Convert a CMSampleBuffer into a UIImage

Question

Here's a function (code from Apple documentation) that converts a CMSampleBuffer into a UIImage

func imageFromSampleBuffer(sampleBuffer: CMSampleBuffer) -> UIImage {
    // Get a CMSampleBuffer's Core Video image buffer for the media data
    var imageBuffer = CMSampleBufferGetImageBuffer(sampleBuffer)
    // Lock the base address of the pixel buffer
    CVPixelBufferLockBaseAddress(imageBuffer, 0)

    // Get the number of bytes per row for the pixel buffer
    var baseAddress = CVPixelBufferGetBaseAddress(imageBuffer)

    // Get the number of bytes per row for the pixel buffer
    var bytesPerRow = CVPixelBufferGetBytesPerRow(imageBuffer)
    // Get the pixel buffer width and height
    var width = CVPixelBufferGetWidth(imageBuffer)
    var height = CVPixelBufferGetHeight(imageBuffer)

    // Create a device-dependent RGB color space
    var colorSpace = CGColorSpaceCreateDeviceRGB()

    // Create a bitmap graphics context with the sample buffer data
    let bitmapInfo = CGBitmapInfo(CGImageAlphaInfo.NoneSkipLast.rawValue)
    var context = CGBitmapContextCreate(baseAddress, width, height, 8, bytesPerRow, colorSpace, bitmapInfo)
    // Create a Quartz image from the pixel data in the bitmap graphics context
    var quartzImage = CGBitmapContextCreateImage(context);
    // Unlock the pixel buffer
    CVPixelBufferUnlockBaseAddress(imageBuffer,0);

    // Create an image object from the Quartz image
    var image = UIImage(CGImage: quartzImage)!

    return image
}

When I try to visualize the UIImage using a UIImageView, I get nothing.
Any Ideas?

Answer 1

This is a solution for Swift 3.0, where CMSampleBuffer is extended, creating a variable that gives you an optional UIImage.

import AVFoundation

extension CMSampleBuffer {
    var uiImage: UIImage? {
        guard let imageBuffer = CMSampleBufferGetImageBuffer(self) else { return nil }

        CVPixelBufferLockBaseAddress(imageBuffer, CVPixelBufferLockFlags(rawValue: 0))
        let baseAddress = CVPixelBufferGetBaseAddress(imageBuffer)
        let bytesPerRow = CVPixelBufferGetBytesPerRow(imageBuffer)
        let width = CVPixelBufferGetWidth(imageBuffer)
        let height = CVPixelBufferGetHeight(imageBuffer)
        let colorSpace = CGColorSpaceCreateDeviceRGB()
        let bitmapInfo = CGBitmapInfo(rawValue: CGImageAlphaInfo.noneSkipFirst.rawValue | CGBitmapInfo.byteOrder32Little.rawValue)
        guard let context = CGContext(data: baseAddress,
                                      width: width,
                                      height: height,
                                      bitsPerComponent: 8,
                                      bytesPerRow: bytesPerRow,
                                      space: colorSpace,
                                      bitmapInfo: bitmapInfo.rawValue) else { return nil }
        guard let cgImage = context.makeImage() else { return nil }

        CVPixelBufferUnlockBaseAddress(imageBuffer,CVPixelBufferLockFlags(rawValue: 0));

        return UIImage(cgImage: cgImage)
    }
}