AMD Radeon GPUs to support PlayReady 3.0 on Polaris and VEGA in 2018

[AlTech]

Until now HDR and 4K support using PlayReady 3.0 has required Kaby lake Integrated Graphics or newer, or Nvidia GTX 10 Series GPUs.

 

Well alas no more. AMD are preparing drivers to allow Polaris and VEGA to support PlayReady 3.0 later in 2018. AMD Raven Ridge Desktop and Laptop APUs will supported PlayReady 3.0 in Q2.

 

This means that any Polaris or VEGA based Radeon GPU (presumably including Radeon Pro) will support PlayReady 3.0 which is what Netflix HDR and Netflix 4K requires.

 

Any APU with Polaris or VEGA will support this as well.

 

This is made possible because of the existing H.265 Hardware Encode and Decode on 4th Generation GCN (Polaris) and newer GCN micro-architectures. Earlier generations of Radeon GPUs do not support the required encode and decode hardware for 4K and thus won't be compatible with PlayReady 3.0.

 

Radeon dGPUs which will support PlayReady 3.0

• AMD Radeon 500 Series: RX 540, RX 550, RX 560D,RX 560, RX 570, RX 580
• AMD Radeon VEGA Series: RX VEGA 56, RX VEGA 64 Air, RX VEGA 64 Liquid, RX VEGA M, RX VEGA GL, RX VEGA GH
• AMD Radeon 400 Series: RX 460, RX 470, RX 470D, RX 480

 

Any GPU not specifically on this list isn't probably supported.

Quote

For the recent launch of AMD’s Ryzen 5 2400G and Ryzen 3 2200G APUs, our review found that AMD raised the low-end integrated graphics bar to a new level. With superior gaming performance at lower cost and power draw compared to competing solutions, the Ryzen 5 2400G has effectively shut down the sub-$100 graphics card market. But outside of gaming, the other major use-case of integrated graphics is for media content playback and streaming, typically related to HTPC use. In recent days, one of the bigger issues is not just hardware encode/decode capabilities but also hardware DRM support, such as HDCP 2.2, or Microsoft’s PlayReady 3.0 that is required for Netflix 4K and HDR streaming on PCs.

With this capability, the new APUs and upcoming low-power variants would be fit for higher-end HTPC use, but no AMD discrete or integrated PC GPU is currently PlayReady 3.0 capable. In that vein, AMD stated in the corresponding Ryzen desktop APU Reviewer’s Guide:

Please note that HDCP 1.4/2.2 are supported for the purposes of streaming 4K+HDR content. AMD intends to have a production PlayReady 3-capable graphics driver in early Q2.

 

Quote

In these circumstances, AMD is adding their products into the mix. Outside of anything Netflix or vendor specific, Microsoft and PlayReady 3.0 have their own certification process, which includes SL3000 and a number of other steps. AMD stated that in light of the multiple hardware generations they are supporting, there are no announcements at this time about more specific timelines of software updates and related certifications, though they will update more closer to the driver releases.

 

So yeah, really glad AMD is sorting this out cos soon hopefully I'll own a Radeon GPU.

 

Source:

https://www.anandtech.com/show/12442/amd-plans-playready-3-support-for-polaris-and-vega-gpus-in-2018

[deXxterlab97]

Does Pascal support 4k netflix and chill? Cause if so AMD is doing great (ignoring miners) in every possible way

[AlTech]

1 minute ago, deXxterlab97 said:

Does Pascal support 4k netflix and chill? Cause if so AMD is doing great (ignoring miners) in every possible way

Yes. They (Nvidia) have supported it for over 6 months at this point .

 

The only problem is Netflx requires a GTX 1060 3GB or better. 

 

GTX 1050Ti 4GB or anything worse is a no no .

[deXxterlab97]

1 minute ago, AluminiumTech said:

Yes. They (Nvidia) have supported it for over 6 months at this point .

 

The only problem is Netflx requires a GTX 1060 3GB or better. 

 

GTX 1050Ti 4GB or anything worse is a no no .

so i could now build a htpc/e sport machine with cheap 550 and call it a day

[AlTech]

1 minute ago, deXxterlab97 said:

so i could now build a htpc/e sport machine with cheap 550 and call it a day

Yes, in Q2 When AMD pushes out the drivers .

 

Edit: or you could even use a Ryzen 3 2200G/2200GE in Q2 for that.

[Guest The Viking]

then people will come and say Radeon drivers are trash anyway. The usual

 

Glad to see we get extra features, though I don't plan on getting netflix. Ever. I don't watch TV anyway so meh. (But yes, I know a lot of people who are now on the netflix bandwagon, so that's excellent news for future radeon users). Besides, if you need a 1060 on one side and a 550 on the other, that's a huge difference (currently half the price or so, most 550's are going for 140e, vs 300 for gtx1060 3g).

 

Now we're just missing something to replace Ansel, even if most people dislike that novideo feature.

[Trixanity]

I was under the impression that it's the APUs only that get support in Q2 but that Polaris and Vega will get support later this year. They are, after all, on separate driver branches for some reason.

 

Can anyone confirm?

[AlTech]

5 minutes ago, Trixanity said:

I was under the impression that it's the APUs only that get support in Q2 but that Polaris and Vega will get support later this year. They are, after all, on separate driver branches for some reason.

 

Can anyone confirm?

Initially it will start with Vega iGPUs and then move onto all other Polaris and VEGA Radeon products.

[BuckGup]

2 hours ago, The Viking said:

then people will come and say Radeon drivers are trash anyway. The usual

 

Glad to see we get extra features, though I don't plan on getting netflix. Ever. I don't watch TV anyway so meh. (But yes, I know a lot of people who are now on the netflix bandwagon, so that's excellent news for future radeon users). Besides, if you need a 1060 on one side and a 550 on the other, that's a huge difference (currently half the price or so, most 550's are going for 140e, vs 300 for gtx1060 3g).

