HEVC Software Pack

[Stefan_S_2]

Hello,

we intend to use the Intel Media SDK for HW accelerated HEVC encoding on Gen 6 and Gen 7 processors. As I understand we would need to purchase the HEVC software pack (999$) for that purpose. Now, my questions is whether we would need to buy additional runtime licenses for each distributed installation or not ?

Many thanks,
Stefan.

[Surbhi_M_Intel]

Hi Stefan, 

Can you please clarify two things - 

• What is your environment - windows or Linux?
• When you say Gen 6 & Gen7 did you mean IVB(Ivy bridge) or you mean't Intel 6th and 7th generation core processor Skylake and Kabylake?

Thanks,
Surbhi
 

[Surbhi_M_Intel]

Hi Stefan, 

I am assuming you meant Intel 6th and 7th generation processor (Skylake and Kabylake respectively)
If you will like to use HW accelerated HEVC encoding on 6th and 7th generation on windows environment, then you can download Media SDK for free from https://software.intel.com/en-us/media-sdk

HEVC HW acceleration in 6th generation and above is provided through run time Intel driver, so if you have the hardware then install Media SDK and have latest driver from https://downloadcenter.intel.com for your system and use samples from here to evaluate HEVC solution. Samples can be downloaded from here - https://software.intel.com/en-us/intel-media-server-studio-support/code-samples 

If you will like to use HW HEVC acceleration on 6th generation for Linux environment, then you can download upcoming release of Media Server Studio(i.e. Media Server Studio 2017) available later this quarter which will package libraries to support 6th generation processor. It will be publicly available on this link - https://software.intel.com/en-us/intel-media-server-studio
you can choose to use Community edition(free) or Essential edition($499) according to your usability, difference described well here - https://software.intel.com/en-us/intel-media-server-studio/try-buy

Since you want to use HW HEVC acceleration, you will not need software pack. Software HEVC pack consist of other two HEVC implementation offered by Intel - Software implementation and Hybrid Implementation. You can read more about these implementation in this white paper - https://software.intel.com/sites/default/files/managed/b8/d0/intel-hevc-whitepaper.pdf

If I didn't get your question right, please let me know.

Thanks,
Surbhi

[Stefan_S_2]

Hi Surbhi,

thanks for your quick feedback. So if I get you right HEVC HW encoding under Windows should work right out of the box without any additional purchases, provided that the samples are run on a Skylake or Kabylake processor ?

Can you provide a document describing the technical properties/limitations for HEVC encoding on those processors ? F.e. maximum video resolution, encoding bitrate, stream count etc.

Thank you,
Stefan.

[Surbhi_M_Intel]

Hi Stefan, 

So if I get you right HEVC HW encoding under Windows should work right out of the box without any additional purchases, provided that the samples are run on a Skylake or Kabylake processor ?

>>Yes, you got that correct. 

Can you provide a document describing the technical properties/limitations for HEVC encoding on those processors ? F.e. maximum video resolution, encoding bitrate, stream count etc.

>>Our limitations and specifications are part of the release notes and media sdk manual. 
Latest release notes- https://software.intel.com/sites/default/files/mediasdk_release_notes.pdf ;
Manual is part of the package, can be found at C:\Program Files (x86)\IntelSWTools\Intel(R)_Media_SDK_2016.0.2\ 

Thanks,
Surbhi