The main motivation for VAAPI (Video Acceleration API) is to enable
hardware accelerated video decode/encode at various entry-points (VLD,
IDCT, Motion Compensation etc.) for the prevailing coding standards
today (MPEG-2, MPEG-4 ASP/H.263, MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, and VC-1/VMW3).

WWW: http://freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/vaapi