Believe it or not, I solved! For real this time! | HW Video Acceleration

Panino

*** (11 November Update, and Happy Armistice Day!)

Finally, after all these years... https://forum.vivaldi.net/post/793841

Officially solved!
Had to force just that Flag.

*** (6 August Update)
This week I receive updates for the Mesa and Vaapi packages and not video acceleration is broken on the Snapshot too, same problem as with the Stable.
Now I'll have to use Firefox only for watching videos.

This shouldn't ever happen, and it's only Vivaldi (and maybe chorume based web browsers that have this problem)

*** SOLVED (19 March Update)
https://forum.vivaldi.net/post/652853

Hope I'll not have to struggle with this again.

***UN-SOLVED (16 February Update)
I'm stuck at version 5.7.2901.3, because video acceleration stopped working. I tried installing the new Stable version, installed the extension, switch the flags, added the command line. Still don't works.
I was thinking for some time to switch from the snapshots and use only the Stable, but now I can't put this plan to work.

WHY IS VIDEO ACCELERATION SO HARD TO MAKE WORK ON LINUX?!

SOLVED!!! Video Acceleration Working on NEON!!! / Can you tell me if there's anything wrong preventing my Vivaldi from using hardware video decode?

From vivaldi://gpu

Graphics Feature Status
Canvas: Hardware accelerated
Canvas out-of-process rasterization: Enabled
Direct Rendering Display Compositor: Disabled
Compositing: Hardware accelerated
Multiple Raster Threads: Enabled
OpenGL: Enabled
Rasterization: Hardware accelerated on all pages
Raw Draw: Disabled
Video Decode: Hardware accelerated
Video Encode: Software only. Hardware acceleration disabled
Vulkan: Disabled
WebGL: Hardware accelerated
WebGL2: Hardware accelerated
WebGPU: Disabled

From vivaldi:media-internals, a simple video on youtube.

Player Properties

render_id: 17
player_id: 26
created: 2022-11-18 14:57:28.164 UTC
origin_url: https://www.youtube.com/
kFrameUrl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0twDETh6QaI
kFrameTitle: ROBLOX_OOF.mp3 - YouTube
url: blob:https://www.youtube.com/cd693775-b482-49db-ab70-aa13d15e28a2
kTextTracks: 
info: Selected video track: [1]
kRendererName: RendererImpl
pipeline_state: kPlaying
duration: 7068.761
kVideoTracks: [object Object]
kAudioTracks: [object Object]
event: kPlay
seek_target: 1360
kIsAudioDecryptingDemuxerStream: false
kAudioDecoderName: FFmpegAudioDecoder
kIsPlatformAudioDecoder: false
kIsVideoDecryptingDemuxerStream: false
kVideoDecoderName: FFmpegVideoDecoder
kIsPlatformVideoDecoder: false
dimensions: 854x480
kResolution: 854x480
pipeline_buffering_state: [object Object]
kVideoPlaybackRoughness: 6.037
kVideoPlaybackFreezing: 0.033338
kFramerate: 30

