# Image classification and encode with TFLite
Source: [https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/single-camera-stream-with-image-classification-and-encode.html](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/single-camera-stream-with-image-classification-and-encode.html)
The use cases use the InceptionV3 TFLite model to classify scenes from a single
camera stream and either overlay or compose the classification labels, and then encode the
stream.
## Variant 1: Use qtioverlay plugin to apply classification overlay
Run the use
case:
setprop persist.overlay.use_c2d_blit 2Copy to clipboard
gst-launch-1.0 -e qtiqmmfsrc name=camsrc ! video/x-raw\(memory:GBM\),format=NV12,width=1280,height=720,framerate=30/1,compression=ubwc ! queue ! tee name=split split. ! queue ! qtimetamux name=metamux ! queue ! qtioverlay ! queue ! v4l2h264enc capture-io-mode=5 output-io-mode=5 ! h264parse ! queue ! mp4mux ! queue ! filesink location=/opt/video.mp4 split. ! queue ! qtimlvconverter ! queue ! qtimltflite delegate=external external-delegate-path=libQnnTFLiteDelegate.so external-delegate-options="QNNExternalDelegate,backend_type=htp;" model=/opt/inceptionv3.tflite ! queue ! qtimlvclassification threshold=40.0 results=2 module=mobilenet labels=/opt/classification.labels ! text/x-raw ! queue ! metamux.Copy to clipboard
To stop the use case, press CTRL + C.
Figure : Pipeline for classification overlay and encode

The figure shows the flow of the use case execution:
1. Identify the stream coming through a camera source.
2. Overlay the classification labels using overlaylib.
3. Encode the stream as a H.264 bitstream.
4. Multiplex the stream in an MP4 container and stored as an MP4 file.
The table provides the sequential processing stages of the pipeline execution:
| Process | Description |
| --- | --- |
| [qtiqmmfsrc](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/qtiqmmfsrc.html) |
- The video stream is collected from a camera source plugin
and two copies are created:
- One stream is sent to the qtimetamux plugin to
retain the video stream.
- The other stream is sent to a ML inferencing
pipeline.
|
| **Preprocessing** | **Preprocessing** |
| [qtimlvconverter](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/qtimlvconverter.html) |
- Receives the video stream on its sink pad.
- Performs preprocessing:
- Color conversion
- Scaling down/up
- Normalization on the stream data when the model
expects the floating point values as input
- Converts the video stream to a tensor stream on its source
pad.The classification model uses this tensor stream
for inferencing.
|
| **Inferencing** | **Inferencing** |
| [qtimltflite](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/qtimltflite.html) |
- Loads the classification model.
- Modifies the graph for the chosen delegate.
- Receives the tensor stream on its sinkpad.
- Runs the inference and produces a tensor stream with the
inference results on its source pad.
|
| **Postprocessing** | **Postprocessing** |
| [qtimlvclassification](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/qtimlvclassification.html) |
- Receives the inference tensors from a classification model
on its sinkpad.
- Converts the tensors into formats such as video or text that
the multimedia plugins can process later.
- Applies the threshold to the chosen number of results.
- Loads the corresponding modules of the classification
models. In this use case, qtimlvclassification does the
following:
- Loads the InceptionV3 submodule.
- Produces results as structures of text.
- Sends them to the sinkpad of qtimetamux.
|
| [qtimetamux](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/qtimetamux.html) |
- Receives the video stream and text stream with
classification results corresponding to video stream on its
sinkpads.
- Produces GST buffers with the contents of video stream on
its sink pad.
- Adds classification result from data sinkpad to GST buffer
meta (meta muxing) on its source pad.
|
| [qtioverlay](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/qtioverlay.html) |
- Receives the multiplexed stream.
- Overlays the classification labels on the VideoFrame using
CL.
- Produces GST buffers with overlays in its source pad.
|
| [v4l2h264enc](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/v4l2h264enc.html) |
- Applies parameters to each frame of the video stream it is
receiving on its sinkpad.
