Fix streaming Parquet imports and video fallback

src/lerobot/datasets/factory.py

@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ def make_dataset(
                 tolerance_s=cfg.tolerance_s,
                 return_uint8=True,
                 depth_output_unit=cfg.dataset.depth_output_unit,
+                video_backend=cfg.dataset.video_backend,
                 data_root=cfg.dataset.streaming_data_root,
                 episode_pool_size=cfg.dataset.streaming_episode_pool_size,
                 prefetch_episodes=cfg.dataset.streaming_prefetch_episodes,
@@ -204,6 +205,7 @@ def make_train_eval_datasets(
             tolerance_s=cfg.tolerance_s,
             return_uint8=True,
             depth_output_unit=cfg.dataset.depth_output_unit,
+            video_backend=cfg.dataset.video_backend,
             data_root=cfg.dataset.streaming_data_root,
             episode_pool_size=cfg.dataset.streaming_episode_pool_size,
             prefetch_episodes=cfg.dataset.streaming_prefetch_episodes,

src/lerobot/datasets/streaming_dataset.py

@@ -25,13 +25,14 @@ import torch
 
 from lerobot.configs import DEFAULT_DEPTH_UNIT, DEPTH_METER_UNIT, DepthEncoderConfig
 from lerobot.streaming.episode_cache import EpisodeByteCache
+from lerobot.streaming.episode_parquet import EpisodeParquetReader
 from lerobot.streaming.episode_pool import ExactCoveragePool
 from lerobot.streaming.manifest import EpisodeVideoManifest
 from lerobot.utils.constants import HF_LEROBOT_HOME
+from lerobot.utils.import_utils import get_safe_default_video_backend
 
 from .dataset_metadata import CODEBASE_VERSION, LeRobotDatasetMetadata
 from .depth_utils import MM_PER_METRE, dequantize_depth
-from .episode_parquet import EpisodeParquetReader
 from .feature_utils import check_delta_timestamps, get_delta_indices, get_hf_features_from_features
 from .io_utils import hf_transform_to_torch
 from .streaming_sidecar import (
@@ -113,6 +114,7 @@ class StreamingLeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.IterableDataset):
         shuffle: bool = True,
         return_uint8: bool = False,
         depth_output_unit: str = DEFAULT_DEPTH_UNIT,
+        video_backend: str | None = None,
         data_root: str | Path | None = None,
         episode_pool_size: int | None = None,
         prefetch_episodes: int = 8,
@@ -140,6 +142,9 @@ class StreamingLeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.IterableDataset):
             shuffle (bool, optional): Whether to shuffle the dataset across exhaustions. Defaults to True.
             depth_output_unit (str, optional): Physical unit depth maps are dequantized to ("m" or "mm").
                 Defaults to "mm".
+            video_backend (str | None, optional): Decoder backend for synthesized episode videos.
+                Defaults to the same platform-safe backend as map-style loading. If TorchCodec
+                rejects a synthesized MP4, the byte cache falls back to its bounded PyAV decoder.
             data_root (str | Path | None, optional): Dataset payload root. Supports local paths, ``hf://``,
                 and fsspec URLs.
             episode_pool_size (int | None, optional): Number of complete episodes in the sampling pool.
@@ -168,6 +173,11 @@ class StreamingLeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.IterableDataset):
         self.max_num_shards = max_num_shards
         self._return_uint8 = return_uint8
         self._depth_output_unit = depth_output_unit
+        self._video_backend = video_backend if video_backend is not None else get_safe_default_video_backend()
+        if self._video_backend == "video_reader":
+            self._video_backend = "pyav"
+        if self._video_backend not in {"torchcodec", "pyav"}:
+            raise ValueError(f"Unsupported video backend: {self._video_backend}")
         if buffer_size <= 0:
             raise ValueError("buffer_size must be positive")
         if max_num_shards <= 0:
@@ -463,6 +473,8 @@ class StreamingLeRobotDataset(torch.utils.data.IterableDataset):
             workers=workers,
             range_backend=range_backend,
             max_open_decoders=decoder_limit,
+            video_backend=self._video_backend,
+            tolerance_s=self.tolerance_s,
         )
 
     def _make_episode_item(

src/lerobot/streaming/episode_cache.py

@@ -10,17 +10,22 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import io
+import logging
 import threading
 import time
 from collections import OrderedDict
+from collections.abc import Callable
 from concurrent.futures import Future, ThreadPoolExecutor
 from pathlib import Path
+from types import SimpleNamespace
 from typing import Any
 