Log

00:00:00.000	created	"2022-11-18 14:57:28.164 UTC"
00:00:00.001	origin_url	"https://www.youtube.com/"
00:00:00.001	kFrameUrl	"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0twDETh6QaI"
00:00:00.001	kFrameTitle	"ROBLOX_OOF.mp3 - YouTube"
00:00:00.003	url	"blob:https://www.youtube.com/cd693775-b482-49db-ab70-aa13d15e28a2"
00:00:00.003	kTextTracks	[]
00:00:00.003	info	"ChunkDemuxer"
00:00:00.003	kRendererName	"RendererImpl"
00:00:00.003	pipeline_state	"kStarting"
00:00:00.093	duration	7068.761
00:00:02.541	kVideoTracks	[{"alpha mode":"is_opaque","codec":"h264","coded size":"854x480","color space":"{primaries:BT709, transfer:BT709, matrix:BT709, range:LIMITED}","encryption scheme":"Unencrypted","has extra data":false,"hdr metadata":"unset","natural size":"854x480","orientation":"0°","profile":"h264 main","visible rect":"0,0 854x480"}]
00:00:03.045	kAudioTracks	[{"bytes per channel":4,"bytes per frame":8,"channel layout":"STEREO","channels":2,"codec":"opus","codec delay":312,"discard decoder delay":true,"encryption scheme":"Unencrypted","has extra data":true,"profile":"unknown","sample format":"Float 32-bit","samples per second":48000,"seek preroll":"80000us"}]
00:00:03.092	info	"Effective playback rate changed from 0 to 1"
00:00:03.093	event	"kPlay"
00:00:03.096	seek_target	1360
00:00:03.330	kIsAudioDecryptingDemuxerStream	false
00:00:03.330	kAudioDecoderName	"FFmpegAudioDecoder"
00:00:03.330	kIsPlatformAudioDecoder	false
00:00:03.330	info	"Selected FFmpegAudioDecoder for audio decoding, config: codec: opus, profile: unknown, bytes_per_channel: 4, channel_layout: STEREO, channels: 2, samples_per_second: 48000, sample_format: Float 32-bit, bytes_per_frame: 8, seek_preroll: 80000us, codec_delay: 312, has extra data: true, encryption scheme: Unencrypted, discard decoder delay: true, target_output_channel_layout: STEREO, target_output_sample_format: Unknown sample format, has aac extra data: false"
00:00:03.330	info	"Failed to initialize DecryptingVideoDecoder"
00:00:03.330	info	"Failed to initialize VaapiVideoDecoder"
00:00:03.343	info	"Failed to initialize VpxVideoDecoder"
00:00:03.346	info	"Failed to initialize Dav1dVideoDecoder"
00:00:03.363	kIsVideoDecryptingDemuxerStream	false
00:00:03.363	kVideoDecoderName	"FFmpegVideoDecoder"
00:00:03.363	kIsPlatformVideoDecoder	false
00:00:03.363	info	"Selected FFmpegVideoDecoder for video decoding, config: codec: h264, profile: h264 main, level: not available, alpha_mode: is_opaque, coded size: [854,480], visible rect: [0,0,854,480], natural size: [854,480], has extra data: false, encryption scheme: Unencrypted, rotation: 0°, flipped: 0, color space: {primaries:BT709, transfer:BT709, matrix:BT709, range:LIMITED}"
00:00:03.363	pipeline_state	"kPlaying"
00:00:03.374	pipeline_state	"kSeeking"
00:00:03.511	pipeline_state	"kPlaying"
00:00:03.639	dimensions	"854x480"
00:00:03.639	kResolution	"854x480"
00:00:03.674	pipeline_buffering_state	{"for_suspended_start":false,"state":"BUFFERING_HAVE_ENOUGH"}
00:00:29.143	info	"Selected video track: []"
00:00:29.144	pipeline_buffering_state	{"for_suspended_start":false,"state":"BUFFERING_HAVE_ENOUGH"}
00:01:06.018	info	"Selected video track: [1]"
00:01:06.390	pipeline_buffering_state	{"for_suspended_start":false,"state":"BUFFERING_HAVE_ENOUGH"}
00:02:46.398	kVideoPlaybackRoughness	4.295
00:02:46.398	kVideoPlaybackFreezing	0.066646
00:02:46.398	kFramerate	30
00:04:26.395	kVideoPlaybackRoughness	3.006
00:04:26.395	kVideoPlaybackFreezing	0.033335
00:04:26.395	kFramerate	30
00:06:06.525	kVideoPlaybackRoughness	5.228
00:06:06.525	kVideoPlaybackFreezing	0.09997
00:06:06.525	kFramerate	30
00:07:46.522	kVideoPlaybackRoughness	0.257
00:07:46.522	kVideoPlaybackFreezing	0.033336
00:07:46.522	kFramerate	30
00:09:26.519	kVideoPlaybackRoughness	6.037
00:09:26.519	kVideoPlaybackFreezing	0.033338
00:09:26.519	kFramerate	30
00:11:06.527	kVideoPlaybackRoughness	5.261
00:11:06.527	kVideoPlaybackFreezing	0.033346
00:11:06.527	kFramerate	30

There's anything wrong there?
There's some lines that I can add to the file path beyond "--use-gl=desktop --enable-features=VaapiVideoDecoder"?
Firefox works without a problem but nothing can make Vivaldi work.

--
ModEdit: Title

mib2berlin

@Panino
Hi, there is nothing wrong HW acceleration to encode video is not available on Linux, even Chrome or Edge for Linux doesn´t support it.
The switch --enable-features=VaapiVideoDecoder does nothing.
May some Chromium browser have this enabled, you need to enable it when you compile the source code.

