STM32N6 JPEG encoder fails for any image width ≠ 800 (e.g., 480, 960) — IDMAEN auto-cleared, raw data dumped

[linyuan]

Hi ST Community,

I'm facing a critical and reproducible hardware JPEG encoding issue on the STM32N6. The JPEG encoder only works correctly when the image width is exactly 800 pixels. Any other width I've tested — including 480, 960, and 960x480 — causes the hardware to fail in exactly the same way. Height variations do not affect the outcome; the problem is solely tied to the row width.

Environment:

• MCU: STM32N657xx (STM32N6-DK board)

• Firmware Package: STM32Cube FW_N6 V1.3.0

• IDE: STM32CubeIDE

• Image Format: RGB565 input → YCbCr 4:2:0 subsampling, Quality 75.

Issue Summary:
When the image width is 800, JPEG encoding completes successfully and produces a valid compressed JPEG stream. When the width is 480, 960, or any other tested value ≠ 800, the hardware encoder aborts input processing early (after ~14 input chunks for 960 width) and subsequently dumps a massive amount of uncompressed raw data into the output buffer. The output DMA fills the entire buffer in a single transfer, and no valid JPEG data is produced.

Debugging Evidence:
I've instrumented the encode_dma.c driver to log JPEG peripheral registers at each callback. Here are the key observations from a failing 960×960 run (identical behavior occurs for 480 width):

1. IDMAEN Bit Auto-Cleared by Hardware:
   During normal operation, CR (Control Register) is 0x00001001. When the failure occurs (at Input Chunk #14 for 960 width), CR becomes 0x00000801. This shows that the IDMAEN (Input DMA Enable) bit is automatically cleared by the JPEG hardware.

   text

   [Input Chunk #13] -> GetDataCallback: CR=0x00001001 (IDMAEN = 1)
   [Input Chunk #14] -> DataReadyCallback: CR=0x00000801 (IDMAEN = 0)

2. OFNEF (Output FIFO Not Empty) Stuck High:
   The SR (Status Register) consistently shows OFNEF = 1 (SR = 0x00000096 or 0x86) even early in the encoding process, indicating that the output FIFO is not being drained normally.

3. Abnormal Callback Sequence:
   The expected sequence is [Input Chunk #N] → [GetDataCallback] → [DataReadyCallback]. During failure, [Input Chunk #14] is followed directly by [DataReadyCallback], skipping the expected [GetDataCallback]. This confirms the input flow was aborted by hardware.

4. Massive Raw Data Dump:
   After IDMAEN is cleared, DataReadyCallback reports an OutDataLength equal to the entire output buffer size (e.g., 1,843,200 bytes for 960×960). The buffer fills immediately and output pauses.

Observations Across Different Widths:

 

 

Width x Height Result

800 × 480	:white_heavy_check_mark: Success (valid JPEG)
800 × 800	:white_heavy_check_mark: Success
800 × 960	:white_heavy_check_mark: Success
480 × 480	:cross_mark: Fails with same symptoms
960 × 480	:cross_mark: Fails with same symptoms
960 × 960	:cross_mark: Fails with same symptoms

Questions:

• Why does the JPEG encoder hardware exhibit this strict width dependency? Both 480 and 960 are multiples of 16, satisfying the 4:2:0 MCU alignment requirements.

• What internal condition causes the hardware to clear IDMAEN and abort input processing?

• Are there any known errata or configuration constraints (e.g., FIFO thresholds, AXI burst alignment) that could explain this behavior?

• Could this be related to the internal RGB-to-YCbCr conversion library (jpeg_utils.c) generating incompatible data layouts for non‑800 widths?

I have attached a full debug log comparing a successful 800×800 run with a failing 960×960 run, including register dumps. Any guidance or insights would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

LinYuan