 from lerobot.streaming.manifest import EpisodeVideoManifest
 from lerobot.streaming.mp4 import Mp4SampleSlice, synthesize_mp4
 from lerobot.streaming.range_fetch import make_range_fetcher
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 class EpisodeByteCache:
     def __init__(
@@ -37,11 +42,19 @@ class EpisodeByteCache:
         native_http_subranges: int = 1,
         open_decoders: bool = True,
         max_open_decoders: int = 64,
+        video_backend: str = "torchcodec",
+        tolerance_s: float = 1e-4,
     ):
         if byte_budget <= 0:
             raise ValueError("byte_budget must be positive")
         if max_open_decoders <= 0:
             raise ValueError("max_open_decoders must be positive")
+        if video_backend == "video_reader":
+            video_backend = "pyav"
+        if video_backend not in {"torchcodec", "pyav"}:
+            raise ValueError(f"Unsupported video backend: {video_backend}")
+        if tolerance_s <= 0:
+            raise ValueError("tolerance_s must be positive")
         self.manifest = manifest
         self.fetcher = make_range_fetcher(
             data_root,
@@ -55,11 +68,16 @@ class EpisodeByteCache:
         self.byte_budget = byte_budget
         self.open_decoders = open_decoders
         self.max_open_decoders = max_open_decoders
+        self.video_backend = video_backend
+        self.tolerance_s = tolerance_s
         self._pool = ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=workers)
         self._cache: OrderedDict[tuple[int, str], dict[str, Any]] = OrderedDict()
         self._decoders: OrderedDict[tuple[int, str], Any] = OrderedDict()
         self._futures: dict[tuple[int, str], Future[dict[str, Any]]] = {}
         self._retained_episodes: dict[int, int] = {}
+        self._decoder_fallback_count = 0
+        self._fallback_decoders: set[tuple[int, str]] = set()
+        self._fallback_warning_emitted = False
         self._bytes = 0
         self._lock = threading.Lock()
         self._timing_totals = {
@@ -73,11 +91,15 @@ class EpisodeByteCache:
     def close(self) -> None:
         self._pool.shutdown(wait=True, cancel_futures=True)
         with self._lock:
+            decoders = list(self._decoders.values())
             self._cache.clear()
             self._decoders.clear()
             self._futures.clear()
             self._retained_episodes.clear()
+            self._fallback_decoders.clear()
             self._bytes = 0
+        for decoder in decoders:
+            _close_decoder(decoder)
         self.fetcher.close()
 
     def __enter__(self) -> EpisodeByteCache:
@@ -113,6 +135,11 @@ class EpisodeByteCache:
         with self._lock:
             return len(self._decoders)
 
+    @property
+    def decoder_fallback_count(self) -> int:
+        with self._lock:
+            return self._decoder_fallback_count
+
     def ensure_ready(self, episode_index: int) -> None:
         for camera_key in self.manifest.video_keys:
             self.get_bytes(episode_index, camera_key)
@@ -147,31 +174,95 @@ class EpisodeByteCache:
                 self._decoders.move_to_end(key)
                 return decoder
 
-        decoder = open_video_decoder(io.BytesIO(entry["bytes"]))
+        decoder = self._open_decoder(key, entry["bytes"])
         with self._lock:
             existing = self._decoders.get(key)
             if existing is not None:
                 self._decoders.move_to_end(key)
+                _close_decoder(decoder)
                 return existing
             self._decoders[key] = decoder
             while len(self._decoders) > self.max_open_decoders:
-                self._decoders.popitem(last=False)
+                evicted_key, evicted_decoder = self._decoders.popitem(last=False)
+                self._fallback_decoders.discard(evicted_key)
+                _close_decoder(evicted_decoder)
+        return decoder
+
+    def _open_decoder(self, key: tuple[int, str], data: bytes) -> Any:
+        try:
+            if self.video_backend == "torchcodec":
+                return open_video_decoder(io.BytesIO(data))
+            return open_video_decoder(io.BytesIO(data), backend=self.video_backend)
+        except Exception as primary_error:
+            if self.video_backend != "torchcodec":
+                raise
+            try:
+                decoder = open_video_decoder(io.BytesIO(data), backend="pyav")
+            except Exception as fallback_error:
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    "Both TorchCodec and PyAV rejected synthesized episode video "
+                    f"{key}: TorchCodec error: {primary_error}"
+                ) from fallback_error
+            with self._lock:
+                self._decoder_fallback_count += 1
+                self._fallback_decoders.add(key)
+                should_warn = not self._fallback_warning_emitted
+                self._fallback_warning_emitted = True
+            if should_warn:
+                logger.warning(
+                    "TorchCodec rejected a synthesized episode MP4; using the bounded PyAV "
+                    "decoder fallback for affected videos. First error: %s",
+                    primary_error,
+                )
+            else:
+                logger.debug("Using PyAV decoder fallback for synthesized episode video %s", key)
             return decoder
 
