Microsoft is introducing DX12 support for H264 and H265 encoding via API releases

Microsoft has announced the release of H264 and H265 encoding via its DX12 API. This move brings support for GPU acceleration for several video applications such as video decoding, video processing, and motion estimation. Theoretically, this should ease the workload for developers, who, instead of having to implement video encoding acceleration by graphics provider (whether it's AMD, Intel, or NVIDIA), can now work via the DX12 API to achieve the same code effect. all providers, simplification of programming, and efficiency efforts - although Microsoft was quite reserved about the potential advantages and disadvantages of the new feature.

Although the implementation will eventually reach all platforms, DX12 API coding integration is currently only available for Intel and NVIDIA. Work still needs to be done on AMD's implementation, which generally uses fixed hardware function blocks to provide higher performance during encoding and transcoding, with less loss of flexibility. There are requirements for graphics card drivers that must be met to allow full encryption capabilities (and these can also only be partially supported, although performance will undoubtedly suffer).

Intel drivers support the new DX12 API feature from v30.0.100.9955 for the Tiger Lake, Ice Lake, and Alder Lake architectures (starting in 2022). Support for NVIDIA drivers has been available since v471.41, and the encryption feature is supported by GTX 1000, 2000, 3000, and Quadro series cards. Support for AMD graphics accelerators starts in the RX 5000 series, and IGP in Ryzen 2000 APUs is expected in the second quarter of 2022.