Cheers, mib

Panino

@mib2berlin said in Can you tell me if there's anything wrong preventing my Vivaldi from using hardware video decode?:

@Panino
Hi, there is nothing wrong HW acceleration to encode video is not available on Linux

Encode? I'm talking about "Decode", playing videos with GPU acceleration.

ugly

As far as I know, hardware video decode not working in Chromium based browsers has been a long-standing issue on Linux. But I haven't looked into it in a while.

Probably the best resource for getting it to work would be here:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Chromium#Hardware_video_acceleration

Panino

@ugly said in Can you tell me if there's anything wrong preventing my Vivaldi from using hardware video decode?:

As far as I know, hardware video decode not working in Chromium based browsers has been a long-standing issue on Linux. But I haven't looked into it in a while.

Probably the best resource for getting it to work would be here:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Chromium#Hardware_video_acceleration

Yes, I know, but there people here that swear it actually working on their computers.

DoctorG

Works nice in Vivaldi on Debian 11.5, uses VpxVideoDecoder decoding.
I set Override software rendering list (vivaldi://flags/#ignore-gpu-blocklist) to Enabled and restarted.

vivaldi://media-internals on my Linux:

player_id: 40
created: 2022-11-19 15:43:11.542 UTC
origin_url: https://www.youtube.com/
kFrameUrl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0twDETh6QaI
kFrameTitle: ROBLOX_OOF.mp3 - YouTube
url: blob:https://www.youtube.com/f15de9fa-057d-407d-9e52-65f13ae400a9
kTextTracks: 
info: Effective playback rate changed from 0 to 1
kRendererName: RendererImpl
pipeline_state: kPlaying
duration: 7068.761
kVideoTracks: [object Object]
kAudioTracks: [object Object]
kIsAudioDecryptingDemuxerStream: false
kAudioDecoderName: FFmpegAudioDecoder
kIsPlatformAudioDecoder: false
kIsVideoDecryptingDemuxerStream: false
kVideoDecoderName: VpxVideoDecoder
kIsPlatformVideoDecoder: false
event: kPlay
dimensions: 854x480
kResolution: 854x480
video_buffering_state: [object Object]

DoctorG

@Panino Have you tried this in console:

su root
/opt/vivaldi/update-ffmpeg

and try again after login as regular Linux user.

Panino

@DoctorG said in Can you tell me if there's anything wrong preventing my Vivaldi from using hardware video decode?:

@Panino Have you tried this in console:
su root
/opt/vivaldi/update-ffmpeg 
and try again after login as regular Linux user.

Already updated.

That's why I came here, I already tried everything, I added every package I could find via Muon, enabled every flag, added to the file path, everything and nothing works on Vivaldi.

Panino

While I was investigating other problem, see here: https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxquestions/comments/zxqm4f/some_websites_only_play_video_on_windows_or_mac/ I found the solution.

After all I did the missing piece was the kubuntu-restricted-extras package. After installing it video acceleration finally started working!

Now that I got this far I may as well go all the way, right? Using Intel_GPU_TOP to see what's happening with the GPU while the video is playing:

alt text

It's a bit different from what shows when I use Firefox. On Firefox the "Render/3D" is much lower, almost half, and there's no activity to "VideoEnhance". What is being "enhanced"? And while only Vivaldi does it? Isn't there a way to disable this and lower the Render/3D for maximum efficiency?

Panino

***UN-SOLVED (16 February Update)
I'm stuck at version 5.7.2901.3, because video acceleration stopped working. I tried installing the new Stable version, installed the extension, switch the flags, added the command line. Still don't works.
I was thinking for some time to switch from the snapshots and use only the Stable, but now I can't put this plan to work.

WHY IS VIDEO ACCELERATION SO HARD TO MAKE WORK ON LINUX?!

mib2berlin

@Panino
Ah, this thread, I remember.
I don´t read back on your posts but to start with troubleshooting you need a second clean profile.
Create one, close all tabs, don´t install or change anything.

https://help.vivaldi.com/desktop/tools/user-profiles/

This is vivaldi://gpu on my laptop, specs in my signature

Graphics Feature Status
Canvas: Hardware accelerated
Canvas out-of-process rasterization: Disabled
Direct Rendering Display Compositor: Disabled
Compositing: Hardware accelerated
Multiple Raster Threads: Enabled
OpenGL: Enabled
Rasterization: Hardware accelerated
Raw Draw: Disabled
Video Decode: Hardware accelerated
Video Encode: Software only. Hardware acceleration disabled
Vulkan: Disabled
WebGL: Hardware accelerated
WebGL2: Hardware accelerated
WebGPU: Disabled

Cheers, mib

Panino

This seems pointless, only thing that changed was Vivaldi, nothing else.

