Since Plex can only utilize the encoding and decoding functions of a GPU it seems to be a waste to rely on GPUs for encoding, decoding and transcoding instead of using dedicated hardware.
Plex doesn’t currently support this product, but perhaps it would address the problem of transcoding more effectively.
High-Density H.264 Encoding and Decoding
Mura IPX cards have been engineered to offer world-class, high-density H.264 encoding and decoding capabilities for use in virtually any application of encoding, decoding, or transcoding.
… encoding and decoding for numerous applications ranging from decode and display of a high number of streaming IP sources, to the capture and streaming of multiple independent streams of video content at multiple bitrates, resolutions, and quality levels.
Encoding / Decoding Support for H.264 Universal Standard
Mura IPX supports high-density H.264 level 5.2 encoding and decoding, and thrives on the massive interactivity this produces with 3rd-party hardware and software products. Collectively accepted on the vast majority of network infrastructures, the H.264 codec allows for efficient encoding and decoding at low bitrates and high quality (from SD to 8K*) based on user needs.
IP Connectivity
By enabling communication across devices over the LAN through a network jack, Matrox … Mura IPX [can] receive and decode IP streams [and] stream encoded video, receivable on other Mura IPX-enabled devices and third-party hardware and software.
that card is irrelevant for 4k/uhd, even outside of plex, it doesn’t appear to support h265/hevc, which is what is needed to move beyond cpu encoding/transcoding.
I don’t even understand your comment it being a waste.
gpus have dedicated video encoder/decoder hardware…
that hardware is much faster than cpu for decoding/encoding.
and they are already supported, readily available, and relatively cheap.
When I said that running a GPU for the purpose of transcoding is a waste I meant in the case where your system is headless or you have no real use for the graphics-processing capabilities of the GPU beyond transcoding, then the GPU is essentially a waste compared to running dedicated transcoding hardware.
Relatively speaking, the only thing a GPU has going for it is that it’s relatively cheap.
Perhaps, with enough consumer interest, Matrox would develop a board that supports H.265 for 4K / UHD transcoding and remove some of the unnecessaries (multiple PHY inputs and outputs …) and solve the transcoding problem.
even if they (or someone else) did develop such a card, it is unlikely it would have the sales scale to reach enough users to be anything other than niche and expensive.
you can buy a used gtx 1050 or better on ebay/craigslist for cheap cheap cheap, and I don’t see any dedicated hevc card having the same or cheaper price and the same or better support as is already available.
I do understand, that it seems wasteful to run a gpu on something headless though, but I just don’t see the benefit for anyone with a dedicated card.
btw, if you want a headless gpu, look into nvidia tesla. I know there have been scattered posts about them, not sure if anyone got them to work though.
It may not seem economical at first, but it makes sense to open up that potential market or at least to gauge interest like HDHomerun did with their latest Network DVR on Kickstarter. There’s clearly a lot of interest in transcoding for Plex and other media solutions.
All the hardware capability is there. It is just a matter of tapping into it with the right software - Plex and Matrox could work together to bring it to reality.
I’m going to drum up interest on Matrox’s website, too.
honestly, if a regular gpu isn’t good enough for you, I don’t know what else to say except good luck, I don’t see plex devoting any dev effort to something with so little return.
They are probably also not keen on anything that would make streaming to multiple dozens of users even easier, like people renting out plex servers for profit etc.
Why not? If support for a Video Processing Unit (VPU) makes their product more attractive to customers who are more likely to purchase a Plex Pass it makes no sense to refuse to support it.
A VPU is the solution to the transcoding problem. Period.
because readily available and cheap gpu’s can already support dozens of transcodes already, with zero additional development using existing software/hardware.
anyway, good luck, who knows, they implement what they want, when they want, so anything could happen.
GPUs are amazing for the same reason CPUs are amazing: they’re flexible and programmable.
Things often start with specialized hardware, and then a few years later general-purpose solutions become “good enough” for 99% of people.
Matrox has been around forever, and they’ve always been a super interesting company, and they’ve done a good job at pivoting their business a bunch of times.
