Intel Arc 140v HEVC Hardware Decoding Not Working In Browser

[Nick39]

System Info:

• Laptop: Dell Pro 16 Plus (PB16250)
• CPU: Intel Core Ultra i7
• GPU: Intel Arc 140V
• Driver Version: 32.0.101.6989

Issue:
HEVC hardware decoding works in windows media player after purchasing HEVC extension from the Microsoft store. However, When I attempt to play an embedded HEVC video in chrome it doesn't recognize HEVC when looking at chrome://gpu/. In Microsoft edge HEVC does appear to be recognized in edge://gpu/ and when I go to a HEVC test site the canPlayType, IsTypeSupported, and MediaCapabilities all show that it should it work but the video just becomes a white screen with a shade of grey and black at the bottom of the video and doesn't play. I did have a chat with dell support and they told me it's nothing on the computer itself that should be blocking HEVC from playing in browsers.

Testing Scope:

I have tested on 2 different Dell Pro 16 Plus (PB16250) machines with the same specs and the same results happen on both. I have also tested with an i5 and a 130v and resulted in the same results. In edge://media-internals I did notice error here when attempting to play a video ("cannot select ffmpegvideodecoder for video decoding").

Has anyone else encountered this issue with Intel Arc graphics?

[DeancR_Intel]

Hi cuspis,

Thank you for providing the additional testing results. I can see that you've tested multiple video sources (GoPro, Insta360, DJI, mobile phone, web browser) with different bitrate, color depth, and frame rate settings, and confirmed that H.265/HEVC videos are not utilizing GPU acceleration in any scenario.

You've also tested the additional video players I requested (VLC, PotPlayer, Media Player Classic) and confirmed the issue persists across all of them. I understand and respect your decision not to install K-Lite Codec Pack.

Based on your comprehensive testing, this appears to be a systematic H.265/HEVC GPU decoding issue affecting your Intel 268V processor across all video sources and player applications. The fact that H.264 and AV1 codecs work properly with GPU acceleration while H.265/HEVC consistently falls back to CPU decoding indicates a specific compatibility issue with HEVC hardware acceleration on your system.

I will be checking this further internally and will get back to you once I have more information available.

Best regards,

Dean R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[yyvolt]

Experiencing the same issue on Dell 14 Plus (DB14250), Intel 258v. Tried different versions of driver, HEVC hardware decoding doesn't work while H.264/VP9/AV1 works fine. Hardware decoding of HEVC works fine in Ubuntu after installing intel-media-va-driver-non-free.

Saw reports that HEVC decoding could be disabled by laptop manufactures

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Business-Notebooks/HEVC-support-in-browsers-on-Intel-Core-Ultra-155H/td-p/9418574

Even it's the case, hardware decoding should be enabled with the purchase of codec from Windows Store.

[DeancR_Intel]

Hi cuspis,

Thank you for your patience as we investigated the H.265/HEVC GPU decoding issue you're experiencing with your Dell 14 Pro Premium laptops.

After reviewing your comprehensive testing and the GitHub issue you created, I have an important update regarding this matter.

Root Cause Identified: Based on our analysis, it appears that H.265/HEVC hardware decoding may be globally disabled on your Dell 14 Pro Premium laptops, despite the Intel hardware being fully capable of supporting it. This is not a driver issue, but rather an OEM configuration decision.

I've found reports from other users indicating that Dell has acknowledged this behavior on their 'Pro' series devices due to licensing considerations. You can find similar user experiences here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/1jxwqj6/hevc_hardware_decoding_unsupported_in_latitude/

I recommend contacting Dell directly for confirmation and potential assistance with this H.265/HEVC hardware decoding limitation. As the OEM, Dell would have the most accurate information about:

• Whether H.265/HEVC decoding can be enabled on your specific model
• Any available solutions or workarounds for your Pro series laptops
• Licensing-related restrictions that may be affecting your workflow

This explains why H.264 and AV1 codecs work properly while H.265/HEVC consistently falls back to CPU decoding, regardless of driver versions or codec installations. I will be closing this thread and no longer be monitored.

Best regards,

Dean R.

Intel Customer Support Technician