Usage of DirectX 12 on windows

[the_dudes]

What are the implications of this? Searched the forum and the beta "What's new", but found no explanation. Is it meant to improve panel performance?

[Ali Jaber]

I was going to ask the same question..

[Thomas Yang]

Hi @the_dudes 

Thank you for asking. We are replacing OpenGL with DirectX12 as the default display technology on Windows. It is part of our modernization effort on display pipeline that aiming for better display stability and performance. More importantly, with the adoption of DirectX12, we are able to bring in modern features that would benefit our users for many aspects, some of them can be very critical to certain workflows, such as Win native HDR support.

The DirectX12 Display has been enabled in Public Beta since Dec 2020. We recently changed the beta feature name and some words. That's why it starts showing up in What's New again. It used to be tagged under a slightly different feature title/description.

Win Native HDR support:

With Win native HDR support, you would be able to directly view HDR content in HDR colorspace within the App, such as AE Comp/Layer/Footage Window. All you need is an HDR10 monitor and a GPU that supports DirectX12.

Some more details can be found at https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-beta/hdr-display-on-windows-using-directx/m-p/11660457?p.... We still have couple HDR issues being developed for AE, so we haven't fully disclosed about it on AE forum. 

[the_dudes]

Thanks a lot for your answer. Besides realtime HDR, could you please elaborate and set the expectations on the changes for «display stability and performance»? Because this would be the thing most users are looking for.

[Thomas Yang]

Thank you for asking. That's a very good question. Stability and performance can mean so many things. We do want to set the right expectations. 

First of all, this is a relatively low level change. Except for the actual user facing feature, DirectX HDR capability, we expect that most users to not notice anything that is obvisouly different. Performance improvement may vary, mostly depending on your hardware/GPU, and whether your workflow was bottlenecked at display pipeline. Bigger size comp would benefit more from it.

On stability, expect to see less display and GPU drivers related crash. We also improved the Tdr handling. User used to find their App vaporized/crashed with a Tdr related driver assert dialogue. With DirectX, instead of crash, user now get a chance to save their work.

Lastly, something to clarify. This OpenGL -> DirectX12 transition only affects the video preview windows. That includes Comp Window, Layer Window, Footage Window, Lumetri Scope Window, Transmit Window, Media Browser Window. Others, such as UI elements, are not affected by this feature.

Hope it helps,

Thomas

[scrozier]

 "display stability and performance."

• Crossing fingers for being able to scroll through layers at more than 2FPS.  

[Thomas Yang]

Hi @scrozier, apology for not being clear enough. To clarify, this OpenGL -> DirectX12 transition only affects the video preview windows. That includes Comp Window, Layer Window, Footage Window, Lumetri Scope Window, Transmit Window, Media Browser Window. Others, such as UI elements, are not affected by this feature.

[scrozier]

Thanks for the reply. The timeline/layer panel performance has been a real problem when dealing with comps that have over 20+ layers for awhile. Scrolling performance is bad, slecting keyframes feels laggy and impercise, and all around no matter how powerful your machine is it draws like a 1ghz 1999 pentium 4. The "hardware accelerate" checkbox has seemingly no impact on this. 

I know I'm not the only one hoping and praying for a modern feeling after effects interface upgrade. I wouldn't suggest that you even change the look and feel, just get the interface to render at closer to the 30-60fps we have been accustomed to in every other modern piece of software. I think after multi-frame rendering this is one of the top requests! 

[tillp35050168]

yea. that bugs the cummunity for years now !