[Libva] [RFC] VA API extension proposals to support encode and post-processing

[Gwenole Beauchesne]

Hi Jonathan,

2011/8/17 Bian, Jonathan <jonathan.bian at intel.com>:
> 3. Added "Ext" buffer types to extend encode parameters buffers without impacting compatibility with existing encode data structures 4. Added new buffer types for packed header to be sent by the app, and various buffers required for video post-processing 5. Added "Ext" version of sequence, picture and slice parameter buffer structures for H.264 to support High Profile encoding.

Can we think about a Cap mechanism similar to VPP's one?
Or should we add a note/comment that for high-profile encoding, the
*Ext structures need to be used?

BTW, could we add an entropy_coding_mode_flag to the older API
supporting Main profile? It seems the PVR driver can also support
CABAC but there is no way to enable it through the API.

> 6. Added new functions and data structures to support video post-processing (see va_vpp.h).

Can we push the latest vaapi-ext changes? It seems the current fd.o
tree does not contain the latest additions and this split to va_vpp.h.

Some extra comments:
- s/VA_ENC_INTERLACED_PIC_AFF/VA_ENC_INTERLACED_PAFF/  to align with
the MBAFF definition?
- VAEncH264VUIBufferH264 is still present. Either the comment is no
longer accurate or we need to drop it. Besides, the bitfields won't
compile with an ISO C compliant compiler
- VAEncSequenceParameterBufferH264Ext needs to be documented more:
  - target_usage is a little ambiguous. Is this specific to HW rate
control? Or driver-based rate control?
  - rate_control_method needs correct enums, possibly not exposing
Gen's values directly. :)
I am wondering if we could also add a "custom" one, meaning
app-controlled through additional API we will define.

I also see that we have VAEnc*BufferExtTypes, why can't we alias Ext
sequence, picture & slice parameter buffer types to the original types
and let the driver determine the actual type through the size
parameter?

I think we can drop the VA_ENUM_MAX definitions since this won't be
useful in practise. What are they used for?

Thanks,
Gwenole.