diff --git a/avtools/Makefile b/avtools/Makefile
index d6d609f544..8effa995da 100644
--- a/avtools/Makefile
+++ b/avtools/Makefile
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ PROGS      += $(AVPROGS)
 AVBASENAMES = avconv avplay avprobe
 ALLAVPROGS  = $(AVBASENAMES:%=%$(EXESUF))
 
-OBJS-avconv                   += avtools/avconv_opt.o avtools/avconv_filter.o
+OBJS-avconv                   += avtools/avconv_opt.o avtools/avconv_filter.o \
+                                 avtools/avconv_hw.o
 OBJS-avconv-$(CONFIG_LIBMFX)  += avtools/avconv_qsv.o
 OBJS-avconv-$(CONFIG_VAAPI)   += avtools/avconv_vaapi.o
 OBJS-avconv-$(CONFIG_VDA)     += avtools/avconv_vda.o
diff --git a/avtools/avconv.c b/avtools/avconv.c
index 5c36761c1d..3f5806788e 100644
--- a/avtools/avconv.c
+++ b/avtools/avconv.c
@@ -1704,6 +1704,17 @@ static int init_input_stream(int ist_index, char *error, int error_len)
 
         if (!av_dict_get(ist->decoder_opts, "threads", NULL, 0))
             av_dict_set(&ist->decoder_opts, "threads", "auto", 0);
+
+        ret = hw_device_setup_for_decode(ist);
+        if (ret < 0) {
+            char errbuf[128];
+            av_strerror(ret, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf));
+            snprintf(error, error_len, "Device setup failed for "
+                     "decoder on input stream #%d:%d : %s",
+                     ist->file_index, ist->st->index, errbuf);
+            return ret;
+        }
+
         if ((ret = avcodec_open2(ist->dec_ctx, codec, &ist->decoder_opts)) < 0) {
             char errbuf[128];
             if (ret == AVERROR_EXPERIMENTAL)
@@ -2046,6 +2057,16 @@ static int init_output_stream(OutputStream *ost, char *error, int error_len)
             ost->enc_ctx->hw_frames_ctx = av_buffer_ref(ost->filter->filter->inputs[0]->hw_frames_ctx);
             if (!ost->enc_ctx->hw_frames_ctx)
                 return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+        } else {
+            ret = hw_device_setup_for_encode(ost);
+            if (ret < 0) {
+                char errbuf[128];
+                av_strerror(ret, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf));
+                snprintf(error, error_len, "Device setup failed for "
+                         "encoder on output stream #%d:%d : %s",
+                     ost->file_index, ost->index, errbuf);
+                return ret;
+            }
         }
 
         if ((ret = avcodec_open2(ost->enc_ctx, codec, &ost->encoder_opts)) < 0) {
@@ -2795,6 +2816,7 @@ static int transcode(void)
     }
 
     av_buffer_unref(&hw_device_ctx);
+    hw_device_free_all();
 
     /* finished ! */
     ret = 0;
diff --git a/avtools/avconv.h b/avtools/avconv.h
index 3c3f0ef659..c578e2074b 100644
--- a/avtools/avconv.h
+++ b/avtools/avconv.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #include "libavutil/avutil.h"
 #include "libavutil/dict.h"
 #include "libavutil/fifo.h"
+#include "libavutil/hwcontext.h"
 #include "libavutil/pixfmt.h"
 #include "libavutil/rational.h"
 
@@ -63,8 +64,15 @@ typedef struct HWAccel {
     int (*init)(AVCodecContext *s);
     enum HWAccelID id;
     enum AVPixelFormat pix_fmt;
+    enum AVHWDeviceType device_type;
 } HWAccel;
 
+typedef struct HWDevice {
+    char *name;
+    enum AVHWDeviceType type;
+    AVBufferRef *device_ref;
+} HWDevice;
+
 /* select an input stream for an output stream */
 typedef struct StreamMap {
     int disabled;           /* 1 is this mapping is disabled by a negative map */
@@ -510,4 +518,13 @@ int qsv_transcode_init(OutputStream *ost);
 int vaapi_decode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx);
 int vaapi_device_init(const char *device);
 
