So... here is a solution for you Google. Stadia on Linux currently does not have "great" hardware support for Hardware Accelerated Decoding. This doesn't directly come down to having Hardware H.264 or VP9, it comes down to driver issues, and the like.
NVIDIA owners can enable (what I call) Hardware Assisted Decoding with VA-API / VDPAU wrappers that (kind of) decode the video a bit faster, but still do not take advantage of the internal video decoder. This is not just a Stadia issue, but also an issue with YouTube, and other Video Services on-line.
Now, VLC Player uses VDPAU, and decodes video directly through the Hardware Video Decoder on our Video Cards. You can go to YouTube, and copy the link directly into VLC, and it will play it back with Hardware Decoding via VDPAU.
So... Follow with me here.
Why can't Linux users go to Stadia.com, log-in, and then instead of playing the video directly in the browser, have a link they could use to copy into VLC, and use the stream there... Hardware Decoded?
Obviously, we would still need the browser window open for navigating our libraries, purchases, and controller connections, but that could run in the background while the game video and audio streams to VLC.
How hard would this be? This would create a major solution for Linux users, and probably get you more subscriptions/purchases. When Steam assisted the Wine project, and came up with Proton, it was a MAJOR boost to the Linux community, and they are now selling more games as a result.
What about it Google? Can you do this? Seems a simple enough solution, right?
Hello @Shibblet,
Linux support is depending on Chrome running on linux.
I think the best place to get hardware support with Chrome within linux.
https://support.google.com/chrome/community?hl=en
This community forum specific Stadia and we can help with Stadia related stuff.
So I am afraid we cannot help you with this. ![]()
Hope this helps you in the right direction to get support for Chrome on linux.
I did what you asked:
How do we enable Video Acceleration with YouTube & Stadia in Linux? - Google Chrome Community
However, I'd like to know why this is such an issue with Linux. I have an Asus Chromebook C425, with an Intel Core M3 Processor. Hardware VP9 is supported, right out of the box. No questions, it all just works. No "enabling" VA-API, or wrappering VDPAU, etc...
If it works so readily on a Chromebook (which is a distribution of Linux), why isn't this available for Desktop Linux?
Why is this so difficult to support? Do you know what this would do in the Linux community if HW Acceleration was supported?
Hi, @Shibblet .
Currently, with latest Chromium engine browser (Chromium, Chrome, Brave...), there is VAAPI hardware video acceleration in GNU/Linux for h.264 and works fine. You only need to activate this attributes(--use-gl=desktop --enable-features=VaapiVideoDecoder) from command line. Launching this way:
$ /usr/bin/google-chrome-stable %U --use-gl=desktop --enable-features=VaapiVideoDecoder
Except that it doesn't actually work.
I'll point you toward a post in a different forum: Nvidia / GPU Video Acceleration (ubuntuforums.org)
It only "assists" with decoding. What Linux users need is VDPAU support, so that the built in Video Decoder on our video cards will actually decode the incoming stream.
Hi, @Shibblet .
Well, it works with cards using VAAPI, of course. I'm currently using it without problems with an AMD card.
VAAPI seems to be supported by more cards and software. Of course, if you have Nvidia,you'll probably need VDPAU, but maybe this is something to talk with Nvidia. Nvidia should be more user friendly with this.
Stadia only needs hardware decoding acceleration and it is provided by VAAPI. If it was hard get VAAPI browser integration, have other with VDPAU seems impossible. But, who know!
That's my point. It does work with VAAPI, but that doesn't use the Hardware Decoder built on the Card, it's more of a "Hardware Assisted" decoding, and it apparently only helps with extending battery life on laptops, but doesn't make much a difference for desktops.
VDPAU is useful for both Nvidia and AMD Graphics cards, and I am pretty sure it works with Intel HD Decoders as well. VDPAU not only decodes H.264, but can also be used for the current VP9. I know my graphics card (GTX 780ti) only uses H.264.
With hardware decoding, this would eliminate any "decoding" problems on my side, and smooth out game play. My decode time is too high, and my games keep dropping from 1080p to 720p. You know, the service quality that I am paying for...
The ultimate solution here is to either add all of the above to the Chrome Browser, or make a Stadia Client application for Linux. Although, I have also suggested a different solution that would work immediately without having to go that next step.
To be honest, I am sorry that I keep making a big deal about this, but this situation needs to be resolved, and it seems as if Google doesn't even acknowledge that it's an issue. And again, everybody seems to only be making excuses as to why it cannot be done.
Simply put, if my Asus 425C Chromebook can handle HW Decoding, then it can be done in ANY Desktop Linux.