diff mbox series

[v2,1/1] media: Documentation: Interaction between routes, formats and selections

Message ID 20221207105809.911482-1-sakari.ailus@linux.intel.com
State New
Headers show
Series [v2,1/1] media: Documentation: Interaction between routes, formats and selections | expand

Commit Message

Sakari Ailus Dec. 7, 2022, 10:58 a.m. UTC
Document how setting up routes interacts with formats and selections.

Signed-off-by: Sakari Ailus <sakari.ailus@linux.intel.com>
---
since v1:

- Rewording changes based on Tomi's comments. In particular stricter
  separation between "stream" and "stream ID".

 .../userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst    | 50 ++++++++++++++-----
 1 file changed, 37 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)

Comments

Laurent Pinchart Dec. 8, 2022, 9:23 a.m. UTC | #1
Hi Sakari,

Thank you for the patch.

On Wed, Dec 07, 2022 at 12:58:09PM +0200, Sakari Ailus wrote:
> Document how setting up routes interacts with formats and selections.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Sakari Ailus <sakari.ailus@linux.intel.com>
> ---
> since v1:
> 
> - Rewording changes based on Tomi's comments. In particular stricter
>   separation between "stream" and "stream ID".
> 
>  .../userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst    | 50 ++++++++++++++-----
>  1 file changed, 37 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst b/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst
> index 5075b1828b32d..92710bb9a0caa 100644
> --- a/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst
> +++ b/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst
> @@ -406,6 +406,8 @@ pixel array is not rectangular but cross-shaped or round. The maximum
>  size may also be smaller than the BOUNDS rectangle.
>  
>  
> +.. _format-propagation:
> +
>  Order of configuration and format propagation
>  ---------------------------------------------
>  
> @@ -507,12 +509,12 @@ source pads.
>  Streams, multiplexed media pads and internal routing
>  ----------------------------------------------------
>  
> -Commonly V4L2 subdevices support only separate video streams, that is, only a
> -single stream can pass through a media link and a media pad. Thus each pad
> -contains a format configuration for that single stream. In some cases a subdev
> -can do stream processing and split a stream into two or compose two streams
> -into one, but the inputs and outputs for the subdev are still a single stream
> -per pad.
> +Simple V4L2 subdevices do not support multiple, unrelated video streams,
> +and only a single stream can pass through a media link and a media pad.
> +Thus each pad contains a format and selection configuration for that
> +single stream. A subdev can do stream processing and split a stream into
> +two or compose two streams into one, but the inputs and outputs for the
> +subdev are still a single stream per pad.
>  
>  Some hardware, e.g. MIPI CSI-2, support multiplexed streams, that is, multiple
>  data streams are transmitted on the same bus, which is represented by a media
> @@ -539,14 +541,33 @@ streams from one end of the link to the other, and subdevices have routing
>  tables which describe how the incoming streams from sink pads are routed to the
>  source pads.
>  
> -A stream ID (often just "stream") is a media link-local identifier for a stream.
> +A stream ID is a media link-local identifier for a stream.
>  In other words, a particular stream ID must exist on both sides of a media
>  link, but another stream ID can be used for the same stream at the other side
> -of the subdevice.
> +of the subdevice. The same stream ID is used to refer to the stream on
> +both pads of the link on all ioctls operating on pads.
> +
> +A stream at a specific point in the media pipeline is identified by the
> +sub-devdev and a pad ID-stream ID pair. For subdevices that do not support
> +multiplexed streams the 'stream' field is always 0.
> +
> +Interaction between routes, formats and selections

s/selections/selection rectangles/

> +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> +
> +The addition of routes to the V4L2 sub-device interface moves the
> +sub-device formats and selections from pads to pad ID-stream ID pairs.

This reads as "pad" "ID-stream" "ID" "pairs". Even knowing how the API
behaves, I had trouble understanding this.

> +Besides the usual pad ID, also the stream ID needs to be provided for
> +setting formats and selections.
> +
> +Instead of the sub-device wide merging of streams from all source pads
> +towards all sink pads, data flows for each route are separate from each
> +other. Any number of routes from streams on sink pads towards streams on
> +source pads is allowed, to the extent supported by drivers. For every
> +stream on a sink pad, however, only a single route is allowed.

