Whatever package we install, we always have the same crash, so don’t bother install third-party packages outside Plex itself.
To follow at least a path, follow this:
Install Ubuntu Server 20.04 LTS (focal and hirsute have same issues, even if hirsute is on more up to date packages)
Install linux-image-oem-20.04 kernel package (the most suitable for a NUC, IMHO)
Install intel-media-va-driver-non-free and intel-opencl-icd from regular focal apt source
add enable_guc=2 i915 kernel module option for low-power encoding, as instructed by Intel: sudo echo options i915 enable_guc=2 > /etc/modprobe.d/i915.conf
sudo update-initramfs -u (safety measure)
Install Plex
Ensure in Transcoder options that Use hardware acceleration when available and Use hardware-accelerated video encoding are checked, leave Enable HDR tone mapping and Disable video stream transcoding unchecked (tone-mapping issues are out of the scope)
Create a new library, Scanner Plex Video Files Scanner and Agent Personal Media
Put your own test file (it crashes all the time) in the folder of your new library
Play the file in a browser (Edge and Chrome are fine), and chose to transcode it to 1080p High
Watch for errors in dmesg --follow in a terminal
If no crash happens, loop over your file several times, select a different output resolution
Thanks in advance for your time spent on this.
We can discuss more about ffmpeg stuff later, but I feel that Plex’s forked version of it could be related to our crashes as regular ffmpeg don’t shows any issue.
Edit: Ignore all the below… I’ve just crashed it again
I don’t know if it’s just me… but I’ve done a few things and I think/hope hw transcoding is now working for me on an NUC11 running Ubuntu Server 21.04 hirsuite and kernel GNU/Linux 5.11.0-25-generic x86_64.
What I’ve done:
I installed intel-media-va-driver-non-free as suggested by @geeooff a couple of posts up
Update Plex Media Server to the latest plex pass release: 1.24.0.4897
There were some updates for my system which just came through:
The following package was automatically installed and is no longer required:
libllvm11
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove it.
The following NEW packages will be installed:
libllvm12
The following packages will be upgraded:
libgbm1 libgl1-mesa-dri libglapi-mesa libglx-mesa0 mesa-va-drivers mesa-vdpau-drivers mesa-vulkan-drivers
I’ve just tried a few 4K HEVC 10 files on a 1080p TV which before all of the above would crash PMS. They are now showing as transcoding (hw). HDR Tone Mapping is still not working, if I enable it then it falls back to software transcode. Can anyone else verify???
Late to the party, but invested in the topic of discussion. I’ve got a 1165g7 asrock nuc that is platform-equivalent to the intel nuc 11. May be a less expensive or more accessible (in-stock) way to enter the ecosystem.
I’m also willing to test whatever is needed. I’ll monitor this thread.
This is the right NUC generation, the right CPU generation too.
BUT Intel is listing this NUC11TNKi3 as an Intel® UHD Graphics for 11th Gen Intel® Processors iGPU instead of the Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics iGPU.
I don’t know if it’s a typo, but if you really want to reproduce the issues we have, you should stick to the “Iris Xe Graphics” iGPUs.
Here are the full difference between the NUC systems (mine and your candidate), and their CPU:
My parts:
Intel NUC 11 Performance Kit (model NUC11PAHi7)
Western Digital WD BLACK SN850 NVMe M.2 2280 500GB (model WDS500G1X0E)
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) 3200 MHz (model F4-3200C22D-32GRS)
Not sure if you really need 500GB of storage and 32GB of RAM (i’m hosting virtual machines) though. The SN850 and these specific memory have zero issues with the NUC11 platform, as far as I know and experience with my own NUC.
It would mean that our Engineer (Ridley) would be the one doing the work and would likely need to install some development packages plus run some things as root or sudo.
Would that be an issue if arrangements could be made in private ?
I’m also more than willing to exclusively let plex remote access my 1165g7/intel xe equipped nuc for debugging/diagnosis purposes. I can provision whatever environment is required.
Also, if you would like to obtain one, this is in stock and has the right hardware:
Yes, you do. It needs ddr4 laptop memory and a m.2 ssd or 2.5" drive. That NUC is the one I own. If you need access to an environment that can reproduce the issue let me know. I’m willing to let plex devs use it for as long as needed.
I have a Intel NUC11TNHv50L 11th Gen Core I5 System, vPro, Dual GLAN, TPM 2.0, 32GB DDR4 outfitted with a pcie gen 4 Samsung nvme and a SATA 1tb Samsung 870 that I’d either be willing to allow remote access (ssh or otherwise) or I’m willing to also ship it somewhere stateside for testing (as long as I get it back eventually afterwards) I see others have offered as well, just message me and let me know. If it’ll help out the community, I’m all for it.