+HWDevice *hw_device_get_by_name(const char *name);
+int hw_device_init_from_string(const char *arg, HWDevice **dev);
+void hw_device_free_all(void);
+
+int hw_device_setup_for_decode(InputStream *ist);
+int hw_device_setup_for_encode(OutputStream *ost);
+
+int hwaccel_decode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx);
+
 #endif /* AVCONV_H */
diff --git a/avtools/avconv_hw.c b/avtools/avconv_hw.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fd1618389b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/avtools/avconv_hw.c
@@ -0,0 +1,383 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of Libav.
+ *
+ * Libav is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * Libav is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with Libav; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
+ */
+
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include "avconv.h"
+
+static int nb_hw_devices;
+static HWDevice **hw_devices;
+
+static HWDevice *hw_device_get_by_type(enum AVHWDeviceType type)
+{
+    HWDevice *found = NULL;
+    int i;
+    for (i = 0; i < nb_hw_devices; i++) {
+        if (hw_devices[i]->type == type) {
+            if (found)
+                return NULL;
+            found = hw_devices[i];
+        }
+    }
+    return found;
+}
+
+HWDevice *hw_device_get_by_name(const char *name)
+{
+    int i;
+    for (i = 0; i < nb_hw_devices; i++) {
+        if (!strcmp(hw_devices[i]->name, name))
+            return hw_devices[i];
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+static HWDevice *hw_device_add(void)
+{
+    int err;
+    err = av_reallocp_array(&hw_devices, nb_hw_devices + 1,
+                            sizeof(*hw_devices));
+    if (err) {
+        nb_hw_devices = 0;
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    hw_devices[nb_hw_devices] = av_mallocz(sizeof(HWDevice));
+    if (!hw_devices[nb_hw_devices])
+        return NULL;
+    return hw_devices[nb_hw_devices++];
+}
+
+int hw_device_init_from_string(const char *arg, HWDevice **dev_out)
+{
+    // "type=name:device,key=value,key2=value2"
+    // "type:device,key=value,key2=value2"
+    // -> av_hwdevice_ctx_create()
+    // "type=name@name"
+    // "type@name"
+    // -> av_hwdevice_ctx_create_derived()
+
+    AVDictionary *options = NULL;
+    char *type_name = NULL, *name = NULL, *device = NULL;
+    enum AVHWDeviceType type;
+    HWDevice *dev, *src;
+    AVBufferRef *device_ref;
+    int err;
+    const char *errmsg, *p, *q;
+    size_t k;
+
+    k = strcspn(arg, ":=@");
+    p = arg + k;
+
+    type_name = av_strndup(arg, k);
+    if (!type_name) {
+        err = AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+        goto fail;
+    }
+    type = av_hwdevice_find_type_by_name(type_name);
+    if (type == AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE) {
+        errmsg = "unknown device type";
+        goto invalid;
+    }
+
+    if (*p == '=') {
+        k = strcspn(p + 1, ":@");
+
+        name = av_strndup(p + 1, k);
+        if (!name) {
+            err = AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+            goto fail;
+        }
+        if (hw_device_get_by_name(name)) {
+            errmsg = "named device already exists";
+            goto invalid;
+        }
+
+        p += 1 + k;
+    } else {
+        // Give the device an automatic name of the form "type%d".
+        // We arbitrarily limit at 1000 anonymous devices of the same
+        // type - there is probably something else very wrong if you
+        // get to this limit.
+        size_t index_pos;
+        int index, index_limit = 1000;
+        index_pos = strlen(type_name);
+        name = av_malloc(index_pos + 4);
+        if (!name) {
+            err = AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+            goto fail;
+        }
+        for (index = 0; index < index_limit; index++) {
+            snprintf(name, index_pos + 4, "%s%d", type_name, index);
+            if (!hw_device_get_by_name(name))
+                break;
+        }
+        if (index >= index_limit) {
+            errmsg = "too many devices";
+            goto invalid;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (!*p) {
+        // New device with no parameters.
+        err = av_hwdevice_ctx_create(&device_ref, type,
+                                     NULL, NULL, 0);
+        if (err < 0)
+            goto fail;
+
+    } else if (*p == ':') {
+        // New device with some parameters.
+        ++p;
+        q = strchr(p, ',');
+        if (q) {
+            device = av_strndup(p, q - p);
+            if (!device) {
+                err = AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+                goto fail;
+            }
+            err = av_dict_parse_string(&options, q + 1, "=", ",", 0);
+            if (err < 0) {
+                errmsg = "failed to parse options";
+                goto invalid;
+            }
+        }
+
+        err = av_hwdevice_ctx_create(&device_ref, type,
+                                     device ? device : p, options, 0);
+        if (err < 0)
+            goto fail;
+
+    } else if (*p == '@') {
+        // Derive from existing device.
+
+        src = hw_device_get_by_name(p + 1);
+        if (!src) {
+            errmsg = "invalid source device name";
+            goto invalid;
+        }
+
+        err = av_hwdevice_ctx_create_derived(&device_ref, type,
+                                             src->device_ref, 0);
+        if (err < 0)
+            goto fail;
+    } else {
+        errmsg = "parse error";
+        goto invalid;
+    }
+
+    dev = hw_device_add();
+    if (!dev) {
+        err = AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+        goto fail;
+    }
+
+    dev->name = name;
+    dev->type = type;
+    dev->device_ref = device_ref;
+
+    if (dev_out)
+        *dev_out = dev;
+
+    name = NULL;
+    err = 0;
+done:
+    av_freep(&type_name);
+    av_freep(&name);
+    av_freep(&device);