This explains routes, not format and selection rectangles.

> -A stream at a specific point in the media pipeline is identified with the
> -subdev and a (pad, stream) pair. For subdevices that do not support
> -multiplexed streams the 'stream' is always 0.
> +Stream IDs, part of routes, are configured by using the
> +:ref:`VIDIOC_SUBDEV_S_ROUTING <VIDIOC_SUBDEV_G_ROUTING>` ioctl. This will
> +also revert the format and selection configuration to device defaults.

I don't expect someone who doesn't have detailed knowledge of the
implementation to understand what you mean here :-(

>  Configuring streams
>  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> @@ -565,8 +586,11 @@ Controller API <media_controller>`
>  setting the routing table will reset all the stream configurations in a media
>  entity.
>  
> -3) Configure streams. Each route endpoint must be configured
> -with :ref:`VIDIOC_SUBDEV_S_FMT <VIDIOC_SUBDEV_G_FMT>`.
> +3) Configure formats and selections. Each route is configured separately

We don't configure routes but streams, don't we ? Mentioning routes here
seems confusing to me.

> +as documented plain subdevices in :ref:`<format-propagation>`. The stream

Did you mean "as documented for plain subdevices" ?

This is the part that bothers me. I don't think we can consider the
configuration of routes to be independent in the general case. How the
formats and selection rectangle of different streams interact with each
other is what I'd like to see documented.

As this is an area that has been entirely unexplored until now as far as
I can tell, I would be fine if we wanted to merge streams support
without support for selection rectangles to start with, and experiment
with the selection API later, once we have good use cases that can be
used for design and development.

> +ID is set to the same stream ID associated with either sink or source pads
> +of routes configured using the :ref:`VIDIOC_SUBDEV_S_ROUTING
> +<VIDIOC_SUBDEV_G_ROUTING>` ioctl.
>  
>  Multiplexed streams setup example
>  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sakari Ailus Dec. 19, 2022, 8:36 a.m. UTC | #2
Hi Laurent,

On Thu, Dec 08, 2022 at 11:23:14AM +0200, Laurent Pinchart wrote:
> Hi Sakari,
> 
> Thank you for the patch.

Thanks for the review!

> 
> On Wed, Dec 07, 2022 at 12:58:09PM +0200, Sakari Ailus wrote:
> > Document how setting up routes interacts with formats and selections.
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: Sakari Ailus <sakari.ailus@linux.intel.com>
> > ---
> > since v1:
> > 
> > - Rewording changes based on Tomi's comments. In particular stricter
> >   separation between "stream" and "stream ID".
> > 
> >  .../userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst    | 50 ++++++++++++++-----
> >  1 file changed, 37 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)
> > 
> > diff --git a/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst b/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst
> > index 5075b1828b32d..92710bb9a0caa 100644
> > --- a/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst
> > +++ b/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst
> > @@ -406,6 +406,8 @@ pixel array is not rectangular but cross-shaped or round. The maximum
> >  size may also be smaller than the BOUNDS rectangle.
> >  
> >  
> > +.. _format-propagation:
> > +
> >  Order of configuration and format propagation
> >  ---------------------------------------------
> >  
> > @@ -507,12 +509,12 @@ source pads.
> >  Streams, multiplexed media pads and internal routing
> >  ----------------------------------------------------
> >  
> > -Commonly V4L2 subdevices support only separate video streams, that is, only a
> > -single stream can pass through a media link and a media pad. Thus each pad
> > -contains a format configuration for that single stream. In some cases a subdev
> > -can do stream processing and split a stream into two or compose two streams
> > -into one, but the inputs and outputs for the subdev are still a single stream
> > -per pad.
> > +Simple V4L2 subdevices do not support multiple, unrelated video streams,
> > +and only a single stream can pass through a media link and a media pad.
> > +Thus each pad contains a format and selection configuration for that
> > +single stream. A subdev can do stream processing and split a stream into
> > +two or compose two streams into one, but the inputs and outputs for the
> > +subdev are still a single stream per pad.
> >  
> >  Some hardware, e.g. MIPI CSI-2, support multiplexed streams, that is, multiple
> >  data streams are transmitted on the same bus, which is represented by a media
> > @@ -539,14 +541,33 @@ streams from one end of the link to the other, and subdevices have routing
> >  tables which describe how the incoming streams from sink pads are routed to the
> >  source pads.
> >  
> > -A stream ID (often just "stream") is a media link-local identifier for a stream.
> > +A stream ID is a media link-local identifier for a stream.
> >  In other words, a particular stream ID must exist on both sides of a media
> >  link, but another stream ID can be used for the same stream at the other side
> > -of the subdevice.
> > +of the subdevice. The same stream ID is used to refer to the stream on
> > +both pads of the link on all ioctls operating on pads.
> > +
> > +A stream at a specific point in the media pipeline is identified by the
> > +sub-devdev and a pad ID-stream ID pair. For subdevices that do not support
> > +multiplexed streams the 'stream' field is always 0.
> > +
> > +Interaction between routes, formats and selections
> 
> s/selections/selection rectangles/
> 
> > +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > +
> > +The addition of routes to the V4L2 sub-device interface moves the
> > +sub-device formats and selections from pads to pad ID-stream ID pairs.
> 
> This reads as "pad" "ID-stream" "ID" "pairs". Even knowing how the API
> behaves, I had trouble understanding this.

