Video Coding Engine#VCE 4.0

File:AMD VCE fixed mode.svg

File:AMD VCE hybrid mode.svg and OpenCL developers can create hybrid encoders that pair custom motion estimation, inverse discrete cosine transform and motion compensation with the hardware entropy encoding to achieve faster than real-time encoding.]]

The handling of video data involves computation of data compression algorithms and possibly of video processing algorithms. As the template compression methods shows, lossy video compression algorithms involve the steps: motion estimation (ME), discrete cosine transform (DCT), and entropy encoding (EC).

AMD Video Code Engine (VCE) is a full hardware implementation of the video codec H.264/MPEG-4 AVC. It is capable of delivering 1080p at 60 frames/sec. Because its entropy encoding block is also a separately accessible Video Codec Engine, it can be operated in two modes: full-fixed mode and hybrid mode.{{cite web |url=https://www.anandtech.com/show/5261/amd-radeon-hd-7970-review/9 |title=Video & Movies: The Video Codec Engine, UVD3, & Steady Video 2.0 |publisher=AnandTech |date=December 22, 2011 |access-date=2017-05-20}}{{cite web |url=https://www.amd.com/en-us/products/graphics/desktop/oem/8900 |title=Radeon HD 8900 Specs |publisher=AMD |access-date=2016-07-18}}

By employing AMD APP SDK, available for Linux and Microsoft Windows, developers can create hybrid encoders that pair custom motion estimation, inverse discrete cosine transform and motion compensation with the hardware entropy encoding to achieve faster than real-time encoding. In hybrid mode, only the entropy encoding block of the VCE unit is used, while the remaining computation is offloaded to the 3D engine of the GPU, so the computing scales with the number of available compute units (CUs).

VCE{{cite web |url=http://developer.amd.com/community/blog/2014/02/19/introducing-video-coding-engine-vce/ |title=Introducing the Video Coding Engine (VCE) - AMD |website=developer.amd.com |access-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604071338/http://developer.amd.com/community/blog/2014/02/19/introducing-video-coding-engine-vce/ |archive-date=4 June 2016 |url-status=dead}} Version 1.0 supports H.264 YUV420 (I & P frames), H.264 SVC Temporal Encode VCE, and Display Encode Mode (DEM).

It can be found on:

• Piledriver-based
• Trinity APUs (Ax-5xxx, e.g. A10-5800K)
• Richland APUs (Ax-6xxx, e.g. A10-6800K)
• GPUs of the Southern Islands generation (GCN1: CAYMAN, ARUBA (Trinity/Richland), CAPE VERDE, PITCAIRN, TAHITI). These are
• Radeon HD 7700 series (except HD 7790 with VCE 2.0)
• Radeon HD 7800 series
• Radeon HD 7900 series
• Radeon HD 8570 to 8990 (except HD 8770 with VCE 2.0)
• Radeon R7 250E, 250X, 265 / R9 270, 270X, 280, 280X
• Radeon R7 360, 370, 455 / R9 370, 370X
• Mobile Radeon HD 77x0M to HD 7970M
• Mobile Radeon HD 8000-Series
• Mobile Radeon Rx M2xx Series (except R9 M280X with VCE 2.0 and R9 M295X with VCE 3.0)
• Mobile Radeon R5 M330 to R9 M390
• FirePro cards with 1st Generation GCN (GCN1) (Except W2100, which is Oland XT)

Compared to the first version, VCE 2.0 adds H.264 YUV444 (I-Frames), B-frames for H.264 YUV420, and improvements to the DEM (Display Encode Mode), which results in a better encoding quality.

It can be found on:

• Steamroller-based
• Kaveri APUs (Ax-7xxx, e.g. A10-7850K)
• Godavari APUs (Ax-7xxx, e.g. A10-7890K)
• Jaguar-based
• Kabini APUs (e.g. Athlon 5350, Sempron 2650)
• Temash APUs (e.g. A6-1450, A4-1200)
• Puma-based
• Beema and Mullins
• GPUs of the Sea Islands generation as well Bonaire or Hawaii GPUs (2nd Generation Graphics Core Next), such as
• Radeon HD 7790, 8770
• Radeon R7 260, 260X / R9 290, 290X, 295X2
• Radeon R7 360 / R9 390, 390X
• Mobile Radeon R9 M280X
• Mobile Radeon R9 M385, M385X
• Mobile Radeon R9 M470, M470X
• FirePro W4300, W5100, W8100, W9100, S9100, S9150, S9170
• Mobile FirePro M6100, W6150M, W6170M

