Everything appears working but no window opens (on X11, not Wayland)

[haunma]

• I have read the FAQ.
• I have searched in existing issues.

Environment

• OS: Linux (Void, kernel 6.5.12), X11, qtile tiling WM
• scrcpy version: 2.1.1
• installation method: Void package (xbps)
• device model: Moto Z Play (addison) with LineageOS 18.1
• Android version: 11
• SDL version 2.28.5

After using the scrcpy --otg trick to authorize my phone with adb (the phone screen is dead), I am able to run scrcpy. The default codec fails with java.lang.IllegalStateException in MediaCodec, but the output of scrcpy --list-encoders gives

    --video-codec=h264 --video-encoder='OMX.qcom.video.encoder.avc'
    --video-codec=h264 --video-encoder='c2.android.avc.encoder'
    --video-codec=h264 --video-encoder='OMX.google.h264.encoder'
    --video-codec=h265 --video-encoder='OMX.qcom.video.encoder.hevc'
    --video-codec=h265 --video-encoder='c2.android.hevc.encoder'

and some of these are working. Or at least, they seem to be working. I get no errors or problems indicated in the scrcpy output even at "verbose" level, but no window opens. Typical output is

$ scrcpy --video-codec=h264 --video-encoder='OMX.google.h264.encoder' --no-audio -m1024
scrcpy 2.1.1 <https://github.com/Genymobile/scrcpy>
INFO: ADB device found:
INFO:     -->   (usb)  ZY224D2XM8                      device  Moto_Z_Play
/usr/share/scrcpy/scrcpy-server: 1 file pushed, 0 skipped. 111.5 MB/s (56995 bytes in 0.000s)
[server] INFO: Device: [Motorola] Motorola Moto Z Play (Android 11)
INFO: Renderer: opengl
INFO: OpenGL version: 4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 23.3.0
INFO: Trilinear filtering enabled
INFO: Texture: 576x1024

I have tried adb shell screenrecord /sdcard/file.mp4 and that works---at least sometimes. It only seems to work when I run it right after unlocking the phone (with fingerprint sensor), otherwise I get a zero length file. I try to run scrcpy the same way but still no luck. Tried all the codecs. Tried various resolutions. Same result: apparent success in every respect except no video.

Also, scrcpy --video-codec=h264 --video-encoder='OMX.google.h264.encoder' --no-audio --record=file.mkv --no-playback seems to work when run but the video file is always zero length. I initially thought the problem could be with my tiling window manager but this seems to indicate that there really is no encoded video coming through the pipe. Correct?

[rom1v]

Yes, the problem is on the device, it means that MediaCodec does not produce any frame for some reason.

[haunma]

So that is basically the end of debugging, then? It just doesn't work for reasons unknown and unknow-able? This just reinforces my prejudice of Android as a steaming pile of **** that we basically treat as non-deterministic because almost nobody understands it deeply enough to problem-solve in the traditional sense :(

[vidoardes]

This is a Wayland / Scrpy problem and has nothing to do with Android. You can work round it by calling SDL_VIDEODRIVER=x11 scrcpy to force it back to X11.

There is already an issue about it here: #3431

[haunma]

This is a Wayland / Scrpy problem and has nothing to do with Android.

I usually try not to be snarky, but, wow, did you actually read the subject line on this bug report? I am using X, not Wayland. So unless there is a different bug in scrcpy, this does in fact appear to be an Android problem.

[rom1v]

@haunma Btw, does it work with screenrecord?

adb shell screenrecord /sdcard/file.mp4
adb pull /sdcard/file.mp4

[haunma]

@rom1v, as mentioned in the initial bug report, it is hit or miss. I was able to get a brief recording a couple of times, but it doesn't always work, often leaving a zero-length file.

My phone is old (Moto Z Play) and running LineageOS Android 18.1. I imagine there is something odd about it. Chalk it up to Android fragmentation? Anyway, my use case for scrcpy has passed, for now. Maybe next time I need something like that I will give it another go.

If you're reasonably confident the issue is on the device, I have no objections to closing this.