[vlc-devel] Exploring OS X Acceleration

[Dan Macpherson]

I found some files that may help accelerate playback of media:
/System/Library/Frameworks/IOKit.framework/Versions/A/Headers/graphics:
IOAccelClientConnect.h
IOAccelSurfaceConnect.h
IOAccelSurfaceControl.h
IOAccelTypes.h
IOFramebufferShared.h
IOGraphicsEngine.h
IOGraphicsInterface.h
IOGraphicsInterfaceTypes.h
IOGraphicsLib.h
IOGraphicsTypes.h
---- (please read them, they are quite neat)
These files list functions for loading surfaces into 
framebuffer(videocard) memory
and a few functions to manipulate the surfaces. The includes say that 
these
functions are primarily meant for windowing systems, and should 
obviously
should be used carefully. Although these functions are meant for 
windowing
systems, I have noticed by using otool (otool -tV <file> for 
ultra-verbose
disassemble, otool -L <file> for listing linked libraries) that Apple's 
DVD Player
uses an abstracted version of these functions. Running otool has allowed
me to trace-back and find slightly higher level functions (If i 
remember correctly)
that we may be able to use.

In terms of where acceleration should occur, I was thinking that the 
codecs
could take advantage these functions from a lower level.
(I haven't had time to look at the codec source yet). I have looked at 
the
Project Builder source, and it could be rewritten to use surfaces from
framebuffer memory supplied at the codec level to the higher-end UI.

Happy Hacking,
Dan Macpherson
dan at ecks.org
---
Open-Source CODECs Rock!

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