- Encodes it into bitstream and sends it over its
sourcepad.
|
| h264parse | Adds additional information corresponding to the bitstream to
GStreamer buffer meta. |
| mp4mux | Receives these buffers and creates containers with format
specification buffers. |
| **Output** | **Output** |
| Filesink | Stores the resulting stream in a
/opt/video.mp4 file. |
| Playback | Pull video.mp4 from the host machine and
play it on a media player:
`scp root@ target device>:/opt/ directory>` |
## Variant 2: Use qtivcomposer to mix original frame with classification
mask
Run the use
case:
gst-launch-1.0 -e --gst-debug=2 qtiqmmfsrc name=camsrc ! video/x-raw\(memory:GBM\),format=NV12,width=1280,height=720,framerate=30/1,compression=ubwc ! queue ! tee name=split split. ! queue ! qtivcomposer name=mixer sink_1::position="<30, 30>" sink_1::dimensions="<320, 180>" ! queue ! video/x-raw\(memory:GBM\),format=NV12,width=1920,height=1080,interlace-mode=progressive,colorimetry=bt601 ! v4l2h264enc capture-io-mode=5 output-io-mode=5 ! h264parse ! queue ! mp4mux ! queue ! filesink location=/opt/video.mp4 split. ! queue ! qtimlvconverter ! queue ! qtimltflite delegate=external external-delegate-path=libQnnTFLiteDelegate.so external-delegate-options="QNNExternalDelegate,backend_type=htp;" model=/opt/inceptionv3.tflite ! queue ! qtimlvclassification threshold=40.0 results=2 module=mobilenet labels=/opt/classification.labels ! video/x-raw,format=BGRA,width=640,height=360 ! queue ! mixer.Copy to clipboard
To stop the use case, press CTRL + C.
Figure : Pipeline for classification and encode with qtivcomposer

The figure shows the flow of the use case execution:
1. Identify the stream coming through a camera source.
2. Compose the classification labels and video stream using qtivcomposer.
3. Encode the stream as an H.264 bitstream.
4. Multiplex the stream in an MP4 container and store it as an MP4 file.
The table provides the sequential processing stages of the pipeline execution:
| Process | Description |
| --- | --- |
| [qtiqmmfsrc](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/qtiqmmfsrc.html) |
- Collects the video stream (source) from a camera and creates
two copies of the source:
- One stream is sent to the qtimetamux plugin to
retain the video stream.
- The other stream is sent to an ML inferencing
pipeline.
|
| **Preprocessing** | **Preprocessing** |
| [qtimlvconverter](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/qtimlvconverter.html) |
- Receives the video stream on its sink pad.
- Performs preprocessing:
- Color conversion
- Scaling down/up
- Normalization on the stream data when the model
expects the floating point values as an input
- Converts the video stream to a tensor stream on its source
pad.The classification model uses the tensor stream
for inferencing.
|
| **Inferencing** | **Inferencing** |
| [qtimltflite](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/qtimltflite.html) |
- Loads the classification model.
- Modifies the graph for the chosen delegate.
- Receives the tensor stream on its sinkpad.
- Runs the inference and produces the tensor stream with the
inference results on its source pad.
|
| **Postprocessing** | **Postprocessing** |
| [qtimlvclassification](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/qtimlvclassification.html) |
- Receives the inference tensors from a classification model
on its sinkpad.
- Converts the tensors into formats such as video or text that
the multimedia plugins can process later.
- Applies the threshold to the chosen number of results.
- Loads the corresponding modules of the classification
models. In this use case, qtimlvclassification does the
following:
- Loads InceptionV3 submodule.
- Produces results as video frames with classification
labels.
- Sends them to the sinkpad of qtivcomposer.
|
| [qtivcomposer](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/qtivcomposer.html) |
- Receives the original video stream with classification
results on its sinkpads.
- On its sourcepad, produces GST buffers with contents
composed of video streams from its sinkpads.
|
| [v4l2h264enc](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/v4l2h264enc.html) |
- Applies parameters to each frame of the video stream it is
receiving on its sinkpad.
- Encodes it into bitstream and sends it over its
sourcepad.
|
| h264parse | Adds additional information corresponding to the bitstream to
GStreamer buffer meta. |
| mp4mux | Receives these buffers and creates containers with format
specification buffers. |
| **Output** | **Output** |
| Filesink | Stores the resulting stream in a
/opt/video.mp4 file. |
| Playback | Pull video.mp4 from the host machine and
play it on a media player:
`scp root@ target device>:/opt/ directory>` |
**Parent Topic:** [TensorFlow Lite use cases](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70015-50/topic/tensorflow-lite-use-cases.html)
Last Published: Oct 27, 2025
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