Overwiev of Intel QuickSync and AMD AMF: Hardware-Accelerated Video Encoding on Ubuntu 22.04

Are you tired of your fans going up for your videos to encode? Do you want to lower the sound emissions and get back to your work or leisure time? Look no further than hardware-accelerated video encoding with Intel QuickSync and AMD AMF.

What is Intel QuickSync?

Intel QuickSync Video (QSV) is a hardware-based video encoding and decoding technology that uses the integrated graphics processing unit (GPU) found in most modern Intel CPUs. It allows for faster video encoding times while using less CPU resources, resulting in a smoother overall experience.

What is AMD AMF?

AMD Advanced Media Framework (AMF) is a similar technology to QSV, but it is designed for use with AMD GPUs. It provides hardware-accelerated video encoding and decoding capabilities, allowing for faster video processing times and improved performance.

How can I use these technologies on Ubuntu 22.04?

To take advantage of these technologies on Ubuntu 22.04, you will need to install the appropriate drivers and software packages. Here are some reference links to help you get started:

Intel QuickSync Video on Linux AMD Advanced Media Framework on Linux

The ability to compress video content using various video codecs is becoming increasingly important in today's digital world. With the rise of online video streaming services, social media platforms, and other forms of digital content consumption, there is a growing demand for faster and more energy-efficient methods of encoding and decoding video.

One solution to this problem is hardware-accelerated video encoding, which utilizes specialized hardware components to perform the encoding process instead of relying solely on software-based solutions. Intel QuickSync and AMD AMF are two examples of such hardware-accelerated video encoding technologies that are available in modern CPUs.

Intel QuickSync is an integral part of the integrated graphics units in modern Intel Core CPUs. It is capable of compressing video content using various video codecs and is significantly more energy-efficient than encoding in software. This is because the CPU cores are almost not utilized, and the dedicated graphics card is not burdened. This setup allows each component to play to its strengths without affecting the performance of the other components.

AMD Ryzen CPUs also offer hardware-accelerated video encoding called “AMF” in their integrated graphics units. However, these integrated graphics units are not technologically on the same level as Intel QuickSync and therefore do not enjoy such broad software support.

In laptops that do not come with a dedicated graphics card, the iGPU (integrated GPU) is always available. The iGPU's video acceleration is available even when the dedicated graphics card is used for 3D apps or display output, as long as NVIDIA Optimus is not disabled.

If NVIDIA Optimus has been disabled by setting the laptop into “dGPU-only” mode, it depends on the model whether or not the iGPU is still available afterwards. Laptops with “normal” NVIDIA Optimus (MSHybrid) are completely switched off if you deactivate Optimus or switch to “dGPU” mode while those with NVIDIA Advanced Optimus (DDS) remain available even in “dGPU”-only mode.

To check if your processor's iGPU (Intel or AMD) is still listed under the category “Display adapters,” go to your Windows Device Manager. Most laptops can be configured to use the iGPU for video acceleration, but there are some exceptions such as XMG APEX 15 MAX (E20) and XMG ULTRA series until 2021 which do not connect the iGPU to the mainboard.

On Ubuntu 22.04, both Intel QuickSync and AMD AMF can be used for hardware-accelerated video encoding through various software applications such as Handbrake, ffmpeg, OBS Studio, and others.

Handbrake offers support for both Intel QuickSync and AMD AMF through its GUI-based interface while ffmpeg provides command-line access for advanced users who prefer scripting their workflows.

OBS Studio offers a powerful suite of tools for live streaming and recording gameplay footage with options for hardware-accelerated video encoding using either Intel QuickSync or AMD AMF depending on your CPU architecture.

In conclusion, hardware-accelerated video encoding technologies like Intel QuickSync and AMD AMF offer significant advantages over traditional software-based solutions when it comes to speed and energy efficiency. Whether you're a content creator looking to encode videos quickly or a gamer looking to stream high-quality gameplay footage without impacting performance, these technologies can help you achieve your goals on Ubuntu 22.04.Keywords:

Hardware-Acceleration Video Encoding Integrated Graphics Units Energy-Efficiency CPU Cores Dedicated Graphics Card Software-Based Solutions Intel QuickSync AMD AMF NVIDIA Optimus Display Adapters Handbrake Ffmpeg OBS Studio Live Streaming Gameplay Footage

Once you have installed the necessary drivers and software packages, you can start using hardware-accelerated video encoding with your favorite media player or transcoding software.

Sources

https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Hardware/QuickSync https://github.com/GPUOpen-LibrariesAndSDKs/AMF https://support.plex.tv/articles/115002178853-using-hardware-accelerated-streaming/ https://www.xmg.gg/en/faq/tips/#video-encoding happens also in windolfs https://github.com/erkserkserks/h264ify https://github.com/alextrv/enhanced-h264ify https://itsfoss.com/install-h-264-decoder-ubuntu/ https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/xcikym/tutorial_how_to_enable_hardware_video/ https://www.linuxuprising.com/2021/01/how-to-enable-hardware-accelerated.html https://itsfoss.com/install-h-264-decoder-ubuntu/