Well, that's perhaps a bit exaggerated but I agree the readability could be
improved.

Maybe:

	(pad ID, stream ID) pair

? Not exactly great perhaps but should be easier to read.

> 
> > +Besides the usual pad ID, also the stream ID needs to be provided for
> > +setting formats and selections.
> > +
> > +Instead of the sub-device wide merging of streams from all source pads
> > +towards all sink pads, data flows for each route are separate from each
> > +other. Any number of routes from streams on sink pads towards streams on
> > +source pads is allowed, to the extent supported by drivers. For every
> > +stream on a sink pad, however, only a single route is allowed.
> 
> This explains routes, not format and selection rectangles.

Perhaps a few more words on formats and selections would be appropriate
indeed.

> 
> > -A stream at a specific point in the media pipeline is identified with the
> > -subdev and a (pad, stream) pair. For subdevices that do not support
> > -multiplexed streams the 'stream' is always 0.
> > +Stream IDs, part of routes, are configured by using the
> > +:ref:`VIDIOC_SUBDEV_S_ROUTING <VIDIOC_SUBDEV_G_ROUTING>` ioctl. This will
> > +also revert the format and selection configuration to device defaults.
> 
> I don't expect someone who doesn't have detailed knowledge of the
> implementation to understand what you mean here :-(
> 
> >  Configuring streams
> >  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > @@ -565,8 +586,11 @@ Controller API <media_controller>`
> >  setting the routing table will reset all the stream configurations in a media
> >  entity.
> >  
> > -3) Configure streams. Each route endpoint must be configured
> > -with :ref:`VIDIOC_SUBDEV_S_FMT <VIDIOC_SUBDEV_G_FMT>`.
> > +3) Configure formats and selections. Each route is configured separately
> 
> We don't configure routes but streams, don't we ? Mentioning routes here
> seems confusing to me.

Well, routing, format and selection APIs all apply to streams, don't they?

I'll see if I can make this easier to grasp.

> 
> > +as documented plain subdevices in :ref:`<format-propagation>`. The stream
> 
> Did you mean "as documented for plain subdevices" ?

Yes.

> 
> This is the part that bothers me. I don't think we can consider the
> configuration of routes to be independent in the general case. How the
> formats and selection rectangle of different streams interact with each
> other is what I'd like to see documented.

That is device specific in the end. Even without routes there are hardware
specific limitations on what can be done, in this case it's just that other
routes can be limiting as well.

But as both are configured by the user, what takes priority, the
pre-existing configuration or the new configuration set by the user? I
think we indeed need rules for that.

> 
> As this is an area that has been entirely unexplored until now as far as
> I can tell, I would be fine if we wanted to merge streams support
> without support for selection rectangles to start with, and experiment
> with the selection API later, once we have good use cases that can be
> used for design and development.

