ATI Delivers GPU-Accelerated Video Transcoding

[rbV5]

They promised us video acceleration. And if they don't have a DS filter for it, it's going to piss a lot of people off I'm afraid. I guess a CLI program wouldn't be the end of the world, but if there's a whole new API we have to go through, screw it...

I'm not sure what you mean by that, but why would it piss people off if they deliver a transcoding application with anything close to that kind of performance? I'd be extremely happy.

Only Pinnacle Studio supports accelerated encoding on ATI products in the past and then only for 3D transitions in the timeline and a slight assist for overall MPEG encoding and then only on certain cards like AIW.

This appears to be far more robust and perhaps will generate third party interest, but I wouldn't for a second think that its a done deal, and be widespread adoption even if its clearly a leap forward.

As far as simple code changes, recall how long it took for Microsoft to enable WMV acceleration in their own software, and then recall how many softwares take advantage of Nvidia's video provcessor or ATI's/Nvidia's shader pipeline up until this point. DX9 level hardware that can use shaders to accelerate video have been around for years now.

 

[xtknight]

'Pissed off', relatively of course...it's better than nothing, but I wouldn't be happy if I had to use ATI's app in order to use the acceleration. I don't have to do that to use MPEG-2 decode acceleration on ATI or NVIDIA video cards. I can use one from Elecard (among others) to do that as well. But I'd still be glad I had any acceleration at all too, given my current situation. I don't care about decoders so much, just as long as we can get AutoGK and other software to utilize the GPU for encoding. If the ATI program's interface sucks, I don't want to be stuck with using it.

As for Microsoft-I don't know what took them so long, the same reason it takes so long for them to update a Windows version I guess? They had 'beta' ones that seemed to work fine for reviewers and 'finalizing' it probably wasn't on the top of their priorities. It depends how much they want to change the architecture. Really, the architecture doesn't have to be changed at all for it to work. There is nothing preventing a C++-coded DirectShow filter from accessing the video card. You may be right MS wants to modify their API. I know how Microsoft is, they want to abstract everything, which isn't bad, but it takes too long. All Microsoft really did was update their WM decoder. I think ATI can get it out faster than Microsoft does, they seem to be slow at everything. Granted I don't know how long it takes to QA everything...

I guess it's too much to ask for ATI to develop a DS filter semi-hack to enable GPU acceleration until Microsoft is done updating their API completely.

 

[rbV5]

I don't have to do that to use MPEG-2 decode acceleration on ATI or NVIDIA video cards. I can use one from Elecard (among others) to do that as well.

You have to use Purevideo Decoders to take advantage of Nvidias hardware for MPEG2 decoding accelerationand post processing support, elecard decoders do not support Purevideo. You need to use WMP10 to take advantage of ATI or Nvidias hardware to accelrate WMV files. Divx playa is the only software that supports ATI's Divx accleration, and Realplayer is required to use ATI's realmeadia acceleration and hardware deblocking.

There is nothing preventing a C++-coded DirectShow filter from accessing the video card.

Sure there is, why do think Linux support is so abysmal and there are no 64bit TV tuner drivers? If it was easy every codec like Xvid and Divx would already enjoy hardware acceleration.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: rbV5

There is nothing preventing a C++-coded DirectShow filter from accessing the video card.

Sure there is, why do think Linux support is so abysmal and there are no 64bit TV tuner drivers? If it was easy every codec like Xvid and Divx would already enjoy hardware acceleration.

As for the 64-bit drivers, people are too lazy to compile binaries of them. I use 64-bit Audigy 2 ZS drivers under SUSE Linux 10. All it took was a simple recompile/update of ALSA. Linux is not popular and most people focus on Windows support. But what does Linux have to do with anything here? There is no reason why you can't use C++ (possibly a combo of inline x86 asm) to interface with the video card. It may be a hacky way of doing it from directly when under a DS environment, but it is still possible. It's like using unmanaged code in a managed program, sort of, except a little less drastic. Is this not what NVIDIA's PureVideo decoder does to enable the post-processing? It isn't done strictly by DirectShow DXVA. The NVIDIA DVD decoder talks to the NVIDIA video driver directly unless I'm sorely mistaken (which sometimes is the case I'll admit ).

