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Flash 10.1 updated with hardware acceleration support, codenamed "Gala"
- Thread starter aiqw9182
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Basically it means rather than let the CPU do all the work, it can offload some of that work to the GPU. It translates into considerably better efficiency for video playback.
When you download and watch videos, they are compressed (or they would take up lots of bandwidth and harddrive space). It takes effort to decode the video so its watchable on your screen. Hardware decoding means this is done with your graphics chip, so its faster and doesn't require CPU cycles, which software decoding requires).
it is offloading the flash processes to from the CPU in which it is unoptimized for to the GPU (graphical processing unit) where i can handle the load more efficiently. Thus better performance and battery life.
Um, exactly, it's not done in OpenCL, the entire point of which is that code would run on any supported GPU, it's using specific h.264 accelerators that differ from card to card, and would require different drivers, which yes, they're too lazy to support.
Which is the entire reason OpenCL exists.
Nope Adobe could have used other OSX technology to speed up flash as all others do.
Wrong. OpenCL is a separate pathway from using the H.264 decoding hardware built into the GPU (i.e., what Apple uses for its own QuickTime software). This alone would not allow plug-ins like Flash Player to use the GPU's built-in H.264 hardware decoding system.
This was really exciting to me until I realized that only the newer graphics cards were supported.
My macbook pro will still overheat, and it will still be a problematic when trying to view youtube videos.
I'm disappointed.
A step in the right direction but not strong enough. Come on Apple.
My macbook pro will still overheat, and it will still be a problematic when trying to view youtube videos.
I'm disappointed.
A step in the right direction but not strong enough. Come on Apple.
9600M GT is DEFINITELY working
Just downloaded the update and went to youtube to test it out. I have the first version of the unibody macbook pros with 9400M and 9600M GT (512MB) Graphics Cards. Normally on Youtube any 1080P videos would give me glitchy performance but no longer. After the update not only do i see the noticeable performance update but I also see the little white square in the top left corner of the video to signify that hardware acceleration is indeed working. Good job Adobe!
Just downloaded the update and went to youtube to test it out. I have the first version of the unibody macbook pros with 9400M and 9600M GT (512MB) Graphics Cards. Normally on Youtube any 1080P videos would give me glitchy performance but no longer. After the update not only do i see the noticeable performance update but I also see the little white square in the top left corner of the video to signify that hardware acceleration is indeed working. Good job Adobe!
Does anyone know what graphics card drivers are updated with 10.6.4? I actually believe there could be a chance that 2008 Mac's with h.264 acceleration hardware sitting on cards unused might get new drivers. It would make sense in order for Apple to push Snow Leopard. I honestly don't think leaving the 2008 Mac's without up-to-date drivers will increase Mac sales. Having h.264 hardware acceleration isn't big enough reason to upgrade a Mac but it's definitely a great reason to upgrade your OS.
3 points...
1) its difficult to work out who is right here at the moment as I have limited knowledge in this area, but thats a personal thing
2) I have installed on my MBP (see sig) and i have noticed improved playback on BOTH the 9400 and the 9600.
3) This is BIG news for the 9400 Macbook airs!
Technology aside, this is a great update. The releases for flash have been very good over the last 2 years. Yes it's still (or was) very poor in comparison but has been getting steadily better.
I actually read on some other thread here in MacRumours that even when using 9600M GT the accelerator from 9400M is used. I don't know how this is done without logging out...
HELP Please
I uninstalled flash and installed gala. When i try to right click on a video to access settings to enable hardware acceleration, the settings menu freezes when it pops up, and all i can do is refresh the page which is slow. I tried uninstalling gala and installing the 10.0 and tryng to enable it there, and same thing. Only difference is with gala the screen flashes slightly. Any help on this would be appreciated. Is there another way to access adobe settings?
I uninstalled flash and installed gala. When i try to right click on a video to access settings to enable hardware acceleration, the settings menu freezes when it pops up, and all i can do is refresh the page which is slow. I tried uninstalling gala and installing the 10.0 and tryng to enable it there, and same thing. Only difference is with gala the screen flashes slightly. Any help on this would be appreciated. Is there another way to access adobe settings?
No. You seem to not understand how OpenCL and h.264 hardware acceleration work or what they are for. OpenCL only access some of the graphic API's and shaders of video cards, not all. It doesn't have, as of right now, any access to the video hardware acceleration features that some video cards have. Now, I'm not saying that in the future it might have those, but it takes a long time to get new features into a framework like OpenCL unless you want a very buggy implementation.
On top of that, OpenCL is not just Apple so some stuff will move slower as other companies contribute, etc. For more information go here:
http://www.khronos.org/opencl/
Also, I don't think OpenCL is going to add much of the video hardware acceleration routines. OpenCL is focused on creating a framework that will create programs that will be allowed to use the GPU for math intensive tasks.
This may have already been addressed, but is there anyway to get rid of that white box?
It's pretty annoying; I'll go back to the old version just to get rid of it.
It's pretty annoying; I'll go back to the old version just to get rid of it.
Is anyone else NOT getting it to work? I don't get that white box, and CPU usage appears to be about the same. Tried restarting and uninstalling/reinstalling it multiple times. No white box on youtube, hulu, or this h.264 flash demo video I found. Late '08 2.53ghz MBP on 10.6.3, using Safari.
I can't get it to work either.
[EDIT] Ahh, hang on. It does work but not in Chrome for some reason.
Works fine in Safari.I got a little confused. I guess my Macbook comes under Macbook Pro now. lol Hope this stops the computer overheating, and draining battery easily. Since I only really watch videos on youtube and use the html5 beta, thats made it easier on my Macbook.
FINGERS CROSSED
FINGERS CROSSED
Not really. Even if you are using the 9600GT, the H.264 acceleration chip in 9400M is still accessible since Quicktime movies use it even when you are on 9600GT. Should be the same for flash.
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't h.264 decoding capability go way back to the Nvidia Geforce 6800-7800 series and also the ATI X800 series?
(both of which were available for Macs)
If this is the case, who's fault is it that Flashplayer doesn't work natively for h.264 decoding on Macs, iPhones, or iPads?
Hasn't APPLE dropped the ball here a long time ago?
Technically, my old PowerMac G5 should be able to do h.264 decoding & is 64 bit!
And yet the iMac & MacBook people are complaining. Go figure. LOL
Steve Jobs is all about pointing fingers and picking villains, but he's the biggest VILLAIN!
If 9600M really isn't supported, than this is the most idiotic move ever. That's like saying "our new release only supports low-end computers".
EDIT:
So it DOES work Well I'm glad to hear that then!
EDIT:
So it DOES work
Well I'm glad to hear that then!And again whose fault would that be? I hope you don't say Adobe because it would be the wrong one. They have just proven they can get their Flash to work efficiently on Macs, so long as Apple plays fair. How well Flash from here on out works on computers is up to Apple.