Nvidia NVDEC

Nvidia NVDEC (formerly known as NVCUVID) is a feature in its graphics cards that performs video decoding, offloading this compute-intensive task from the CPU.

It is accompanied by NVENC for video encoding in Nvidia's Video Codec SDK.

Technology

NVDEC can offload video decoding to full fixed-function decoding hardware (Nvidia PureVideo), or (partially) decode via CUDA software running on the GPU, if fixed-function hardware is not available.

Depending on the GPU architecture, the following codecs are supported:

• MPEG-2
• VC-1
• H.264 (AVC)
• H.265 (HEVC)
• VP8
• VP9
• AV1

Versions

NVCUVID was originally distributed as part of the Nvidia CUDA Toolkit. Later, it was renamed to NVDEC and moved to the Nvidia Video Codec SDK.

Operating system support

See also: Nvidia PureVideo

NVDEC is available for Windows and Linux operating systems. As NVDEC is a proprietary API (as opposed to the open-source VDPAU API), it is only supported by the proprietary Nvidia driver on Linux.

Application and library support

• Gstreamer has supported NVDEC since 2017.
• FFmpeg has supported NVDEC since 2017.
• mpv has supported NVDEC since 2017 by the use of FFmpeg.

GPU support

HW accelerated encode and decode are supported on NVIDIA GeForce, Quadro, Tesla, and GRID products with Fermi or newer generation GPUs.

Board	Family	Chip	Desktop/ Mobile/ Server	# Of Chips	# Of NVDEC /Chip	Total # of NVDEC	MPEG-1	MPEG-2	VC-1	VP8	VP9			H.264 (AVCHD)	H.265 (HEVC) 4:2:0			H.265 (HEVC) 4:4:4			AV1 4:2:0
											8 bit	10 bit	12 bit		8 bit	10 bit	12 bit	8 bit	10 bit	12 bit	8 bit	10 bit	12 bit
GeForce 710A > 810A	Kepler	GK208	M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GT 723A / 740A	Kepler	GK208	M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GT 720M > 740M	Kepler	GK208	M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GT 630 / 635/ 640 / 710 / 730	Kepler	GK208	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce 710A / 810M / 820M	Kepler	GK107	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GT 640M > 755M / GTX 660M	Kepler	GK107	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GT 630 - 640 GeForce GTX 650 GeForce GT 740	Kepler	GK107	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 645 -650 Ti Boost GeForce GT 740	Kepler	GK106	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 660 - 690 GeForce GTX 760 - 770	Kepler	GK104	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 760A/M > 880M	Kepler	GK104	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 680M/MX > 880M	Kepler	GK104	M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 780 - 780 Ti	Kepler (2nd Gen)	GK110	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX Titan / Titan Black	Kepler (2nd Gen)	GK110	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX Titan Z	Kepler (2nd Gen)	GK110	D	2	1	2	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 745 - 750 Ti	Maxwell (1st Gen)	GM107	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce 845M / 940M / 940MX / 945M	Maxwell (1st Gen)	GM107	M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 850A > 960A	Maxwell (1st Gen)	GM107	M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 850M > 960M	Maxwell (1st Gen)	GM107	M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce 830A > 945A	Maxwell (1st Gen)	GM108	M	1	0	0	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce 830M > 945M	Maxwell (1st Gen)	GM108	M	1	0	0	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 920MX - 940MX	Maxwell (1st Gen)	GM108	M	1	0	0	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce MX110 / MX130	Maxwell (1st Gen)	GM108	M	1	0	0	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 750 GeForce GTX 950 - 960	Maxwell (2nd Gen)	GM206	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 965M	Maxwell (2nd Gen)	GM206	M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 910M / 920M / 920A	Maxwell (2nd Gen)	GM208B	M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 965M > 980M / 980MX	Maxwell (2nd Gen)	GM204	M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 960 Ti / 970 / 980	Maxwell (2nd Gen)	GM204	M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 980 Ti	Maxwell (2nd Gen)	GM200	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX Titan X	Maxwell (2nd Gen)	GM200	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce MX150	Pascal	GP108	M	1	0	0	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce MX230 / MX250	Pascal	GP108	M	1	0	0	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GT 1030	Pascal	GP108	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 1050 / 1050 Ti	Pascal	GP107	D/M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 1050 / 1050 Ti	Pascal	GP106	D/M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 1060	Pascal	GP106	D/M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 1060	Pascal	GP104	D/M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 1070M / 1080M	Pascal	GP104B	M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 1070 / 1070 Ti / 1080	Pascal	GP104	D/M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 1080 Ti	Pascal	GP102	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX Titan X / Titan Xp	Pascal	GP102	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Titan V	Volta	GV100	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 1650	Turing	TU117	D/M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
GeForce GTX 1660 Ti / 1660	Turing	TU116	D/M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
GeForce RTX 2060 / 2070	Turing	TU106	D/M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
GeForce RTX 2080	Turing	TU104	D/M	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
GeForce RTX 2080 Ti	Turing	TU102	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Titan RTX	Turing	TU102	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
A100	Ampere	GA100	S	1	1	5	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
GeForce RTX 3080 / 3090	Ampere	GA102	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
GeForce RTX 3060 Ti / 3070	Ampere	GA104	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
GeForce RTX 3050 Ti / 3060	Ampere	GA106	D	1	1	1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

See also

• AMD Video Core Next, AMD's equivalent SIP core since 2018
• AMD Unified Video Decoder, AMD's equivalent SIP core up to 2017
• Intel Quick Sync Video, Intel's equivalent SIP core
• List of Nvidia graphics processing units
• Qualcomm Hexagon
• Nvidia NVENC

External links

• NVIDIA VIDEO CODEC SDK