+    av_dict_free(&options);
+    return err;
+invalid:
+    av_log(NULL, AV_LOG_ERROR,
+           "Invalid device specification \"%s\": %s\n", arg, errmsg);
+    err = AVERROR(EINVAL);
+    goto done;
+fail:
+    av_log(NULL, AV_LOG_ERROR,
+           "Device creation failed: %d.\n", err);
+    goto done;
+}
+
+void hw_device_free_all(void)
+{
+    int i;
+    for (i = 0; i < nb_hw_devices; i++) {
+        av_freep(&hw_devices[i]->name);
+        av_buffer_unref(&hw_devices[i]->device_ref);
+        av_freep(&hw_devices[i]);
+    }
+    av_freep(&hw_devices);
+    nb_hw_devices = 0;
+}
+
+static enum AVHWDeviceType hw_device_match_type_by_hwaccel(enum HWAccelID hwaccel_id)
+{
+    int i;
+    if (hwaccel_id == HWACCEL_NONE)
+        return AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE;
+    for (i = 0; hwaccels[i].name; i++) {
+        if (hwaccels[i].id == hwaccel_id)
+            return hwaccels[i].device_type;
+    }
+    return AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE;
+}
+
+static enum AVHWDeviceType hw_device_match_type_in_name(const char *codec_name)
+{
+    const char *type_name;
+    enum AVHWDeviceType type;
+    for (type = av_hwdevice_iterate_types(AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE);
+         type != AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE;
+         type = av_hwdevice_iterate_types(type)) {
+        type_name = av_hwdevice_get_type_name(type);
+        if (strstr(codec_name, type_name))
+            return type;
+    }
+    return AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE;
+}
+
+int hw_device_setup_for_decode(InputStream *ist)
+{
+    enum AVHWDeviceType type;
+    HWDevice *dev;
+    const char *type_name;
+    int err;
+
+    if (ist->hwaccel_device) {
+        dev = hw_device_get_by_name(ist->hwaccel_device);
+        if (!dev) {
+            char *tmp;
+            size_t len;
+            type = hw_device_match_type_by_hwaccel(ist->hwaccel_id);
+            if (type == AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE) {
+                // No match - this isn't necessarily invalid, though,
+                // because an explicit device might not be needed or
+                // the hwaccel setup could be handled elsewhere.
+                return 0;
+            }
+            type_name = av_hwdevice_get_type_name(type);
+            len = strlen(type_name) + 1 +
+                  strlen(ist->hwaccel_device) + 1;
+            tmp = av_malloc(len);
+            if (!tmp)
+                return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+            snprintf(tmp, len, "%s:%s", type_name, ist->hwaccel_device);
+            err = hw_device_init_from_string(tmp, &dev);
+            av_free(tmp);
+            if (err < 0)
+                return err;
+        }
+    } else {
+        if (ist->hwaccel_id != HWACCEL_NONE)
+            type = hw_device_match_type_by_hwaccel(ist->hwaccel_id);
+        else
+            type = hw_device_match_type_in_name(ist->dec->name);
+        if (type != AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE) {
+            dev = hw_device_get_by_type(type);
+        } else {
+            // No device required.
+            return 0;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (!dev) {
+        av_log(ist->dec_ctx, AV_LOG_WARNING, "No device available "
+               "for decoder (device type %s for codec %s).\n",
+               av_hwdevice_get_type_name(type), ist->dec->name);
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    ist->dec_ctx->hw_device_ctx = av_buffer_ref(dev->device_ref);
+    if (!ist->dec_ctx->hw_device_ctx)
+        return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int hw_device_setup_for_encode(OutputStream *ost)
+{
+    enum AVHWDeviceType type;
+    HWDevice *dev;
+
+    type = hw_device_match_type_in_name(ost->enc->name);
+    if (type != AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE) {
+        dev = hw_device_get_by_type(type);
+        if (!dev) {
+            av_log(ost->enc_ctx, AV_LOG_WARNING, "No device available "
+                   "for encoder (device type %s for codec %s).\n",
+                   av_hwdevice_get_type_name(type), ost->enc->name);
+            return 0;
+        }
+        ost->enc_ctx->hw_device_ctx = av_buffer_ref(dev->device_ref);
+        if (!ost->enc_ctx->hw_device_ctx)
+            return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+        return 0;
+    } else {
+        // No device required.
+        return 0;
+    }
+}
+
+static int hwaccel_retrieve_data(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVFrame *input)
+{
+    InputStream *ist = avctx->opaque;
+    AVFrame *output = NULL;
+    enum AVPixelFormat output_format = ist->hwaccel_output_format;
+    int err;
+
+    if (input->format == output_format) {
+        // Nothing to do.
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    output = av_frame_alloc();
+    if (!output)
+        return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+
+    output->format = output_format;
+
+    err = av_hwframe_transfer_data(output, input, 0);
+    if (err < 0) {
+        av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Failed to transfer data to "
+               "output frame: %d.\n", err);
+        goto fail;
+    }
+
+    err = av_frame_copy_props(output, input);
+    if (err < 0) {
+        av_frame_unref(output);
+        goto fail;
+    }
+
+    av_frame_unref(input);
+    av_frame_move_ref(input, output);
+    av_frame_free(&output);
+
+    return 0;
+
+fail:
+    av_frame_free(&output);
+    return err;
+}
+
+int hwaccel_decode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
+{
+    InputStream *ist = avctx->opaque;
+
+    ist->hwaccel_retrieve_data = &hwaccel_retrieve_data;
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/avtools/avconv_opt.c b/avtools/avconv_opt.c
index e078a0b89d..c17bc15895 100644
--- a/avtools/avconv_opt.c
+++ b/avtools/avconv_opt.c
@@ -57,19 +57,24 @@
 
