Unified video decoder

The Unified Video Decoder (UVD) (formerly also “Universal Video Decoder”) is a video processor from AMD and is based on the technology of the Xilleon multimedia processors . The first products it was integrated into were the ATI Radeon HD 2400 and 2600 graphics cards of the Radeon HD 2000 series . UVD is required for Avivo HD .

When playing certain video formats, the UVD can take over the decoding and thus relieve the main processor (CPU). With the first version of the UVD, all levels of decoding of the HD formats H.264 and VC-1 can be taken over.

UVD 1

MPEG4 AVC: Yes, VC1: Yes, with max. 2K

UVD 1.0: RV610, RV630, RV670, RV620, RV635

UVD 2

As of UVD 2.0, two HD video streams can be taken over simultaneously by the graphics card for display purposes, so that the picture in picture function is possible. In addition, the graphics card can now partially relieve the main processor when playing the MPEG-2 format.

UVD 2.0: RS780, RS880 (MPEG4 AVC: Yes, VC1: Yes, Max.Display Size: 2K)

UVD 2.1: RV770

UVD 2.2: RV710, RV730, RV740, Cedar, Redwood, Juniper, Cypress

UVD 3

In addition to the functions from the previous generations, UVD 3.0 supports DivX and Xvid via MPEG-4 Part 2 decoding and Blu-ray 3D via Multiview Video Coding (120 Hz stereo 3D support), as well as improvements to MPEG2 playback.

In addition, the GPUs of the Southern Islands generation with Graphics Core Next 1.0 architecture (e.g. the Radeon HD7700, 7800 and 7900 versions and the Radeon R7 250X, R9 270 / 270X, R9 280 / 280X versions) as well as in the Piledriver -based Trinity - (Ax - 5xxx, e.g. A10-5800K) and Richland -APUs the Video Coding Engine (VCE) 1.0 integrated, which also supports the hardware-supported encoding of videos in certain formats, i. d. F. Supported in H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC.

VCE 1.0 was introduced on December 22, 2011 with the Tahiti GPU of the Radeon HD 7970 .

UVD 3.0: Palm (Wrestler / Ontario), Sumo (Llano), Sumo2 (Llano), Barts, Turks, Caicos, (+ MPEG2: Yes, MPEG4: Yes)

UVD 3.1: Cayman, Aruba (Trinity / Richland), Cape Verde, Pitcairn, Tahiti, Oland, (+ VCE 1.0 for GCN 1)

UVD 4

With the UVD 4.0, the error tolerance for H.264 decoding has been improved. This version is used in APUs of the Steamroller generation ( Kaveri ) and for graphics cards of the AMD Radeon R200 series from Graphics Core Next 2 of the Volcanic Islands generation (e.g. Bonaire and Hawaii GPUs) . The improved VCE 2.0 is also included there and delivers higher quality results for encoding.

UVD 4.2: Kaveri, Kabini, Mullins, Bonaire, Hawaii (+ VCE 2.0 for GCN 2)

UVD 5

UVD 5.0 ​​was introduced with the Tonga GPU of the AMD Radeon R9 285 (Graphics Core Next 3). Support for H.264 video decoding in 4K (also called Ultra HD / UHD) up to level 5.2 (this corresponds to 4Kp60; UHD with 60 full frames) is new.

The VCE 3.0 is now used for encoding from H.264 to 4K. Tonga is said to encode up to 12 times faster than in real time.

UVD 5.0: Tonga (+ Max.Display Size 4K, VCE 3.0)

UVD 6

UVD 6.0 is used with VCE 3 in the Volcanic Islands generation and in addition to support for decoding H.265 (HEVC), this level can offer a new, high-quality video scaling. A 10-bit color channel depth for the Ultra HD Blu-ray is possible in the APUs of the Stoney Ridge series .

UVD 6.0: Carrizo, Fiji (+ HEVC Decode: Yes)

UVD 6.1: Stoney (+ HEVC Decode: Yes, HDR support for 10-bit color channel depth for HDR in photos, games and movies with the Ultra HD Blu-ray standard)

UVD 6.3: Polaris 10 and 11: encoding of HEVC with VCE 3.4. H.265 / HEVC decoding and encoding in 4K and 60 frames per second in the Main 10 profile are possible.

UVD 7

UVD 7.0 / VCE 4.0 (included in Vega 10): Further development of VP9 and H.265 towards 5K and 8K resolutions, VP9 as a hybrid solution.

VCN 1.0

With the introduction of the APU Raven Ridge (GCN 5), the previous video decoder (UVD) and video encoder (VCE) were combined to form a new unit called "Video Core Next".

The VCN 1.0 now masters VP9 decoding entirely in hardware, with the UVD part was still calculated using the shader.

See also

• Nvidia PureVideo HD
• VDPAU - API and its implementation as a program library that enables programs to use Unified Video Decoders
• List of video codecs for an overview of relevant codecs

Individual evidence

1. ↑ https://www.x.org/wiki/RadeonFeature/#index8h2
2. ↑ AMD Unified Video Decoder (UVD) . (PDF) AMD , archived from the original on March 1, 2014 ; accessed on June 18, 2015 . 
3. ↑ AnandTech Portal | AMD Radeon HD 7970 Review: 28nm And Graphics Core Next, Together As One . Anandtech.com. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
4. ↑ AMD's Radeon HD 7970 graphics processor - The Tech Report - Page 5 . The Tech Report. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
5. ↑ Johannes Miederer: Kaveri Test: AMD A10-7850K and A10-7700K (6/10) . In: tweakpc.de . Retrieved June 18, 2015.
6. ↑ Ryan Smith: GCN 1.2 - Image & Video Processing - AMD Radeon R9 285 Review: Feat. Sapphire R9 285 Dual-X OC . In: anandtech.com . Retrieved June 18, 2015.
7. ↑ AMD Embedded Roadmap 2014-2016 Leaked . In: WCCFtech . Retrieved June 18, 2015.
8. ↑ Key features of AMD's third iteration of GCN architecture revealed . In: kitguru.net . Retrieved June 18, 2015.
9. ↑ AMD Quietly Reveals Third Iteration of GCN Architecture with Tonga GPU - X-bit labs . In: xbitlabs.com . Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved June 18, 2015. 
10. ↑ http://www.computerbase.de/2014-09/amd-radeon-r9-285-test-benchmarks/2/
11. ↑ https://www.x.org/wiki/RadeonFeature/#index6h2 x.org Radeon 3D Hardware
12. ↑ http://www.pcgameshardware.de/AMD-Polaris-Hardware-261587/Specials/technische-Daten-Release-Codenamen-1185800/
13. ↑ https://forum.doom9.org/showpost.php?p=1815007&postcount=2058

Web links

• Decoder comparison UVD, UVD 2 and UVD 3 from HT4U.net
• Decoder comparison BSP + VP2 and UVD from Computerbase.de