New Intel Mesa Driver Patches Implement AV1 Decode For Vulkan Video

While there has been Vulkan Video support within Intel's open-source "ANV" driver since early 2023 and extended over time to handle H.265/HEVC decode, H.264 and H.265 encode, and more, the AV1 decode support has lagged behind until now.

In a new Mesa merge request this week that is pending review, there is Intel ANV Vulkan Video support for decoding AV1 content. This code has been successfully tested with various AV1 content, including 10-bit decoding and features like in-loop super resolution.

This AV1 decode support for Vulkan Video with the Intel Linux driver wasn't worked on by Intel engineers directly but rather opened by Hyunjun Ko of consulting firm Igalia.

See this merge request for the pending AV1 Vulkan Video decode support for the Intel open-source Linux driver. It looks like some revisions may be needed as like FFmpeg developer Lynne had reported in the merge request already, video seeking during playback causes a Vulkan "DEVICE_LOST" issue -- but the issue also occurs during HEVC handling with the ANV driver too. In any case at least now the AV1 decode for Intel Vulkan Video is on the way for Linux users.

It was back in February of this year when the AV1 decode spec was finalized for Vulkan Video and in turn shortly thereafter Mesa 24.1 saw AV1 decode support within the Radeon RADV driver.