2009-01-08, 00:01
Gamester17 Wrote:Yes OpenCL is irrelevant for this specific thread, please stop thread hi-jacking in order to try to lobby OpenCL.
Friendly warning this time only...
Just pointing out that memory swapping is avoided by an alternative GPU decode method (see I didn't even name it!). If system-gpu memory swaps are the only way to make VDPAU work on XBMC, then I don't think it will be beneficial.
GPU acceleration takes advantage of the massive on board memory bandwidth and parallel processing of the GPU architecture. Having the CPU so intensively involved will negate any theoretical efficiency/fps increases...the GPU will be in perpetual 'hurry up and wait-wait-wait' mode.
The mismatch imposed by intensive CPU/system RAM involvement will be even more apparent on precisely the systems that would most benefit from GPU acceleration: namely systems that have slower processors but relatively powerful GPU's. All the 2 year old systems with Nvidia/ATI h.264 enabled GPU's but slower dual cores (to say nothing of netbooks) will still be hobbled in 1080p playback. So all that work for little gain.