How to generate Sprite Thumbnails using Azure Media Services

Question

I will cut to the basic, I have the following TransformOutput which encodes the Videos(SD/HD) and also creates Thumbnail.

TransformOutput[] outputs = new TransformOutput[]
{
    // Create a new TransformOutput with a custom Standard Encoder Preset
    // This demonstrates how to create custom codec and layer output settings

  new TransformOutput(
        new StandardEncoderPreset(
            codecs: new Codec[]
            {
                // Add an AAC Audio layer for the audio encoding
                new AacAudio(
                    channels: 2,
                    samplingRate: 48000,
                    bitrate: 128000,
                    profile: AacAudioProfile.AacLc
                ),
                // Next, add a H264Video for the video encoding
               new H264Video (
                    // Set the GOP interval to 2 seconds for both H264Layers
                    keyFrameInterval:TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2),
                     // Add H264Layers, one at HD and the other at SD. Assign a label that you can use for the output filename
                    layers:  new H264Layer[]
                    {
                        new H264Layer (
                            bitrate: 1000000, // Units are in bits per second
                            width: "1280",
                            height: "720",
                            label: "HD" // This label is used to modify the file name in the output formats
                        ),
                        new H264Layer (
                            bitrate: 600000,
                            width: "640",
                            height: "360",
                            label: "SD"
                        )
                    }
                ),
                // Also generate a set of PNG thumbnails
                new PngImage(
                    start: "25%",
                    step: "25%",
                    range: "80%",
                    layers: new PngLayer[]{
                        new PngLayer(
                            width: "50%",
                            height: "50%"
                        )
                    }
                )
            },
            // Specify the format for the output files - one for video+audio, and another for the thumbnails
            formats: new Format[]
            {
                // Mux the H.264 video and AAC audio into MP4 files, using basename, label, bitrate and extension macros
                // Note that since you have multiple H264Layers defined above, you have to use a macro that produces unique names per H264Layer
                // Either {Label} or {Bitrate} should suffice

                new Mp4Format(
                    filenamePattern:"Video-{Basename}-{Label}-{Bitrate}{Extension}"
                ),
                new PngFormat(
                    filenamePattern:"Thumbnail-{Index}{Extension}"
                )
            }
        ),
        onError: OnErrorType.StopProcessingJob,
        relativePriority: Priority.Normal
    )
        };

This works perfect, no issues but How do I make this also generate Sprite Thumbnail for the video, while looking up, I came across this https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/media-services/previous/generate-thumbnail-sprite and according to this the following should be used to generate the sprite for Media Service 2.0

{
    "Version": 1.0,
    "Codecs": [
    {
      "Start": "00:00:01",
      "Type": "JpgImage",
      "Step": "5%",
      "Range": "100%",
      "JpgLayers": [
        {
          "Type": "JpgLayer",
          "Width": "10%",
          "Height": "10%",
          "Quality": 90
        }
      ],
      "SpriteColumn": 10
    }
      ],
      "Outputs": [
        {
          "FileName": "{Basename}_{Index}{Extension}",
          "Format": {
            "Type": "JpgFormat"
          }
        }
   ]
}

I am trying to convert this in my code (to media services 3.0) but seems to be no luck, it looks like there is not spriteColumn available

,new JpgImage(
    start: "00:00:01",
    step: "5%",
    range: "100%",
    layers: new JpgLayer[]{
                 new JpgLayer(
                      width: "10%",
                      height: "10%",
                      quality: 90
                    )
           },
        spriteColumn: 10 //<<<THIS
     )
}, 

Is there a way to generate sprite in Media Services?

Answer 1

Yes, Thumbnail Sprite encoding is now possible with v3. Documentation will be updated soon. You need to update Microsoft.Azure.Management.Media nugget package to version 3.0.2 or later.

I added a sample app that does it : https://github.com/Azure-Samples/media-services-v3-dotnet/tree/master/VideoEncoding/EncodingWithMESCustomPresetAndSprite

Preset is there : https://github.com/Azure-Samples/media-services-v3-dotnet/blob/master/VideoEncoding/EncodingWithMESCustomPresetAndSprite/Program.cs#L261-L287