# Video architecture The video software stack consists of a client application that interacts with the Adreno VPU using the V4L2 framework. The following figure shows the video software architecture for decoder and encoder. The image on the left shows the decoder architecture and the image on the right shows the encoder architecture. **Figure: Video decoder and encoder software architecture** The following table lists the components of the video software architecture: | Component | Description | | --- | --- | | User application | Interacts with the FileSource for decoder and the Camera Source for encoder based on GStreamer/V4L2 | | V4L2 framework |

Interacts with user application and the Adreno VPU driver

Handles events, callbacks, and buffer management

| | Adreno VPU driver |

Acts as an entry point to the video kernel mode driver (KMD)

Common driver for the encoder and decoder that controls the Adreno VPU

Manages the video driver state machine, buffer allocation, clock/bus management, and communication with Adreno VPU using the Host Firmware Interface (HFI)

| | Adreno VPU | Functions as a hardware accelerated engine that decodes and encodes a video with minimal power consumption | ## Video feature summary The Adreno VPU provides the following video decoding and encoding features: | Use case | Feature | QCS6490 | Qualcomm Dragonwing ^™^ IQ-9075/Qualcomm Dragonwing ^™^ IQ-8275 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | |
**Codecs** | H.264 (8‑bit decoder) | ✔ | ✔ | |
**Codecs** | HEVC (8‑bit decoder) | ✔ | ✔ | |
**Codecs** | HEVC (10‑bit decoder) | ✔ | ✔ | |
**Codecs** | VP9 (8‑bit decoder) | ✔ | ✔ | |
**Codecs** | VP9 (10‑bit decoder) | ✔ | ✔ | |
**Codecs** | AV1 (8‑bit decoder) | ✖ | ✔ | |
**Codecs** | AV1 (10‑bit decoder) | ✖ | ✔ | |
**Codecs** | H.264 (8‑bit encoder) | ✔ | ✔ | |
**Codecs** | HEVC (8‑bit encoder) | ✔ | ✔ | |
**Features** | [B-frame encode](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#beframeencode) | ✔ | ✔ | |
**Features** | [Encoder initial QP override](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#qpoverride) | ✔ | ✔ | |
**Features** | [Hierarchical-P encode](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#hierarchical) | ✔ | ✖ | |
**Features** | [Slice encode](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#sliceencode) | ✔ | ✖ | |
**Features** | [Intra-refresh](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#interarefresh) | ✔ | ✖ | |
**Features** | [Preprocessing](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#videoencoder) | ✔ | ✖ | |
**Features** | [Rate control](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#ratecontrol) | ✔ | ✔ | |
**Features** | [Long term reference (LTR)](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#longterm) | ✔ | ✖ | |
**Features** | [Dynamic properties](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#dynamicencoder) | ✔ | ✔ | | **Concurrency** | Multi-instance support | ✔ | ✔ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ## Video capabilities Tab QCS6490 Tab IQ-8275 Tab IQ-9075 The Adreno VPU on QCS6490 is a sixth-generation video processing unit that comes with the following capabilities: > > > | Feature | Capability | > | --- | --- | > | Video decode | Up to 4096 × 2160 at 60 fps for H.264/HEVC/VP9 | > | Video encode | Up to 4096 × 2160 at 30 fps for H.264/HEVC | > | Multichannel capability |

8x of 1920 × 1088 at 30 fps decode

16x of 1280 × 720 at 30 fps decode

4x of 1920 × 1088 at 30 fps encode

8x of 1280 × 720 at 30 fps encode

| > | High frame rate capture | 1280 × 720 at 480 fps or 1920 × 1088 at 240 fps | > | Maximum macroblocks per second | 2088960

You can calculate the maximum macroblocks per second using the formula:

(aligned width × aligned height × fps)/(macroblock size)

For example, (4096 × 2176 × 60)/256=2088960 | > > > > For more information on decode and encode capabilities for QCS6490, see [Advanced video specifications](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#qcs6490). The Adreno VPU on Dragonwing IQ-8275 is a seventh-generation video processing unit that comes with the following capabilities: > > > | **Feature** | **Capability** | > | --- | --- | > | Video decode |

Up to 3840 × 2160 at 120 fps for H.264/HEVC/VP9

Up to 3840 × 2160 at 60 fps for AV1

16x for 1920 × 1088 at 30 fps decode

16x for 1280 × 720 at 30 fps encode

| > | High framerate capture | 1920 × 1088 at 240 fps or 3840 × 2160 at 60 fps | > | Maximum macroblocks per second | 3916800

You can calculate the maximum macroblocks per second using the formula:

(aligned width × aligned height × fps)/(macroblock size)

For example, (3840 × 2176 × 120)/256 = 3916800 | > > > > For more information on decode and encode capabilities for Dragonwing IQ-8275, see [Advanced video specifications](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#qcs8275). The Adreno VPU on Dragonwing QCS9075 is a seventh-generation video processing unit that comes with the following capabilities: | Feature | Capability | | --- | --- | | Video decode |

Up to 7680 × 4320 at 60 fps or 3840 × 2160 at 240 fps for H.264/HEVC/AV1

Up to 3840 × 2160 at 240 fps for VP9

32x for 1920 × 1088 at 30 fps decode

32x for 1280 × 720 at 30 fps encode

24x for 1920 × 1088 at 30 fps encode

8x for 3840 × 2160 at 30 fps decode

| | High frame rate capture | 1920 × 1088 at 480 fps or 3840 × 2160 at 120 fps | | Maximum macroblocks per second | 7833600

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> You can calculate the maximum macroblocks per second using the formula:
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> (aligned width × aligned height × fps)/(macroblock size)
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> For example, (3840 × 2176 × 240)/256 = 7833600 | For more information on decode and encode capabilities for Dragonwing IQ-9075, see [Advanced video specifications](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#qcs9075). ## Next steps - [Advanced video specifications](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#section-tmv-51x-k1c-eputla-02-14-24-1638-44-607) Last Published: Jul 02, 2025 [Previous Topic Enable video](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/80-70020-20/topics/getting-started.md) [Next Topic Build video source components](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/80-70020-20/topics/software.md) Source: [https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/architecture.html](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-70020-20/topic/architecture.html)