Formats have dependencies, too, but perhaps a little less than if you add
selections to the mix, too. In any case this should be documented in a
different section.

> 
> > +ID is set to the same stream ID associated with either sink or source pads
> > +of routes configured using the :ref:`VIDIOC_SUBDEV_S_ROUTING
> > +<VIDIOC_SUBDEV_G_ROUTING>` ioctl.
> >  
> >  Multiplexed streams setup example
> >  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
Laurent Pinchart Dec. 26, 2022, 5:42 p.m. UTC | #3
Hi Sakari,

On Mon, Dec 19, 2022 at 08:36:50AM +0000, Sakari Ailus wrote:
> On Thu, Dec 08, 2022 at 11:23:14AM +0200, Laurent Pinchart wrote:
> > On Wed, Dec 07, 2022 at 12:58:09PM +0200, Sakari Ailus wrote:
> > > Document how setting up routes interacts with formats and selections.
> > > 
> > > Signed-off-by: Sakari Ailus <sakari.ailus@linux.intel.com>
> > > ---
> > > since v1:
> > > 
> > > - Rewording changes based on Tomi's comments. In particular stricter
> > >   separation between "stream" and "stream ID".
> > > 
> > >  .../userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst    | 50 ++++++++++++++-----
> > >  1 file changed, 37 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)
> > > 
> > > diff --git a/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst b/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst
> > > index 5075b1828b32d..92710bb9a0caa 100644
> > > --- a/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst
> > > +++ b/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst
> > > @@ -406,6 +406,8 @@ pixel array is not rectangular but cross-shaped or round. The maximum
> > >  size may also be smaller than the BOUNDS rectangle.
> > >  
> > >  
> > > +.. _format-propagation:
> > > +
> > >  Order of configuration and format propagation
> > >  ---------------------------------------------
> > >  
> > > @@ -507,12 +509,12 @@ source pads.
> > >  Streams, multiplexed media pads and internal routing
> > >  ----------------------------------------------------
> > >  
> > > -Commonly V4L2 subdevices support only separate video streams, that is, only a
> > > -single stream can pass through a media link and a media pad. Thus each pad
> > > -contains a format configuration for that single stream. In some cases a subdev
> > > -can do stream processing and split a stream into two or compose two streams
> > > -into one, but the inputs and outputs for the subdev are still a single stream
> > > -per pad.
> > > +Simple V4L2 subdevices do not support multiple, unrelated video streams,
> > > +and only a single stream can pass through a media link and a media pad.
> > > +Thus each pad contains a format and selection configuration for that
> > > +single stream. A subdev can do stream processing and split a stream into
> > > +two or compose two streams into one, but the inputs and outputs for the
> > > +subdev are still a single stream per pad.
> > >  
> > >  Some hardware, e.g. MIPI CSI-2, support multiplexed streams, that is, multiple
> > >  data streams are transmitted on the same bus, which is represented by a media
> > > @@ -539,14 +541,33 @@ streams from one end of the link to the other, and subdevices have routing
> > >  tables which describe how the incoming streams from sink pads are routed to the
> > >  source pads.
> > >  
> > > -A stream ID (often just "stream") is a media link-local identifier for a stream.
> > > +A stream ID is a media link-local identifier for a stream.
> > >  In other words, a particular stream ID must exist on both sides of a media
> > >  link, but another stream ID can be used for the same stream at the other side
> > > -of the subdevice.
> > > +of the subdevice. The same stream ID is used to refer to the stream on
> > > +both pads of the link on all ioctls operating on pads.
> > > +
> > > +A stream at a specific point in the media pipeline is identified by the
> > > +sub-devdev and a pad ID-stream ID pair. For subdevices that do not support
> > > +multiplexed streams the 'stream' field is always 0.
> > > +
> > > +Interaction between routes, formats and selections
> > 
> > s/selections/selection rectangles/
> > 
> > > +^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > > +
> > > +The addition of routes to the V4L2 sub-device interface moves the
> > > +sub-device formats and selections from pads to pad ID-stream ID pairs.
> > 
> > This reads as "pad" "ID-stream" "ID" "pairs". Even knowing how the API
> > behaves, I had trouble understanding this.
> 
> Well, that's perhaps a bit exaggerated but I agree the readability could be
> improved.

