Would it be possible to have a dedicated hardware HEVC encoder?

[bizzybody]

PC computing power didn't take long to hit the point where faster than real-time encoding of MPEG2 with software was possible.

h.264 takes a pretty hefty CPU just to hit real-time encoding with software, and hardware encoding for has been built into PC chipsets for a few years.

h.265 hardware encoding just recently being built into some chipsets and higher end GPUs, but it's not as good (at least not with default settings) as slow software encoders.

So, how about a PCIe card that does nothing but high quality, high speed HEVC encoding acceleration? If it could be fit onto an ExpressCard it would make a lot of otherwise quite powerful laptops into video editing systems able to render to HEVC on the fly.

Such a card should be considerably cheaper than buying the latest laptop with HEVC encoding in its chipset or having to buy an extremely expensive gaming laptop with the latest GPU. Those are usually bulky, heavy and require a big brick of an external power supply. Some require TWO power supplies. Not running on batteries. ASUS is about to release an ultrabook with a single nVidia GTX 1080, which is really going upset that market - except for the ultimate power seekers who want a dual GTX 1080ti.

But for us poorer folks who can't drop a high 4 figure (or even 5 figure!) sum on a new rig, there's a market *right now* for a dedicated HEVC encoder device. This window of opportunity stands a chance of being open for quite a while, unlike the about 1.5 years (or less) that hardware MPEG2 encoders were relevant.

What would make it have a longer useful life is making it upgradeable. Perhaps a specialized FPGA or other reconfigurable chip that can be updated and optimized instead of being stuck with the capabilities baked in when manufactured, as the chipset and GPU encoders are.

[TE16]

Most of the latest Nvidia GPU's have H.264 and H.265 hardware encoding built into them but the problem I find is the difference in quality between encoding from CPU with x264 and x265. There is a ton more options that can be used with x264 and x265 where as GPU encoding is limited in the options and also makes quality a lot worse. You can test it for your self with XMediaRecode which can encode to x264, x265, GPU H.264 and H.265. You'll find CPU wins quality every time.

[sneaker]

But for us poorer folks who can't drop a high 4 figure (or even 5 figure!) sum on a new rig, there's a market *right now* for a dedicated HEVC encoder device.

Kaby Lake laptops start < 500 bucks. For dektops you can get a cheap Pascal card. There is no mass market for such a dedicated device. And when Intel and Nvidia needed years to narrow the gap to software encoders no one is able to just release such a hardware device anyways. It would take serious development (read: money and time) and combined with it being a niché it would cost $$$.

Your wish is a pipe dream.

[pandy]

Use modern video card - this is cheapest possible HEVC solution, Xilinx Zynq family has already embedded HW HEVC codec (but probably suffering from similar limitations as other cheap solutions).

[Roph]

I would agree with just getting a modern cheap GPU, a radeon 550 or geforce 1030. Both will encode impressive (enough) H265 for the bitrate. Very quickly too.

[Micky]

I have a GT 1030 and it does not support hardware encoding. Hybrid, StaxRip and some commercial programs (VSO ect.) Do not work with the GT 1030 in HW encoding. Send the card back to the dealer...

[Roph]

Wow, a new low for nvidia. From a quick google apparently it's accessible on linux, though seems to be locked off in the windows drivers.

Looks like you need a 1050 minimum to be "allowed" to use the encoder. Gotta pay that green tax.

[Micky]

In linux it works? Nvidia want the windows user probably anger. I've talked today with a supporter from nvidia, who said the GT series can not, only from GTX. i don't have linux...

[pandy]

NVEnc works well under Linux and under Windows - newer chip mean more video encoding functionality.

[Micky]

NVEnc works well under Linux and under Windows - newer chip mean more video encoding functionality.

Right, but with GT 1030 (Pascal-GPU) works it NOT under Windows- If it is only limited by the driver, you could take a modded driver, but as far as I understand it is blocked with the GT 1030 in the chip - no idea if that is true, but with nvidia one experienced