What is the Intel Media SDK?
The Intel® Media Software Development Kit (Intel® Media SDK) is a cross-platform application programming interface (API) for developing consumer and professional media applications, including video editing and processing, media conversion, streaming and playback, and video conferencing. The SDK makes it easy for developers to optimize applications for Intel® HD Graphics' fixed-function hardware acceleration, currently part of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation Intel® Core™ and new Intel® Atom™ processors.
http://software.intel.com/en-us/vcsourc ... /media-sdkWhat is new in Intel® Media SDK 2014 for Clients?
The SDK is optimized to utilize the power of 4th generation Intel® Core™ processors, codenamed "Haswell," and Intel® Atom™ processor-based tablets for a consistently high-quality media experience. In addition to supporting accelerated H.264 encode and decode and video processing filters, the new SDK includes access to the Media Solutions Portal where developers can access new tools and products to make developing media applications easier and faster. Use of Intel Media SDK 2014 for Clients also includes free licensing and source for integration with Open Source projects and OpenCL* video workloads. The SDK is available as a free download here.
The new AAC stuff is included in a dedicated library and isn't for free it seems. I see a couple of new encoding features in the new SDK. BRefControl, LookAheadDS, EncoderROI, ICQQuality, HEVC level codec, RATECONTROL_ICQ, RATECONTROL_LA_ICQ and some more.