After posting some recent ffmpeg SVT-AV1 vs -hwaccel AV1_QSV encoding tests, here follows a simple comparison with AV1_VAAPI (and opus audio default). Comparable bitrates are used. The higher bitrate is selected on VAAPI's default bitrate premise. Preset 4 quality setting is used for QSV encoding, no other tuning or optimization is applied. The first visual quality is so far reasonable IMO, while there may be differences at a closer study. The ffmpeg command line syntax I got working for AV1_VAAPI is based on an VP9 encode (only) example at https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Hardware/VAAPI#Encode-only So far I didn't succeed trying to apply the Hardware-only Transcode examples. So the DV and HDV decode parts have possibly taken place in the CPU rather than in the GPU(?) https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/Hardware/VAAPI#Transcode -------------------------- 576i SD-DV -> AV1_VAAPI at bv1570k VBR ffmpeg -hide_banner -vaapi_device /dev/dri/renderD128 -i dv01_07.dv -vf 'format=nv12,hwupload' -c:v av1_vaapi -b:v 1570k dv01_07_av1_vaapi_bv1570k.webm frame= 2832 fps=1959 q=-0.0 Lsize= 28133KiB time=00:01:53.28 bitrate=2034.5kbits/s speed=78.3x 576i SD-DV->AV1_QSV at bv1570k ffmpeg -hide_banner -hwaccel_output_format qsv -qsv_device /dev/dri/renderD128 -i dv01_07.dv -c:v av1_qsv -preset 4 -b:v 1570k dv01_07_av1_qsv_pr4_bv1570k.webm frame= 2832 fps=1746 q=-0.0 Lsize= 23852KiB time=00:01:53.24 bitrate=1725.5kbits/s speed=69.8x .......... 576i SD-DV -> AV1_VAAPI at default VBR ffmpeg -hide_banner -vaapi_device /dev/dri/renderD128 -i dv01_07.dv -vf 'format=nv12,hwupload' -c:v av1_vaapi dv01_07_av1_vaapi.webm frame= 2832 fps=1324 q=-0.0 Lsize= 81317KiB time=00:01:53.28 bitrate=5880.6kbits/s speed= 53x 576i SD-DV->AV1_QSV at bv5600k ffmpeg -hide_banner -hwaccel_output_format qsv -qsv_device /dev/dri/renderD128 -i dv01_07.dv -c:v av1_qsv -preset 4 -b:v 5600k dv01_07_av1_qsv_pr4_bv5600k.webm frame= 2832 fps=1713 q=-0.0 Lsize= 81600KiB time=00:01:53.24 bitrate=5903.1kbits/s speed=68.5x ....... du -sh dv*.dv dv*vaapi*.webm dv*qsv*.webm 389M dv01_07.dv 28M dv01_07_av1_vaapi_bv1570k.webm 80M dv01_07_av1_vaapi.webm 24M dv01_07_av1_qsv_pr4_bv1570k.webm 80M dv01_07_av1_qsv_pr4_bv5600k.webm In this SD-DV case, VAAPI encoding is 12% faster than QSV with 15% smaller file size at bv1570k bitrate, while QSV is 29% faster than VAAPI at bv5600k bitrate. ---------------------------- 1080i HDV -> AV1_VAAPI at 3700k VBR ffmpeg -hide_banner -vaapi_device /dev/dri/renderD128 -i hdv09_04.m2t -vf 'format=nv12,hwupload' -c:v av1_vaapi -b:v 3700k hdv09_04_av1_vaapi_bv3700k.webm frame= 5963 fps=631 q=-0.0 Lsize= 153106KiB time=00:03:58.77 bitrate=5252.8kbits/s speed=25.3x 1080i HDV->AV1_QSV at 3700k fmpeg -hide_banner -hwaccel_output_format qsv -qsv_device /dev/dri/renderD128 -extra_hw_frames 16 -i hdv09_04.m2t -c:v av1_qsv -preset 4 -b:v 3700k hdv09_04_av1_qsv_pr4_bv3700k.webm frame= 5963 fps=473 q=-0.0 Lsize= 113271KiB time=00:03:58.77 bitrate=3886.1kbits/s speed=18.9x ....... 1080i HDV -> AV1_VAAPI at default VBR ffmpeg -hide_banner -vaapi_device /dev/dri/renderD128 -i hdv09_04.m2t -vf 'format=nv12,hwupload' -c:v av1_vaapi hdv09_04_av1_vaapi.webm frame= 5963 fps=629 q=-0.0 Lsize= 153106KiB time=00:03:58.77 bitrate=5252.8kbits/s speed=25.2x 1080i HDV->AV1_QSV at 12600k ffmpeg -hide_banner -hwaccel_output_format qsv -qsv_device /dev/dri/renderD128 -extra_hw_frames 16 -i hdv09_04.m2t -c:v av1_qsv -preset 4 -b:v 12600k hdv09_04_av1_qsv_pr4_bv12600k.webm frame= 5963 fps=476 q=-0.0 Lsize= 370043KiB time=00:03:58.77 bitrate=12695.6kbits/s speed= 19x du -sh *.m2t hdv*vaapi*.webm hdv*qsv*.webm 745M hdv09_04.m2t 150M hdv09_04_av1_vaapi_bv3700k.webm 375M hdv09_04_av1_vaapi.webm 362M hdv09_04_av1_qsv_pr4_bv12600k.webm 111M hdv09_04_av1_qsv_pr4_bv3700k.webm In this HDV case, VAAPI encoding is about 33% faster than QSV with 25% - 4% smaller file sizes. Background info: ---------------- How to Identify & Find Graphics Drivers for Linux https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005520/graphics.... lspci -k | grep -EA3 'VGA|3D|Display' 03:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation DG2 [Arc A750] (rev 08) Subsystem: ASRock Incorporation Device 6002 