EDIT: downgraded again.

Latter maybe I'll try installing the Stable again and see what I can do to make it work. If it worked I was planing to switch from the Snapshot to the Stable.

mib2berlin

@Panino
If you already do all there is nothing to do else.
I have nothing to install, change or use flags to have HW acceleration enabled in the latest snapshot on KDE 5.27.0-1.1, i5 UHD 620.
The Vivaldi team cant fix this.

Cheers, mib

Panino

Just as a reminder, video acceleration never worked when using Wayland.

Panino

Seems that with time things changed internally, so I think I had to use another combination of flags.

The experiment flags are like this: https://i.imgur.com/sewMGym.jpg

And I added these to the file path: --enable-features=VaapiVideoDecoder, --use-gl=egl --disable-features=UseChromeOSDirectVideoDecoder

Finally, I succeeded changing to Vivaldi Stable.
(Sync don't sync the customized menus?)

Panino

Hardware video decode only worked on Stable for a fleeting moment, than I gave up.

Just a reminder that I'm stuck at version 5.8.2955.3 because of this.
Today I update Stable to the current version and nothing changed. I checked flags and file paths again, but nothing makes hardware video decode works.

npro

@Panino said in SOLVED! (for the last time) This time on Stable - NEON | HW Video Acceleration:

I added these to the file path: --enable-features=VaapiVideoDecoder --disable-features=UseChromeOSDirectVideoDecoder

works here (6.1.3035.50, AMD, X11) with those flags and the appropriate drivers and packages, but I am on Arch, so you could look again into the documentation of the wiki and try to find the Ubuntu "equivalents", or look for some official Ubuntu/Neon documentation.

Also, use this for the videos that use the av1 codec: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/not-yet-av1/dcmllfkiihingappljlkffafnlhdpbai

Panino

On the GPU page, on the snapshot where acceleration is working, at the very end it looks like this:

alt text

On Stable, no matter what I do, those fields remain blank.

I think Stable is using the wrong drivers? Because on some fields were appears "Mesa Intel(R) HD Graphics 520 (SKL GT2)" and other lines that include the Mesa driver, on the Stable is appears as "Google Inc. (Intel)".

Snapshot:
alt text

Stable:
alt text

Got me thinking, what if I can force the Stable to use the same driver the Snapshot is using?
But... I have no idea how to do that? And how each version is using different drivers? It's because the Stable is new and works differently, it has it's own driver? Even so, can I force it to use the Mesa driver?

Pathduck

@Panino said in SOLVED! (for the last time) This time on Stable - NEON | HW Video Acceleration:

And how each version is using different drivers? It's because the Stable is new and works differently, it has it's own driver?

No - "Google Inc. (Intel)". means it's using Software rendering, not hardware.
Explains the "Video Acceleration" being blank as well I guess.

Other than that, I can't help much with Linux and GPU driver problems.

npro

@Panino said in SOLVED! (for the last time) This time on Stable - NEON | HW Video Acceleration:

on the snapshot where acceleration is working

You really sure about that? The only way to be absolutely sure is the picture I showed you, Hardware Decoder should be showing true, not what you see under vivaldi://gpu. For example you see Video Decode: Hardware accelerated there but the textboxes in VA-Info are not showing any info.

I checked vivaldi://gpu for my Snapshot, it is what you are showing for Stable.
Use X11 and skip the parameter --use-gl=egl as I wrote above.

@Pathduck said in SOLVED! (for the last time) This time on Stable - NEON | HW Video Acceleration:

"Google Inc. (Intel)". means it's using Software rendering, not hardware.
Explains the "Video Acceleration" being blank as well I guess.

For strictly software rendering that would be Swiftshader, which is not in OP's case. ANGLE should be ok. OP needs additionally the parameter --enable-features=VaapiVideoDecoder for the textboxes to show the VA values.

The problem lies into that Chromium changes all the time, some things that used to work before don't quite work now.