I promise I wasn't exagerating, I had to re-read the sentence multiple
times before getting what it meant :-)

> Maybe:
> 
> 	(pad ID, stream ID) pair
> 
> ? Not exactly great perhaps but should be easier to read.

How about

  The addition of routes to the V4L2 sub-device interface moves the
  sub-device formats and selections from pads to (pad, stream) pairs.

? The text doesn't say "from pad IDs", so you could drop ID completely.

> > > +Besides the usual pad ID, also the stream ID needs to be provided for
> > > +setting formats and selections.
> > > +
> > > +Instead of the sub-device wide merging of streams from all source pads
> > > +towards all sink pads, data flows for each route are separate from each
> > > +other. Any number of routes from streams on sink pads towards streams on
> > > +source pads is allowed, to the extent supported by drivers. For every
> > > +stream on a sink pad, however, only a single route is allowed.
> > 
> > This explains routes, not format and selection rectangles.
> 
> Perhaps a few more words on formats and selections would be appropriate
> indeed.
> 
> > > -A stream at a specific point in the media pipeline is identified with the
> > > -subdev and a (pad, stream) pair. For subdevices that do not support
> > > -multiplexed streams the 'stream' is always 0.
> > > +Stream IDs, part of routes, are configured by using the
> > > +:ref:`VIDIOC_SUBDEV_S_ROUTING <VIDIOC_SUBDEV_G_ROUTING>` ioctl. This will
> > > +also revert the format and selection configuration to device defaults.
> > 
> > I don't expect someone who doesn't have detailed knowledge of the
> > implementation to understand what you mean here :-(
> > 
> > >  Configuring streams
> > >  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > > @@ -565,8 +586,11 @@ Controller API <media_controller>`
> > >  setting the routing table will reset all the stream configurations in a media
> > >  entity.
> > >  
> > > -3) Configure streams. Each route endpoint must be configured
> > > -with :ref:`VIDIOC_SUBDEV_S_FMT <VIDIOC_SUBDEV_G_FMT>`.
> > > +3) Configure formats and selections. Each route is configured separately
> > 
> > We don't configure routes but streams, don't we ? Mentioning routes here
> > seems confusing to me.
> 
> Well, routing, format and selection APIs all apply to streams, don't they?

Yes, but a route is a connection between two streams within a subdev, so
formats and selection rectangles are not configured on routes but on
streams.

> I'll see if I can make this easier to grasp.
> 
> > > +as documented plain subdevices in :ref:`<format-propagation>`. The stream
> > 
> > Did you mean "as documented for plain subdevices" ?
> 
> Yes.
> 
> > This is the part that bothers me. I don't think we can consider the
> > configuration of routes to be independent in the general case. How the
> > formats and selection rectangle of different streams interact with each
> > other is what I'd like to see documented.
> 
> That is device specific in the end. Even without routes there are hardware
> specific limitations on what can be done, in this case it's just that other
> routes can be limiting as well.

That's right, but the V4L2 subdevice model nonetheless has a set of
rules that govern how formats and selection rectangles interact with
each other. Those rules are expected to apply to all devices and
drivers.

In practice we have many drivers (in particular camera sensor drivers)
that behave incorrectly. One could argue that this means the rules are
not applicable, and we shouldn't try to carry this over to streams. For
devices that require a custom userspace anyway (such as ISPs), this
could be acceptable. For other devices, and in particular for camera
sensor drivers, I strongly disagree. We need a stricter set of rules to
make it possible to implement a generic userspace.

> But as both are configured by the user, what takes priority, the
> pre-existing configuration or the new configuration set by the user? I
> think we indeed need rules for that.
> 
> > As this is an area that has been entirely unexplored until now as far as
> > I can tell, I would be fine if we wanted to merge streams support
> > without support for selection rectangles to start with, and experiment
> > with the selection API later, once we have good use cases that can be
> > used for design and development.
> 
> Formats have dependencies, too, but perhaps a little less than if you add
> selections to the mix, too. In any case this should be documented in a
> different section.