 

Now we're just missing something to replace Ansel, even if most people dislike that novideo feature.

That mentality has really sorta died out. If anything Nvidia has had worse drivers now

[Guest The Viking]

26 minutes ago, BuckGup said:

That mentality has really sorta died out. If anything Nvidia has had worse drivers now

 

go to any steam forum or youtube comment section and you'll see the amount of people talking crap about AMD drivers.... and when you call them out on it they won't even reply to you. 

 

I have heard about nvidia drivers being worse now, but I wouldn't be able to tell, I just refuse to even touch anything nvidia-related, so buying... never. Most of my friends who have nvidia hardware are happy with it though, so I guess at least that is still good.

[Misanthrope]

Things to be found in 2018: More polaris and vega driver features

 

Things not to be found in 2018 (so far): polaris and vega products you can actually buy.

[The Benjamins]

1 hour ago, Misanthrope said:

Things to be found in 2018: More polaris and vega driver features

 

Things not to be found in 2018 (so far): polaris and vega products you can actually buy.

the 2200g and 2400g are the only ones you can buy.

[XenosTech]

1 hour ago, BuckGup said:

That mentality has really sorta died out. If anything Nvidia has had worse drivers now

Shit I remember saying that to a guy sometime after I built my rig and he told me I was retarded... 

[Doobeedoo]

Don't care about Netflix I don't watch TV but great to see more hardware supports it. 

[AlTech]

53 minutes ago, The Benjamins said:

the 2200g and 2400g are the only ones you can buy.

Also RX 560 (and variants) and RX 550 (and variants)

[Zodiark1593]

It's crappy Nvidia doesn't support 4k Netflix on the GTX 950/960 since these cards actually have the hardware decode capabilities too.

[cj09beira]

Just now, Zodiark1593 said:

It's crappy Nvidia doesn't support 4k Netflix on the GTX 950/960 since these cards actually have the hardware decode capabilities too.

arent those h.264 instead of h.265?

[BuckGup]

2 hours ago, The Viking said:

 

go to any steam forum or youtube comment section and you'll see the amount of people talking crap about AMD drivers.... and when you call them out on it they won't even reply to you. 

 

I have heard about nvidia drivers being worse now, but I wouldn't be able to tell, I just refuse to even touch anything nvidia-related, so buying... never. Most of my friends who have nvidia hardware are happy with it though, so I guess at least that is still good.

You can’t really call someone out for saying bias info about a company if you refuse to buy from a company simply because it’s that company. Currently NVIDIA does offer the better product perf/dollar and selection of cards.

[AlTech]

21 minutes ago, BuckGup said:

You can’t really call someone out for saying bias info about a company if you refuse to buy from a company simply because it’s that company. Currently NVIDIA does offer the better product perf/dollar and selection of cards.

* For the HTPC market I'm inclined to say no. AMD has the better value for money offering with the RX 550 which is sad because neither are incredible value anyways.

[Guest The Viking]

20 minutes ago, BuckGup said:

You can’t really call someone out for saying bias info about a company if you refuse to buy from a company simply because it’s that company. Currently NVIDIA does offer the better product perf/dollar and selection of cards.

 

right now yes, when I bought my cards no. I was lucky to get a rx480 and a 580 at the price they were supposed to be sold.  

 

same with vega, got it for a good price, can't complain. 

 

you can still go tell people that no, drivers aren't crap. Most of them will tell you "I had a card 6 years ago, never again".

 

recently i got a rx560, it was that or a 1050 or 1050ti. rx560 was still cheaper and better, with the 1050 costing 20/30e more than the 560

[AlTech]

32 minutes ago, cj09beira said:

arent those h.264 instead of h.265?

Yes.

33 minutes ago, Zodiark1593 said:

It's crappy Nvidia doesn't support 4k Netflix on the GTX 950/960 since these cards actually have the hardware decode capabilities too.

Nope. They don't have HDMI 2.0 and also they don't support H.265 HEVC.

[Zodiark1593]

13 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

Yes.

Nope. They don't have HDMI 2.0 and also they don't support H.265 HEVC.

Actually, the GTX 960 and 950 has both hdmi 2.0, and support for 10 bit, 4k HEVC at 60 fps. It's not just hybrid decode either, like what the 980 and 970 use.

 

Source: reviews and the fact that I own one. The Nvidia website also specifies HDMI 2.0 for these cards.

[AlTech]

6 minutes ago, Zodiark1593 said:

Actually, the GTX 960 and 950 has both hdmi 2.0, and support for 10 bit, 4k HEVC at 60 fps. It's not just hybrid decode either, like what the 980 and 970 use.

 

Source: reviews and the fact that I own one. The Nvidia website also specifies HDMI 2.0 for these cards.

They don't support HDCP 2.2  which is a requirement of Netflix.

[Trixanity]

39 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

Yes.

Nope. They don't have HDMI 2.0 and also they don't support H.265 HEVC.

HDMI is not a requirement. It can run over DP as long as HDCP 2.2 is supported.

[Zodiark1593]

15 minutes ago, Trixanity said:

HDMI is not a requirement. It can run over DP as long as HDCP 2.2 is supported.

While reviews say the card supports hdcp 2.2 over HDMI 2.0, a) I don't have an hdcp 2.2 compatible display to test with (unlike with testing hardware decode capability), and b) official sources such as Nvidia or EVGA do not seem to specify which hdcp version is available for this card. 

 

I can verify 100% certain that this card can technically decode the content (4k HEVC 10-bit) as I tested it myself with a local file, and supports HDMI 2.0 as verified by Nvidia's website.