Microsoft this week announced its new Online video Encode software programming interface (API) for DirectX 12. The API is developed to empower third-get together programs to speed up online video encoding utilizing GPUs and will give them capabilities to tweak several facets of the encoding method. The technology gives a reliable tactic for online video apps by furnishing a typical typical process for GPU-accelerated video encoding.
Microsoft’s DirectX 12 already capabilities APIs to assistance GPU acceleration for video decoding, movie processing, and movement estimation, which addresses the demands of the vast majority of conclusion-end users outside the house of the expert video industries. Individuals who need video encoding use expert apps that guidance GPU-accelerated encoding, but that encoding is applied utilizing proprietary indicates and requires developers to perform intently with GPU distributors as there is no standard tactic for online video encoding.
With the launch of the Video clip Encode API for DirectX 12, Microsoft is modifying that and delivers a conventional for movie decoding on Home windows 11. All proprietary systems will proceed to be supported, but from now on providers will be able to take edge of the regular API.
At this stage Microsoft’s Online video Encode API for DirectX 12 supports H.264 and H.265 (HEVC) codecs, which are popular amongst each experienced and non-professional audiences. Meanwhile, all those industry experts who need other codecs, which include AV-1, H.266 (VVC) will go on to depend on other encoding systems (most of which are CPU-accelerated).
As much as technological implementation is concerned, the API can take just about every video clip frame represented by ID3D12Resource textures and compresses them into an ID3D12Useful resource buffer that consists of the slice headers and payload of every encoded body. Proper now, only DXGI_Format_NV12 and DXGI_Format_P010 are out there depending on driver guidance, so enter material might need to be coloration transformed and down sampled formerly by the software. The rest of the bitstream codec headers (i.e. SEI/VUI/VPS/SPS/PPS) is assigned to the software, which will build and pack them into the final bitstream along with the compressed bitstream taken from the GPU procedure for each and every frame.
Microsoft’s Video Encode API for DirectX 12 features exposes numerous configurable parameters for programs (and the finish consumer) to allow for tweaking many aspects of the encoding approach, which will be significantly beneficial for industry experts.
The Video Encode API is included as component of Windows 11 and is also available in the DirectX 12 Agility SDK (version 1.700.10-preview or newer). Drivers from Intel and Nvidia presently assist the new API, driver support from AMD is coming in Q2 2022.
| Vendor | Minimum Supported Platforms | Minimal Video clip Driver Model |
| AMD | Radeon RX 5000, Ryzen 2000 | In progress – ETA Q2 2022 |
| Intel | Ice Lake, Tiger Lake, Alder Lake | v30..100.9955 |
| Nvidia | GeForce GTX 1000, GeForce RTX 2000, Nvidia RTX, Quadro RTX | v471.41 |