     def get_frames(self, episode_index: int, camera_key: str, timestamps: list[float]):
+        key = (episode_index, camera_key)
         span = self.manifest.lookup(episode_index, camera_key)
         local_ts = [ts - span.source_start_pts for ts in timestamps]
-        decoder = self.get_decoder(episode_index, camera_key)
+        decoder, release = self._decoder_for_frames(episode_index, camera_key)
+        with self._lock:
+            uses_pyav_timestamps = self.video_backend == "pyav" and key not in self._fallback_decoders
+        try:
+            if uses_pyav_timestamps:
+                return decoder.get_frames_played_at(local_ts, tolerance_s=self.tolerance_s).data
             metadata = decoder.metadata
             fps = getattr(metadata, "average_fps", None)
             if fps is None:
                 duration = max(getattr(metadata, "end_stream_seconds", 0.0), 1e-9)
                 fps = metadata.num_frames / duration
             return decoder.get_frames_at(indices=[round(ts * fps) for ts in local_ts]).data
+        finally:
+            if release is not None:
+                release()
+
+    def _decoder_for_frames(
+        self, episode_index: int, camera_key: str
+    ) -> tuple[Any, Callable[[], None] | None]:
+        key = (episode_index, camera_key)
+        while True:
+            decoder = self.get_decoder(episode_index, camera_key)
+            acquire = getattr(decoder, "acquire", None)
+            if acquire is None:
+                return decoder, None
+            try:
+                acquire()
+            except RuntimeError:
+                # The decoder was evicted between lookup and lease acquisition. Remove a stale
+                # cached reference if it raced with close, then retry with a fresh decoder.
+                with self._lock:
+                    if self._decoders.get(key) is decoder:
+                        self._decoders.pop(key)
+                        self._fallback_decoders.discard(key)
+                continue
+            return decoder, decoder.release
 
     def timing_summary(self) -> dict[str, float]:
         with self._lock:
             summary = dict(self._timing_totals)
+            summary["decoder_fallbacks"] = float(self._decoder_fallback_count)
         fetcher_summary = getattr(self.fetcher, "timing_summary", None)
         if fetcher_summary is not None:
             summary.update(fetcher_summary())
@@ -236,7 +327,10 @@ class EpisodeByteCache:
                 )
             entry = self._cache.pop(key)
             self._bytes -= len(entry["bytes"])
-            self._decoders.pop(key, None)
+            decoder = self._decoders.pop(key, None)
+            self._fallback_decoders.discard(key)
+            if decoder is not None:
+                _close_decoder(decoder)
 
     def _fetch_and_synthesize(self, episode_index: int, camera_key: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
         lookup_start = time.perf_counter()
@@ -271,9 +365,140 @@ class EpisodeByteCache:
         return entry
 
