VAAPI (Video Acceleration API) is an open-source library and API specification, which provides access to graphics hardware acceleration capabilities for video processing. It consists of a main library and driver-specific acceleration backends for each supported hardware vendor.
The following features are currently supported in VAAPI for Intel graphics cards:
Hardware Supported
- Intel® GMA X4500HD.
- Intel® HD Graphics (in Intel® 2010 Core™ i7/i5/i3 processor family).
- Intel® HD Graphics 2000/3000 (in 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i7/i5/i3 Processor family).
- Intel® HD Graphics 2500/4000 (in 3nd Generation Intel® Core™ i7/i5/i3 Processor family).
- Intel® HD Graphics 4200/4400/4600/5000, Intel® Iris™ Graphics 5100, and Intel® Iris™ Pro Graphics 5200 (in 4nd Generation Intel® Core™ i7/i5/i3 Processor family).
Features
- Support MPEG2 decode acceleration Main Profile @ HL up to 80 Mbps.
- Support MPEG2 encode acceleration Main profile @ HL up to 80 Mbps (excludes GMA X4500HD, HD Graphics and HD Graphics 2000/3000)
- Support VC-1 decode acceleration Advanced Profile @ Level 3 up to 40 Mbps (excludes GMA X4500HD and HD Graphics)
- Support H.264/AVC decode acceleration High Profile @ L4.1 up to 40 Mbps, with:
- H.264 / AVC Hardware Variable Length Decoding (VLD) - CABAC
- H.264 / AVC Hardware Variable Length Decoding (VLD) - CAVLC
- H.264 / AVC Hardware Inverse Transform (IT)
- H.264 / AVC Hardware Motion Compensation (HWMC)
- H.264 / AVC Hardware In-Loop Deblocking (ILDB)
- Support H.264/AVC encode acceleration Main Profile @ L4.1 up to 40 Mbps (excludes GMA X4500HD and HD Graphics).
- Support JPEG/MJPEG decoding (excludes GMA X4500HD, HD Graphics and HD Graphics 2000/3000).
- Support Video Post Processing (excludes GMA X4500HD).
| VAAPI Capability |
MPEG2 decode |
MPEG2 encode |
H.264/AVC decode |
VC-1 decode |
H.264/AVC encode |
JPEG/MJPEG |
Video Post Processing |
| Intel® GMA X4500HD |
Yes |
Not supported by hardware |
Yes with g45-h264 branch |
Not implemented |
Not supported by hardware |
Not supported by Hardware |
No |
| Intel® HD Graphics |
Yes |
Not supported by hardware |
Yes |
Not implemented |
Not supported by hardware |
Not supported by Hardware |
Yes |
| Intel® HD Graphics 2000/3000 |
Yes |
Not supported by hardware |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Not supported by Hardware |
Yes |
| Intel® Ivy Bridge |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Intel® Haswell |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
To understand more about the VA API development, and participate in the process, the following are the main guidelines to get started:
Github Resources
Issues
Mailing list
IRC
Slack