 

[xtknight]

Edit: For the WMV one I'm going to reinstall the patch again because I thought I installed it but everything seems to be slow now. SIL is still like 100% in GH and WMP.

Edit2: Oops, sorry, never mind about the WMV thing. Seems like it does only work in WMP. I wasn't using intensive-enough media.

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: xtknight
By the way-other apps can use WM acceleration just fine. I'm getting 50% CPU usage playing back Robotica 1080 under Graphedit but I'll get Step into Liquid to make sure. That's the same usage as WMPlayer with DXVA patch and in VMR9 mode though. I'm pretty sure the same holds true for anything that uses the PureVideo decoder as per accessing postprocessing features (I have tested that one in GraphEdit also, it works). Same yet for the DivX filter.

Edit: For the WMV one I'm going to reinstall the patch again because I thought I installed it but everything seems to be slow now. SIL is still like 100% in GH and WMP.

WMP10 only supports WMV acceleration (and then oly when patched), some applications like zoomplayer, jetaudio and graphedit have far less bloat, so the CPU utilization is lower...WMP10 is a POS outside MCE IMO.

Purevideo support is licenced through Nvidia and is only supported on a few applications like TheaterTEK, nStant media, MCE 2005 and WMP10, in fact you need to purchase different decoders to enable multi-channel ausio support...you can't simply access the hardware with DS.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: rbV5
Purevideo support is licenced through Nvidia and is only supported on a few applications like TheaterTEK, nStant media, MCE 2005 and WMP10, in fact you need to purchase different decoders to enable multi-channel ausio support...you can't simply access the hardware with DS.

Right-you do need the right codec from NVIDIA (or 3rd party which implements PV) for it. I can get the same color adjustment and Dolby decode features in GraphEdit or anything else (like MPC) that uses the NVIDIA DVD Decoder filters. All I had to do was set the merits on those filters at the highest, and voila, every DS app (that uses automated filter graph manager generation) uses them. I hope the same holds true for the encoder filters. That would make everybody happy (except maybe ATI because of the coding required on their part). I might be mistaking the Dolby effects for some other postprocessing you mean? I enabled Dolby Headphone 3 in the NVDVD decoder audio filter property pages and it made my audio sound Dolby-like. That is the kind of stuff you are talking about in regards to postprocessing, right?

I still believe ATI and Microsoft will work together and get something working so it's easy for 3rd party apps to use the acceleration. Since Microsoft is included here, I have to conclude it's something to do with DirectShow. But I don't know if they are just creating a DS filter, or if they are adding more COM interfaces needed to be exposed in order to access this. Either way, it shouldn't be too hard. I know I'm not one to speak about programming being easy, but I'm sure stuff like this won't be too hard.

For anyone that doesn't speak geek:
I hope ATI easily allows makers of software to put this in their programs rather than us being forced to use ATI's program to do make the encoding faster. I'm just making a prediction on how Microsoft and ATI are going to allow that.

 

[rbV5]

I might be mistaking the Dolby effects for some other postprocessing you mean? I enabled Dolby Headphone 3 in the NVDVD decoder audio filter property pages and it made my audio sound Dolby-like. That is the kind of stuff you are talking about in regards to postprocessing, right?

What I mean is that MPEG2 hardware decoding itself is avalable, sure, even my Radeon cards can use NV DVD decoders and enjoy accelerated MPEG2 acceleration , but if you want WMV acceleration, advanced Spatial temporal de-interlacing, Inverse Telecine (3:2 & 2:2 Pulldown Correction), Bad Edit Correction...inother words, the advanced Nvidia Purevideo hardware feature set, it requires enabled software licenced by Nvidia and a card that supports the specific features.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: rbV5
What I mean is that MPEG2 hardware decoding itself is avalable, sure, even my Radeon cards can use NV DVD decoders and enjoy accelerated MPEG2 acceleration , but if you want WMV acceleration, advanced Spatial temporal de-interlacing, Inverse Telecine (3:2 & 2:2 Pulldown Correction), Bad Edit Correction...inother words, the advanced Nvidia Purevideo hardware feature set, it requires enabled software licenced by Nvidia and a card that supports the specific features.

Ah, OK, does it? I was wondering where all that stuff was. Simply using the NVDVD decoder trial doesn't give you that? I have seen other NVIDIA VP filters and what not in the filter list but I haven't spent any time trying to hook them up and seeing what they do.