[FFmpeg-user] understanding DTS PTS

[Alexandre Ferrieux]

Andy Sheen wrote:
> 
>>
>> Isn't "when to decode" equal to "as soon as available" ?
>> In what respect does DTS differ from simply the order of arrival ?
>>
> 
> Because you need to manage the buffers in use. If frames were decoded as 
> soon as they arrive, you cannot predict the number of buffers you need 
> to will use. The "arrival time" of an image is dependent on the number 
> of bits used to encode it and the way it has been muxed. Neither are 
> deterministic, so you need a deterministic method to say when to decode it
> 
> This management is very important for hardware decoders where there is 
> limited memory in the system.

That makes sense indeed !
Thank you very much,

-Alex