is there a low-end product that only supports HEVC decoding?

[eric_h_2]

Hello,

Now we only need a light version similar to intel media sdk 2014 r2, to support HEVC decoding.  However, the intel media server studio is way too big and expensive. In order to include HEVC codec, the professional version is required. Will intel have a light  version only to support HEVC codec (decoding or encoding) in the near future?

Thanks.

[Harshdeep_B_Intel]

Hi,

Currently Media SDK 2014 r2 supports HW decoding via plugin. But SW version of HEVC decoding is available via Media server studio. I have captured you input request. Will pass it on to the team.

Thanks,

[eric_h_2]

Hi Harsh,

Is Media SDK 2014 r2 a deprecated product? If not, where can I find an intel weblink to purchase?  Is plugin MFX_PLUGIN_HEVCD_HW included by Media SDK 2014 r2? I only found an evaluation version from other website, it includes plugins for MFX_PLUGIN_HEVCD_HW/SW support.

BTW, the HEVC SW  decoder is only included for Media server studio professional version,  I did tried Essentials version, it does not support HEVC decoding.

Thanks.

[Harshdeep_B_Intel]

Hi,

MediaSDK is not a deprecated product and neither a standalone product any more. But now it part of INDE(Integrated Native Developer Experience Suite): https://software.intel.com/en-us/intel-inde. You can download the latest version MediaSDK(MSDK) 2015 version from INDE free edition. This include the  MFX_PLUGIN_HEVCD_HW/SW support, assuming you have latest drivers installed.

HEVC SW  decoder plugin is part and available with Media Server studio(MSS) Professional Version. Hence, yes you will need to download  MSS professional version. 

After you download and install the latest version of MSDK 2015, to run the HEVC HW decode, please run the command line:

sample_decode h265 –i InputHEVCfile.265 –o outputfile.ext –hw –p 33a61c0b4c27454ca8d85dde757c6f8e –d3d -w (width) –h (height) –b (bitrate).

Thanks,

[eric_h_2]

I installed INDE, the hw plugin is loaded, however, the function, CDecodingPipeline::AllocFrames(), always fails with 

sts = m_pmfxDEC->Query(&m_mfxVideoParams, &m_mfxVideoParams);

  returns   sts =   MFX_ERR_UNSUPPORTED (0xfffffffd) .

My PC: intel Core i7-3770, and only the on-board intel HD graphics 4000 is enabled, the driver version is the latest: 10.18.10.3858 (9/30/2014)

It seems that the graphics card memory allocation fails all the time.

Thanks.

[Harshdeep_B_Intel]

Hi,

So, can you confirm which samples API package you are using, Please update to latest samples package from https://software.intel.com/sites/default/files/managed/b0/01/MediaSamples_Windows_6.0.0.36.msi and rerun the command line using sample_decode.exe. Also can you confirm/check the command line parameters.

Also, can you please attach the log from System analyzer - (mediaSDk/Tools/System analyzer). Few SKU's of 3rd generation (IVY bridge) donot have complete support HEVC HW support. This will help verify if your HW supports HEVC HW decode.

Thanks,

[eric_h_2]

Hi Harsh,

Sorry for the delay, just clean my PC and only install Media server studio Essentials version and also the INDE,

Now download the sample code (version 6.0.0.308), still get the same error for m_pmfxDEC->Query(&m_mfxVideoParams, &m_mfxVideoParams); sts =   MFX_ERR_UNSUPPORTED (0xfffffffd) .

Run mediasdk_system_analyzer_64.exe from Media Server Studio 2015 R4, the log shows in the attached file

Thanks.

[Harshdeep_B_Intel]

Hi,

You are currently using a old version of the driver, please update to the latest(15.33.35.64.4176) from https://downloadcenter.intel.com/.

I ran the same command line on our systems and was able to decode HEVC test clip. MFX_ERR_UNSUPPORTED error maybe due to the video parameters passed to the sample_decode during the command line are not correct.  Can you send me the exact command line you are using to run sample_decode. Can you let me know, if you are adding/changing any video parameters in the sample_decode. or using the default version of the sample.

