decoding h264/vc1 with DXVA/XvBA to encode with ffmpeg2theora

[marius87]

wanted to know how to take an ATI HD4670 GPU more specifically to decode high-definition video and then compress with ffmpeg2theora with a AMD 3700+ both Windows 7 32 bits and Ubuntu 10.10 64 bits

[Blue_MiSfit]

Hi marios87, Welcome!

In short, you can't.

As far as I know, there's currently no way to use ATI hardware to decode video, and use the result for a transcode. The only way to use ATI hardware to decode is by using DirectX Video Acceleration (DXVA), which only works for playback.

If you must use a GPU to decode your source, you should use an nVidia card, as these provide a CUDA interface to the hardware decoder ASIC. You can then use something like DGDecNV or CoreAVC to handle the decode into AviSynth, process as necessary, and then feed the result into ffmpeg2theora or any other application that supports AviSynth input. You can get a cheap nVidia card capable of doing this for under $50, easily.

Finally, what kind of "high-definition video" are you talking about? The only kinds supported by common hardware decoders are MPEG-2, VC-1, and H.264, with various restrictions.

Also, I'm curious.. why theora? :)

Welcome again to doom9!

Derek

[marius87]

720p/1080p bdrips serious moments in x264 as the only blu ray I have is the Halo Legends and is in vc1.
So if Windows 7 just need AviSynth because my graphic has ffdshow DXVA support
But what about ubuntu? I'll have to install ffdshow + AviSynth under wine to use XvBA which is the equivalent of DXVA or will I have to do something else?
And about theora've never had Apple of my eye?
I was wrong my ati hd4650 is a 4670 and not a pardon for the bad English blame it on the google translator because I speak Spanish

[nm]

720p/1080p bdrips serious moments in x264 as the only blu ray I have is the Halo Legends and is in vc1.
So if Windows 7 just need AviSynth because my graphic has ffdshow DXVA support

ffdhshow's DXVA2 implementation did support reading the image back to memory, at least during the development, but I recall it didn't work fast enough for realtime playback. Maybe it could help a bit, but I'm not sure if it's worth the trouble.

So, for usable VC-1 hardware decoding you'll need DGDecNV and an Nvidia GPU as Blue_MiSfit said.

But what about ubuntu? I'll have to install ffdshow + AviSynth under wine to use XvBA which is the equivalent of DXVA or will I have to do something else?

ffdshow is unusable, AviSynth works but there's no filter to connect it to XvBA. And XvBA is probably unusable in its current state.

Nvidia works through VDPAU, but you'd need to code an interface for feeding the decoded video to x264. MEncoder and FFmpeg don't support VDPAU input, only decoding and rendering with it.

And about theora've never had Apple of my eye?
<snip> pardon for the bad English blame it on the google translator because I speak Spanish

Yep, your point about theora was lost in translation. Could you rephrase it without using an idiom?

[marius87]

Thank you for answering; at this moment I cannot buy me a nvidia my ati hd4650 has no more than of 4 months
The truth is that there is lamentable the condition of development AviSynth in linux
And not make compile mencoder or ffmpeg for decode x264/vc1 by means of XvBA?
lo que queria decir es que theora es la niña de mis ojos (The one that strains in improving in spite of the fact that his major brothers eclipse it with his achievements)

[nm]

The truth is that there is lamentable the condition of development AviSynth in linux

Well, at least the 32-bit Windows version works very well with Wine.

And not make compile mencoder or ffmpeg for decode x264/vc1 by means of XvBA?

Like VDPAU, XvBA currently only works for playback. And it's not easy to get working at all.