Video Code Engine 3.0 (VCE 3.0) technology features a new high-quality video scaling and - since version 3.4 - High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC/H.265).{{cite web | title=Mailing Lists | website=lists.freedesktop.org | date=4 June 2015 | url=https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/dri-devel/2015-June/084083.html | access-date=25 September 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://github.com/rigaya/VCEEnc|title=VCEEnc|date=June 10, 2023|via=GitHub}}

It, together with UVD 6.0, can be found on 3rd generation of Graphics Core Next (GCN3) with "Tonga" and "Fiji" (VCE 3.0) based graphics controller hardware, which is now used AMD Radeon Rx 300 series (Pirate Islands GPU family) and VCE 3.4 by actual AMD Radeon Rx 400 series and AMD Radeon 500 series (both Polaris GPU family).

• Tonga: Radeon R9 285, 380, 380X; Mobile Radeon R9 M390X, M395, M395X, M485X
• Tonga XT: FirePro W7100, S7100X, S7150, S7150 X2
• Fiji: Radeon R9 Fury, Fury X, Nano; Radeon Pro Duo (2016); FirePro S9300, W7170M; Instinct MI8
• Polaris: RX 460, 470, 480; RX 550, 560, 570, 580; Radeon Pro Duo (2017)

AMD's Carrizo platform features VCE 3.1, retaining the same capabilities as the VCE found in "Fiji" and "Tonga".{{cite web | title=AMDGPU (vi.c) | url=https://github.com/ROCm/ROCK-Kernel-Driver/blob/master/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/amdgpu/vi.c#L282-L289|website=GitHub}}

Stoney Ridge features a cut down version of VCE 3.4 without HEVC/H.265 encoding and is accompanied by a UVD 6.2 engine.{{cite web | title=AMDGPU (vi.c) | url=https://github.com/ROCm/ROCK-Kernel-Driver/blob/master/drivers/gpu/drm/amd/amdgpu/vi.c#L2192-L2193|website=GitHub}}

VCE 3.0 removes support for H.264 B-frames.{{cite web |title=Video Encode API: BFrames not supported on RX 4xx? · Issue #8 · GPUOpen-LibrariesAndSDKs/AMF |url=https://github.com/GPUOpen-LibrariesAndSDKs/AMF/issues/8 |website=GitHub |language=en}}

The Video Code Engine 4.0 encoder and UVD 7.0 decoder are included in the Vega-based GPUs.{{cite news |last1=Larabel |first1=Michael |title=AMD Sends Out 100 Patches, Enabling Vega Support In AMDGPU DRM |url=https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=AMDGPU-Vega-10-Support |access-date=25 August 2017 |publisher=Phoronix |date=20 March 2017}}

AMD's Vega20 GPU, present in the Instinct Mi50, Instinct Mi60 and Radeon VII cards, include VCE 4.1 and two UVD 7.2 instances.{{cite web|url=https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/amd-gfx/2018-May/022291.html|title=[PATCH 50/57] drm/amdgpu/vg20:Enable the 2nd instance IRQ for uvd 7.2|last=Deucher|first=Alex|date=15 May 2018|access-date=2019-01-13}}{{cite web|url=https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/amd-gfx/2018-May/022282.html|title=[PATCH 42/57] drm/amd/include/vg20: adjust VCE_BASE to reuse vce 4.0 header files|last=Deucher|first=Alex|date=15 May 2018|access-date=2019-01-13}}

{{AMD APU features}}

{{AMD GPU features}}

The VCE SIP core needs to be supported by the device driver. The device driver provides one or multiple interfaces, e. g. OpenMAX IL. One of these interfaces is then used by end-user software, like GStreamer or HandBrake (HandBrake rejected VCE support in December 2016,{{cite web |url=https://github.com/HandBrake/HandBrake/pull/88 |title=HandBrake rejected VCE pull request |website=GitHub |date=2016-12-08 |access-date=2017-08-15}} but added it in December 2018{{cite web |url=https://forum.handbrake.fr/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=38539#p181659 |title=HandBrake added VCE support in v1.2.0|date=2018-12-22 |access-date=2018-12-31}}), to access the VCE hardware and make use of it.

