# 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 the decoder and the 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: Table: Components of 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 capabilities Tab QCS6490 Tab IQ-8275 Tab IQ-9075 Tab QCS615 The Adreno VPU on QCS6490 is a sixth-generation video processing unit that comes with the following capabilities: > > > Table: Adreno VPU features and capabilities for QCS6490 > > > | 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 | > | High frame rate capture | 1280 × 720 at 480 fps or 1920 × 1088 at 240 fps | > | Maximum macroblocks per second | 2088960

The maximum number of macroblocks per second is calculated using the following formula:

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

For example, (4096 × 2176 × 60)/256=2088960 | > > > > For more information on the decode and encode capabilities of QCS6490, see [Advanced video specifications](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-80022-20/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: > > > Table: Adreno VPU features and capabilities for IQ-8275 > > > | **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

| > | Video encode | Up to 4096 × 2160 at 60 fps for H.264/HEVC | > | High framerate capture | 1920 × 1088 at 240 fps or 3840 × 2160 at 60 fps | > | Maximum macroblocks per second | 3916800

The maximum number of macroblocks per second is calculated using the following formula:

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

For example, (3840 × 2176 × 120)/256 = 3916800 | > > > > For more information on the decode and encode capabilities of Dragonwing IQ-8275, see [Advanced video specifications](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-80022-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#qcs8275). The Adreno VPU on Dragonwing IQ-9075 is a seventh-generation video processing unit that comes with the following capabilities: > > > Table: Adreno VPU features and capabilities for IQ-9075 > > > | 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

| > | Video encode | Up to 7680 × 4320 at 30 fps for H.264/HEVC | > | Multichannel capability | Up to 7680 × 4320 at 30 fps for H.264/HEVC | > | High frame rate capture | 1920 × 1088 at 480 fps or 3840 × 2160 at 120 fps | > | Maximum macroblocks per second | 7833600

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>
> The maximum number of macroblocks per second is calculated using the following formula:
>
>
> (aligned width × aligned height × fps)/(macroblock size)
>
>
> For example, (3840 × 2176 × 240)/256 = 7833600 | > > > > For more information on the decode and encode capabilities of Dragonwing IQ-9075, see [Advanced video specifications](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-80022-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#qcs9075). The Adreno VPU on QCS615 is a sixth-generation video processing unit that comes with the following capabilities: > > > Table: Adreno VPU features and capabilities for QCS615 > > > | Feature | Capability | > | --- | --- | > | Video decode | Up to 3840 × 2160 at 240 fps for H.264/HEVC/VP9 | > | Video encode | Up to 3840 × 2160 at 30 fps for H.264/HEVC | > | High frame rate capture | 1280 × 720 at 240 fps or 1920 × 1080 at 120 fps | > | Maximum macroblocks per second | 976500

>
>
> The maximum number of macroblocks per second is calculated using the following formula:
>
>
> (aligned width × aligned height × fps)/(macroblock size)
>
>
> For example, (3840 × 2176 × 30)/256 = 976500 | > > > > For more information on the decode and encode capabilities of QCS615, see [Advanced video specifications](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-80022-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#qcs615). ## Next steps - [Advanced video specifications](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-80022-20/topic/feature-descriptions.html#section-tmv-51x-k1c-eputla-02-14-24-1638-44-607) Last Published: May 14, 2026 [Previous Topic Enable video](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/80-80022-20/topics/getting-started.md) [Next Topic Build video source components](https://docs.qualcomm.com/bundle/publicresource/80-80022-20/topics/software.md)