You can pick the section in which you'd like to document this :-)

> > > +ID is set to the same stream ID associated with either sink or source pads
> > > +of routes configured using the :ref:`VIDIOC_SUBDEV_S_ROUTING
> > > +<VIDIOC_SUBDEV_G_ROUTING>` ioctl.
> > >  
> > >  Multiplexed streams setup example
> > >  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
diff mbox series

Patch

diff --git a/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst b/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst
index 5075b1828b32d..92710bb9a0caa 100644
--- a/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst
+++ b/Documentation/userspace-api/media/v4l/dev-subdev.rst
@@ -406,6 +406,8 @@  pixel array is not rectangular but cross-shaped or round. The maximum
 size may also be smaller than the BOUNDS rectangle.
 
 
+.. _format-propagation:
+
 Order of configuration and format propagation
 ---------------------------------------------
 
@@ -507,12 +509,12 @@  source pads.
 Streams, multiplexed media pads and internal routing
 ----------------------------------------------------
 
-Commonly V4L2 subdevices support only separate video streams, that is, only a
-single stream can pass through a media link and a media pad. Thus each pad
-contains a format configuration for that single stream. In some cases a subdev
-can do stream processing and split a stream into two or compose two streams
-into one, but the inputs and outputs for the subdev are still a single stream
-per pad.
+Simple V4L2 subdevices do not support multiple, unrelated video streams,
+and only a single stream can pass through a media link and a media pad.
+Thus each pad contains a format and selection configuration for that
+single stream. A subdev can do stream processing and split a stream into
+two or compose two streams into one, but the inputs and outputs for the
+subdev are still a single stream per pad.
 
 Some hardware, e.g. MIPI CSI-2, support multiplexed streams, that is, multiple
 data streams are transmitted on the same bus, which is represented by a media
@@ -539,14 +541,33 @@  streams from one end of the link to the other, and subdevices have routing
 tables which describe how the incoming streams from sink pads are routed to the
 source pads.
 
-A stream ID (often just "stream") is a media link-local identifier for a stream.
+A stream ID is a media link-local identifier for a stream.
 In other words, a particular stream ID must exist on both sides of a media
 link, but another stream ID can be used for the same stream at the other side
-of the subdevice.
+of the subdevice. The same stream ID is used to refer to the stream on
+both pads of the link on all ioctls operating on pads.
+
+A stream at a specific point in the media pipeline is identified by the
+sub-devdev and a pad ID-stream ID pair. For subdevices that do not support
+multiplexed streams the 'stream' field is always 0.
+
+Interaction between routes, formats and selections
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+The addition of routes to the V4L2 sub-device interface moves the
+sub-device formats and selections from pads to pad ID-stream ID pairs.
+Besides the usual pad ID, also the stream ID needs to be provided for
+setting formats and selections.
+
+Instead of the sub-device wide merging of streams from all source pads
+towards all sink pads, data flows for each route are separate from each
+other. Any number of routes from streams on sink pads towards streams on
+source pads is allowed, to the extent supported by drivers. For every
+stream on a sink pad, however, only a single route is allowed.
 
-A stream at a specific point in the media pipeline is identified with the
-subdev and a (pad, stream) pair. For subdevices that do not support
-multiplexed streams the 'stream' is always 0.
+Stream IDs, part of routes, are configured by using the
+:ref:`VIDIOC_SUBDEV_S_ROUTING <VIDIOC_SUBDEV_G_ROUTING>` ioctl. This will
+also revert the format and selection configuration to device defaults.
 
 Configuring streams
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
@@ -565,8 +586,11 @@  Controller API <media_controller>`
 setting the routing table will reset all the stream configurations in a media
 entity.
 
-3) Configure streams. Each route endpoint must be configured
-with :ref:`VIDIOC_SUBDEV_S_FMT <VIDIOC_SUBDEV_G_FMT>`.
+3) Configure formats and selections. Each route is configured separately
+as documented plain subdevices in :ref:`<format-propagation>`. The stream
+ID is set to the same stream ID associated with either sink or source pads
+of routes configured using the :ref:`VIDIOC_SUBDEV_S_ROUTING
+<VIDIOC_SUBDEV_G_ROUTING>` ioctl.
 
 Multiplexed streams setup example
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^