Optimizing BC1 encoding is still useful and interesting because the same core algorithms are used in BC7 and ASTC/UASTC encoders. Most improvements made to BC1 encoding carry over nicely to the 2-bit and 3-bit selector modes of other formats.
Here's my latest benchmark:
![]()
![]()
rgbcx.h flags:
- h is cEncodeBC1HighQuality
- ut is cEncodeBC1UseLikelyTotalOrderings
- ub is cEncodeBC1Use3ColorBlocksForBlackPixels
- 3 is cEncodeBC1Use3ColorBlocks
From the benchmarks I've seen it appears NVidia Texture Tools BC1 is around the same perf. as libsquish at slightly higher quality:
![]()
I believe this was rgbcx using 10 total orderings (the default setting). The max is 32, and every additional total ordering increases average quality. So at higher settings rgbcx is likely competitive against nvtt while being faster.
I'm currently working on integrating NVTT into my test app.
Here's my latest benchmark:
The highest performing samples (above 37 dB) are rgbcx in 3-color block mode, where it can use transparent black colors (selector 3) for opaque black or very dark texels. (The only other BC1 encoder that might support this mode is the one in NVidia Texture Tools, but I'm not sure.) This technically turns opaque textures into textures with a useless alpha channel, but if the engine or shader just ignores alpha then this mode performs exceptionally well in the average case. The flags are cEncodeBC1Use3ColorBlocksForBlackPixels | cEncodeBC1Use3ColorBlocks.
This mode is super useful because it allows the 3-color block encoder to focus the endpoints on the brighter texels within the block, potentially greatly increasing quality. Blocks with very dark or black texels are common in practice.
If your engine supports ignoring the alpha channel in sampled BC1 textures then everyone using BC1 should be using encoders that support this.
Data:
rgbcx.h flags:
- h is cEncodeBC1HighQuality
- ut is cEncodeBC1UseLikelyTotalOrderings
- ub is cEncodeBC1Use3ColorBlocksForBlackPixels
- 3 is cEncodeBC1Use3ColorBlocks
From the benchmarks I've seen it appears NVidia Texture Tools BC1 is around the same perf. as libsquish at slightly higher quality:
I believe this was rgbcx using 10 total orderings (the default setting). The max is 32, and every additional total ordering increases average quality. So at higher settings rgbcx is likely competitive against nvtt while being faster.
I'm currently working on integrating NVTT into my test app.