The Khronos Group, a collaboration of nearly 200 companies, is known for developing various APIs for computing. While its most famous software is focused on graphics, the consortium has been working on video-related technologies as well. Recently, the Khronos Group announced that Vulkan Video, a low-level API for handling video streams, now fully supports hardware acceleration for the H.264 and H.265 standards for decoding and encoding.
Understanding APIs
APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces, act as a translation service between a developer’s software and the hardware’s drivers. They simplify the process of creating applications that utilize a device’s features. For example, games are typically developed using programming languages like C# or C++, but the code instructions are written for a specific API, such as Direct3D or Vulkan for graphics. While Direct3D is limited to Windows-based PCs, Vulkan is compatible across multiple platforms, including Linux, Android, MacOS, and iOS, making it a more versatile choice. However, until the release of Vulkan Video, there was no comprehensive cross-platform API for video compression and decompression.
The initial version of Vulkan Video only offered decoding functionality and was supported through the use of extensions, which were specific to certain hardware vendors. With the latest release, decoding and encoding of H.264 and H.265 video formats are now core features of Vulkan Video. Although support for AV1 format decoding is planned for the future, the exact timeline is not yet clear. These enhancements allow developers to create video recording and streaming applications using Vulkan Video, ensuring compatibility across different systems.
To take advantage of hardware acceleration for video decoding and encoding, drivers need to be updated to recognize the Vulkan Video API and its instructions. Currently, Nvidia is the only vendor with drivers that support the new Vulkan Video update, albeit in its beta phase. AMD and Intel are expected to update their drivers soon, but the exact timeline remains uncertain. The FFmpeg application, a free tool for recording and streaming video, is one of the first applications being modified to support the new Vulkan Video API.
The Benefits of Cross-Platform Compatibility
You might be wondering why these developments matter, especially considering that there are relatively few games that use Vulkan for graphics compared to Direct3D. The significance lies in having an API that is not restricted to a specific hardware vendor or platform. Developers will find it easier to create software that works seamlessly across multiple machines, regardless of the CPU or GPU in use. The adoption of the Vulkan Video API by FFmpeg suggests that other applications will follow suit, potentially resulting in faster and bug-free streaming software.
Challenges Ahead
While the potential benefits of Vulkan Video are promising, its success ultimately depends on the implementation of the API by hardware vendors. Regardless of how well-developed an application may be, if the drivers are not optimized, the software will face challenges. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor how well AMD, Intel, and Nvidia incorporate the new Vulkan Video API into their drivers.
The recent update to Vulkan Video brings hardware acceleration support for H.264 and H.265 video formats, offering developers a cross-platform API for video handling. With the potential for faster and more reliable video streaming software, the industry eagerly awaits the driver updates from vendors like AMD and Intel. As developments progress, we will continue to monitor Vulkan Video’s impact and provide updates on its effectiveness in improving video processing capabilities across various systems.
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