AMD's proprietary device driver AMD Catalyst is available for multiple operating systems and support for VCE was added to it{{citation needed|date=June 2014}}. Additionally, a free device driver is available. This driver also supports the VCE hardware.

File:Linux AMD graphics stack.svg is contained in the Linux kernel device driver amdgpu.]]

{{Main|AMD Catalyst|Free and open-source graphics device driver#ATI/AMD|l1=AMD Catalyst for Linux|l2=Free Radeon driver}}

• Initial VCE support was added on 4 February 2014 by Christian König of AMD to the free radeon driver.{{cite mailing list |url=https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/mesa-dev/2014-February/053203.html |title=initial VCE support |date=4 February 2014 |access-date=28 November 2015 |mailing-list=mesa-dev |last=König |first=Christian}}
• Gallium3D state tracker for OpenMAX was added 24 October 2013 to Mesa 3D.{{cite mailing list |url=https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/mesa-dev/2013-October/046943.html |title=OpenMAX state tracker |date=24 October 2013 |access-date=28 November 2015 |mailing-list=mesa-dev |last=König |first=Christian}}
• The free and open-source Radeon driver was adapted to use OpenMAX with the GStreamer OpenMAX (gst-omx) support for exposing the VCE video encode engine.{{cite web |url=https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTU5MTc |title=AMD Open-Sources VCE Video Encode Engine Code |date=2014-02-04 |work=Phoronix |access-date=2017-05-20}}
• AMD employee Leo Liu implemented h264 level support into the Mesa 3D state tracker.{{cite web |url=https://cgit.freedesktop.org/mesa/mesa/commit/?id=e2db7c10d63399b6a34ba5fa56ce9e1eac402416 |title=st/omx/enc: implement h264 level support |date=2014-06-12 |access-date=2017-05-20}}

The software "MediaShow Espresso Video Transcoding" seems to utilize VCE and UVD to the fullest extent possible.{{cite web |url=https://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/amd_a8_7600_apu_review,13.html |title=MediaShow Espresso Video Transcoding Benchmark |date=2014-01-14 |access-date=2017-05-20}}

XSplit Broadcaster supports VCE from version 1.3.{{cite web |url=http://www.splitmedialabs.com/news/109-splitmedialabs-releases-xsplit-gamecaster-and-updates-xsplit-broadcaster-13 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140722041719/http://www.splitmedialabs.com/news/109-splitmedialabs-releases-xsplit-gamecaster-and-updates-xsplit-broadcaster-13 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2014-07-22 |title=XSplit Broadcaster 1.3 maintenance update includes mainly performance enhancements and maintenance fixes including such noteworthy features such as support for AMD's VCE H.264 hardware encoder}}

Open Broadcaster Software (OBS Studio) supports VCE for recording and streaming. The original Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) requires a fork build in order to enable VCE.{{cite web |url=https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/obs-branch-with-amd-vce-support.13996/ |title=OBS branch with AMD VCE support |date=May 2, 2014 |access-date=2017-05-20}}

AMD Radeon Software supports VCE with built in game capture ("Radeon ReLive") and use AMD AMF/VCE on APU or Radeon Graphics card to reduce FPS drop when capturing game or video content.{{cite web |url=http://support.amd.com/en-us/kb-articles/Pages/Radeon-Software-Crimson-ReLive-Edition-16.12.1-Release-Notes.aspx |title=Radeon Software Crimson ReLive Edition 16.12.1 Release Notes |access-date=2017-05-20}}

HandBrake added Video Coding Engine support in version 1.2.0 in December 2018.

{{Main|Video Core Next}}

The VCE was succeeded by AMD Video Core Next in the Raven Ridge series of APUs released in October 2017. The VCN combines both encode (VCE) and decode (UVD).{{cite news|last1=Larabel|first1=Michael|title=Radeon VCN Encode Support Lands In Mesa 17.4 Git|url=https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Radeon-VCN-Encode-Lands|access-date=20 November 2017|publisher=Phoronix|date=17 November 2017}}

• Video Core Next - AMD
• Video Coding Engine - AMD
• Unified Video Decoder - AMD
• Video Shader - ATI

• Intel Quick Sync Video – Intel's equivalent SIP core
• Nvidia NVENC – Nvidia's equivalent SIP core
• Qualcomm Hexagon - Qualcomm's equivalent SIP core

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{AMD graphics}}

Category:Video acceleration

Category:AMD IP cores

Category:Video compression and decompression ASIC