New VVC/H.266 Video Decode Interface Integrated into Intel’s VA-API 2.22 Library

Spread the love


Intel engineers have released version 2.22 of libva, a driver-independent library for the Video Acceleration API (VA-API). The update includes a new interface for Versatile Video Encoding (VVC/H.266). With this new interface, GPU-accelerated VVC playback may be coming to Intel graphics in the near future. The update also adds support for using the Linux DMA-BUF protocol when running on Wayland.

The addition of the VVC interface in libva 2.22 is significant as there has been no GPU-based video decoding support for VVC/H.266. The format was only finalized in 2020, and CPU-based encoders/decoders for VVC are still not fully optimized. The new interface in libva 2.22 paves the way for potential GPU-accelerated VVC playback on Intel graphics in upcoming generations.

The libva 2.22 update adds the new interface/API for VVC support while still relying on VA-API hardware drivers, such as the Intel Media Driver, to implement the interface where supported and capable. This update opens up possibilities for improved video playback and encoding capabilities on Intel hardware.

In addition to VVC support, libva 2.22 now also includes support for using the Linux DMA-BUF protocol when running on Wayland. This allows for smoother and more efficient communication between applications and the graphics hardware, enhancing the overall performance and user experience.

The latest release of libva can be downloaded and more information can be found on GitHub. The continuous development and improvements in libva demonstrate Intel’s commitment to enhancing video acceleration capabilities and compatibility on Linux systems.

Overall, the release of libva 2.22 by Intel engineers marks a significant milestone in advancing video acceleration technology on Intel graphics hardware. The addition of the VVC interface opens up possibilities for GPU-accelerated VVC playback in the future, while the support for Linux DMA-BUF protocol enhances performance on Wayland. Users can look forward to improved video playback and encoding capabilities on Intel hardware as a result of these updates.

Article Source
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Intel-libva-VA-API-2.22