Video Card for HEVC 265 10bit

  • One of the design goals for K19 is the removal of all vendor proprietary interfaces. iMX6 is already gone and VDPAU/amcodec can be removed once the K18 release branch is forked. VAAPI gets a pass because it's no longer Intel specific (AMD and Allwinner will use it). One of the related design goals for LE10 is the removal of X11 and it's many dependencies.

    The next generation Kodi video pipeline based on DRM/GBM allows us to support 10+ different GPU/SoC types (everything except nVidia) under a single framework and code path. There is nothing to stop someone implementing EGL streams, but it's not going to be popular with the main Kodi architects (given the design goals) and so far nobody is volunteering to do the work.

    Unless that situation changes there will be a technical decision to terminate nVidia support after LE 9.0, and we are actively collecting stats on the number of installed devices with nVidia GPU's to quantify the impact of that decision. NB: If LE ends nVidia support you can still install drivers under Ubuntu or some other distro using Wayland or Xorg.

    I'm one of those Nvidia users ATM. Can we take what you wrote to the bank? About "everything except nVidia" being supported? If that's the case, from what I understand an AMD RX560 should be supported and provide 10bit H265 in addition to 4k60 and HDR.

    If that is the case I would not have a problem moving to AMD for the LE HTPC.

  • I'm one of those Nvidia users ATM. Can we take what you wrote to the bank? About "everything except nVidia" being supported? If that's the case, from what I understand an AMD RX560 should be supported and provide 10bit H265 in addition to 4k60 and HDR. If that is the case I would not have a problem moving to AMD for the LE HTPC.

    Allwinner, AMD, Amlogic, Broadcom, Intel, NXP, Qualcom, Rockchip and Samsung (with specific GPU's/SOCs and not universal coverage) are on the current supported list for the GBM pipeline and by the time we get to K19/LE10.0 there are probably others too. That's the nice thing about working with proper standards. You need to understand that Linux is still evolving support for HDR though; so individual drivers will be at different stages of progress and we're dumb passengers in that process. AMD looks a better bet than nVidia right now, but no promises.

  • from my understanding Kodi can play 10bit HDR, but you won't see the HDR effect at your screen

    I think at this point I'll just hold off on Linux and 4k. When I do get my 4k TV i'll move my current htpc over to the bedroom and just get a Vero 4k. I know it works properly at this point as its been tested by someone I trust on his amazing LG OLED tv and the guy is a super snob when it comes to video quality :D

  • I guess you mean G4560, you can use G4600, they are pretty cheap these days.

    Btw the state of Nvidia support in the future at Kodi is still not clear!

    Oh, Nvidia's support for Linux is very clear. It's very clearly still non-existing! And it's very clear it'll stay that way!

  • Been a few months and a new build of Kodi since I last asked so I figured I'd check in. Any chance HDR is working yet? Was thinking of buying a 4k tv soon and not have to use a Vero 4k but rather a intel nuc.