Kernel driver in use: i915 Kernel modules: i915, xe Vaapi and libva packages installed: S | Name | Type | Version | Arch | Repository ---+--------------------+---------+----------------------+--------+---------------------- i | intel-vaapi-driver | package | 2.4.1-5.13 | x86_64 | openSUSE-Slowroll-Oss i | libva-drm2 | package | 2.21.0-1.1 | x86_64 | openSUSE-Slowroll-Oss i | libva-glx2 | package | 2.21.0-1.1 | x86_64 | openSUSE-Slowroll-Oss i+ | libva-utils | package | 2.20.1-1.3 | x86_64 | openSUSE-Slowroll-Oss i | libva-wayland2 | package | 2.21.0-1.1 | x86_64 | openSUSE-Slowroll-Oss i | libva-x11-2 | package | 2.21.0-1.1 | x86_64 | openSUSE-Slowroll-Oss i | libva2 | package | 2.21.0-1.1 | x86_64 | openSUSE-Slowroll-Oss i | Mesa-libva | package | 24.0.8-1699.384.pm.1 | x86_64 | Packman Information for package intel-vaapi-driver: ------------------------------------------- Summary : Intel Driver for Video Acceleration (VA) API for Linux Description : Intel Driver for Libva is a library providing the VA API video acceleration API. Information for package libva-drm2: ----------------------------------- Summary : DRM backend for the Video Acceleration API Description : The libva library implements the Video Acceleration API. The library loads a hardware dependendent driver. This is the VA/DRM runtime library. Information for package libva-glx2: ----------------------------------- Summary : GLX backend for the Video Acceleration API Description : The libva library implements the Video Acceleration API. The library loads a hardware dependendent driver. This is the VA/GLX runtime library. Information for package libva-utils: ------------------------------------ Summary : A collection of utilities and examples to exercise VA-API Description : libva-utils is a collection of utilities and examples to exercise VA-API in accordance with the libva project. A driver implementation is necessary to properly operate. Information for package libva-wayland2: --------------------------------------- Summary : Wayland backend for the Video Acceleration API Description : The libva library implements the Video Acceleration API. The library loads a hardware dependendent driver. Information for package libva-x11-2: ------------------------------------ Summary : X11 backend for the Video Acceleration API Description : The libva library implements the Video Acceleration API. The library loads a hardware dependendent driver. This is the VA/X11 runtime library. Information for package libva2: ------------------------------- Summary : Video Acceleration API Description : The libva library implements the Video Acceleration API. The library loads a hardware dependendent driver. This is the core runtime library. Information for package Mesa-libva: ----------------------------------- Summary : Mesa VA-API implementation Description : This package contains the Mesa VA-API implementation provided through gallium. vainfo Trying display: wayland error: XDG_RUNTIME_DIR is invalid or not set in the environment. Trying display: x11 libva info: VA-API version 1.21.0 libva info: Trying to open /usr/lib64/dri/iHD_drv_video.so libva info: Found init function __vaDriverInit_1_20 libva info: va_openDriver() returns 0 vainfo: VA-API version: 1.21 (libva 2.20.1) vainfo: Driver version: Intel iHD driver for Intel(R) Gen Graphics - 24.1.3 () vainfo: Supported profile and entrypoints VAProfileNone : VAEntrypointVideoProc VAProfileNone : VAEntrypointStats VAProfileMPEG2Simple : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileMPEG2Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264Main : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileJPEGBaseline : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileJPEGBaseline : VAEntrypointEncPicture VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileH264ConstrainedBaseline: VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileHEVCMain10 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain10 : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileVP9Profile0 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP9Profile0 : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileVP9Profile1 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP9Profile1 : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileVP9Profile2 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP9Profile2 : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileVP9Profile3 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileVP9Profile3 : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileHEVCMain12 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain422_10 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain422_10 : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileHEVCMain422_12 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain444 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain444 : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileHEVCMain444_10 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCMain444_10 : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileHEVCMain444_12 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCSccMain : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCSccMain : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileHEVCSccMain10 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCSccMain10 : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileHEVCSccMain444 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCSccMain444 : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileAV1Profile0 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileAV1Profile0 : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP VAProfileHEVCSccMain444_10 : VAEntrypointVLD VAProfileHEVCSccMain444_10 : VAEntrypointEncSliceLP FFmpeg ------- ffmpeg -hide_banner -buildconf | grep vaapi --enable-vaapi ffmpeg -hide_banner -encoders | grep av1 V....D libaom-av1 libaom AV1 (codec av1) V....D librav1e librav1e AV1 (codec av1) V..... libsvtav1 SVT-AV1(Scalable Video Technology for AV1) encoder (codec av1) V....D av1_nvenc NVIDIA NVENC av1 encoder (codec av1) V..... av1_qsv AV1 (Intel Quick Sync Video acceleration) (codec av1) V....D av1_amf AMD AMF AV1 encoder (codec av1) V....D av1_vaapi AV1 (VAAPI) (codec av1) A....D wmav1 Windows Media Audio 1 ffmpeg -hide_banner -h encoder=av1_vaapi Encoder av1_vaapi [AV1 (VAAPI)]: General capabilities: dr1 delay hardware Threading capabilities: none Supported hardware devices: vaapi Supported pixel formats: vaapi av1_vaapi AVOptions: -low_power <boolean> E..V....... Use low-power encoding mode (only available on some platforms; may not support all encoding features) (default false) -idr_interval <int> E..V....... Distance (in I-frames) between IDR frames (from 0 to INT_MAX) (default 0) -b_depth <int> E..V....... Maximum B-frame reference depth (from 1 to INT_MAX) (default 1) -async_depth <int> E..V....... Maximum processing parallelism. Increase this to improve single channel performance. This option doesn't work if driver doesn't implement vaSyncBuffer function. (from 1 to 64) (default 2) -max_frame_size <int> E..V....... Maximum frame size (in bytes) (from 0 to INT_MAX) (default 0) -rc_mode <int> E..V....... Set rate control mode (from 0 to 6) (default auto) auto 0 E..V....... Choose mode automatically based on other parameters CQP 1 E..V....... Constant-quality CBR 2 E..V....... Constant-bitrate VBR 3 E..V....... Variable-bitrate ICQ 4 E..V....... Intelligent constant-quality QVBR 5 E..V....... Quality-defined variable-bitrate AVBR 6 E..V....... Average variable-bitrate -blbrc <boolean> E..V....... Block level based bitrate control (default false) -profile <int> E..V....... Set profile (seq_profile) (from -99 to 255) (default -99) main 0 E..V....... high 1 E..V....... professional 2 E..V....... -tier <int> E..V....... Set tier (seq_tier) (from 0 to 1) (default main) main 0 E..V....... high 1 E..V....... -level <int> E..V....... Set level (seq_level_idx) (from -99 to 31) (default -99) 2.0 0 E..V....... 2.1 1 E..V....... 3.0 4 E..V....... 3.1 5 E..V....... 4.0 8 E..V....... 4.1 9 E..V....... 5.0 12 E..V....... 5.1 13 E..V....... 5.2 14 E..V....... 5.3 15 E..V....... 6.0 16 E..V....... 6.1 17 E..V....... 6.2 18 E..V....... 6.3 19 E..V....... -tiles <image_size> E..V....... Tile columns x rows (Use minimal tile column/row number automatically by default) -tile_groups <int> E..V....... Number of tile groups for encoding (from 1 to 4096) (default 1)