 const HWAccel hwaccels[] = {
 #if HAVE_VDPAU_X11
-    { "vdpau", vdpau_init, HWACCEL_VDPAU, AV_PIX_FMT_VDPAU },
+    { "vdpau", vdpau_init, HWACCEL_VDPAU, AV_PIX_FMT_VDPAU,
+      AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE },
 #endif
 #if HAVE_DXVA2_LIB
-    { "dxva2", dxva2_init, HWACCEL_DXVA2, AV_PIX_FMT_DXVA2_VLD },
+    { "dxva2", dxva2_init, HWACCEL_DXVA2, AV_PIX_FMT_DXVA2_VLD,
+      AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE },
 #endif
 #if CONFIG_VDA
-    { "vda",   vda_init,   HWACCEL_VDA,   AV_PIX_FMT_VDA },
+    { "vda",   vda_init,   HWACCEL_VDA,   AV_PIX_FMT_VDA,
+      AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE },
 #endif
 #if CONFIG_LIBMFX
-    { "qsv",   qsv_init,   HWACCEL_QSV,   AV_PIX_FMT_QSV },
+    { "qsv",   qsv_init,   HWACCEL_QSV,   AV_PIX_FMT_QSV,
+      AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE },
 #endif
 #if CONFIG_VAAPI
-    { "vaapi", vaapi_decode_init, HWACCEL_VAAPI, AV_PIX_FMT_VAAPI },
+    { "vaapi", vaapi_decode_init, HWACCEL_VAAPI, AV_PIX_FMT_VAAPI,
+      AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE },
 #endif
     { 0 },
 };
@@ -337,6 +342,21 @@ static int opt_vaapi_device(void *optctx, const char *opt, const char *arg)
 }
 #endif
 
+static int opt_init_hw_device(void *optctx, const char *opt, const char *arg)
+{
+    if (!strcmp(arg, "list")) {
+        enum AVHWDeviceType type = AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE;
+        printf("Supported hardware device types:\n");
+        while ((type = av_hwdevice_iterate_types(type)) !=
+               AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_NONE)
+            printf("%s\n", av_hwdevice_get_type_name(type));
+        printf("\n");
+        exit_program(0);
+    } else {
+        return hw_device_init_from_string(arg, NULL);
+    }
+}
+
 /**
  * Parse a metadata specifier passed as 'arg' parameter.
  * @param arg  metadata string to parse
@@ -2741,5 +2761,8 @@ const OptionDef options[] = {
         "set VAAPI hardware device (DRM path or X11 display name)", "device" },
 #endif
 
+    { "init_hw_device", HAS_ARG | OPT_EXPERT, { .func_arg = opt_init_hw_device },
+        "initialise hardware device", "args" },
+
     { NULL, },
 };