How can I feature test a browser's ability to use video as a canvas source

Question

As some of you might know it's not possible to use HTML5 video as an image source for canvas elements on mobile devices (the video will be opened in an external player instead of the browser). I need a feature test for that.

As I cannot simply check for canvas and video support (as most mobile devices will support both, but not the interaction) I was thinking of doing something like this:

var feature = true;

try {
  var v = document.createElement('video');
  var c = document.createElement('canvas');
  c.getContext('2d').drawImage(v, 0, 0, 100, 100);
} catch (e){
  feature = false;
}

alert(feature);

Yet, it will return true on the iPad, Android will output false . I probably assume this is not an iOS Safari bug but a flaw in my feature test, but I simply have no clue of how to approach this.

UPDATE :

So what I ended up with at the moment is the following:

var v = document.createElement('video');
var feature = false;

if (v.canPlayType('video/mp4') == 'probably'){

    v.src = 'data:video/mp4;base64,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';

} else {

    v.src = 'data:video/ogg;base64,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';

}


var c = document.createElement('canvas');
c.width = c.height = 50;
var ctx = c.getContext('2d');

v.play();

var async = setTimeout(function(){

    ctx.drawImage(v,0,0);
    var data = ctx.getImageData(0, 0, 50, 50).data;
    feature = (Math.max.apply(Math, data) > 0);
    v.pause();


}, 50);

At least it finally produces the correct output on iOS, yet there are two more problems:

• it is async
• firefox will (sometimes) fail, complaining about SecurityError: The operation is insecure. at var data = ctx.getImageData(0, 0, 50, 50).data what does not really make sense to me.

Any ideas on that?

Answer 1

You could try using a video which has a certain pixel at a certain area, say a black pixel at the top left corner. Then feed the video into the canvas and load just one frame. Then check if you can retrieve that pixel on the canvas using getImageData .