 
-def open_video_decoder(file_like_or_bytesio, frame_mappings=None):
+class _PyAVVideoDecoder:
+    """Small seekable PyAV adapter matching the TorchCodec calls used by the byte cache."""
+
+    def __init__(self, file_like_or_bytesio: Any):
+        import av
+
+        self._source = file_like_or_bytesio
+        self._container = av.open(file_like_or_bytesio)
+        self._stream = self._container.streams.video[0]
+        average_rate = self._stream.average_rate
+        if average_rate is None:
+            raise ValueError("PyAV video stream does not expose an average frame rate")
+        self._fps = float(average_rate)
+        duration = (
+            float(self._stream.duration * self._stream.time_base)
+            if self._stream.duration is not None
+            else 0.0
+        )
+        self.metadata = SimpleNamespace(
+            average_fps=self._fps,
+            num_frames=int(self._stream.frames or round(duration * self._fps)),
+            begin_stream_seconds=0.0,
+            end_stream_seconds=duration,
+        )
+        self._decode_lock = threading.Lock()
+        self._state_lock = threading.Lock()
+        self._users = 0
+        self._close_requested = False
+        self._closed = False
+
+    def acquire(self) -> None:
+        with self._state_lock:
+            if self._close_requested or self._closed:
+                raise RuntimeError("PyAV decoder is closing")
+            self._users += 1
+
+    def release(self) -> None:
+        with self._state_lock:
+            self._users -= 1
+            if self._users < 0:
+                raise RuntimeError("Unbalanced PyAV decoder release")
+            if self._users == 0 and self._close_requested:
+                self._close_resources()
+
+    def get_frames_at(self, *, indices: list[int]) -> SimpleNamespace:
+        if not indices:
+            import torch
+
+            return SimpleNamespace(data=torch.empty((0, 3, 0, 0), dtype=torch.uint8))
+        timestamps = [index / self._fps for index in indices]
+        return self._get_frames_played_at(timestamps, tolerance_s=0.5 / self._fps + 1e-6)
+
+    def get_frames_played_at(
+        self,
+        timestamps: list[float],
+        *,
+        tolerance_s: float,
+    ) -> SimpleNamespace:
+        return self._get_frames_played_at(timestamps, tolerance_s=tolerance_s)
+
+    def _get_frames_played_at(
+        self,
+        timestamps: list[float],
+        *,
+        tolerance_s: float,
+    ) -> SimpleNamespace:
+        import torch
+
+        first_ts = min(timestamps)
+        last_ts = max(timestamps)
+        loaded_frames: list[torch.Tensor] = []
+        loaded_ts: list[float] = []
+        with self._decode_lock:
+            self._container.seek(
+                round(first_ts / self._stream.time_base) - 1,
+                backward=True,
+                any_frame=False,
+                stream=self._stream,
+            )
+            for frame in self._container.decode(self._stream):
+                if frame.pts is None:
+                    continue
+                current_ts = float(frame.pts * self._stream.time_base)
+                array = frame.to_ndarray(format="rgb24")
+                loaded_frames.append(torch.from_numpy(array).permute(2, 0, 1).contiguous())
+                loaded_ts.append(current_ts)
+                if current_ts >= last_ts:
+                    break
+
+        if not loaded_frames:
+            raise ValueError(f"PyAV decoded no frames for timestamps {timestamps}")
+        query_ts = torch.tensor(timestamps)
+        loaded_ts_tensor = torch.tensor(loaded_ts)
+        distances = torch.cdist(query_ts[:, None], loaded_ts_tensor[:, None], p=1)
+        minimum, closest = distances.min(1)
+        if not (minimum <= tolerance_s).all():
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"PyAV frame timestamps exceed tolerance {tolerance_s}: "
+                f"queries={query_ts}, decoded={loaded_ts_tensor}"
+            )
+        return SimpleNamespace(data=torch.stack([loaded_frames[index] for index in closest]))
+
+    def close(self) -> None:
+        with self._state_lock:
+            self._close_requested = True
+            if self._users == 0:
+                self._close_resources()
+
+    def _close_resources(self) -> None:
+        if self._closed:
+            return
+        self._container.close()
+        close = getattr(self._source, "close", None)
+        if close is not None:
+            close()
+        self._closed = True
+
+
+def _close_decoder(decoder: Any) -> None:
+    close = getattr(decoder, "close", None)
+    if close is not None:
+        try:
+            close()
+        except Exception:
+            logger.debug("Failed to close video decoder", exc_info=True)
+
+
+def open_video_decoder(file_like_or_bytesio, frame_mappings=None, *, backend: str = "torchcodec"):
     if frame_mappings is not None:
         raise ValueError("Synthesized episode videos use a local timeline; pass frame_mappings=None.")
+    if backend == "pyav":
+        return _PyAVVideoDecoder(file_like_or_bytesio)
+    if backend != "torchcodec":
+        raise ValueError(f"Unsupported video backend: {backend}")
     from torchcodec.decoders import VideoDecoder
 
     return VideoDecoder(file_like_or_bytesio, seek_mode="approximate")

src/lerobot/streaming/episode_parquet.py

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #
 #     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
 
-"""Episode-scoped Parquet reads for training-time dataset streaming."""
+"""Pure episode-scoped Parquet reads for training-time dataset streaming."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 

tests/datasets/test_episode_parquet_reader.py

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ pytest.importorskip("pyarrow", reason="pyarrow is required (install lerobot[data
 import pyarrow as pa
 import pyarrow.parquet as pq
 
-from lerobot.datasets.episode_parquet import EpisodeParquetReader
+from lerobot.streaming.episode_parquet import EpisodeParquetReader
 
 
 def _table(episodes: list[int]) -> pa.Table:

tests/datasets/test_episode_video_streaming.py

@@ -103,7 +103,14 @@ def test_parser_accepts_co64_chunk_offsets():
     np.testing.assert_array_equal(mp4.sample_offsets, np.array([10_000, 10_050, 10_025]))
 
