Can I force transcode to GPU without disabling integrated graphics? Or fixing Nvidia issues

Plex Media Server
1

Server Version#: 1.20.3.3437
Player Version#:misc Windows, firestick, or android.

Ryzen 5 with integrated graphics. GTX1660 GPU. Ubuntu 20.04.

The last few Ubuntu updates have broken the Nvidia drivers for me. I end up with a screen that will only display at 600x800. Each time I have been able to get it to switch back to the motherboard HDMI port, by re-enabling the integrated graphics. Eventually, after much flailing about in the terminal I’m able to get new or better Nvidia drivers going (or I guess maybe I’m just getting the same ones going again, not sure). But in the meantime, I have no hardware transcoding.

I see a few options:

  1. Figure out how to fix the Nvidia problem so it stops happening.
  2. Figure out how to get Plex to use HW GPU for transcoding even though the integrated graphics is working. (As I understand it, this is not possible at this time.)
  3. Replace the GPU with something else, it which case I need suggestions.
  4. Abandon this machine and switch to intel and or windows.

It’s just me streaming from my basement to my living room, so the CPU can handle things, but it bugs me that it isn’t working right.

Thanks for any advice.

Mike

2

If you know the device node name, you can force it by specifying that name in Preferences.xml using this format.

HardwareDevicePath="/dev/dri/renderD128"
3

I read that as saying that would allow me to keep using the integrated graphics for the monitor and not have to worry about the driver getting wonky, but Plex would still offload the transcoding to the GPU. Is that correct?

Mike

4

Mike,
If you have an Nvidia card (presumed capable of HW transcoding per their Matrix) and an internal, this one allows you to pick which to use.

Please understand there is a distinction here.

  1. The CPU’s GPU (which drives your video monitor)
  2. The Quick Sync ASIC (UHD 600 / UHD 630 / etc ) which performs the actual transcoding
  3. A PCI Nvidia GPU card

I happen to have one of those hybrid machines. i7-8809g. It has a GPU (for the monitors), a QuickSync video ASIC (for HW transcoding), and another AMD GPU.

If PMS supported AMD GPUs, I would need to specify which of the two I wanted but as it currently stands,

  1. CPU’s GPU – runs the displays
  2. QSV ASIC – does the hardware transcoding
  3. AMD GPU – for when I fire up a game which can use it (Steam games do)

In a nutshell:

Yes, You can use the internal GPU for your display and the QSV ASIC for transcoding. The two are independent.

5

Great. I will see if I can figure that out then. And for those who come after who know even less than I do, Chuck’s answer above about Quick Sync does not apply specifically to my setup. (unless of course someone corrects me) Quick Sync is Intel chips only, and I’m using AMD.
Thanks
Mike

6

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