Thanks,

[eric_h_2]

Hi Harsh,

Just installed the latest driver (15.33.35.64.4176), however, it did not change, the same error happened with MFX_ERR_UNSUPPORTED, here's the cmd I use (I do not need display), the testing video can be decoded by intel SW mode.

 h265 -i Elecard_4K_video.h265 -o out.yuv -p 33a61c0b4c27454ca8d85dde757c6f8e -hw

Attached is the report from intel mediasdk_system_analyzer_64.exe from Media Server Studio 2015 R4.

Thanks.

[Harshdeep_B_Intel]

Hi,

In SW mode HEVC decode is based on SW implementation running on CPU. So, from the logs you are using 3rd generation (Ivy Bridge) i7 processor and HW doesnot support this specific SKU decode solution in this case. There are few of Ivy bridge (SKU's) which donot support the HEVC hw decode. I suggest, if you have another system with 4th generation hw, you can run the above command and verify the HEVC hw decode.

Let us know what you see.

Thanks,

[eric_h_2]

Hi Harsh,

Just setup a new PC (4th generation)

Intel Core(TM) i7-4790 CPU @ 3.6GHz 3.6GHz, Memory 8 GB, 64 bit OS WIN7 with the latest graphics driver (15.33.35.64.4176)

And this PC did work with HW HEVC decoding when only INDE is installed.

However the testing results show that the decoding speed is much slower than the SW HEVC decoder (under media server studio professional edition), attached is the testing result.

Is there some special configuration to speed up HW HEVC decoder?

Thanks.

[Harshdeep_B_Intel]

Hi,

In the log attached, I see only HW implemetation (MediaSDK impl hw), SW implementation will include (MediaSDK impl sw) in the log . Please follow test conditions, run both SW and HW implementation on same resolution test clip, for n number of frames, at n fps.

Let me know what you see.

Thanks,

[eric_h_2]

Hi Harsh,

Just install the media server studio professional edition(evaluation), now the attached files include both sw and hw mode.

For sw, it is limits to 1000 frames during testing. But it is much faster compared to hw mode.

Thanks.

[Harshdeep_B_Intel]

Hi,

For sw, it is limits to 1000 frames during testing. But it is much faster compared to hw mode. -> You need to limit to same number of frames both on HW and SW, same D3D 9/11 on both. Then we can have same comparitive results. From the log attached for HW, HW decode will take more time to decode 5000+ frames compared to SW decoding +1000 frames.

Thanks, 

[eric_h_2]

Hi Harsh,

Here's the HW result which only uses the same number of frames as SW mode(evaluation edition), please refer to my previous post for the SW mode . The fps is roughly the same, SW mode is still much faster than HW mode.

However, if I enable d3d, the HW mode is faster than SW mode except 3840x2160(only can reach half speed of SW). The result for  HW with d3d is also listed in the attachments. If d3d is enabled, the testing program always fails to release session.

m_mfxSession.Close() hangs on forever.

Thanks.

[Harshdeep_B_Intel]

Hi,

Our HW solution is close and competitive to the our SW solution. The main reason (SW mode is still much faster than HW mode) is HW solution is a Hybrid where there is dependency on the workloads running on GPU unit or CPU unit in this case. We have a Whitepaper which provides detailed analysis of our solution below.

https://software.intel.com/sites/default/files/managed/3b/f2/Intel_HEVCwhitepaper_v1.45_06Apr2015.pdf

m_mfxSession.Close() hangs on forever.-> Does this happen in case of the sample_Decode? May I suggest, calling a wait function before the close function, as allowing suffice time for the decode operation to complete. Can you send me a reproducer of the issue, as we checked on our side and could not reproduce the issue.

Thanks,

[eric_h_2]

Hi Harsh,

In sample decode code, if d3d is enabled for HW mode, it fails to release pipeline with the error as shown in attachment.

Sleep for >=10 ms will fix this issue, 

Sleep(10); //note less than 10ms does not fix the issue

but it takes >=5 seconds for m_mfxSession.Close();

Thanks.

[Harshdeep_B_Intel]

Hi,

HEVC solution is implemented as a plugin model, on top of the DXVA. The plugin calls d3d surface inturns access the HW to perform the operation. Hence you can expect the delay and closing the function before all the required dll are released will result in error as they are not avialble for next set of operation. I suggest including the wait(10) to provide sufficient time for the operation to complete the decode operation and release the required dll's. Hope this helps!

Thanks,