();
        mp.start();
    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    } catch (SecurityException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    } catch (IllegalStateException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    } catch (IOException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

Answer 4

The Surface can be destroyed. That's why you need to add to the a public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) to your SurfaceView's implementation like this:

  @Override
public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {
    synchronized (this) {
        hasActiveHolder = false;

        synchronized(this)          {
              this.notifyAll(); 
        }
    } 
}

You should also add a function that handles Surface creation:

@Override
public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
     synchronized (this) {
        hasActiveHolder = true;
        this.notifyAll()
     }
}

And modify your own function this way:

    mp.setDataSource("sdcard/test/a.3gp");
    SurfaceHolder sh = sv.getHolder();
    synchronized (this) {
       while (!hasActiveHolder) {
              try {
                  this.wait();
              } catch (InterruptedException e) {
                //Print something
              }
        }
        mp.setDisplay(sh);
        mp.prepare();
    }

You have another option which is the way Google suggests you use SurfaceView: in a separate thread.

Answer 5

The simplest way is just to call setDisplay in surfaceCreated:

@Override
public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {
    mp.setDisplay(holder)
}

and don't forget to unbind surface:

@Override
public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {
    mp.setDisplay(null);
}

Note: media player should be initialized somewhere before, for example in onCreate.

Answer 6

For those still having issues, try implementing SurfaceHolder.Callback in your activity/fragment/etc and at the onCreate/onCreateView method, call the addCallback(SurfaceHolder.Callback callback) method, using your activity/fragment/etc as the parameter callback.