 
-def _fake_cache(monkeypatch, tmp_path, *, byte_budget=8, max_open_decoders=1):
+def _fake_cache(
+    monkeypatch,
+    tmp_path,
+    *,
+    byte_budget=8,
+    max_open_decoders=1,
+    video_backend="torchcodec",
+):
     manifest = EpisodeVideoManifest(video_keys=["camera"], files=[], spans={})
     cache = EpisodeByteCache(
         manifest,
@@ -112,6 +119,7 @@ def _fake_cache(monkeypatch, tmp_path, *, byte_budget=8, max_open_decoders=1):
         workers=1,
         open_decoders=False,
         max_open_decoders=max_open_decoders,
+        video_backend=video_backend,
     )
     monkeypatch.setattr(
         cache,
@@ -161,6 +169,54 @@ def test_decoder_count_has_independent_limit(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
         assert cache.open_decoder_count == 1
 
 
+def test_decoder_eviction_and_cache_shutdown_close_backend_resources(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    opened = []
+
+    class FakeDecoder:
+        def __init__(self):
+            self.closed = False
+
+        def close(self):
+            self.closed = True
+
+    def open_decoder(_data):
+        decoder = FakeDecoder()
+        opened.append(decoder)
+        return decoder
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr("lerobot.streaming.episode_cache.open_video_decoder", open_decoder)
+    with _fake_cache(monkeypatch, tmp_path, byte_budget=20, max_open_decoders=1) as cache:
+        cache.get_decoder(0, "camera")
+        cache.get_decoder(1, "camera")
+
+        assert opened[0].closed
+        assert not opened[1].closed
+
+    assert opened[1].closed
+
+
+def test_decoder_falls_back_to_pyav_when_torchcodec_rejects_mini_mp4(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    opened_backends = []
+
+    class FakeDecoder:
+        pass
+
+    def open_decoder(_data, frame_mappings=None, *, backend="torchcodec"):
+        assert frame_mappings is None
+        opened_backends.append(backend)
+        if backend == "torchcodec":
+            raise ValueError("No valid stream found")
+        return FakeDecoder()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr("lerobot.streaming.episode_cache.open_video_decoder", open_decoder)
+    with _fake_cache(monkeypatch, tmp_path, video_backend="torchcodec") as cache:
+        decoder = cache.get_decoder(0, "camera")
+
+        assert isinstance(decoder, FakeDecoder)
+        assert opened_backends == ["torchcodec", "pyav"]
+        assert cache.decoder_fallback_count == 1
+
+
 def test_releasing_episode_allows_immediate_eviction(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     with _fake_cache(monkeypatch, tmp_path, byte_budget=5) as cache:
         cache.retain_episode(0)

tests/datasets/test_streaming_factory.py

@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ def test_factory_wires_production_streaming_settings(monkeypatch):
     dataset_config = DatasetConfig(
         repo_id="owner/dataset",
         streaming=True,
+        video_backend="pyav",
         streaming_data_root="memory://payload",
         streaming_episode_pool_size=7,
         streaming_prefetch_episodes=3,
@@ -54,5 +55,6 @@ def test_factory_wires_production_streaming_settings(monkeypatch):
     assert captured["kwargs"]["prefetch_episodes"] == 3
     assert captured["kwargs"]["byte_budget_gb"] == 2.5
     assert captured["kwargs"]["max_num_shards"] == 1
+    assert captured["kwargs"]["video_backend"] == "pyav"
     assert captured["kwargs"]["return_uint8"] is True
     assert captured["kwargs"]["repeat"] is True

tests/datasets/test_streaming_production.py

@@ -61,19 +61,26 @@ def test_streaming_matches_map_style_with_exact_coverage(tmp_path: Path, lerobot
         _assert_item_equal(sample, map_dataset[int(sample["index"])])
 
 
-def test_streaming_rgb_video_matches_map_style(tmp_path: Path, lerobot_dataset_factory) -> None:
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("video_backend", ["torchcodec", "pyav"])
+def test_streaming_rgb_video_matches_map_style(
+    tmp_path: Path,
+    lerobot_dataset_factory,
+    video_backend: str,
+) -> None:
     root = tmp_path / "dataset"
     map_dataset = lerobot_dataset_factory(
         root=root,
         repo_id=DUMMY_REPO_ID,
         total_episodes=2,
         total_frames=20,
+        video_backend=video_backend,
     )
     streaming = StreamingLeRobotDataset(
         DUMMY_REPO_ID,
         root=root,
         shuffle=False,
         buffer_size=2,
+        video_backend=video_backend,
     )
 
     for sample in streaming: